REVIEW: Setel Lite App – Lighter, Simpler, or Too Bare-Boned?

Setel Lite? Just like ‘satellite’?

Setel Lite is a lightweight version of the Setel – a mobile app that provides refuelling services via any Petronas stations in the country. Just like the standard app, Setel Lite offers cashless refuelling service, with the added ability to to work on slower (read: older) smartphones or even with poor internet or data connectivity.

While the standard Setel app offers a plethora of services at the convenience of your fingertips, most of the times users only utilise the cashless refuelling feature, thus deeming all other features somewhat unnecessary. The app can be quite a hassle to use, especially for those operating slower, lower-end smartphones, or when suffering poor internet connection.

For users who don’t need the extra features, the Setel Lite app was developed with the specific aim for use amongst such users. We at Caricarz.com had the opportunity to participate in the Beta testing programme for this lightweight app on an  Android device prior to its launch to see how it really fares against the standard Setel app.

After a month-long testing period, we’d reckon that the Setel Lite app has enough chops to make it usable on a daily basis, though we’ll also note that there’s some room for improvement too. Allow us to explain…

How ‘lite’ is it exactly?

As mentioned, Setel claims that this lite version works on slower devices and on lower-end connections like EDGE 2G and 3G. More importantly, Setel Lite is compatible with older versions of the Android software, dating back to Android 4.4 or EMUI 3 for Huawei phones.

Apart from its smaller download size, this ‘lite’ app only offers two of Setel’s core functions – cashless refuelling service and Mesra reward program. This means that the app can run smoother on slower devices and/or poor internet connection, because there’s simply not much features to load up.

The menus are simple and easy to navigate, while require less time/data to load

After booting up the app, you are greeted with a familiar-looking yet somewhat bare-boned main menu, where it displays the nearest Petronas petrol station to you, as well as your Setel Wallet balance. While there’s an option to view other stations nearby, Setel Lite only displays the petrol station list instead of an interactive map as seen in the standard app.

Through this app, you can still top-up your Setel Wallet balance, but only via online banking and voucher redemption, the latter requiring physical purchases at any Petronas stations. Though the option to reload via other means like credit/debit cards are absent, we reckon the online banking method is sufficient for most.

This Mesra points earning menu pops up everytime you've done fuelling

As for the Mesra reward program, you can check your Mesra points balance, and there’s also an option to link a physical Mesra Card to your Setel account, which is probably more than what many folks asked for. Elsewhere, there’s the usual inbox and settings menu, but more importantly, you still can check your payment history and have digitized receipts produced and sent via email.

Overall, Setel Lite is truly a ‘lite’ app that comes with ample features and functions to make it usable, without being cluttered by other features that perhaps most users find ‘redundant’.

How does it work, then?

First, a little pre-empt. We tested the Beta version of this app on a relatively new’ Android device that runs Android 13 – the latest full version currently available. So, we can’t really give a straight-on ‘real’ review on the app’s performance on lower-end devices.

Throughout our month-long test, the Setel Lite app worked rather well and smoothly too with no major hiccups and down time - impressive considering it was a Beta version. Living in the suburbs with excellent internet connectivity, the poorest mobile network we had when using the app was 3G. On said connection, the app still works, albeit taking a slightly longer time than usual to load.

The simplified menu means that Setel Lite is an easy app to 'master'

As for the accessibility, the app’s simplified menu layout leads to a rather straightforward process, even for those who have never used the main Setel app before. The interface is very easy to navigate and memorise, while the bigger menu icons means that folks with impaired eyesights can still use them.

Setel Lite app main menu (left) & standard Setel app main menu (right), featuring the interactive map

If we had to nitpick, perhaps the absence of the interactive map is something that many standard Setel app users long for - this writer included. This is especially true when there are more than one Petronas stations nearby, and you can’t exactly locate which station you’re at. We’ve actually experienced that whilst trying to use the app at a Petronas station that also has another Petronas station adjacent to it.

However, we can’t entirely blame the app for this, as there’s also other external factors to consider like slow internet connection or poor device GPS accuracy. Nevertheless, perhaps this is something that is fixable via timely updates.

Apart from that, the Setel Lite app works just as advertised.

Conclusion

So, a super light app that only allows you to refuel your vehicles from the convenience of your phone, without having to queue up at the counter, or bring out your wallet to reach for your payment cards? Not sure what you’ve heard but this sounds like a perfect app for those who want to keep things simple and straightforward. The bonus here is its flexibility to work even with poor internet connection or on slower and older devices.

We reckon the Setel Lite app is ideal for motorcyclist, especially delivery riders

We opined that the Setel Lite app would be a perfect fit for motorcyclists, especially those working as delivery riders, where they need to keep thing, even fuel stops, brief. As a daily motorcyclist myself, I personally found the Setel Lite app to be very convenient at all times.

As for the elders, yes, the app’s simple and straightforward layout could better entice them to adopt it. But we reckon the app is somewhat still too complicated for some of which, especially for those who still can’t grasp the concept of digital and cashless payments. But, for the slightly tech-savvy ones, Setel Lite is a great way for them to start venturing into this convenient routine of cashless refuelling.

To wrap things up, Setel Lite is an app that works and behaves as advertised, featuring enough functions that make it a viable solution for your refuelling needs. While there are slight shortcomings, we opined that these don’t disrupt the experience of using this app.