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The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Prime Visa, Chase Freedom Flex℠, U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, Citi® Double Cash Card, U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, Amazon Visa. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
The busiest shopping season of the year is upon us, and now is the time to prep for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Whether you're fighting early morning crowds at the mall or bargain hunting online, there will be plenty of saving opportunities to earn the most rewards for your holiday spending.
The choice that often makes the most sense for you will depend on the type of rewards you like to earn as well as any card-linked discounts available to you. If you're purchasing benefits such as extended warranty and purchase protection.
Without further ado, these are Personal Finance Insider's pick of the best cards to use for holiday season shopping in 2023.
Best cards for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday 2023
Best shopping credit cards for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday
Amazon Prime Visa
If you're an Amazon Prime member and spend often at Amazon or Whole Foods — or both — the
Amazon Prime members earn 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases (non-Prime members earn 3% back per dollar spent). Cardholders also earn 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.
There's no annual fee for Amazon Prime members. And because it's a Visa Signature card, it offers solid benefits including extended warranty, purchase protection, and rental car insurance.
If you already have the Amazon credit card, consider referring a family member or friend to earn a $50 bonus — up to $500 per year.
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Bilt Mastercard
Under normal circumstances, the
This month in particular, Bilt's Rent Day promotion is especially lucrative for the right shopper, lasting for a full week beginning November 24 through December 1. You'll earn 2x per dollar on up to $20,000 worth of Cyber Monday and Black Friday purchases. Once you hit $20,000 — if you do — the earning rate drops back down to 1x.
The
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Chase Freedom Flex℠ - Product Name Only
The
For Q4 2023 from October 1 through December 31, the
Plus, the card earns 5% back on travel booked through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.
New cardholders also get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR. So if you need time to pay off your holiday purchases, this card can save you on interest.
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Discover it® Cash Back - Product Name Only
The
Amazon and digital wallets are particularly handy for holiday shopping, since you can purchase just about anything between these two categories.
New cardholders also receive a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR, which is great for saving money on interest if you need to carry a balance.
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Ink Business Cash® Credit Card - Product Name Only
Small-business owners often wait for Black Friday and Cyber Monday to purchase equipment and electronics — and if you can find a deal at office supply stores like Staples, the
You'll earn 5% cash back at office supply stores (and on internet, cable, and phone services) on up to $25,000 in combined spending per year (then 1%). Your rewards could be worth even more if you also have a
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U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only
The
Other 5% category options include select clothing stores, fast food, cell phone providers, home utilities, electronics stores, sporting goods stores, movie theaters, gyms/fitness centers, furniture stores, and ground transportation. You'll do even better if your holiday shopping overlaps any of these categories.
Cardholders also have the opportunity to choose one 2% cash-back category from grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants, with no spending cap.
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Product Name Only
Whether you're stocking up on holiday groceries or picking up gifts for your foodie friends at U.S. supermarkets, the
Cardholders also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases (cash back is earned in the form of Rewards Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit).
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Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express - Product Name Only
The
The card was recently refreshed with improved bonus spending categories and new Home Chef and Disney Bundle subscription statement credits**. As well as being a great card for US online retail purchases (3% cash back), the
Keep in mind that the 3% earning categories are capped on up to the first $6,000 spent per year (then 1%).
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Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Product Name Only
The
Like the C
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Citi® Double Cash Card - Product Name Only
If you prefer an all-purpose, flat-rate cash-back card without having to track different categories, the
This is also a good card to consider if you need to do a balance transfer from other high-interest credit cards. New cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR.
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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card - Product Name Only
The no-annual-fee
Some perks you'll get with this card are cell phone protection, roadside dispatch, travel and emergency assistance services, and Visa Signature benefits.
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Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only
For even more flexibility, the
You'll earn 3% and 2% cash back on up to $2,500 in combined spending in the category of your choice and at wholesale clubs and grocery stores each quarter, then 1% back.
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American Express® Gold Card - Product Name Only
American Express cards are known for their solid purchase protections and extended warranty, and the
The
However, getting peace of mind from the extra protection you'll get can offset the additional rewards you might earn with a different card. The
The
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U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card - Product Name Only
The
You'll also earn 3% cash back in one everyday category of your choosing (gas and UV charging purchases, bills and utilities, or wholesale clubs), but it's also capped at the first $1,500 per quarter (1.5% then after).
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Tips to boost your Black Friday and Cyber Monday rewards
Use a shopping portal
Deciding on the best rewards credit card can seem daunting, with many cards offering extra rewards in the same bonus categories. You'll find that a lot of the cards for Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday shopping also appear on our list of the best cards for online shopping, for example.
If you're shopping from home, be sure to check online shopping portals before making a purchase to see if there are opportunities for bonus rewards. These will stack on top of the earnings from your rewards credit card.
For example, if you have a Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card, check the Chase portal to earn extra points per dollar at popular retailers like Macys.com, Walmart.com, and BestBuy.com.
Most major US airlines have their own online shopping portal, so if you prefer earning airline miles it's worth checking your favorite, such as:
- American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping
- Delta SkyMiles Shopping
- JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
- United MileagePlus Shopping
Check for limited-time offers
Some issuers offer limited-time bonus spending categories, and it's also worth checking your Amex and Chase accounts to see if you can activate any Chase Offers or Amex Offers** that apply to your purchase.
For example, some Amex cardholders recently got an offer to earn bonus points at Amazon. These offers are targeted, so there's no guarantee you'll get a particular offer, and you do have to enroll your card to receive any bonuses you qualify for.
Don't forget to activate promotions and bonuses
Some cards require activation or enrollment before you can earn extra rewards in certain categories. Be sure to activate bonuses on cards such as the
If you use cash-back apps such as Ibo tta or Fetch Rewards, it's also worth checking to see if any of your purchases line up with current offers.