Best Cash Back Credit Cards – Earn Extra Money
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There are few things Americans agree on, but almost everyone agrees a little extra cash is a good thing. And cash back credit cards are designed to give cardholders more of what we all want...money in our pockets.
If you use a credit card for your everyday purchases or when you’re traveling, why not earn a little extra jingle for items you were likely buying anyway? Cash-back credit cards are designed for this scenario, but not all cards are the same. Take a look at the most popular cash-back cards and how they compare with cash.
Jump To
Overview of the best hotel credit cards
Card Issuer | Best for |
Discover It Cash Back | Rotating categories |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Supermarket spending |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Foodies |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Everyday purchases |
Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Choosing your own reward category |
Bank of America Cash Rewards credit card | Most flexible options |
Wells Fargo Active Cash | Unlimited flat-rate cash back |
Citi Double Cash® Card | Easy cash-back earnings |
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Best cash-back credit cards
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Cash Back Card
Card Name
Discover it® Cash Back Card
APR
18.24% - 27.24%
Recommended Credit Score
670 to 850
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer Terms
0% intro APR for 15 months from date of account opening.
Intro Offer
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers and 3% Intro Balance Transfer Fee until November 10, 2023.
Rewards Rate
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically. Unlimited Cashback Match.
Why We Like It
- No annual fee.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com,4 grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
- Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Card Name
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
APR
19.24% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Good, Excellent
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Special Offer
Earn a $250 statement credit
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Rewards Rate
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations. 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Why We Like It
- Buy Now, Pay Later options.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
APR
19.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
$200 Cash Back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- No rotating categories or sign-ups are needed to earn cash rewards.
- No annual fees or foreign transaction fees.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Card Name
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
APR
20.49% - 29.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year)
Special Offer Terms
— worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Rewards Rate
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases
Terms
Why We Like It
- Higher cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back.
- No annual fee.
- Monitor your credit for free access using Chase Credit Journey.
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Card Name
Chase Freedom Flex℠
APR
19.24% - 27.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn a $200 Bonus
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
Rewards Rate
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- No minimum to redeem for cash back.
- No annual fee.
- Free access to your credit score and real-time alerts through Chase Credit Journey.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Card Name
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
APR
19.24% to 29.24%
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer Terms
Online $200 cash rewards bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening
Intro Offer
- $200 Online Bonus after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice — with newly expanded options
Rewards Rate
- 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings Learn more cash back categories
- 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- You'll earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, then earn 1%
- There's no annual fee and your cash rewards don't expire. Each month, as you plan for future purchases, to change your 3% choice category you must go to Online Banking or use the Mobile Banking app. You can change it once each calendar month, or make no change and it stays the same.
Why We Like It
- No annual fee
- Up to 3% cash back
- 0% APR for first 18 months
Wells Fargo Active Cash
Wells Fargo Active Cash
Card Name
Wells Fargo Active Cash
APR
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99%
Annual Fee
$0
Intro Offer
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Why We Like It
- Unlimited cash rewards
- 0% APR for 15 months
- Credit Close-Up to track FICO Score, raise and maintain it
Citi Double Cash® Card
Citi Double Cash® Card
Card Name
Citi Double Cash® Card
APR
19.24% - 29.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good, Fair
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn $200 cash back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Rewards Rate
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Unlimited cash back earned on every dollar spent.
- Earn cash back when paying your bills on time.
- Intro 0% on balance transfers for 18 months (after which is an ongoing APR of 19.24% - 29.24%)
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Best cash back credit cards summary
Issuer | Cash back | APR | Annual fee |
Discover it Cash Back | 5% cash back rotating, 1% all others | 17.24% to 28.24% | $0 |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations. 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases. | 19.24% - 29.99% | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | 3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases. | 19.99% - 29.99% | $0 |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases | 20.49% - 29.24% | $0 |
Chase Freedom Flex℠ | 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases. | 19.24% - 27.99% | $0 |
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards | 3% your category, 2% grocery and wholesale clubs, 1% all others | 0% for 15 billing cycles, then 18.24% - 28.24% | $0 |
Wells Fargo Active Cash | 2% unlimited | 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% | $0 |
Citi Double Cash® Card | Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. | 19.24% - 29.24% | $0 |
FAQs
Which is the best cash-back credit card?
It’s best to review the following categories for each card:
- Cash-back potential
- Ease of redemption
- Annual fee (and other fees)
- Introductory rates and balance transfer rates
- Sign up bonuses
Once you’ve compared these categories, you can decide which credit card issuer offers you the most for where you’re likely to spend.
What are the tiers of cash-back credit cards?
No, each card can vary quite a bit. You have four main categories when it comes to cash-back credit cards:
- Flat-rate. These are flat-rate cash-back cards, meaning no matter the category, you'll earn rewards. These are great for unlimited spending habits.
- Tiered-rate. These are cards where you earn more cash back in one category versus other categories.
- Rotating categories. This is where you earn cash back based on the rotating category determined by the credit card during the specified time period (usually quarterly billing cycles).
- Choose-your-own category cards. You can select the category for your cash-back earnings.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The bottom line
When it comes to the best cash-back credit cards, look for a card that rewards you for purchases you plan to make. Whether this is for travel, groceries, or anything else — get rewarded for what you’re already doing. A sign-up bonus or welcome offer is a cherry on top and can push your cash-back potential even further.
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Writer
Sara Coleman is a former corporate gal turned creative entrepreneur. She began writing professionally several years ago and now contributes to multiple websites, blogs, and magazines. She’s also an avid reader and can’t resist a great historical fiction novel. Sara holds a BA in journalism from the University of Georgia and can be found supporting her Bulldogs every chance she has. She resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her wonderfully supportive husband and three children. When she’s not ushering her kids to sports and dance lessons, she can be found creating content for her own website, TheProperPen.com.
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