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Best cashback credit cards

Get cash back on everyday purchases or earn more on specific categories.

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
  • Low intro rates on purchases and balance transfers
  • See rates & fees
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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 supermarkets
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Terms apply, see rates & fees
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Cardintro rates on purchases and balance transfers
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Chase Freedom Unlimited®pairing with Chase cards
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Chase Freedom Flex℠earning 5% cash back
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Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Cardbuilding credit
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Expresssupermarkets
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Citi® Double Cash Cardearning unlimited cash back and ongoing rewards after a balance transfer
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Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citigas
Citi Custom Cash℠ Cardease of use
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Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Carddining and entertainment
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Discover it® Cash Backearning a cashback match after your first year

Quick look at the best cashback credit cards

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

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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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.

Best for low intro rates on purchases and balance transfers

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a comparatively straightforward card with low intro rates on purchases and balance transfers. Combined with its $0 annual fee and $0 foreign transaction fees, the no-frills Quicksilver is perfect for people looking to get ahead by consolidating balances from other accounts.

Best for unlimited cash back

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

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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.

Best 5% cashback card

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

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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.

Best for gas

Sam's Club® Mastercard®

4
★★★★★

Finder score

Terms apply, see rates & fees
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.

Best for those new to credit

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

3.1
★★★★★

Finder score

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

4.3
★★★★★

Finder score

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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.

Best cashback card for ongoing rewards after a balance transfer

Citi® Double Cash Card

3.8
★★★★★

Finder score

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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.

Best for ease of maxing rewards

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

4.9
★★★★★

Finder score

Terms apply, see rates & fees
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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.

Best cashback card for dining and entertainment

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

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This no-annual-fee card offers impressive cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and more.

Best for Cashback Match after first year

Discover it® Cash Back

4.8
★★★★★

Finder score

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.
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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.

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.

  1. Consider the annual fee. Consider. If you choose a card with an annual fee, make sure you can earn enough rewards within a year to offset the fee.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Look at your average spending amounts. Some cashback cards cap the amount of rewards you can earn within a certain time period.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

  1. Do cashback cards actually give cash? No. Instead, you’ll receive a statement credit on your card account.
  2. 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.
  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

★★★★★ — 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.

Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.

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