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Cash back credit cards are among the best credit cards you can get, returning anywhere from 1% to 10% cash back on all kinds of purchases — and often without an annual fee. For folks who are just getting into credit card rewards, or who want to keep things simple, cash back credit cards are a good choice.
Best Cash Back Credit Cards
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Product Name Only : Best for flat-rate cash rewardsChase Freedom Unlimited® - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for everyday spendingChase Freedom Flex℠ - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for rotating categories and flexible redemptionsDiscover it® Cash Back - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit cards for rotating cash back categoriesBlue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for familiesCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for dining, groceries, and entertainment with no annual feeCiti Custom Cash℠ Card - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for automatically customizing rewardsU.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for choosing your own bonus categoriesCiti® Double Cash Card - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for balance transfersCapital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only : Best cash back credit card for students
See Insider's picks for the top cash back credit cards for families, dining, intro APRs, and building credit below.
In terms of flexibility, cash back is the king of credit card rewards. Many cash back credit cards give you the option to redeem your accrual as either cash, a statement credit, or a transfer to your bank account. And some even allow you to convert your cash back into travel rewards points.
Compare Cash Back Credit Cards
Cash Back Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
How does earning cash back work?
Cash-back credit cards work by giving you a percentage of every dollar you spend — usually at least 1% — as cash back in your card account. Some cash-back cards earn a higher percentage in bonus categories, such as groceries, dining, or gas. You can transfer the cash back you earn from these cards to a bank account, use it to pay down your credit card statement, or redeem it for gifts and merchandise.
Do cash back cards actually give you cash?
Cash-back credit cards do give cash, but that's not to say you'll necessarily see the physical cash. You're typically awarded cash back as a credit that you can use to cancel out purchases from your credit card statement, or to redeem for gift cards or merchandise online. Some cards do let you take your cash as a deposit to your account or as a check.
What credit card offers the most cash back?
No single credit card offers the most cash back in every category, but there are a few that stand out for high rewards. For example, the
Is a cash back card better than a travel or rewards card?
A cash back card could be better than a travel or rewards card, depending on what you want to do with your rewards. If you primarily want to put money back in your bank account rather than earn rewards you can redeem for travel, a cash back credit card is ideal — and you usually won't have to pay a very high annual fee, if you have to pay one at all.
How can you make the most of a cash back credit card?
To make the most of a cash back credit card, always pay the balance in full each month. Also, read up on rewards rates for different spending areas (some cards offer elevated rates in areas like restaurants, gas stations, or supermarkets). Make sure to actually redeem your cash back instead of letting it pile up, and consider opening a "sister" card from the same issuer. Some cash back cards let you transfer rewards to travel cards from the same bank, then transfer points to airline and hotel partners they're worth the most.
Cash Back Credit Card Company Reviews
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Not only does the
It offers a substantial welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card:
The
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Review
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
If you're looking for a card that combines strong bonus categories with decent flat-rate rewards on non-bonus spending, the
The
If you also have an annual-fee Chase Ultimate Rewards card like the
Plus, the
Chase Freedom Unlimited Review
Chase Freedom Flex
Unlike the
Sometimes there's just one major category per quarter, while other times there can be a few different ones. Past categories have included gas stations, local commuter transportation, department stores, drug stores, restaurants, and movie theaters. These useful categories make the card one of the best 5% cash back credit cards.
The
Right now, the
It also has a generous list of benefits for a no-annual-fee card, such as cell phone protection, purchase protection, auto rental collision damage waiver, and travel insurance like trip cancellation/interruption coverage, as well as travel and emergency assistance services.
Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card Review
Discover it® Cash Back
If you prefer a card that earns straight cash back, not points, and like the idea of rotating bonus categories, the
The Discover cash back calendar for Q3 2023 (July 1 to September 30, 2023) bonus categories are gas stations and digital wallets.
Instead of a regular welcome bonus, Discover rewards new cardholders in a different way. After the first 12 months, it will match all of the rewards you earn from the card through the Discover Cashback Match program. That means you can effectively earn up to 10% back in your first year — and if you're a big spender, this can pay off handsomely.
Discover it Cash Back Card Review
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
If you're looking for an American Express cash back card, especially if you have a large family that spends a lot on groceries, streaming, and commuting, the
Currently, the card offers a welcome bonus of a
Keep in mind there's an annual fee of
The
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Review
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
The
Cardholders earn 3% cash back on dining, at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment, and popular streaming services, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The
The welcome bonus is generous, too:
This card offers a handful of good benefits, including extended warranty***, travel accident insurance***, and travel emergency assistance services***. As with all other Capital One credit cards, you won't pay foreign transaction fees on international purchases, so it's great to use when you're out globetrotting.
Also, if you don't think your credit score is good enough to qualify for the regular version of the card, and you're currently enrolled in college, you could apply for the student version of the card to convert to the regular version after graduation.
Capital One SavorOne Card Review
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
For a more hands-off approach to maximizing your rewards, the
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Select transit
- Select streaming
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
Plus, you'll earn 1% on all other purchases. It also comes with a decent welcome offer for a no-annual-fee card:
If your spending habits tend to change from time to time, this card is worth a look — especially because the list of eligible categories includes lots of common expenses.
While the
However, you could potentially get more value from your rewards if you also have the
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
One of the newer types of cards offers the ability to choose your own bonus categories, and they're a great way to maximize your cash back by earning the highest rewards on the purchases you make the most. The
- Prepaid air travel
- Hotel stays
- Car reservations booked through the Rewards Center
- Fast food
- Home utilities
- TV, internet, and streaming services
- Department and electronic stores
- Cell phone providers
- Sporting goods stores
- Furniture Stores
- Movie theaters
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Ground transportation
- Select clothing stores
Cardholders also get to choose a 2% cash back "everyday" category from gas and EV charging stations, restaurants, or grocery stores, and earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. These strong earning rates put this card high on our list of best US Bank credit cards.
New cardholders can earn a
As a Visa Signature card, it comes with additional perks including Visa Signature concierge and Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection access, travel and emergency assistance, and roadside dispatch.
Citi® Double Cash Card
The
That said, the
With that, the
The
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Applying for a credit card when you're still in college can be a little tricky because most students don't have a long credit history or high credit score. Student credit cards are more accessible because they typically only require fair or average credit to get approved.
The
It also earns 5% cash back on car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases through November 14, 2024. All other purchases earn 1% back.
This card comes with built-in travel and purchase coverage you don't often find on student credit cards, including price protection***, extended warranty***, car rental insurance***, roadside dispatch***, and travel accident insurance***. There are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, so if you're heading out on a study-abroad program or plan to travel during your summer breaks, using your card won't result in extra charges.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Student Credit Card Review
Other Cash Back Credit Cards We Considered
We evaluated dozens of cash back credit cards and chose the very best in the most broadly useful categories for our list. Several other cards were on our shortlist, and they're all very good in their own right, but for various reasons, they didn't quite cut it.
Here are some of the cards that didn't make it, and why:
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card — While it offers a bigger welcome bonus and slightly stronger rewards rate than its sibling, theCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card , it also charges aCapital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card annual fee. You'd have put a lot of spending on the card to justify the extra cost, so for most folks, the no-annual-fee version is a better deal. Here's our Capital One Savor card review.Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card — This card is good for choosing your own bonus categories, but you'll only earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, versus two 5% cash-back categories of your choice on theU.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card . That said, if you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, this card could be a lot more lucrative. Read our Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card review to find out more.Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card — This card is a decent choice if you're looking for a card that earns 1.5% cash back on most purchases, but other cards, like theChase Freedom Unlimited® andWells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card , offer opportunities to earn more rewards and benefits. That said, Quicksilver Cash Rewards cardholders can get up to six months of Uber One membership (offer ends November 14, 2024). You can find side-by-side comparisons in our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card review.Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express — This is a decent option if you want a card with no annual fee that earns bonus rewards on groceries, U.S. gas station purchases, and U.S. online retail purchases, but the 3% cash back it earns at US supermarkets only applies to the first $6,000 spent each calendar year (then 1% back). To compare, theCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card earns an unlimited 3% on groceries worldwide (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), plus on dining, entertainment, and eligible streaming. Here's our Blue Cash Everyday Amex card review if you want to learn more.Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card — If you're an Amazon Prime member, earning 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods with this card is hard to beat (and 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores is nothing to sniff at, either). But if you're not a Prime member or don't spend a lot at Amazon, other cards are probably a better pick. Check out our Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card review for a closer look.U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card — This card from US Bank earns up to 6% back on purchases from two eligible retailers you pick every quarter, including Walmart, Amazon, and Target. However, the 6% rate is capped at $1,500 in cash back combined per quarter (then 1.5% back), and there's an annual fee ofU.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card . Read our US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards card review for all the details.Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only — This card doesn't have the most compelling earning rates, but Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can earn 25% to 75% more cash back with this card, depending on their rewards tier. Effectively, Preferred Rewards members at the highest level can earn 2.625% cash back on all purchases, which is hard to beat for a no-annual-fee card. Read our Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card review to learn more.Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card - Editorial Name Only — If your credit score falls in the "fair" range (defined as any FICO score between 580 to 669 on a 300 to 850 scale), you may have more limited options for rewards cards. But this card from Capital One is a good option you could get approved for, and it earns 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases (except for hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, which earn 5% cash back). Read our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card review for more details.Discover it® Secured Credit Card - Product Name Only — If you have a bad credit score, you may need to choose a secured credit card, which requires you to make a refundable deposit up front. Not all secured cards offer rewards, but this one does: You can earn bonus cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 each quarter — and Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. For more info, read our Discover it Secured card review.
About Cash Back Credit Cards
Cash back credit cards can be an easy way to break into the world of credit card rewards. They come in a few different types:
- Flat rate — These cards earn the same rate of cash back on all purchases. For example, the
Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 1.5% back on most spending (the Freedom Unlimited also offers bonus cash back on eligible travel, dining, and drugstore purchases). - Select bonus categories — Many other cash back cards offer bonus cash back (more than 1%) on select spending categories. For example, with the
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card , you'll earn 4% back on dining, streaming services, and entertainment, and 3% back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target). - Rotating categories — A few cards, including the
Chase Freedom Flex℠ , offer bonus cash back on a selection of spending categories that changes every quarter of the year. These cards have a cap on how much bonus cash back you can earn each quarter — with theChase Freedom Flex℠ , you'll earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1%). - Some cards are starting to offer yet a fourth format for delivering cash back rewards: pick your own bonus categories from a list of options. These cards include the
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card and theU.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card .
If you're willing to juggle multiple credit card accounts, there's value in having both cash back and points-earning cards. If you prefer a single-card strategy, evaluate your goals and consider how much you're willing to pay in annual fees to make the best decision for your situation.
If you're trying to put money back in your wallet, our top recommendations are to transfer your cash back to a bank account or use it to reduce the amount owed on your credit card statement.
On the other hand, if you're hoping to earn rewards that you can redeem for travel, a card that earns points is more up your alley. Our points-earning picks for the best rewards credit cards earn either Amex Membership Rewards points, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Citi ThankYou Rewards points, or Capital One miles. You can transfer all of these currencies to travel partners and redeem them for things like free flights. (Note that while Capital One calls its rewards currency "miles," they aren't miles with a given airline program.)
How to Use a Cash Back Credit Card
To use a cash back credit card, you'll want to remember that it won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. It's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford.
Cash back cards vary greatly in their return rates — you can earn anywhere from 1% to 6% back. Even better, many cash back cards have no annual fee, so you don't have to pay for the privilege of earning rewards.
If you're new to rewards credit cards and aren't interested in earning travel points or miles, a cash back card is the best option for you. With cash back cards, 1% back will always be 1 cent back, no matter what, and you can use your cash back to lower your monthly bill or transfer it to your checking account, among other options.
The best cash back credit card for you depends on your spending habits and if you prefer a flat rate of cash back on all spending or earning bonus cash back on specific types of purchases. Flat-rate cash back cards are best for those who don't want to keep track of multiple bonus categories and just want a simple earning structure.
But if you really want to maximize your rewards earning, choosing a card that earns bonus cash back in categories where you spend a lot — like groceries, dining, or gas — can make a huge difference in your rate of return.
How to Choose a Cash Back Credit Card
To choose the best cash back credit card for you, you'll want to look for a few things:
- The cash back rate for your common spending categories. Extra cash back for gas isn't much use if you don't drive. Consider how you intend to use this card, and look at the rate for those spending categories.
- How you redeem your cash back. Make sure you're clear on what you're earning. Is it statement credit? Cash? Points? If points, can they be combined with or transferred to other cards you have, or brands you like?
- The annual fee. An annual fee may make or break your choice. Are you willing to pay one? And more importantly, can you afford it comfortably — or will it be effectively wiped out by the cash back you'll earn in a year?
We don't mention the APR because the rate only applies if you're carrying a balance on your credit card. We recommend applying for a cash back credit card intending to pay off the balance in full each month. For other categories of credit cards, like balance transfer cards, the APR might be a more important consideration.
If this all sounds too complicated, you can't go wrong by using the
Cash back credit cards are often best used in combination with cards that earn points to create a complete credit card portfolio that takes advantage of multiple types of rewards. If you're trying to decide whether to open a cash back credit card, whether as your first card or one of many, bear these pros and cons in mind:
Pros of cash back credit cards:
- They rarely carry annual fees
- There are no restrictions on how you can redeem and spend the cash
- You can earn airline and hotel status by booking with cash (but not points)
Cons of cash back credit cards:
- They rarely offer large sign-up or welcome bonuses
- Cash back is generally less valuable, dollar for dollar, than points
If you have a cash back credit card or are considering opening one, you'll want to make the most of it. Keep the following steps in mind to get the most value from your card:
Always pay the balance in full. Credit card cash back or points aren't useful if you're carrying a balance and paying interest charges each month. To make the most of rewards, use your card responsibly: Spend only the money you have and pay your bill in full each month.
Read up on rewards rates for different spending areas. Some cash back cards offer elevated rewards rates on specific spending areas, like restaurants, gas stations, or supermarkets. Some of these cards even change those areas from quarter to quarter, meaning you'll want to stay on top of where your card earns the most and when. If you're using this card for every purchase, you don't need to be as diligent, but if you're using your card as one of many you'll want to be sure you know how to maximize rewards.
Make sure to redeem your cash back. It might be tempting to let your cash back pile up just to watch the total tick up, but it's more useful if you redeem it. You can generally apply the cash to your card balance or get it deposited in your checking account, and either one is a fine option.
Consider opening a "sister" card. As mentioned above, in some cases, you can transfer cash back to a points-earning card on which your rewards are worth more. Chase cards are an example of this: If you hold a cash back card like the
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Cash Back Credit Cards
We looked at the dozens of cash back credit cards currently available to new applicants and narrowed down our list by looking at a few factors:
- Ease of use — Are there any hoops to jump through, like needing to be a member of a specific bank?
- Rewards earning potential — How much cash back can you earn with this card, and how broad are the bonus categories?
- Annual fee — Many cash back cards waive an annual fee, but for the few that do charge a fee, is it justified based on the card's rewards?
- Options for various types of consumers — We wanted our top cash back card picks to reflect different types of users, from families looking to maximize grocery spending to those looking to rebuild their credit score.
See a full breakdown of how we rate credit cards at Insider.