Should I get a cash back card or a travel card?

The right rewards card for you will depend on your spending habits and the perks that matter most to you. Travel cards are great for people who know they want to redeem rewards for travel expenses or want perks like elite status, free checked bags, free hotel stays or airport lounge access.Cash back cards can be simpler to use and offer more flexibility than travel cards. If you don’t travel often enough to justify an annual fee on a travel card, a cash back card may be better for travel.

Do cash back cards actually give you cash?

You may not receive cold, hard cash, but issuers offer redemption options like a direct deposit into a checking account, mailed checks, statement credits or gift cards.

Does cash back expire?

Many cash back cards offer rewards that never expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. However, it’s best to check the terms and conditions before applying since not every issuer has this policy.

Should I get a cash back card or a travel card?

The right rewards card for you will depend on your spending habits and the perks that matter most to you. Travel cards are great for people who know they want to redeem rewards for travel expenses or want perks like elite status, free checked bags, free hotel stays or airport lounge access.Cash back cards can be simpler to use and offer more flexibility than travel cards. If you don’t travel often enough to justify an annual fee on a travel card, a cash back card may be better for travel.

Do cash back cards actually give you cash?

You may not receive cold, hard cash, but issuers offer redemption options like a direct deposit into a checking account, mailed checks, statement credits or gift cards.

Does cash back expire?

Many cash back cards offer rewards that never expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. However, it’s best to check the terms and conditions before applying since not every issuer has this policy.

Best Cash Back Credit Cards - August 2026

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Compare Bankrate's top cash back credit cards

	Best for	Cash back highlights	Welcome offer		Learn more
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees	Everyday spending	5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through September 30, 2027) and travel booked through Chase Travel 3% cash back on dining at restaurants and drugstore purchases 1.5% cash back on all other purchases	Intro Offer: Earn $200 cash back Hover to learn more Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.74% Variable	$0	Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees
Discover it® Cash Back Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees	Category variety	5% cash back on rotating categories (on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter, then 1% back, activation required)	Intro Offer: Cashback Match Hover to learn more Regular APR: 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR	$0	Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card Apply now on Bank of America's secure site	Bank of America customers	1.5% cash back on eligible purchases 1.87% to 2.62% cash back for Preferred Rewards members	Intro Offer: $250 Hover to learn more Regular APR: 17.49% - 27.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers	$0	Apply now on Bank of America's secure site
Citi Double Cash® Card Apply now on Citi's secure site See Rates & Fees	Balance transfers	Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay)	Intro Offer: $200 cash back Hover to learn more Regular APR: 17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)	$0	Apply now on Citi's secure site See Rates & Fees
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Highest offer ever More information about this limited time offer Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees	N/A	N/A	Intro Offer: Earn $1,000 bonus cash back Hover to learn more Regular APR: 16.74% - 24.74% Variable	$0	Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Apply now on Wells Fargo's secure site See Rates & Fees	Flat-rate rewards	2% cash rewards on purchases	Intro Offer: $200 cash rewards Hover to learn more Regular APR: 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR	$0	Apply now on Wells Fargo's secure site See Rates & Fees
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express Apply with confidence Hover to learn more Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply	Online shopping	3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, gas stations and online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per calendar year in each category, then 1%)	Intro Offer: As High As $200 Cash Back. Find Out Your Offer. Hover to learn more Regular APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable	$0	Apply with confidence Hover to learn more Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees	Dining	3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming service and grocery store purchases (excluding Walmart® and Target®)	Intro Offer: Earn $200 Cash Back Hover to learn more Regular APR: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)	$0	Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Chase Freedom Flex® Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees	Variety	N/A	Intro Offer: $200 bonus Hover to learn more Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.74% Variable	$0	Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Apply with confidence Hover to learn more Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply	Groceries	Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%) Earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions Earn 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases Earn 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout	Intro Offer: As High As $300 Cash Back. Find Out Your Offer. Hover to learn more Regular APR: 19.49%-28.49% Variable	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.	Apply with confidence Hover to learn more Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card *Hover to learn more	N/A	N/A	Intro Offer: N/A Hover to learn more Regular APR: 18.74% Variable	None
Affinity Cash Rewards Visa® Signature Credit Card *Hover to learn more	N/A	N/A	Intro Offer: $150 Cash Bonus Hover to learn more Regular APR: 16.75% - 18.00% (variable)	$0

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Table of contents

What's a cash back credit card?
How to choose
Pros and cons
Maximizing cash back
Mistakes to avoid
Ask the experts
Frequently asked questions
Methodology

What is a cash back credit card?

A cash back card is a credit card that earns cash back rewards on purchases. Cash back works by accumulating in your credit card account until you redeem it. Usually, you can redeem your cash back rewards in the following ways:

Statement credit
Direct deposit
Gift cards
Amazon checkout
Charity donations and more

However, you'll typically get the most point value from redeeming for statement credits and direct deposits, while the other options usually offer a lower point value. For example, you can redeem 1:1 for a statement credit, but a gift card might only be worth 0.5 cents per point.

Learn more: How to redeem credit card rewards

How much can you earn with a cash back card?

How much cash back you can earn on a cash back card depends on which card (or cards) you hold. If you have a card that earns 1% back on everything, you can expect 1 cent back for every dollar you spend. Similarly, a card with a 5% cash back rate will reward 5 cents for every dollar you spend.

In short: The more you spend, the more you can earn. But be wary of seeing rewards as a reason to spend money. Cash back and rewards become a slippery slope when you start imagining that 5% cash back is the same as a 5% discount on your purchase.

Here's the cash back earning potential for the most common cash back rates with a spending example of $5,000 in a year:

Card type	Rewards rate	Cash back earned
Base	1%	$50
Flat rate	2%	$100
Bonus category	3% 4% 5%	$150 $200 $250

Expert take: Should you have a 2% cash back card?

How to choose the right cash back credit card for you

Choosing a great cash back card typically comes down to how you want to earn rewards, but there are some features you should also always consider. For instance, high rewards rewards rates are nice, but they don't mean much if they're in categories you don’t spend money on. Choose a card with features that are valuable based on your current spending habits.

Follow these steps to pick a card that’s right for you:

Compare welcome offers

Cards usually have a welcome offer — also called a sign-up bonus — that gives you a windfall of cash back for reaching a spending threshold in the first few months of opening the card. These bonuses can prove especially valuable if you can responsibly meet the spending requirement. When it’s between two similar cards, it makes sense to pick the one with a higher welcome offer (provided you can easily meet the spending requirement.)
Pay attention to rewards rates

Ensure you're getting maximum value out of using a card without having to change your regular spending habits. If you want top cash back earnings, then look for cards with at least 3% to 5% cash back and higher.
Consider intro APR offers

The best cash back cards also come with an intro APR period for balance transfers, purchases or both. If you’re getting a card to finance a big purchase, an intro APR period can be handy for earning rewards while also giving you time to pay off your balance without interest.
Do the math if there’s an annual fee

Why let more fees eat into your cash back? Only pick a cash back card with an annual fee if you’ve done the math based on your spending and know that you can offset the fee. Otherwise, choose a card with no annual fee so you don't have to worry about it cutting into your rewards.

Pros and cons of a cash back credit card

Pros

A cash back credit card allows you to earn rewards on your everyday purchases. As long as you’re not carrying interest that can eat into the rewards, you’ll be getting a bit of your money back every time you swipe your card.
Cash back is a simple rewards currency. You don’t need to worry about mile or point values or the best redemption options like you would with a travel card.
Most cash back cards don’t have annual fees. And even if you do get a card with an annual fee, it’ll most likely be on the lower side (under $100 per year).

Cons

Cash back cards rarely have much to offer beyond the rewards. The benefits are typically minimal, and welcome offers are on the lower side. If you want premium perks, consider a travel card — but be prepared to pay an annual fee.
Like other rewards cards, cash back cards tend to require good credit (or a FICO score of 680 or higher). If your credit isn’t on the lower side, browse secured credit cards. Some of them offer cash back, but you do need to put down a deposit when you apply.
Chasing cash back rewards can lead to overspending. Make it a rule not to let a credit card dictate your spending: shop as you always do and earn cash back on your regular purchases.

Our expert advice: How to maximize cash back credit cards

Although what works for our experts may not necessarily be a great fit for you, here are a few different, well-crafted cash back strategies to learn from:

Bankrate editor, Brooklyn Lowery, uses the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card to get cash back that she redeems for travel. Plus, she's a Preferred Rewards member with Bank of America, so her cash rewards rate is even higher than the card’s standard rate.

I usually let that cash back accumulate and then redeem it after a trip to offset expenses — food, an experience or a rental car — that my travel rewards didn’t cover. I love the feeling when that $200 or $300 hits my checking account and I know I didn’t do anything special to earn it. So you could say that the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card does have a place in my travel rewards strategy, even if not directly.
Brooklyn Lowery, Former Senior Editor, Credit Cards

If you’re a perfectionist and want to earn boosted cash back in most of your spending categories, you’ll need multiple credit cards. For some people it’s worth it, but for others it's not. You might be tempted to open several cards at once and put yourself on an optimized cash back road to riches, but this kind of impulse might be overwhelming. Sometimes the best strategy is the one you can rely on without much thought.

Former Bankrate senior editor, Nouri Zarrugh, has a great strategy for maximizing cash back without overthinking it:

When I first got into rewards strategies, I went a little overboard, carrying a card for every spending category I could think of, constantly switching based on where I was shopping or which bonus category was available in a given quarter. It eventually became a headache, though. Now I take a more streamlined approach, focusing on a few key spending categories as I try to strike a balance between high earnings and low maintenance. Is my stack perfect? Definitely not. But for now, five cards is plenty to juggle.
Nouri Zarrugh, Former Senior Editor, Credit Cards

Sometimes the best strategy is one you hardly think about. Most cardholders don't have the time or spending habits to track rotating categories or plan purchases the way that some people do, so a set-it and forget-it approach to cash back and rewards is their best way to maximize cash back. We spoke with India Davis, former editor on the Bankrate editorial team, about how she makes cash back work for her.

While I'm a credit card expert, I prefer a straightforward cash back strategy. I only alternate between the Amex Blue Cash Everyday for gas and online shopping, and the Capital One Quicksilver for everything else. Often, my purchases change from week to week. Sometimes, it's groceries and hobbies. Other times, it's pet expenses and gifts. Every now and then it's a concert or experience. Call it vibes, call it flexibility, but more than anything, I want my cards to be flexible and available with an opportunity to see a nice chunk of cash back in my account.
India Davis, Former Bankrate editor

Common mistakes to avoid with cash back cards

Earning cash back seems simple, but a few mistakes can leave you missing out on potential cash back. Keep these common mistakes in mind:

Not understanding category spending limits: If your card’s spending limit for earning boosted rewards is $500, any dollar you spend past that limit will only earn the card’s base rewards rate. If your annual spend typically far exceeds the limit, you might be better off with a card that offers a lower cash back rate without a cap.
Avoiding annual fees without considering the benefits: Some cards with annual fees have easily accessible perks that offset the costs of the annual fee.
Using a flat-rate card for concentrated spending: If you spend reliably in one or two everyday categories, a tiered rewards card might be a better fit for you. You could also use two cards: one for bonus cash back in your primary categories, and a flat-rate rewards card for everything else. This is an especially easy solution if neither card charges annual fees.
Chasing rewards: It only makes sense to earn rewards on your regular spending. As soon as you adjust your shopping habits to get more cash back, you’re at the risk of overspending just for the sake of some extra rewards.

Ask the Experts

What would you do with $200 of cash back in your credit card account right now?

Julie R. Bates

CFP Board Ambassador and managing director, Delta Community Retirement & Investment Services

If I had high-interest debt, I’d apply it directly to the balance — that’s a guaranteed return. If I didn’t, I’d put it toward something that supports long-term financial stability, like topping off an emergency fund or contributing to a short-term savings goal. Small amounts of “found” money add up, and when used intentionally, can create momentum and confidence. Financial progress doesn’t always come from big windfalls — it’s often built through consistent, purposeful decisions like this.

Scott Ward

CFP Board Ambassador and Senior Vice President for Compound Planning

It really depends on your personal financial goals. But here are a few smart ways to think about cash rewards of any size:

Pay down debt faster, especially if you’re carrying a balance.
Build an emergency fund (3 to 6 months' worth of fixed expenses).
Invest it to build long-term wealth. Even small amounts add up over time.
Or, absent of any debt, use it guilt-free for something meaningful or fun like a night out, a short trip or a splurge you've been putting off.

Frequently asked questions about cash back credit cards

The right rewards card for you will depend on your spending habits and the perks that matter most to you. Travel cards are great for people who know they want to redeem rewards for travel expenses or want perks like elite status, free checked bags, free hotel stays or airport lounge access.

Cash back cards can be simpler to use and offer more flexibility than travel cards. If you don’t travel often enough to justify an annual fee on a travel card, a cash back card may be better for travel.
You may not receive cold, hard cash, but issuers offer redemption options like a direct deposit into a checking account, mailed checks, statement credits or gift cards.
Many cash back cards offer rewards that never expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. However, it’s best to check the terms and conditions before applying since not every issuer has this policy.

*The information about the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Next steps in your credit card journey

Best flat-rate cash back credit cards

See our selection for this category

Is paying an annual fee worth it?

Not all cards with an annual fee are worth the cost

How I get the most out of my credit card rewards

One Bankrate writer shares her credit card strategy

Guide to the 2026 Discover cash back calendar

Check out what Discover categories are boosted for this quarter

Meet the Bankrate Experts

Written by

Ana Staples Ana Staples

Principal Analyst and Credit Cards Expert

How we choose the best cash back credit cards

150+

cards rated

50+

rewards programs valued

1800

data points analyzed

spending categories analyzed

We select cards for “Best” credit cards pages based primarily on how cards score in our proprietary card rating system, our editors’ subjective assessment of card quality, card approval odds and credit requirements and unique card features.

Cards typically must score a minimum of 3.0 to be included on a “Best” list. However, we may include cards with scores below 3.0 if they have low credit requirements or unique features — despite their scores, these cards may still be among the “best” in certain categories. Card ratings are not influenced by advertisers or issuer relationships in any way.

Card selection and ordering may vary based on business considerations, including Bankrate visitor interest, site interactions and card application volume. Affiliate commissions (see how we make money), limited-time offers and a card’s general popularity in the product landscape may also influence which cards we feature on our pages and the order in which they appear. Bankrate’s editorial and business teams also strive to feature a variety of card types from various issuers.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key factors in our cash back card scoring methodology and details we considered when putting together our list of the best cash back cards.

Overall Score

Value 65%
Flexibility 15%
Perks 15%
Customer experience 5%

The primary criteria for a rewards-earning card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings and sign-up bonus value.

To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits. In other words, we assess whether the card earns rewards at a high rate in the most popular spending categories.

We use consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to get a reliable third-party measure of people’s spending habits. The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2024 was $78,535 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $22,500.

Some of the major spending categories that contribute towards the annual spend include:
- Groceries: $6,000
- Dining out: $3,900
- Entertainment: $2,500
- Gas: $2,400
- Apparel and services: $2,000
Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 26% weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries.

This weighting allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases.

With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and rewards rate stack up against other rewards cards.

The better these values, the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.

Here’s a deeper look at the factors considered as part of a rewards card’s “Value” rating:
5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Overall Score
- Ongoing rewards value 50%
- Annual fee & average APR 20%
- Rewards rate 15%
- Sign-up bonus value 15%
We also score cards based on how much it costs to keep them in your wallet or carry a balance.

To start, each card is scored based on whether it offers an intro APR and how its ongoing APR compares to the rates available on other rewards cards. However, the latter rating only has a slight influence on the card’s score and whether the card is included in our list, since rewards card users generally try to avoid carrying a balance.

More important to both a card’s score and its inclusion in our list is how its annual fee influences its overall value. We consider a card’s annual fee in two ways — how it ranks relative to the fees you’ll find on other cards in the category and how it impacts a card’s overall rewards value.

Cards with an annual fee will always be at a slight disadvantage in our scoring system since annual fees inherently cut into your rewards value. However, if a card offers terrific value via its ongoing rewards and perks, it can earn a high score and a spot in our list even if it carries a high annual fee. After all, the highest rewards rates and most valuable perks are often found on cards with annual fees.

With this in mind, we rate a card based primarily on how its ongoing rewards value and ongoing perk value (such as annual credits or bonuses) stack up against those of other cards in the category when you subtract annual fees.

That said, we strive to include as many no-annual-fee options in our list as possible since many people would rather not worry about offsetting fees, even if a card carries impressive rewards and perks.
Rewards cards may make it easy to earn a lot of points, miles or cash back, but how easy is it to use those rewards? After all, if it takes a ton of effort to redeem rewards or you can only redeem rewards in a couple of ways, a card may be more trouble than it’s worth.

As such, we rate each card’s flexibility based on the restrictions it imposes on earning and redeeming rewards. We factor this rating into a card’s overall score and consider it when deciding on a card’s inclusion in our list.

Flexibility factors include whether a card only allows you to earn a high rewards rate on only a small amount of spending or requires you to meet a certain earning threshold before you can redeem rewards. We also examine whether your points are worth less when you opt for some redemption options over others and whether a card gives you the flexibility to transfer rewards to travel partners.
We also score each card’s set of features — its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating.

We break down these tiers as follows:

Tier 1 includes fewer features than even standard credit cards (for example, an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits).

Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges.

Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection.

Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs.

Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.

In evaluating the best cards, we tend to favor cards that offer at least Tier 3 benefits, unless they include other unique features that could make up for less-impressive perks.

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

Best cash back credit cards for August 2026

Get personal card recommendations

What's your top spending category?

If there's a better card out there, it's probably here

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Discover it® Cash Back

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

Citi Double Cash® Card

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Chase Freedom Flex®

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card

Affinity Cash Rewards Visa® Signature Credit Card

Compare Bankrate's top cash back credit cards

Determine your preferred category

Find your match

Choose to apply

What is a cash back credit card?

How much can you earn with a cash back card?

How to choose the right cash back credit card for you

Compare welcome offers

Pay attention to rewards rates

Consider intro APR offers

Do the math if there’s an annual fee

Pros and cons of a cash back credit card

Pros

Cons

Our expert advice: How to maximize cash back credit cards

Common mistakes to avoid with cash back cards

What would you do with $200 of cash back in your credit card account right now?

Frequently asked questions about cash back credit cards

Should I get a cash back card or a travel card?

Do cash back cards actually give you cash?

Does cash back expire?

Next steps in your credit card journey

Meet the Bankrate Experts

How we choose the best cash back credit cards

Great rewards value

Reasonable rates and fees

Redemption flexibility

Valuable perks