Our pick for unlimited cash back: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
1.5%
Cash back on all purchases
- $200 cash bonus after spending $500 within the first 3 months
- Intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers
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Best cashback credit cards
Get cash back on everyday purchases or earn more on specific categories.
Finder’s credit card experts spent more than 400 hours reviewing and comparing cashback credit cards to narrow down the best cashback credit cards across 10 categories. We considered factors such as cashback limitations, earning categories, redemption flexibility and welcome offers. Unlike our competitors, Finder’s experts provide unbiased, trustworthy evaluations of all cashback credit cards and providers, not just those we partner with on the site.
| Credit cards | Best for… | Learn more |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | moderate spending on supermarkets | |
| Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card | intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers | |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | pairing with Chase cards | |
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | earning 5% cash back | |
| Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card | building credit | |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | supermarkets | |
| Citi® Double Cash Card | earning unlimited cash back and ongoing rewards after a balance transfer | |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | gas | |
| Citi Custom Cash℠ Card | ease of use | |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | dining and entertainment | |
| Discover it® Cash Back | earning a cashback match after your first year |
Quick look at the best cashback credit cards
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best no-annual-fee cashback card for moderate spending on supermarkets
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for pairing with Chase cards
- Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best 5% cashback card
- Sam's Club® Mastercard®: Best for gas
- Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card: Best for new to credit
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best cashback card for groceries
- Citi® Double Cash Card: Best cashback card for ongoing rewards after a balance transfer
- Citi Custom Cash℠ Card: Best for ease of use
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best cashback card for dining and entertainment
- Discover it® Cash Back: Best for Cashback Match after first year
Best no-annual-fee cashback card for moderate spending on supermarkets
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★
For smaller families who like to keep overall costs low, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is the ideal choice for grocery rewards. The combination of no annual fee, a solid rewards rate on groceries from U.S. supermarkets, and a welcome offer makes this card perfect for easy cashback returns with little effort or cost.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
| Welcome Offer | $200 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 3% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best for intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Finder Rating: 4.2 / 5 ★★★★★
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a comparatively straightforward card with an intro APR on all purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. Note that a 3% balance transfer fee applies to all balance transfers during this time. But, combined with its $0 annual fee and $0 foreign transaction fees, the no-frills Quicksilver Cash Rewards card is perfect for people looking to get ahead by consolidating balances from other accounts.
| Welcome Offer | $200 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 1.5% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best for unlimited cash back
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Finder Rating: 4.7 / 5 ★★★★★
Of all of Chase's Ultimate Rewards cards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the must-have card for those who want unlimited cash back on purchases, as well as Chase Ultimate Rewards enthusiasts. The flat earning rate on all purchases lets you steadily build your points without needing to worry about quarterly categories and the new accelerated categories bolster those points even further. The end result is a card that can outstrip the common 2% cashback card in value.
| Welcome Offer | $300 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 6.5% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best 5% cashback card
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Finder Rating: 4.7 / 5 ★★★★★
In all of Finder's card comparisons in 2022, few cards have come up on top as often as the Chase Freedom Flex℠. That's because it offers a huge variety of 5% cashback categories, and Chase added several new flat-rate earning categories to the mix, including 5% on select travel and 3% on dining and drug stores. It's tough to go wrong with this card.
| Welcome Offer | $200 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 5% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best for gas
Sam's Club® Mastercard®
Finder Rating: 4 / 5 ★★★★★
Other gas cards typically offer a lower rewards rate than the Sam's Club® Mastercard®, but some may have a higher annual cap. For pure gas rewards, though, this card is unmatched. Aside from earning one of the highest cashback rates on gas, you earn cash back at Sam's Club and on dining. What's more, you get to enjoy these benefits without paying an annual fee. Although, you need a Sam's Club membership to apply for the card.
| Welcome Offer | $30 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 5% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best for those new to credit
Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
Finder Rating: 3.1 / 5★★★★★
Those who don't have a credit history and want to jump right into cashback cards should look no further. Unlike standard cards where the credit score is determining factor of credit card approval, Petal 2 checks your overall finances, including income, savings and spending. The Petal 2 also features no fees whatsoever, which is highly unusual for a rewards card.
Petal credit cards are issued by WebBank, Member FDIC
| Welcome Offer | n/a |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 10% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | New to credit |
Best cashback card for groceries
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5 ★★★★★
The Blue Cash Preferred continues to serve as the de facto leader when it comes to grocery rewards in the industry. Those who spend at least $500 on groceries each month would earn $360 cash back annually on this category alone. No other card can match this rewards rate.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
| Welcome Offer | $250 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 6% cash back |
| Annual fee | $95 after the first year intro |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best cashback card for ongoing rewards after a balance transfer
Citi® Double Cash Card
Finder Rating: 3.8 / 5 ★★★★★
Credit cards with a flat cashback rate typically offer 1.5% back on all purchases. But this card offers 1% back when you make the purchase and another 1% back when you pay it off. That gives you a total of 2% cash back on all purchases. While this has been outclassed by the Chase Freedom cards recently, the Citi® Double Cash Card has the longest balance transfer offer of any cashback card, so it maintains a key spot on our list.
| Welcome Offer | n/a |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 2% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best for ease of maxing rewards
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Finder Rating: 4.9 / 5 ★★★★★
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card leans into the flexibility added to many cards during the pandemic, offering up to 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category on up to $500 spent total each billing cycle. This is comparable to the earning caps on cards like the Chase Freedom Flex, but without the need to adjust your spending based on a rotating category.
| Welcome Offer | $200 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 5% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best cashback card for dining and entertainment
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★
You won't find another credit card that can match this card's cashback rate on entertainment purchases. Aside from streaming services where you earn 1% back, you earn 4% back on movie tickets, tourist attractions, amusement parks, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, billiard and pool, bowling, sport, theater or concert events.
| Welcome Offer | $300 |
|---|---|
| Rewards | 8% cash back |
| Annual fee | $95 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Best for Cashback Match after first year
Discover it® Cash Back
Finder Rating: 4.8 / 5 ★★★★★
Most no-annual-fee cashback cards offer a signup bonus worth between $50 and $250 when you meet the spend requirements. This card offers something more unique: an unlimited cashback match. Depending on how much you spend during your first year, you could easily make more than the average welcome offer value. Plus you get all the value offered by a 5% rotating category card.
| Welcome Offer | Other |
|---|---|
| Rewards | Up to 5% cash back |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
Compare cashback credit cards
Though we’ve highlighted some of the top-performing cashback credit cards, there are plenty of great options available not on our list. You can compare all cashback credit cards to find one that best suits your reward preferences.
6 factors to consider when choosing the best cashback card
You’ll want to take stock of your financial needs and preferences as you search for the right cashback card for you. Here are the most important steps to take.
- Consider the annual fee. Consider a cashback card with no annual fee. If you choose a card with an annual fee, make sure you can earn enough rewards within a year to offset the fee.
- Review your spending habits and needs. Think about the areas you spend the most and pick a card that earns more cash back in those areas.
- Compare each card’s signup bonus. Cashback cards commonly offer signup bonuses to new cardholders. If a card has a bonus, consider whether you can meet the spending requirement in time.
- Look at your average spending amounts. Some cashback cards cap the amount of rewards you can earn within a certain time period.
- Think about your reward preferences. Cashback cards typically only offer cash back as an option. If you want to convert your earnings into travel opportunities for example, a cashback card is likely inferior to a travel card.
- Additional features. Some cashback cards might come with intro APRs or forgo foreign transaction fees.
Ann Martin, director of operations at CreditDonkey, tell Finder: “If you’re not sure what type of credit card is best for you, you generally can’t go wrong with cash back. Here are some of the main things to look for in a cashback card.
No or low annual fees. Cashback cards tend to have $0 or low annual fees, so there’s no reason to pay a lot of money for one.
High rewards rate. Look for at least 2%. Cash back on streaming services. Some programs, including Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, now offer this perk.
Signup bonus. Many cashback cards offer a signup bonus at select times. With some planning, you can score some cash right off the bat.
As an overall rule, it’s best to find a cashback card that gives high rewards for the type of purchases you make most often. So if you’re a homebody with a big family, look for a card that rewards grocery purchases. If you’re a jetsetter who likes dining out, look for a card that rewards restaurant and travel bookings.”
Pros and cons of cashback credit cards
Pros
- Earn cash on your everyday spending. Rewards are the foundational benefit of a credit card and cash back is the simplest way to earn those rewards.
- Different types for different spending. With three types of cashback cards to choose from, you can create a robust earning strategy based on your spending habits.
- Widely available. There are plentiful cashback credit cards on the market, meaning you’re sure to find one that fits your needs.
Cons
- Rewards inflexible. Unlike points or miles earned with a rewards card, you typically can’t transfer your cashback rewards into other loyalty programs. Your only option is a statement credit.
- Lacking in perks. Cashback credit cards can lack the bells and whistles you’d find on a travel or rewards card (such as concierge service or travel insurance).
You asked, we listened: Top 5 common questions
Cash back on purchases sounds straightforward, but there can be a few caveats. Here are the five most common questions we receive on the subject.
- Do cashback cards actually give cash? No. Instead, you’ll receive a statement credit on your card account.
- How many cashback cards should I have? There’s no “correct” number of cashback cards to have. However, there are effective earning strategies you can create by pairing cashback credit cards.
- Do I owe taxes on cash back? No. Cash back is treated as a discount for the purpose of taxes.
- Which is better: cash back or reward points? This depends on what you ultimately want to use your rewards points on. While you can potentially get more value out of reward points, cash back is also worth it if you personally find it valuable.
- What types of cashback cards are there? Cashback cards fall into three earning categories: flat rate, tiered and rotating categories.
Bottom line
Cashback cards are pretty easy to understand and a great way to dip your toes into earning rewards with a credit card.
Consider your spending to figure out which kind of card might reward you most. Then, compare your cashback options to find the best product for you.
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