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Best cashback credit cards

Get cashback on everyday purchases or earn more on specific categories.

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Steven Dashiell
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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 cardsBest for…Learn more
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Expressmoderate spending on groceries
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Chase Freedom Unlimited®pairing with Chase cards
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Chase Freedom Flex℠earning 5% cash back
See offer
Citi® Double Cash Cardearning unlimited cash back and ongoing rewards after a balance transfer
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Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citigas
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Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Cardbuilding credit
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Expressgroceries
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Citi Custom Cash℠ Cardease of use
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U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Cardearning cash back in rotating categories
Read review
Savor Rewards from Capital Onedining and entertainment
Read review
Discover it® Cash Backearning a Cash back match after your first year
Read review

Quick look at the best cashback credit cards

Best no-annual-fee cashback card for moderate spending on groceries

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Finder rating 4.6 / 5 ★★★★★

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on American Express's secure site
Terms apply, see rates & fees
For smaller families who like to keep overall costs low, the Blue Cash Everyday Card is the ideal choice for grocery rewards. The combination of no annual fee, a solid rewards rate on groceries, and a welcome offer makes this card perfect for easy cash back returns with little effort or cost.
Disclaimer
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.

Best for pairing with Chase cards

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Finder rating 4.7 / 5 ★★★★★

See offer
on Creditcards.com's secure site
Terms apply, see rates & fees
Of all of Chase's Ultimate Rewards cards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the must-have card for the 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.

Best 5% cashback card

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Finder rating 4.7 / 5 ★★★★★

See offer
on Creditcards.com's secure site
Terms apply, see rates & fees
In all of Finder's card comparisons in 2020, 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.

Best cashback card for unlimited cash back and ongoing rewards after a balance transfer

Citi® Double Cash Card

Finder rating 3.8 / 5 ★★★★★

Apply now
on Citi's secure site
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 in recent months, the Citi Double Cash has the longest balance transfer offer of any cashback card, so it maintains a key spot on our list.

Best for gas

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Finder rating 3.4 / 5 ★★★★★

Apply now
on Citi's secure site
Similar cashback cards let you earn either 2% or 3% back on gas purchases. At 4% back, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is the current leader in gas rewards. Even though this cashback rate is capped at $7,000 annually, after which you earn 1% back, it's still the best choice to earn the most cash back on gas. Plus, you'll enjoy accelerated rewards on travel, dining and Costco purchases as well.

Best for new to credit

Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card

Finder rating 3.1 / 5 ★★★★★

Apply now
on WebBank's secure site
Terms apply, see rates & fees
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.

Best cashback card for groceries

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Finder rating 4.3 / 5 ★★★★★

Apply now
on American Express's secure site
Terms apply, see rates & fees
The Blue Cash Preferred continues to serve as the defacto 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.
Disclaimer
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.

Best for ease of use

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

Finder rating 4.9 / 5 ★★★★★

Apply now
on Citi's secure site
The new 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.

Best cashback card for rotating categories

U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card

Finder rating 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★

Read review
Terms apply, see rates & fees
There are several cards with rotating categories, but what makes this card the best are two things: you can choose your rotating categories and your quarterly cap is $2,000 compared to $1,500 of similar cards. Maxing out the rotating categories means you get to earn an extra $100 back each year.

Best cashback card for dining and entertainment

Savor Rewards from Capital One

Finder rating 4.4 / 5 ★★★★★

Read review
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, theather or concert events.

Best for Cashback Match after first year

Discover it® Cash Back

Finder rating 4.8 / 5 ★★★★★

Read review
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 of the value offered by a 5% rotating category card.

What’s changed in 2021

Our newest change for 2021 is the addition of the Citi Custom Cash card. Citi has taken the lessons learned on consumer needs during the pandemic and developed a new card that can not only earn comparable rewards to a traditional 5% category card, but makes it much easier to maximize those rewards.

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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.
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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 cashback 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.

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.

  1. Do cashback cards actually give cash? No. Instead, you’ll receive a statement credit on your card account.
  2. How many cash back cards should I have? There’s no “correct” number of cash back cards to have. However, there are effective earning strategies you can create by pairing cashback credit cards.
  3. Do I owe taxes on cash back? No. Cash back is treated as a discount for the purpose of taxes.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

Credit card ratings

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Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.

We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.

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