Best USAA credit cards

USAA has carved out a niche as the premier bank for military families. Its hallmark is its special interest rate for active military personnel, but a few of its cards offer strong rewards as well. Use our table to compare all USAA credit cards side-by-side and find the one that fits your needs.

Compare USAA credit cards

Want a side-by-side comparison of your USAA options? Select your credit score below and click “Show cards” to start comparing.

Quick look at the best USAA credit cards

• USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
• USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card
• USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
• USAA Military Affiliate Card
• USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card

Best USAA credit cards

The best USAA credit card is the one that offers the biggest value for the lowest cost, whether that’s cash back, military perks or welcome offer size. We compared a variety of factors across USAA credit cards, including rewards options, earning potential, interest rates, fees, introductory APR offers and other common credit card features. The USAA cards that stood above the others when it came to performance were selected for our best list in their respective category. Without any enormous changes to speak of across the USAA credit card line in 2020, our top USAA choices for 2021 remained largely the same.

• Why trust us? Unlike our competitors, Finder’s credit card experts research and write about all credit cards, including those from providers who aren’t partners on our site. Our trustworthy, unbiased evaluations are solely meant to help you choose the best credit card for your financial needs.

USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 1.5%
Cash back

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

This card is a good choice for most individuals and families, as it offers a simple flat cashback rate on all purchases.

• Annual fee: None.
• Rewards: 1.5% cash back on all purchases. A simple, solid rate for most families.
• Deployment and PCS rate. Receive a 4% fixed APR on all balances for up to 12 months when you're on deployment or PCS. After that, receive an ongoing APR on all balances of 11.9% to 25.9% variable.
• SCRA Rate. If you have a balance when you enter active military duty, you'll receive a 4% fixed APR on the balance until one year after you complete active duty. After that, receive an ongoing APR on all balances of 11.9% to 25.9% variable.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	11.9% to 25.9% variable
Balance transfer APR	11.9% to 25.9% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	1.5% cash back on all purchases

USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 3x
Points

2,500
Points welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

This card offers strong rewards for dining, gas and groceries. And unlike similar everyday cards, your points aren't capped. You can redeem points for airfare, merchandise, cash and more.

• Annual fee: None.
• Bonus points. Get a relatively easy-to-earn signup bonus of 2,500 points with your first purchase.
• Rewards: More for everyday purchases. Earn 3x points for dining out, 2x points for gas and groceries and 1x points on all other purchases.
• Deployment and PCS rate. Receive a 4% fixed APR on all balances for up to 12 months when you're on deployment or PCS. After that, receive an ongoing APR on all balances of 9.9% to 25.9% variable.
• SCRA Rate. If you have a balance when you enter active military duty, you'll receive a 4% fixed APR on the balance until one year after you complete active duty. After that, receive an ongoing APR on all balances of 9.9% to 25.9% variable.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	9.9% to 25.9% variable
Balance transfer APR	9.9% to 25.9% variable
Welcome offer	2,500 points with your first purchase
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	3x points on dining, 2x points on gas and groceries and 1x points for all other purchases

USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card

Credit recommended (670-850) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

If you have excellent credit and plan on carrying a balance on your card, the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card might be perfect for you. That's because it offers an APR on all balances as low as 6.9% variable. That's quite a good rate, considering the average credit card APR is around 16%.

• Annual fee: None.
• Potentially low APR. You may qualify for an APR on all balances as low as 6.9% variable.
• Deployment and PCS rate. Receive a 4% fixed APR on all balances for up to 12 months when you're on deployment or PCS. After that, receive an ongoing APR on all balances of 6.9% to 23.9% variable.
• SCRA Rate. If you have a balance when you enter active military duty, you'll receive a 4% fixed APR on the balance until one year after you complete active duty. After that, receive an ongoing APR on all balances of 6.9% to 23.9% variable.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	6.9% to 23.9% variable
Balance transfer APR	6.9% to 23.9% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	N/A

USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card

Credit recommended (670-739) Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to 5%
Cash back

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

This card offers a terrific 5% cash back on gas and military base purchases on your first 3,000 in purchases annually, and a solid 2% back on groceries on your first $3,000 in purchases annually. Plus, this card doesn't require an annual fee to use.

• Annual fee: None.
• Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on gas and military base purchases on your first 3,000 annually, 2% back on groceries on your first 3,000 annually, and 1% back afterward and on everything else.
• Foreign transaction fees: None.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	11.9% to 25.9% variable
Balance transfer APR	11.9% to 25.9% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	5% cash back on up to $3,000 in combined annual gas and military base purchases, 2% on up to $3,000 at supermarkets annually and 1% on all other purchases

How to apply for a USAA card

To apply for a USAA card:

1. Visit the USAA website and click Products on the top menu bar.
2. Click on Credit cards under the Banking column of the drop-down menu.
3. Browse USAA credit cards by feature. When you find one you’re interested in, click on the Get started button.
4. If you have an account, enter your username and password. If not, click Join online. USAA will verify your eligibility for its products.

Application restrictions

The USAA has a few simple requirements for credit card qualification:

• You’re at least 18 years old.
• You are an eligible military affiliate who qualifies for USAA membership. To qualify, you must:
  • Be in the US Military or honorably discharged.
  • Be in the process of joining the US Military.
  • Have a parent or spouse who is or was a member of the USAA.

Information you’ll need

• Your name and residential address.
• Your Social Security number and date of birth.
• Your email address and phone number.
• Financial information like your annual income and income source.

How many USAA cards can I have?

USAA doesn’t advertise a credit card limit on their website. However, some users on the MyFICO forums suggest that you can have multiple credit cards, but only up to a cap of $50,000 in total credit.

Types of USAA cards

USAA offers a wide range of credit cards for eligible USAA members. Here’s a breakdown of your options.

Rewards cards

USAA rewards credit cards allow you to earn points when you use your card to make purchases on eligible products. You can redeem these points on travel, gift cards and more.

Typical benefits

• Signup bonus. You can earn a large number of points after you meet the card’s spending requirements.
• Earn points. Earn a certain number of points for every dollar spent on eligible purchases.
• Military designs. You have a variety of military-themed card designs to choose from.

Credit card	Benefits
USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card	Earn 3x points on dining Earn 2x points on gas and groceries Earn 1x points on other purchases. Earn 2,500 bonus points after your first purchase No annual fee
USAA® Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card	Earn 2x points on gas and dining Earn 1x points on other purchases Earn 2,500 bonus points after your first purchase No annual fee

Cashback cards

USAA cashback credit cards offer a percentage of your eligible purchases as cash back. You’ll often receive this as a statement credit.

Typical benefits

• Signup bonus. You can earn a cash back bonus after you meet the card’s spending requirements.
• Earn cash back. Earn a percentage of your spending as cash back on various categories.
• Military designs. You have a variety of military-themed card designs to choose from.

Credit card	Benefits
USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card	Earn 5% cash back on your first $3,000 in combined gas station and military base purchases annually (then 1%) Earn 2% cash back on your first $3,000 in combined grocery purchases annually (then 1%) Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases No annual fee
USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card	Earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases No annual fee

USAA APR cards

USAA offers one credit card designed for those looking for a low APR. Strangely, this card doesn’t offer an intro APR period.

Typical benefits

• Low APR. This card offers a low variable APR of 6.9% to 23.9%.
• Military designs. You have a variety of military-themed card designs to choose from.

Credit card	Benefits
USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card	Low variable APR of 6.9% to 23.9% on purchases and balance transfers No annual fee

Military affiliate cards

USAA offers a few cards that let you choose a particular military affiliate for your design. Make purchases with this card and USAA will make a small donation to your chosen affiliate.

Typical benefits

• Rewards. Earn points on eligible purchases.
• Signup bonus. You’ll earn a modest signup bonus after making your first purchase.
• Donations. USAA will make a donation to your chosen military affiliate for each purchase you make.
• Military designs. You have a variety of military-themed card designs to choose from.

Credit card	Benefits
USAA Military Affiliate Card	Earn 1x points on all purchases Earn 2,500 bonus points after your first purchase No annual fee
USAA Military Affiliate Card	Earn 2x points on gas and groceries Earn 1x points on all other purchases Earn 2,500 bonus points after your first purchase No annual fee

USAA rewards program

USAA rewards cards offer either cash back or points. If your card offers points, you can redeem them for rewards that include:

How can you redeem rewards?

To redeem rewards, log in to your credit card account on the USAA website. Then navigate to the USAA Rewards Service Center. You can also call 800-900-8722 to redeem your rewards.

How much are rewards worth?

USAA points are worth 1 cent apiece, which is standard across the credit card industry. For some rewards, points might be worth less than that rate. For example, 6,000 points may be worth only $50 in cash rewards instead of $60.

Full list of USAA Bank credit cards

Frequently asked questions

• How does USAA keep my credit card information secure?

  USAA employs several of the standard issue security features for its card accounts, including fraud alerts, a zero liability policy and encryption software for its website.

• Are there fees associated with my USAA credit card?

  Depending on the card, there are annual, balance transfer, late payment and cash advance fees. There are also certain cards that charge a foreign currency conversion fee. Have this in mind before you make your decision.

• How can I increase my USAA secured card credit limit?

  For secured cards, you may be able to increase your limit as your credit score increases. Develop a history of paying bills on time to build your credit limit.