10 best cash-back credit cards

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Best for earning the same cash-back rate on every purchase

With unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card gives you the opportunity to shop across categories — groceries, gas, school supplies, plane tickets — without having to ask yourself how much cash you’re earning per category.

A $200 welcome bonus for new cardholders who spend $1,000 in the first three months sweetens the deal, and 15 months of 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers gives you the option to carry a short-term balance without accruing interest charges.

Want one more reason to consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card? If you pay your monthly phone bill with your Wells Fargo card, you’ll get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible). Not all credit cards offer this kind of benefit, so keep that in mind as you’re deciding where to apply.

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Citi Double Cash Card

Best for people who pay off their balances in full

Since the Citi Double Cash Card offers unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases plus an additional 1% cash back when you pay off those purchases, you have the potential to earn as many rewards with the Citi Double Cash as you would with the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card — provided, of course, that you pay off your balances.

Responsible credit users may want to consider combining the Citi Double Cash with a bonus category cash-back credit card, such as the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card, which offers 3% cash back at supermarkets (for the first $6,000 in purchases per year). Use the AmEx Blue Cash Everyday card when you go grocery shopping, use your Citi Double Cash card on all other purchases and pay off both statements in full every month.

American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card

Best for cash back at grocery stores + no annual fee

With the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card, you’ll earn 3% cash back on the first $6,000 in supermarket purchases per year, as well as 2% cash back on gas.

All other purchases earn 1% cash back, and new cardholders who spend $2,000 in the first six months can receive a $100 statement credit. Plus, you get 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months — giving you plenty of time to pay off all of those grocery runs.

While the Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card offers decent rewards on grocery store purchases, you can get higher cash back percentages on your grocery trips if you upgrade to the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card. Is it worth it to skip the annual fee and earn less cash back on every purchase? That’s up to you to decide.

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American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card

Best for maximum cash back at grocery stores

With the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card, you’ll earn 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in supermarket purchases per year, as well as 6% cash back on select streaming subscriptions — both of which are industry-leading rates that you’re unlikely to find with other cash-back credit cards.

Plus, you’ll earn 3% cash back not just at gas stations, but also on transit — giving you many more reward-earning opportunities than you might get with the AmEx Blue Cash Everyday Card. You’ll pay a $95 annual fee (waived the first year), but cardholders who earn the $300 welcome bonus will have canceled out their annual fee costs for the next four years.

Want one more reason to consider the American Express Blue Cash Preferred? Right now, cardholders can receive up to $120 annually in Equinox+ statement credits. Get your groceries, get your workout in and earn your rewards.

Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card

Best for cash back on dining and entertainment

Whether you’re going out or staying in, the Capital One Savor Rewards Card is ready to help you have a good time. With unlimited 4% cash back on restaurants (including takeout and delivery) as well as entertainment and select streaming services, you can earn rewards while enjoying yourself — and if you decide you want to cook your own dinner for a change, you’ll get 3% cash back at grocery stores.

If the $95 annual fee is too much for you right now, consider the Capital One SavorOne Rewards Card instead. This no-annual-fee card offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services and grocery stores, and could be exactly what you’re looking for.

Discover it Cash Back Credit Card

Best for unlimited welcome bonus potential

The Discover it Cash Back Credit Card is one of a small number of cash-back cards that offers industry-leading rewards on spending categories that rotate every quarter. While Discover’s Cashback Calendar changes every year, cardholders can expect to see popular spending categories such as gas stations, gym memberships and Amazon.com.

If you like the idea of earning 5% cash back on different bonus categories throughout the year, the card could be a good match — especially because Discover’s Cashback Match automatically matches all the cash you earn during the first year as a cardholder. This gives you unlimited welcome bonus potential with no minimum spending requirement.

If you like the idea of Discover’s Cashback Match but are less interested in the rotating cash back categories, you might want to consider the Discover it Chrome Card — which happens to be the next card on our list.

Discover it Chrome Card

Best for people who want the benefits of Discover without rotating category rewards

If you are looking for a Discover cash-back card that offers the same set of bonus cash back categories throughout the year, take a look at the Discover it Chrome Card. This card offers 2% cash back on restaurants and gas, for up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter — and, just like the Discover it Cash Back Card, Discover will match all of the cash you earn during your first year as a cardholder.

Discover’s Cashback Match is one of the best welcome bonuses in the industry, but that isn’t the only benefit you’ll get from having a Discover card in your wallet. Not only is Discover accepted at more than 99% of retailers nationwide, but you can also redeem your Discover cash back for statement credits, gift cards, Amazon.com and PayPal purchases and more.

You may also want to consider the Discover it Miles card, which we recently highlighted on our list of top travel credit cards. Like the Discover it Cash Back and Discover it Chrome cards, the Discover it Miles card also matches all of the rewards you earn during your first year as a cardholder.

Chase Freedom Flex

Best for cash back on travel

There are a lot of reasons to love the Chase Freedom Flex, but we’ll start with the 5% cash back.

As a cardholder, you not only earn 5% cash back on bonus categories that rotate every quarter, but you’ll also have the opportunity to earn 5% cash back on all travel bookings made through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

In addition to all of the 5% cash-back opportunities, you’ll also earn 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases — and a bonus $200 after spending $500 in your first three months as a new cardholder. That’s a lot of cash-back potential, especially for a no-annual-fee credit card.

Like the Discover it Cash Back card, the Chase Freedom Flex focuses its rotating bonuses on popular spending categories, such as grocery stores and Amazon.com. If you’re trying to decide between the two cards, keep in mind that you can always apply for both — just remember to activate your bonus categories every quarter to ensure you earn your 5% cash back.

Petal2 Visa Card

Best for earning rewards while building credit

The Petal2 Visa is designed for people who have less-than-excellent credit, giving you the opportunity to earn cash-back rewards on every purchase while proving that you can use credit responsibly.

While the Petal2 Visa doesn’t offer a lot in terms of flat-rate cash-back rewards, you do have the opportunity to earn as much as 10% bonus cash back when you shop with select merchants. Plus, you can increase your cash-back rewards to as much as 1.5% when you pay your credit card bill on time — which will also help you build a better credit score. Check out our full Petal2 Visa review.

Not sure whether your credit is good enough to qualify? The WebBank Petal2 Visa Card uses alternate methods of evaluating creditworthiness, including your income and your spending history — and you can always request to be preapproved before you apply.

SoFi Credit Card

Best for people who want to invest their cash back

How do you plan on redeeming your cash-back rewards? Some people automatically turn their rewards into statement credits or redeem them for online purchases, but the SoFi Credit Card lets you turn your cash-back rewards into investment opportunities.

With SoFi, not only will you earn industry-leading 2% cash back on all purchases, but you also have the option to redeem your rewards toward SoFi loan payments, a SoFi savings account or a SoFi investment account. You can even invest your SoFi rewards in cryptocurrency.

Want even more cash back? Set up direct deposit with SoFi Checking and Savings to earn 3% cash back for a year. You’ll also get a cash bonus worth as much as $250 depending on how much money is direct-deposited into your account during the first three months.

It’s worth noting that the full value of your cash-back rewards only applies if you redeem your rewards toward SoFi loan repayment, savings or investing. If you want to redeem your rewards for a statement credit, you’ll only get half the value of your eligible rewards.

Should I get a cash-back credit card?

It’s always a good idea to have a cash-back credit card in your wallet — but which cash-back rewards card is right for you?

Ask yourself whether you want the same flat-rate cash back on every purchase, or whether you’re interested in taking advantage of bonus category cash-back rewards. You may also want to compare credit card welcome bonuses — and ask yourself whether you spend enough money every month to qualify for the bonus cash back rewards.

Once you’ve gotten used to your new cash-back credit card, you may want to apply for another cash-back card that offers even more earning opportunities — or you may want to pair your cash-back card with a travel or airline card that offers not only rewards but also additional benefits like free checked bags.

No matter what you choose, make sure you get the most out of your new credit card by earning your bonuses, redeeming your rewards and paying your bills on time.

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