Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
If you're a military member or eligible family member who is already a member of USAA, you probably already know this financial institution comes very highly rated. This is true for all the firm's financial products, including loans and more, but it's especially true for credit cards. For example, USAA beat out all other major card issuers for the top spot in J.D. Power's 2022 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study with 860 out of 1,000 possible points.
While USAA offers quite a few credit cards, the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only is the one that's geared to individuals who want to earn flat-rate cash back. However, there are additional reasons to consider signing up, including its selection of travel protections and intro 0% APR offer.
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card Review: Is It the Best Card for You?
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only is a standard cash-back credit card with no annual fee that offers an unlimited flat rate of 1.5% cash back for each dollar spent. This no-nonsense rewards structure is easy to understand and maximize with regular spending and bills, and you can skip having to keep track of credit card bonus categories and spending caps, too. However, it's worth noting that this card doesn't offer a welcome bonus of any kind.
Another important feature of this card is the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Intro APR followed by a USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Regular APR APR. This intro offer can be great for members who want to pay down large purchases over time, but it's worth noting that it doesn't apply to balance transfers at all. This, coupled with the potential for a high variable APR, makes the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Intro APR a poor option when it comes to debt consolidation.
Before you decide on the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Intro APR, you'll probably want to compare it to a few credit cards with similar perks and rewards that aren't from USAA. When you do, you'll find that some cards from other issuers offer a more robust rewards rate and considerably more benefits.
As just one example, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Product Name Only offers new cardmembers a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Intro Bonus. Cardholders also earn a higher flat rate of 2% cash rewards on purchases with no annual fee required. Better yet, the card comes with a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Intro APR (then a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Regular APR).
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card Rewards
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only offers a flat rate of 1.5% cash back as we already mentioned, and there is no welcome bonus offered on this card. While earning 1.5% back is good, it's not great. This is mostly because there are cards that offer higher rewards rates or the same flat rate on regular purchases and a higher rate in bonus categories.
As an example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Product Name Only offers 1.5% cash back on regular spending, as well as 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 5% back on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025) and 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases. New cardmembers can also earn Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Intro Bonus.
That said, the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only does stand out due to the flexibility of its rewards program. For example, the card's fine print says you can redeem cash back for statement credits, an electronic transfer to a USAA bank account, merchandise, gift cards, travel, or charitable contributions.
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card Benefits and Features
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only doesn't have a ton of perks, but it does have some. Here's a rundown of the main features and benefits you get with this card.
0% APR Offer
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only comes with an intro APR offer that works well for big purchases but not for debt consolidation. Specifically, cardholders get USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Intro APR, followed by a USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Regular APR APR.
Expert tip: If you want a USAA credit card that has a better offer for balance transfers, check out the USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card - Product Name Only instead.
Security and Protection
This card also comes with a range of security features that aim to help you keep your account safe. These include $0 liability protection for fraud, secure log-ins, alerts that notify you of purchases and due dates, and the ability to report your card as lost or stolen online or in the USAA app.
Support and Service
USAA is known for offering excellent customer service, as evidenced by its superior ratings for customer satisfaction. This card also comes with 24/7 access to customer service online, extended warranty protection, and the ability to add your card to a mobile wallet for faster checkouts.
Travel Benefits
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only also comes with some automatic travel insurance benefits that can help protect your trip. Keep in mind, however, that you have to pay for travel with a common carrier with your card for these coverages to apply.
Travel perks you get automatically include auto rental coverage, travel accident insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and baggage delay and reimbursement coverage.
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card Fees and Other Costs
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only has a USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Annual Fee annual fee, so you can plan on keeping it for the long haul without having to worry how often you use it. This card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees or over-limit fees that apply when you go over your credit limit, either.
While a USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Intro APR, you'll want to try to avoid paying the potentially high USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Regular APR APR this card charges otherwise.
Some fees you should know about include:
Balance transfer fee
Cash advance fee
Late payment fee
Returned payment fee
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
While the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only offers a better-than-average rate of 1.5% cash back with no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Product Name Only offers superior rewards and benefits by far. This card doesn't have an annual fee, and new cardmembers get the chance to earn Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Intro Bonus.
Cardholders also earn a higher flat rate of 2% cash rewards on purchases, which is more lucrative than what the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only has to offer. The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Product Name Only also comes with a Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Intro APR (followed by Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Regular APR APR). That makes it a good option for paying down large purchases over time or consolidating high-interest debt from other credit cards.
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card vs. USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum Credit Card
If you're looking for a USAA credit card and you want an intro APR offer that applies to balance transfers specifically, you should check out the USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card - Product Name Only. This card doesn't have an annual fee, although it doesn't offer any rewards. The main benefit of this card is the fact you get USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card - Intro APR, the USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card - Regular APR APR.
That makes the USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card - Product Name Only an option from USAA to consider if you need to consolidate and pay down debt over time. Then again, there are some balance transfer credit cards that offer 0% APR for longer timelines.
USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Product Name Only is also worth considering if you want to earn 1.5% cash back on regular purchases plus even better rewards in other categories. This card gives you the flat rate of 1.5% back on non-bonus spending, but you also earn 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 5% back on Lyft rides (through March 31, 2025) and 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases.
New cardmembers can also earn Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Intro Bonus. The best part? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Product Name Only comes with Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Intro APR (followed by Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Regular APR APR).
Is the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card a good card?
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only could be a good card for you if you want to earn 1.5% cash back on all spending with no annual fee required. With no foreign transaction fees, this is also a good card for international travel.
Does the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card offer rewards?
Yes, the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases. However, it doesn't have a welcome bonus.
Does the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card charge foreign transaction fees?
The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only does not charge foreign transaction fees.
Can you use the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card for debt consolidation?
You can technically use the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only for debt consolidation, but we wouldn't recommend it. If you need to consolidate and pay down high-interest debt, you'll want to get a balance transfer credit card instead.
What credit score is needed for the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card?
This card will typically require good credit or better, which typically means a FICO score of at least 670.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Card
When reviewing the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card - Product Name Only, we followed our credit card rating methodology. This determines a card's star rating out of 5, and it assigns equal weight to five key categories.
The categories we focus on when evaluating a credit card are: welcome bonus offer (20%), annual fee (20%), rewards rates (20%), using rewards (20%), and benefits (20%). Note that we compare a given credit card to other similar cards, so we wouldn't expect the same perks on a no-annual-fee credit card and a premium credit card.
