Best credit cards for online shopping
Key takeaways
- The best credit cards for online shopping offer bonus rewards for spending at various retailers around the web.
- Some cards for online shopping also come with 0 percent APR intro offers for purchases, which can help you save on interest as you pay balances down.
- To find the right credit card for your online shopping habits, consider which stores you shop at the most and which other categories you tend to spend a lot in.
The best credit cards for online shopping let you buy whatever you want, at any time, while avoiding crowds and saving time and energy along the way. You can even order groceries and household essentials online and have them show up on your doorstep. With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder online stores like Amazon.com continue to gain market share.
If you’re trying to find the best credit card for online shopping for your specific needs, you’ll be happy to know there are plenty of options that can help you enjoy rewards and plenty of perks while you spend. If you shop online anyway, you might as well pay with a card that allows you to get something more in return.
But which cards for online shopping should you consider? Below, we’ll explore some of the best rewards credit cards for a variety of online purchases.
Comparison table for best credit cards for online shopping
| Card name | Rewards rate | Annual fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Visa |
|
$0 with paid Amazon Prime membership ($139) | Amazon.com purchases |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi |
|
$0 with paid Costco membership ($60) | Costco purchases |
| Discover it® Cash Back |
|
$0 | Rotating categories |
| Target REDcard |
|
$0 | Target purchases |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
|
$95 | Online travel purchases |
| Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® |
|
$0 | Walmart purchases |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card |
|
$0 | Flexibility |
| Instacart Mastercard® |
|
$0 | Online grocery purchases |
Best credit cards for online shopping
The best credit cards for shopping online let you earn rewards on your spending while you score other important perks. Read on to learn why the cards we chose are the best for all of your virtual shopping needs.
Prime Visa: Best for Amazon.com purchases
It’s obvious why the Prime Visa is ideal for Amazon.com purchases, but you should note that the 5 percent back also applies to purchases made at Whole Foods Market and purchases made through the Chase Travel portal with an eligible Prime membership.
If you want to use this card as your everyday card, you’ll also be happy to know you also earn 2 percent back on dining, gas stations and local transit and commuting, as well as 1 percent back on everything else. The rewards you’ll earn can be redeemed for more purchases on Amazon.com or for gift cards, travel and cash back (as a direct deposit or statement credit).
Additionally, you’ll receive an Amazon.com gift card worth $100 instantly upon card approval. While this card doesn’t have an annual fee, you do have to be an Amazon Prime member to qualify (currently, an annual Prime membership costs $139).
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi: Best for Costco purchases
The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi* is a solid option for shopping on Costco.com since you’ll earn 2 percent back on all Costco and Costco.com purchases. However, you’ll also earn 3 percent back on eligible travel purchases, which includes online travel bookings made with Costco Travel. Additionally, you’ll earn 4 percent back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases on up to $7,000 in purchases each year (then 1 percent) — all without an annual fee, apart from your paid Costco membership ($60 to $120).
One downside is that you’ll only receive your rewards once per year — as an annual credit certificate — when your February account statement closes. Also, rewards can only be redeemed for cash or purchases at Costco or Costco.com and rewards must be redeemed before the end of that year.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Discover it® Cash Back: Best for rotating categories
The Discover it® Cash Back lets you earn 5 percent cash back on rotating categories when activated, each quarter (on up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1 percent, and online shopping is often a common category option.
For example, the Discover Cashback Calendar for 2023 includes gas stations and purchases made with digital wallets from July through September. The final quarter of the year typically includes Amazon purchases and some other stores that let you shop online, although this year’s Q4 category has not been announced yet.
You’ll also earn 1 percent back on all other purchases you make, which can add up over time. Additionally, Discover will match all of the rewards you’ve earned at the end of your first year of card membership. You won’t pay an annual fee or a fee for your first late payment, either (then up to a $41 penalty fee).
Finally, this card comes with a 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a variable APR of 17.24 percent to 28.24 percent.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Target REDcard: Best for Target purchases
If you frequently shop at Target or Target.com, you should consider the Target REDcard*. With this card, you’ll earn 5 percent cash back on all Target and Target.com purchases, plus 5 percent back on purchases at in-store Starbucks locations. You’ll also qualify for special benefits like exclusive deals, more free shipping opportunities and an additional 30 days for exchanges and returns.
With the Target REDcard, remember that you won’t earn typical rewards — the 5 percent cash back is applied as a discount on each Target transaction. Additionally, note that the 5 percent discount doesn’t apply to prescriptions, Target Optical, Target gift cards and previous purchases, among others.
| Pros | Cons |
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Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Best for online travel purchases
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a solid option for online travel purchases since you’ll earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft rides through March 2025. Plus, you’ll earn 3X points on dining, select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs); 2X points on general travel purchases; and 1X points on all other purchases. Customers can also use the Chase shopping portal to earn bonus points when they shop and pay with their card at participating retailers.
The bonus rewards you’ll earn on travel are unlimited, and you can earn these points with any purchase that codes as travel on your credit card statement. Plus, the points you’ll earn fall within the popular Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which lets you redeem points for gift cards, statement credits, cash back, merchandise, travel through the Chase portal or 1:1 transfers to Chase airline and hotel partners. And when redeemed for travel through Chase, your points will be worth 25 percent more.
A $95 annual fee applies when you sign up, but the sign-up bonus alone can help offset this cost — new cardmembers can earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. That’s worth $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
| Pros | Cons |
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Capital One Walmart Rewards Mastercard: Best for Walmart purchases
With the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®*, you have the potential to earn a lot of rewards if you spend a lot at Walmart. As a new cardholder, you can earn 5 percent cash back in Walmart stores for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay. You’ll also earn 5 percent back on Walmart.com purchases (including grocery pickup and delivery services), 2 percent back in Walmart stores, 2 percent back on restaurants and travel and 1 percent back on all other purchases.
Additionally, this card doesn’t charge an annual fee, and you can redeem your rewards for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, travel and more.
| Pros | Cons |
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Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for flexibility
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is unique among rewards credit cards because you get to pick the category in which you’ll earn 3 percent back (options include gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores or home improvement). It’s simple to choose the online shopping category and earn 3 percent back as you shop with online retailers throughout the year.
You’ll also earn 2 percent back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, but keep in mind that the 3 percent and 2 percent categories this card offers are limited to $2,500 in combined spending each quarter. This cap restricts how much you can earn in rewards, but at least you’ll rack up 1 percent back for all purchases over that limit, as well as 1 percent back on all non-bonus spending. Not only that, but cardholders can enjoy 0 percent intro APR on purchases and balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening for 15 billing cycles (followed by a variable APR of 18.24 percent to 24.24 percent).
You won’t pay an annual fee to carry this card, and you can redeem your rewards for statement credits or direct deposits to an eligible Bank of America or Merrill account. This card also comes with a welcome bonus of $200 after spending $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening. Further, you can earn 25 percent to 75 percent more rewards as a member of the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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Instacart Mastercard: Best for online grocery purchases
The Instacart Mastercard® from Chase offers a high rate of cash back (5 percent) on Instacart purchases — both online and in the Instacart app. If you do a majority of your grocery shopping online with Instacart or the brand’s mobile app, the Chase Instacart Mastercard can certainly be worth it for this reason alone. After all, the app offers delivery from 800+ retailers across the U.S., from groceries to electronics to home goods.
Besides rewards on specific online grocery purchases, you’ll get 5 percent back on Chase Travel Center purchases, 2 percent back at gas stations, restaurants and on select streaming services as well as 1 percent back on all other purchases.
| Pros | Cons |
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Is a rewards credit card for online shopping right for you?
All of the credit cards we highlighted in this guide are rewards credit cards, a type of credit card that lets you earn cash back, points or miles for each dollar you spend. Credit cards in this niche can be beneficial since they give you something back as you use them for regular spending and bills.
That said, there are some pitfalls to be aware of before you sign up. Rewards credit cards tend to come with a higher standard APR than other types of credit cards. This means that carrying a balance on these cards can be costly, and the interest you pay can easily erase the value of all the rewards you have earned and then some.
For the most part, rewards credit cards (and all other credit cards, really) are best for consumers who are disciplined with their spending and able to pay their bill in full each month. If you already know you’ll need to carry a balance from time to time, you’ll probably be better off with a low interest credit card or a credit card that offers 0 percent APR on purchases for a limited time.
How to choose the best credit card for online shopping
Before you choose any of the credit cards on this list, you should know that rewards credit cards are typically geared toward consumers with good credit or better, which means having a FICO score of 670 or above. If you believe you have the credit score and income to qualify, there are several additional steps you can take to find the right credit card for your online shopping needs.
- Figure out where you shop the most. First, figure out which store (or stores) you spend the most at when you shop online. This will help you determine which card offers the most points or cash back based on your spending habits.
- Choose a card with the type of rewards you want to earn. Second, make sure that the cards you’re considering offer the type of rewards you want to earn, whether that’s cash back, travel rewards points or merchandise credits at specific stores.
- Compare cardholder perks and features. You’ll also want to compare cardholder features and benefits, including travel insurance perks, consumer protections, sign-up bonuses and more.
- Decide if paying an annual fee is worth it. Finally, decide if you are willing to pay an annual fee for your rewards card. You’ll usually get a better rewards rate if you are OK with annual fees, but this isn’t always the case.
FAQs about credit cards for online shopping
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The best credit card for shopping online varies from person to person. Make sure to think about where you shop the most and compare cards based on rewards rates, welcome offers and perks before you decide.
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The safest credit cards for online purchases all come with zero liability policies for fraud.
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It’s always better to use a credit card for online purchases due to their enhanced protections against fraud. In fact, most credit cards come with zero liability for fraud off the bat, and $50 is the maximum amount you can legally be held liable for per the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
That said, fraud works totally differently with a debit card. If you report fraudulent purchases made with your debit card within two business days after learning of a loss or theft, your maximum liability is $50. If you report more than two days after learning of a theft, but within 60 calendar days after your statement is sent to you, your maximum liability is $500. If you don’t notice fraud for more than 60 calendar days after your statement is sent to you, the FTC says you could lose “all the money taken from your ATM/debit card account, and possibly more — for example, money in accounts linked to your debit account.”
The bottom line
The best credit cards for online shopping reward you with points or cash back each time you make a purchase. Some also offer generous sign-up bonuses when you can meet a minimum spending requirement. Plus, you’ll get maximum protection against fraudulent purchases when you shop online with a credit card instead of a debit card.
However, it’s important to do your research before selecting any of the cards in this guide. Some offer more rewards at specific stores or different types of stores, so keep your regular spending habits in mind as you make your pick.
*The information about the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, Target REDcard and Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
