The best cash-back card for you is the card that most closely aligns with your spending habits, credit health and goals. See our guide to choosing a cash-back card for more information.
There are some cards known for solid offers due to a combination of earnings potential and additional benefits. With no large changes to these cards announced, it’s likely they’ll retain their status as top-tier in the coming year.
Chase Freedom Flex℠*
The Chase Freedom Flex℠* is a no annual fee card with generous cash back earnings in rotating categories. The 5% earnings are capped each quarter, but even so, this can net you significant savings if you can maximize them. Add to that the extra benefits, such as purchase protection, extended warranty protection, select travel protections and cellphone protection, and it’s easy to see why this card is a winner.
In addition to all these benefits, the card has the potential to become more than a cash-back card. If paired with a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, the Freedom Flex gains the ability to transfer the points earned and redeem them for 25% to 50% more value through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or Pay Yourself Back.
Up to 5% Reward Rate
Earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly on up to $1,500 when enrolled, 5% on travel purchased throughRead More
Welcome Bonus
$200 bonus + 5% on Gas and Grocery (excluding Target and Walmart)
Regular APR
20.49% – 29.24% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent, Good (700 – 749)
Why We Picked It
This card has the brawn to handle just about all of your credit card spending needs without an over-inflated price tag. The card has an annual fee of $0, yet comes with a pumped-up earnings structure that covers a wide swath of expenses including travel, drugstores and dining plus rotating quarterly bonus categories in areas many households are likely to find appealing.
Pros & Cons
- No annual fee
- Rotating quarterly categories earn 5% rewards when activated, up to a combined quarterly $1,500 maximum
- Travel rewards rate rivals some of the best premium travel cards
- Generous rewards rate in several other categories
- Travel bookings must be made through Chase Ultimate Rewards® to earn 5% cash back
Card Details
- Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on combined gas station and grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1% on all other purchases
- No annual fee
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a flat-rate card, which means it earns 2% cash back on all purchases with no caps or categories to track. This can be great if your spending doesn’t conform to one category or you’re simply looking for a hassle-free way to generate cash back. Plus, the card offers cellphone insurance and a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies. The combination of an intro APR offer and straightforward rewards makes this card a solid choice for a variety of consumers.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Unlimited 2% Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Welcome Bonus
$200 Cash Rewards
Regular APR
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR
Credit Score
Excellent, Good (700 – 749)
Why We Picked It
The Wells Fargo Active Cash offers an unlimited 2% cash rewards rate on purchases and charges no annual fee. This puts it in competition with the best flat-rate cash back cards on the market.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- $0 annual fee
- Cell phone protection benefit
- There’s a balance transfer fee
- There’s a foreign transaction fee
- No travel transfer partners
Card Details
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5
- $0 annual fee
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open
- Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world’s most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge
- Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
- Select “Apply Now” to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Terms apply, see rates & fees) earns industry-leading rates at supermarkets: 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 and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. While the grocery rewards are capped at $6,000, this is about what the average household spends per year on groceries. If you do hit that cap, you will earn $360 on groceries alone, before even considering the rewards earned in other categories. This outclasses the rewards potential of many similar cards.
This card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95, but this is easily offset by the rewards earned and the additional benefits included, such as return protection1, secondary car rental loss and damage coverage2, and an up to $120 annual statement credit for Equinox+ ($10 in monthly statement credits, enrollment required).
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Up to 6% Reward Rate
Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%); Earn 6% cashRead More
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
Regular APR
19.24%-29.99% Variable
Credit Score
Excellent/Good (700 – 749)
Why We Picked It
Big spenders at US supermarkets and road warriors who frequently spend at US gas stations or transit like taxis, rideshares or transit can rack up impressive cash back rewards.
Pros & Cons
- High cash-back rewards in several categories of spending
- No enrollment is required, cash back is automatic
- Comes with several travel benefits and protections
- Charges an annual fee
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets is capped at $6,000 in annual spending (then 1%)
Card Details
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% – 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
- 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.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. That’s $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
- Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a no annual fee cash-back card and is one of only a few cards offering cash back for entertainment spending. The card earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. This is a solid rewards rate compared to similar cards, plus it has an introductory purchase APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% – 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months (rates & fees).
The SavorOne does not charge foreign transaction fees and also offers extended warranty, 24-hour travel assistance services and a complimentary concierge service. However, it undeniably offers fewer benefits and consumer protections than some of its competitors.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Up to 8% Cash Back
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® andRead More
Regular APR
19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
Credit Score
Excellent, Good (700 – 749)
Why We Picked It
The Capital One SavorOne card is a perfect cash back credit card for those who spend a lot at restaurants, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) and on entertainment. With its 3% cash back rate in those categories, it’s a win for socialites that don’t want to pay for an annual fee.
Pros & Cons
- No annual fee
- Increased cash back on dining and entertainment
- No foreign transaction fees
- Easy-to-redeem cash back rewards
- Introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers
- High standard rate APR
- Limited cash back reward categories
Card Details
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% – 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Cash Back cardholders have access to one of the most unique welcome bonuses in the game: Discover will automatically match all the cash back earned at the end of the first year as a cardmember. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. This can represent significant value to those who do the majority of their spending on a credit card. Aside from that, the card earns 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500 in spending when activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically and has an intro APR offer: 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and eligible balance transfers. Then, a standard rate of 17.24% – 28.24% variable applies. A balance transfer fee of up to 5% of the amount transferred applies. It’s important to remember that Discover is less widely accepted abroad than Visa or Mastercard. But for those who are looking for simple cash-back rewards, this card is a strong offer.
Up to 5% Reward Rate
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations,Read More
Welcome Bonus
Cashback Match™
Regular APR
17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
Credit Score
Excellent/Good
Why We Picked It
For moderate spenders who are willing to activate the 5% rotating categories and track the quarterly spending cap, this no-annual-fee card can deliver tidy rewards outside of its ongoing 1% earning rate.
Pros & Cons
- 5% cash back on quarterly rotating spending categories throughout the year (activation required)
- Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
- No minimum cashback redemption
- 5% bonus cashback rate is limited to $1,500 per quarter in spending
- Bonus categories must be activated quarterly
- Low 1% base reward rate on everything else
Card Details
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
- Click through to Discover’s website to see terms and conditions.
