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When discussing rewards cards, premium travel cards typically receive most of the attention. But if you want maximum flexibility, it's hard to look past cash back credit cards. Rather than earning airline miles, hotel points, or transferable rewards, that can only be used for travel, these cards earn cash back that you can use for anything.
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For anyone that's been frustrated by the complexity of award travel or prefers to stockpile rewards for other activities, cash back cards provide a simple way for cardholders to benefit from everyday expenses.
Cashback rewards are straightforward to earn, easy to redeem, and there is no need to deal with complex point valuations, blackout dates, or transfer partners.
Top Cash Back Credit Card Offers
In this post, we highlight the top cashback credit card offers available right now, and dig into the perks and benefits each card brings to the table, to help you determine which of these cards deserves a spot in your wallet.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® CardAnnual Fee$0 intro for the first year, then $95Welcome Bonus Intro Offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points when you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. That's a $500 value redeemable towards travel, gift cards, cash back, merchandise and more.
- 5X points on prepaid hotels and rental cars booked through the Altitude Rewards Center
- 4X points on other travel, including airlines, hotels, rental cars, cruises, taxis, trains, and limousines.
- 4X points at gas stations and on electric vehicle charging
- 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services
- 1 point on all other eligible purchases
- 5X points on prepaid hotels and rental cars booked through the Altitude Rewards Center
- 4X points on other travel, including airlines, hotels, rental cars, cruises, taxis, trains, and limousines.
- 4X points at gas stations and on electric vehicle charging
- 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services
- 1 point on all other eligible purchases
Rewards: Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center, 4X points on travel, gas stations, and EV charging stations, 2X points on streaming services, plus 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, and dining
Feature benefits: Sporting a high-value welcome bonus of 50,000 points (worth $500) and top earning rates for everyday spending categories, the Altitude Connect delivers exceptional value for a mid-tier rewards card.
Rather than the standard 90 days, new cardmembers have 120 days to meet the minimum spend of $2,000 on this card, bringing the monthly spend down to an affordable $500 per month to earn the welcome bonus. In addition to redeeming points for 1¢ each as cashback, cardholders can redeem points toward travel, for gift cards, on merchandise, and much more.
In addition to great earning rates in the bonus categories noted above, this card comes with up to $30 in credit for eligible streaming services each year. Cardholders also get a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit every four years, cell phone protection coverage, and no foreign transaction fees.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American ExpressAnnual Fee$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.Welcome Offer
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% - 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
- 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. That's $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
- Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
- Cash back is issued as a statement credit.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% - 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
- 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. That's $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
- Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply.
- Rates & Fees
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
- Cash back is issued as a statement credit.
Rewards: Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, plus 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 3% on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more, and 1% on all other eligible purchases (issued as a statement credit).
Feature benefits: While American Express is best known for its premium travel cards, the everyday workhorse cards like the Blue Cash Preferred can deliver massive value for cardholders.
New Blue Cash Preferred cardmembers can earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Citi Custom Cash® CardAnnual Fee$0Welcome Bonus Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Sign-up bonus of $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening, issued as 20,000 ThankYou® Points
- 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category on up to $500 of purchses each billing cycle
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for--the top earning category adjusts automatically each month to the eligible category in which you spend the most.
- Excellent intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent
- 1% cash back thereafter, plus, you'll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- Eligible spending categories are: Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Select Travel, Select Transit, Select Streaming Services, Drugstores, Home Improvement Stores, Fitness Clubs and Live Entertainment.
- Sign-up bonus of $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening, issued as 20,000 ThankYou® Points
- 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category on up to $500 of purchses each billing cycle
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for--the top earning category adjusts automatically each month to the eligible category in which you spend the most.
- Excellent intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent
- 1% cash back thereafter, plus, you'll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- Eligible spending categories are: Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Select Travel, Select Transit, Select Streaming Services, Drugstores, Home Improvement Stores, Fitness Clubs and Live Entertainment.
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Feature benefits: Similar to the Freedom Flex, the Citi Custom Cash® Card is marketed as a cashback card, but earns ThankYou Points. You can redeem these rewards for 1¢ per point for travel via ThankYou.com or for cashback (delivered as a statement credit). However, if you also hold a premium ThankYou Rewards card like the Citi Premier® Card or Citi Prestige® Card, you can combine the rewards earned across the entire ThankYou family of cards and transfer them to any of Citi's 16 airline partners.
Where the Citi Custom Cash differs from the Freedom Flex is how the 5x earning categories are awarded. Rather than rotating quarterly categories, the 5% cashback on up to $500 of purchases each billing cycle is automatically awarded to your top eligible spending category for that cycle.
When you factor in the excellent intro APR of 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (then, a Variable APR of 19.24% - 29.24% applies), the Citi Custom Cash should be high on your application wish-list.
PRO TIP: Before applying for the Citi Custom Cash® Card, check out the eligible bonus categories to ensure they line up with your spending habits and expenses. If you don't think you will max out the 5% earning categories, there is a good chance you will get more value from the Citi® Double Cash Card which earns 2% cashback (or 2x ThankYou Points if you also hold a premium Citi card) on every purchase. This is the ultimate low-maintenance card providing a top return on non-bonus spending.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® CardAnnual Fee$0Welcome Bonus Intro Offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. That's a $200 value redeemable towards merchandise, gift cards, cash back, travel and more.It’s rare to find a card offering both a traditional signup bonus and a 0% introductory APR to new cardmembers. With the Altitude Go, you can earn a bonus worth $200 and take advantage of a 0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 billing cycles (after that, a Variable rate of 19.74% - 28.74% will apply).
- 4X points on takeout, food delivery and dining
- 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations and on streaming services
- 1 point on all other eligible purchases
- 4X points on takeout, food delivery and dining
- 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations and on streaming services
- 1 point on all other eligible purchases
Rewards: Earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery; 2X points on streaming services, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, and EV charging stations; and 1X point on all other eligible purchases.
Feature benefits: The no-annual-fee stablemate of the Altitude Connect card featured above, the Altitude Go card comes with a 20,000 point welcome bonus which you can redeem at 1¢ per point for cash back, travel, gift cards, and more.
In addition to the outstanding 4X and 2X earning rates on popular spending categories, Altitude Go cardholders get a $15 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify, Apple Music, Disney+, and HBO Max, a generous intro ARP on purchases, and pay no foreign transaction fees. That's excellent for a card with no annual fee.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit CardAnnual Fee$0New Cardmember Bonus
One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 1.5% Cash Back on every purchase, every day
- 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
Rewards: 1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase, every day. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
Feature benefits: The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is about as straightforward as a rewards card can get. New cardmembers take home a one-time $200 cash bonus after meeting an ultra-affordable minimum spend of $500 in the first three months and earn 1.5% cashback on every purchase. No bonus categories to think about, no annual fee to pay, and no foreign transaction fees when you're traveling abroad.
You can also take advantage of a 0% intro on purchases for the first 15 months you hold the card and a 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months, before a variable rate of 19.99% - 29.99% kicks in.
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Chase Freedom Flex℠Annual Fee$0Welcome Bonus Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year (that's $600 cash back!).
- Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1% on all other purchases
Rewards: Earn 5% on rotating bonus categories (up to $1,500 per quarter), 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases
Feature benefits: The Freedom Flex is the successor to the popular Chase Freedom® card. Both cards have the 5% rotating bonus categories, but only the Freedom Flex offers enhanced earning rates on purchases through Chase Travel, at Restaurants, and at Drugstores.
Freedom Flex cardholders can take advantage of 0% Intro APR on purchases for 15 months and a 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months (then a variable APR of 19.24% - 27.99%).
The Freedom Flex charges no annual fee, and if you hold an Ultimate Rewards card that does charge an annual fee, you can convert the cashback rewards you earn on this card 1:1 to flexible Ultimate Rewards points and transfer them to more than a dozen airline and hotel partners.
Bottom Line
Cashback credit cards play a crucial role in a balanced rewards strategy, helping to offset the cash costs of award travel, plus, you can redeem cash back for purchases outside of travel if that is your goal.
Adding to that, earning cashback can make for a less complicated strategy if you don't have the time or inclination to pursue a complex strategy involving multiple rewards programs and transfer partners. You know exactly what your return on spending is, and it is easy to build a high-value cash back strategy with just a few core rewards cards.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (Rates & Fees)
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