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Our pick for a rewards credit card: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Up to 6%
Cash back
A rewards card can offer savings with cash back, miles and points. Top rewards cards offer features like high rewards earning rates, common spending categories and no fees. Or compare cards based on your credit score.
★★★★★
Best for rotating categories
Chase Freedom Flex℠
670
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
5%
Cash back
$200
Welcome offer
The new Chase Freedom Flex℠ replaces the old Chase Freedom and brings with it several flat accelerated categories to complement the traditional rotating categories. This greatly increases the flexibility and earning potential of the card and handily earns it a spot on this list.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 23.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
14.99% to 23.74% variable
Welcome offer
$200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months, plus 5% cash back at grocery stores on up to $12,000 in the first year
Rewards
5% back in rotating categories up to $1,500 combined each activated quarter (then 1%), 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases
★★★★★
Best for groceries and streaming services
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
670
Min. credit score
$95
ongoing
Annual fee
Up to
6%
Cash back
$300
Welcome offer
This card comes with one of the highest rewards rates on groceries and streaming services. You also get to earn accelerated rewards at US gas stations and on transit purchases.
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
N/A
Welcome offer
$300 after spending $3,000 in the first 6 months (Offer expires 12/10/2020)
Rewards
6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases
★★★★★
Best for sign up bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
670
Min. credit score
$95
Annual fee
Up to
5x
Points
60,000
Points welcome offer
With a signup bonus worth up to $750 in redemption value, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is worth considering. Also, you get to earn accelerated points on travel and dining purchases.
Annual Fee
$95
Purchase APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Welcome offer
60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months, a value of up to $750 through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Rewards
5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases
Best for flat-rate cash back
Citi® Double Cash Card
740
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
2%
Cash back
n/a
Welcome offer
The Citi® Double Cash Card lets you earn a better cashback rate on all of your purchases than you'll find with other no annual fee, cashback cards. Plus you get a long intro APR period on balance transfers.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
13.99% to 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)
Welcome offer
N/A
Rewards
Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay)
★★★★★
Best for travel
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
740
Min. credit score
$550
Annual fee
Up to
10x
Points
50,000
Points welcome offer
This is an excellent card worth considering if you travel often. You get to earn a generous welcome offer, accelerated points on travel and dining, a $300 travel credit each year and more.
Annual Fee
$550
Purchase APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
16.99% to 23.99% variable
Welcome offer
50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases
Best for gas
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
740
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
4%
Cash back
n/a
Welcome offer
If you're often on the road, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could be an excellent addition to your wallet. You'll earn accelerated points on gas, travel and dining purchases.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
15.24% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.24% variable
Welcome offer
N/A
Rewards
4% at gas stations on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% at restaurants and on travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on all other purchases
Best for small purchases
Citi Rewards+℠ Card
740
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
2x
Points
15,000
Points welcome offer
This card is ideal for anyone looking to maximize rewards on small purchases. With its round-up feature, you can earn up to 5% cash back on a $2 coffee, for example.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)
Welcome offer
Earn 15,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
Earn 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations on up to $6,000 annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases
★★★★★
Best hotel credit card
IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card
670
Min. credit score
$89
ongoing
Annual fee
Up to
25x
Points
140,000
Points welcome offer
This is by far the most rewarding hotel credit card where you get to earn a generous signup bonus and a massive rewards rate at IHG hotels. In addition, you get an anniversary free night and a fourth rewards night free.
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($89 thereafter)
Purchase APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.99% to 22.99% variable
Welcome offer
140,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
25x points at IHG hotels, 2x on gas, groceries and dining and 1x on all other purchases
★★★★★
Best for earning airline rewards
The Platinum Card® from American Express
670
Min. credit score
$550
Annual fee
Up to
10x
Points
100,000
Points welcome offer
This card lets you earn one of the highest rewards rate on airfare, plus you get an annual airline fee credit and access to more than 1,200 airport lounges worldwide.
Annual Fee
$550
Purchase APR
See rates & fees
Balance transfer APR
See rates & fees
Welcome offer
100,000 points after spending $5,000 in your first 6 months, plus 10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 in combined purchases in the same timeframe
Rewards
10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 combined in the first 6 months, 15x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 15x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points).
Best for dining and entertainment
Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
670
Min. credit score
$95
ongoing
Annual fee
Up to
8%
Cash back
$300
Welcome offer
With this card, you get to earn one of the highest rewards rates on dining and entertainment purchases without paying a high annual fee.
Annual Fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR
15.99% or 24.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
15.99% or 24.99% variable
Welcome offer
$300 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Rewards
8% cash back with Vivid Seats, 5% on Uber Eats, 4% on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases
We compared several features among available rewards cards, including rewards categories, points earned per dollar spent, the average value of points upon redemption, welcome offer value, annual fees, introductory APRs and other perks or benefits a consumer might weigh when looking for a rewards card. The cards that stood out above the rest in one or more of these categories earned a spot on our list. We removed the PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express® Card as you can no longer apply for it. Another change this year is the addition of the IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card, which got a boost on its signup bonus. We also removed the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, which previously held the spot for ongoing rewards after a balance transfer.
Best for low credit
Discover it® Secured
300
Min. credit score
$0
Annual fee
Up to
2%
Cash back
Other
Welcome offer
The Discover it® Secured is definitely worth considering because not only do you get to build credit, but you also get to earn cash back without paying an annual fee.
Annual Fee
$0
Purchase APR
22.99% variable
Balance transfer APR
10.99% intro for the first 6 months (then 22.99% variable)
Welcome offer
Discover will match cash back earned at the end of your first card year
Rewards
2% back on gas and dining up to $1,000 combined each activated quarter, then 1% after that and on all other purchases
How we selected our top cards
What’s changed in 2020
| Card name | Best for… | Finder rating | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Best for rotating categories |
|
5% back in rotating categories up to $1,500 combined each activated quarter (then 1%), 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Best for groceries and streaming services |
|
6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Best for sign up bonus |
|
5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases |
| Citi® Double Cash Card | Best for flat-rate cash back |
|
Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay) |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Best for travel |
|
10x points on Lyft rides, 3x points on dining and travel after earning your $300 travel credit and 1x points on all other purchases |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi | Best for gas |
|
4% at gas stations on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%), 3% at restaurants and on travel, 2% at Costco and 1% on all other purchases |
| Citi Rewards+℠ Card | Best for small purchases |
|
Earn 2x points at supermarkets and gas stations on up to $6,000 annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases |
| IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card | Best hotel credit card |
|
25x points at IHG hotels, 2x on gas, groceries and dining and 1x on all other purchases |
| The Platinum Card® from American Express | Best for earning airline rewards |
|
10x points at US gas stations and US supermarkets on up to $15,000 combined in the first 6 months, 15x points on directly-booked flights or on flights and hotels on Amex Travel. 1x points on all other purchases. Starting January 1, 2021, your 15x points on flights will be capped on up to $500,000 annually (then 1x points). |
| Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card | Best for dining and entertainment |
|
8% cash back with Vivid Seats, 5% on Uber Eats, 4% on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases |
| Discover it® Secured | Best for low credit |
|
2% back on gas and dining up to $1,000 combined each activated quarter, then 1% after that and on all other purchases |
Why it’s the best for rotating categories. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is the only cashback card with rotating categories that lets you choose the categories. It also has a higher cashback limit than competitor cards, meaning you can earn up to $1,500 on the rotating categories.
Why it’s the best for groceries and streaming services. No other card offers what the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express does — the highest rewards rate on groceries and streaming services. What’s more, these two are not the only categories where you earn accelerated cash back. Gas purchases at US gas stations as well as taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains and bus rides are also highly rewarding.
Why it’s the best for sign up bonus. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card‘s signup bonus comes on top when compared to other cards because it’s worth $750 when redeemed for travel purchases via the Chase Ultimate Rewards program. To earn a similar bonus or higher with other cards, you typically need to pay a much higher annual fee.
Why it’s the best for flat-rate cash back. The standard flat-rate most similar cards offer is 1.5%. The Citi® Double Cash Card offers 2% (1% when you buy plus 1% when you pay), which gives the card higher long-term value. But this card also beats competitor 2% cashback cards because of its long intro APR period on balance transfers, a perk that none of the other cards offer.
Why it’s the best for travel. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® rewards your travel and dining purchases worldwide. Plus, it offers a host of travel perks like Priority Pass lounge access and $300 annual travel credit, both useful for frequent travelers. And this card is widely accepted worldwide since it’s a Visa card.
Why it’s the best for gas. Other gas cards typically offer a lower rewards rate than the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi. Some cards that have a higher rewards rate often have a lower annual cap. For pure gas rewards, the Costco card is unmatched. Plus, you get to earn accelerated cash back on travel and purchases made at restaurants and Costco.
Why it’s the best for small purchases. The Citi Rewards+℠ Card leading perk is the round-up feature where every purchase is rounded up to the nearest 10. This makes purchases of $1 and $2 earn 10% and 5% respectively back in points. No other card comes even close to rewarding small purchases like this one does.
Why it’s the best hotel credit card. The IHG® Rewards Club Premier Credit Card beats competitor cards with its high rewards rate, signup bonus and rewards nights. With an $18,000 annual spending and maxing out rewards nights, you can get more than 20 rewards nights each year. And if you clear the signup bonus, you can get more than 30 rewards nights within your first year.
Why it’s the best for earning airline rewards. With The Platinum Card® from American Express you earn 5x points on flights booked directly through Amex Travel. This gives you flexibility to earn points on a variety of airlines as opposed to cobranded airline cards where you only earn accelerated points on the main airline and some of its partners.
Why it’s the best for dining and entertainment. It’s rare to find a card like the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card where you earn 4% cash back on dining and entertainment purchases. What’s more, it’s the only such card with an 8% cash back on Vivid Seats ticket purchases.
Why it’s the for low credit. The Discover it® Secured card is an excellent card because not only do you get to build credit, but you also get to earn cash back without paying an annual fee. What’s more, Discover will match the entire cash back you earn during your first year without limits. No other secured card does that.
If none of the cards on our best list seem appealing enough, compare other rewards credit cards until you find the right option for your needs.
To maximize your rewards, get a rewards card that offers more points in the category you spend most.
During the coronavirus pandemic, cardholders are traveling less, spending less on gas, hotels and flights. Credit card issuers have noticed and made some changes to their rewards programs. Here’s what’s changed so far:
Here are a few types of rewards credit cards that you might encounter.
Type of rewards credit card |
Benefits and features |
Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Cashback | Rewards earned with these cards are given as cash back. You can redeem this cash back as a statement credit or deposit into your bank account. |
See guide |
| Points | These cards earn points on certain purchases, such as restaurants, gas or streaming services. You can then redeem these points in a variety of ways, such as travel, gift cards or cash back. |
See cards |
| Travel | These cards earn points or miles on travel purchases, such as flights, cruises or hotel nights. These cards aren’t typically tied to a specific travel brand, letting you earn rewards regardless of how you travel. |
See guide |
| Airline | Earn bonus miles when you spend on flights and other eligible categories. You can redeem these miles on additional flights and other rewards. These cards often come with additional airline benefits. |
See guide |
| Hotel | Earn points when you spend on hotel stays and other eligible categories. Redeem these points on rewards nights and other rewards. Like airline cards, hotel cards often come with additional hotel perks. |
See guide |
| Retail | Offer benefits and rewards tied to a particular retailer. Often, you can only use these cards with the affiliated company. |
See guide |
With a rewards credit card, you get a percentage back of what you spend, typically in the form of cash back, points or miles. You can redeem this earned currency through your card provider’s rewards portal. These points and miles represent a certain value in cash which can range depending on the rewards program.
For cashback cards, rewards are usually expressed as a percentage. If a card offers 2% cash back on all purchases, for example, you’ll receive $2 back for every $100 you spend.
For other cards, rewards are usually expressed as a point or mile multiple. A card might offer 2x points on all purchases, for example, which means you’ll receive 2 points for every dollar you spend.
Find a card that best suits your credit score, finances, spending and rewards preferences.
Purchases you make with your rewards card are automatically posted as points or cashback to your account. Depending on the type of rewards card, you might earn more rewards for spending in a certain category.
In addition to the card’s APR, here are a few big items to review when comparing rewards cards:
Many rewards cards offer bonus points to new customers to help you kick start your rewards cache.
Does the card earn points on all purchases or just some purchases? And do some categories offer more points than others?
Big name rewards cards allow you to transfer your points to travel rewards programs. This flexibility is highly valuable when used correctly.
Rewards cards can come with a terrific selection of additional benefits. These can prove valuable provided they suit your needs.
Many cards offer decent rewards for no annual fee. Expect to pay a bit more, however, if you’re looking to get the highest rewards rate, the most generous welcome offer or a host of premium perks.
Save money on interest when you use this card for large purchases, but make sure you can pay it off within the 0% intro period. Or, choose to transfer debt to a 0% transfer card to save on interest while paying off your debt.
Even the simplest of rewards credit cards can offer value if you use it properly. To make a rewards card worthwhile, consider where you spend the most and get a card that offers more points in those areas.
A rewards card’s annual fee is the primary concern when you’re evaluating whether the card is worth it. Some of the more luxurious rewards cards come with steep annual fees, so you’ll need to use enough perks and earn enough rewards to overcome that.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® sports an annual fee of $550. To make this card worth it, you’d have to take advantage of enough of the card’s perks and features to outweigh this $550 fee in value. Here are a few ways to create that value.
| Perks | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual travel statement credit | $300 |
| Two Priority Pass stays | $160 |
| TSA PreCheck and Global Entry credit (every 4 years) | $100 |
| One year of Lyft Pink membership (one time) | $240 |
| Total | $800 |
Here you can see you can get $800 of value out of the card perks in one year before you even factor in the rewards you can earn with the card on your everyday spending. This outweighs the cost of the annual fee, so the rewards card is worth it if you take advantage of the perks.
With so many airline credit cards to choose from, it’s only natural to have some questions. Here are the 5 most common questions we receive on the subject.
Most credit card providers offer a rewards program of some kind. To choose the best rewards program for your needs, consider whether you want a simple rewards structure like cash back or whether you want rewards redemption flexibility.
| Rewards program | Highlights | Program guide |
|---|---|---|
| Amex Membership Rewards |
|
Amex rewards program guide |
| Bank of America Rewards |
|
Bank of America rewards program guide |
| Capital One rewards |
|
Capital One rewards program guide |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards |
|
Chase Ultimate Rewards guide |
| Citi ThankYou Rewards |
|
Citi ThankYou rewards program guide |
| Discover rewards |
|
Discover rewards guide |
With a good or excellent credit score getting a rewards credit card is easy. But to make the most of your rewards, and to stay out of debt, you’ll need to do some work.
Spending is the best way to earn points points. But some cards offer more points for certain categories, like gas, groceries, department stores, dining and travel. While other cards offer a flat reward for all purchases. Review your spending habits to find the right reards card for you.
Maximizing your credit card rewards takes dedication.You need multiple credit cards that each earn accelerated rewards on a particular category. Then use each card where it earns the most. Some of the best credit card combinations are the Chase trifecta and the Amex trifecta.
Another way of maximizing points is by earning the signup bonus and redeeming your points with the highest redemption value. In some cases — as with the Chase credit cards — you can transfer your points from one card to another and get up to 50% higher redemption value.
To get the highest points redemption value you need to use your points for the right reward. For example, travel credit cards often have a 1 cent value per point, but only if you redeem it toward travel purchases. This means, avoid gift cards, cash and merchandise and focus only on travel redemption.
Some credit cards let you transfer points to partner airlines and hotels. But this doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get better points value. To be sure you get the most for your points, compare the redemption value in points on your credit card and travel partners by dividing the cash price with the points price.
A hotel stay costs $200 when paid with cash, 30,000 with credit card points and 40,000 points with partner hotel rewards program.
$200 divided by 30,000 points = 0.006
$200 divided by 40,000 points = 0.005
This means you get a 0.6 cents per point value with your credit card points and 0.5 cents per point value with the partner hotel. The higher the number, the higher the redemption value. In this case, it makes more sense to redeem your points with your credit card program than to transfer them to the partner hotel rewards program.
Steven Dashiell
Credit Cards Writer
Hi, Steve here! Before I decided on the Chase Freedom, I had a ton of questions about how Chase Ultimate Rewards worked, whether this card could transfer points and just how this card differed from other issuers’ rewards cards. Here are some of the articles that answered my questions and helped me make my decision.
There’s no shortage of rewards credit cards to choose from. Think about what rewards you want and how you typically spend, then compare a few cards before settling on the winner.
If you’re not sure you want a rewards card yet, consider other options like 0% APR cards.
Back to top★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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.
Earn accelerated points on Ulta Beauty purchases.
Earn accelerated cash back on gas, groceries and utilities and save money on interest.
There are several ways to better manage your rewards, including automatic redemption.
Use it for reward redemptions and reimbursement for eligible purchases.
A no-annual-fee card with attractive rewards on IHG spending.
Cash reigns as the favored reward across cardholders, according to industry reports.
Earn up to 6% cash back on select entertainment spending.
Nearly every American Express credit card offers rewards.
Here are our latest calculations for loyalty point valuations.
A simple rewards program with great credit card options.
