8 best credit cards for groceries for October 2024
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- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for rewards on everyday purchases
- American Express® Gold Card: Best for travel rewards on groceries
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best for groceries and no annual fee
- Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for customizable rewards
- Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: Best for everyday purchases
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for food + entertainment rewards
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for wholesale club rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for online grocery purchases
8 best credit cards for groceries for October 2024
Advertiser Disclosure: The listings that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which Bankrate receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Here's an explanation for and how we rate our cards.
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for rewards on everyday purchases
- American Express® Gold Card: Best for travel rewards on groceries
- Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best for groceries and no annual fee
- Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for customizable rewards
- Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: Best for everyday purchases
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for food + entertainment rewards
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for wholesale club rewards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for online grocery purchases
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Showing 8 results
Best for rewards on everyday purchases
Intro offer
Earn $250
Rewards rate
1% - 6%
Annual fee
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
APR
18.74%-29.74% Variable
Why you'll like this: It offers the most generous rewards rate you can get on supermarket purchases, plus a solid rate in other key spending categories.
Intro offer
60,000 points + earn up to $100 back
Rewards rate
1X - 4X
Annual fee
$325
APR
See Pay Over Time APR
Why you'll like this: It not only earns valuable, flexible points on groceries, but also offers a ton of value with its dining and travel credits.
Best for groceries and no annual fee
Intro offer
Earn $200
Rewards rate
1% - 3%
Annual fee
$0
APR
18.74%-29.74% Variable
Why you'll like this: It boasts a solid rewards rate on groceries, gas and online shopping, making it an ideal standalone option for everyday rewards.
Intro offer
$200
Rewards rate
1% - 5%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
Why you'll like this: It allows you to earn cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, which is ideal if you have varied spending habits.
Intro offer
70,000 bonus points
Rewards rate
1X - 10X
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
20.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
Why you'll like this: You’ll earn top reward rates in multiple everyday categories, including groceries.
Best for food + entertainment rewards
Intro offer
$200
Rewards rate
1% - 8%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Why you'll like this: It rewards foodies of all stripes since it offers a high cash back rate on both dining and grocery store purchases.
Best for wholesale club rewards
Intro offer
$200
Rewards rate
1% - 3%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.74% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
Why you'll like this: It’s uniquely flexible. You can choose which bonus category earns a top rate each month, including gas, online shopping, travel and more.
Intro offer
$300 Chase Travel℠ Credit + 60,000 bonus points
Rewards rate
1x - 5x
Annual fee
$95
Regular APR
21.49% - 28.49% Variable
Why you'll like this: Its flexible rewards program offers great value whether you redeem for cash back, book travel through Chase Travel or transfer points to airline and hotel partners.
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Compare Bankrate's best credit cards for groceries
Card name | Best for | Rewards highlights | Bankrate review score |
---|---|---|---|
|
Rewards on everyday purchases |
6% cash back on U.S. supermarket purchases (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%) and select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% cash back on U.S. gas station and transit purchases |
4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Travel rewards on groceries |
4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 purchases per calendar year, then 1X) and restaurants (on up to $50,000 purchases per calendar year, then 1X), including Uber Eats and other eligible delivery services
3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or Amex Travel |
4.9 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Groceries and no annual fee |
3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per calendar year in each category, then 1 percent) |
4.6 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees
, Terms Apply
|
|
Customizable rewards |
5% cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (on up to $500 each billing cycle, then 1%) |
4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on Citi's secure site
|
|
Rewards on everyday purchases |
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
4.6 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on Citi's secure site
|
|
Food + entertainment rewards |
3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) 1% cash back on all other purchases |
5.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on Capital One's secure site
|
|
Wholesale club rewards |
3% cash back in one of the available choice categories: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores or home improvement 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs Up to $2,500 in combined choice category and 2% category purchases per quarter, then 1% back. |
4.1 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on Bank of America's secure site
|
|
Online grocery purchases |
5X points on travel through Chase TravelSM and on Lyft rides (Lyft offer through March 31, 2025) 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target and wholesale clubs) 2X points on other travel purchases |
5.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Apply now
on Chase's secure site
|
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
What is a grocery store credit card?
Grocery rewards cards earn cash back or points on purchases at eligible grocery stores. Groceries are often one of the most lucrative bonus categories on the market, considering food and household products are the backbone of most budgets.
However, only purchases at traditional grocery stores and supermarkets typically earn bonus rewards, so you may need to explore more options if you mostly shop at superstores like Walmart and Target, wholesale clubs, online retailers or specialty food stores.
Types of grocery store credit cards
Although many popular grocery rewards cards are general-purpose cards with multiple bonus categories, some of the top options are co-branded with a particular retailer or will only work or earn rewards at specific stores. Here’s a look at the different types of grocery cards and which option will be the best fit for various cardholders.
Bankrate Insight
Superstores like Walmart and Target and wholesale clubs like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s are separate merchant categories from grocery stores and don’t qualify for bonus grocery category rewards. Consider co-branded cards if you want rewards for your purchases at your go-to wholesale club and superstores.
How much could you save with a grocery credit card?
According to the most recent data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual cost of household groceries in 2022 was around $5,700. That averages out to about $475 a month spent on groceries — a big chunk of the average person’s budget.
When used responsibly, grocery rewards cards can help you save money by giving you back a percentage of your grocery spending in the form of cash back, points or travel miles. How much you can earn depends on your spending habits and the type of grocery rewards card you choose. Take a look at the examples below to see how much you could save each year depending on the credit card.
Payment method | Rewards rate | Estimated rewards earned | Annual fee | Estimated total cost |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cash or card with no rewards | N/A | $0 | $0 | $5,700 |
Flat-rate 2% cash back card | 2% back on eligible purchases | $114 | $0 | $5,586 |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | 3% back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target & Walmart) | $171 | $0 (See Rates & Fees) | $5,529 |
Citi Custom Cash Card | 5% back in your top spending eligible category (includes grocery stores, on up to $500 per billing cycle, then 1%) | $285 | $0 | $5,415 |
Blue Cash Preferred from American Express | 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%) | $342 | $95 ($0 intro annual fee for the first year) | $5,453 |
Expert advice on grocery store credit cards
Finding the right grocery credit card can help you earn maximum rewards on purchases you frequently make. Here’s some advice from our top credit card experts to help you in your search.
How to choose a grocery store credit card
- See where you shop the most: A general-purpose credit card that offers grocery rewards is a good pick if you want the flexibility to shop at a broad mix of grocery stores and supermarkets. But if you are loyal to a specific store or brand, a co-branded credit card or a flat-rate rewards card may offer the best value.
- Note how much you spend on groceries: Not everyone will spend enough to offset the annual fee of some of the most lucrative grocery store credit cards. Luckily, some of the best grocery rewards cards come with no annual fee, making them a great option for people who don’t spend enough at the grocery store to justify the annual cost.
- Decide how you want to earn rewards: To earn as many rewards as possible with a grocery rewards card, you may have to track spending categories or have multiple credit cards. A grocery rewards card with a simple rewards structure or a flat-rate credit card may work better if you want an easier way to earn rewards. You likely won’t earn as many rewards, but you won’t have to jump through so many hoops, either.
- Understand what short- and long-term benefits matter most to you: The right grocery rewards card can offer standout perks that increase the card’s value for you in the short and long term. These may include a generous sign-up bonus, introductory APR offer, purchase protections, no foreign transaction fees and annual credits.
Here’s how a Bankrate expert uses his grocery card
Bankrate credit cards writer Ryan Flanigan uses his American Express® Gold card for groceries and restaurants to rack up tons of points for travel.
“I never go grocery shopping without this card. Membership Rewards points are very valuable to me, and this card earns a lot of them. I easily offset the annual fee with Uber Cash credits, which I use regularly. The return on this card is as high as you can get with groceries and restaurants, so it’s a great choice for those frequently used categories. This card is my main vehicle to generate tons of Amex points, which helps me go on all sorts of great travel adventures using all their different travel partners.”
— Ryan Flanigan, Writer, Credit Cards
Tips for maximizing a grocery store credit card
Once you’ve chosen the right grocery store credit card, you can start planning to get the most out of your new card. Here are some tips to help you get the most satisfying experience out of your grocery rewards card.
-
Lean into co-branded store cards
According to dunnhumby’s seventh annual Retailer Preference Index, Market Basket, Winco and Aldi are among the top grocery stores that provide the best prices, rewards and promotions for shoppers. These stores use cost-first strategies that offer shoppers the best base prices on most of their groceries. If you shop frequently at a grocery store that offers a co-branded card, you may want to consider it in order to get the maximum return on your grocery spending.
-
Save more with cash back apps
Coupons and cash back apps can sprinkle even more savings on top of the rewards you earn with a grocery rewards card. Bankrate experts recommend Ibotta if you’re paying with a grocery rewards card since they find its grocery-related offers are better than what competing apps and browser extensions provide.
Frequently asked questions about grocery rewards cards
How we assess the best grocery store credit cards
When evaluating the best grocery store credit cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points.
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular cash back and rewards cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best grocery store cards.
Here’s a quick look at the factors that make up our card scoring methodology for rewards and cash back cards (the card types most likely to earn rewards on groceries).
Rewards & cash back card scoring factors
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Value 65%
-
Flexibility 15%
-
Perks 15%
-
Customer experience 5%
*Information about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® , the Sam’s Club® Mastercard®,Target RedCard™, BJ's One+™ Mastercard®, and Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card 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.