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9 Best cash back credit cards for June 2023

Updated June 06, 2023

Cash back credit cards earn rewards on your purchases. Depending on your spending habits, you could get anywhere from 1 percent to 6 percent cash back on everyday essentials, travel and more.

The best cash back credit cards also come with cost-saving features that can help you fight back against the rising costs of inflation. On top of earning cash back in your biggest spending categories, many cash back cards come with generous welcome bonuses, consumer protections and intro APR offers that give you an interest-free introductory period to pay off purchases or get control of your debt. Check out the best cash back credit card offers from our partners below.

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Image of Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Best for 2% cash rewards with intro APR

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

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on Wells Fargo's secure site
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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chance of approval
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Image of Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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Image of Discover it® Cash Back

Best for rotating cash back categories

Discover it® Cash Back

Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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Image of Citi® Double Cash Card

Best for up to 2% cash back

Citi® Double Cash Card

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on Citi's secure site
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

N/A

Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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chance of approval
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Image of Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5
3.8 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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Image of Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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on American Express's secure site
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4 Bankrate review
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See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
See if you're pre‐approved for this card with Approval Odds

Intro offer

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Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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chance of approval
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Image of Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

Best for automatic bonus category

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

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on Citi's secure site
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Fair to Good (580 – 740)
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chance of approval
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Image of Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Credit Card Best Choose your 3% category

Best for customizable 3% category

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

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on Bank of America's secure site
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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Image of Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®

Best for personal loan alternative

Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®

Apply now Lock
on Upgrade's secure site
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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On This Page

Compare Bankrate's top cash back credit cards

Card name Best for Cash back highlights Bankrate review score
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card 2% cash rewards with an intro APR Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases 4.3 / 5
(Read full card review)
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Restaurants Unlimited 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding Walmart® and Target®) 4.9 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Cash Back
Rotating cash back categories
5% on rotating category purchases on up to $1,500 a quarter (activation required), then 1%  4.4 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Double Cash Card Up to 2% cash back Up to 2% cash back (1% when you make purchases + 1% when you pay for them)
4.2 / 5
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card 1.5% cash back 1.5% unlimited on all purchases 3.8 / 5
(Read full card review)
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express Groceries 6% at U.S supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, 1% after) 4.4 / 5
(Read full card review)
Citi Custom Cash Card
Automatic bonus category
5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
4.4 / 5
(Read full card review)
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card Customizable 3% category 3% in choice category (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) 4.3 / 5
(Read full card review)
Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa Personal loan alternative 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment 4.2 / 5
(Read full card review)
Chase Freedom Unlimited Sign-up bonus 5% on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel purchases, 3% at restaurants and drugstores 5 / 5
(Read full card review)
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card Online shopping 5% at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market (2% at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; 1% back on all other purchases) 4.2 / 5
(Read full card review)
Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card 2.5% cash back 2.5% cash back on all purchases (up to $10,000 in qualifying purchases each billing cycle, maximum cash back earning per billing cycle of $250) 3.9 / 5
(Read full card review)
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Fair credit Unlimited 1.5% on all purchases 4.1 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Secured Credit Card Bad credit 2% cash back on gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined spending per quarter and 1% on everything else) 5 / 5
(Read full card review)
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card Customizable rewards 5 percent cash back on purchases in two categories of your choice (up to $2,000 in combined purchases per quarter, then 1 percent)
3.2 / 5

A closer look at our top cash back cards

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Best for automatic bonus category

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

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Aside from the stellar rewards rate, there’s another standout feature — cellphone protection. This covers you against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your card.

Simplicity seekers and people planning to make a large purchase. Thanks to the card’s intro APR offer, you can earn consistent cash rewards and minimize interest charges on new purchases.

If you’d like to earn a higher rate of rewards in a variety of spending categories, the Discover it® Cash Back Card earns higher cash back in different bonus categories that rotate each quarter (upon enrollment) subject to a quarterly maximum.

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Best for up to 2% cash back

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Its entertainment category includes various eligible purchases, such as tickets to concerts, movies, sporting events, theme parks and tourist attractions — purchases that would earn just 1 percent back with most other cash back cards.

Restaurant-goers, grocery shoppers and even social butterflies can find something to love about this card

While the SavorOne Cash Rewards Card earns generously at grocery stores, there are cards that earn more on these purchases. Plus, the card’s 3 percent back on dining is outpaced by the Citi Custom Cash card’s high rate of bonus cash back in your top eligible spend category, including restaurants.

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Best for rotating cash back categories

Discover it® Cash Back

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This card’s elevated rewards rates can be especially rewarding for cardholders who can flex their spending to align with the Discover boosted cash back categories each quarter (enrollment required, quarterly maximum applies).

People who can adjust their spending to maximize cash back earnings across various categories and aren’t troubled by keeping up with Discover’s 2023 cash back calendar.

If you value simplicity or your spending stays consistent throughout the year, you may prefer a card that doesn’t require enrolling in new bonus categories each quarter. Opting for a flat-rate cash rewards card like the Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash can make it easier to earn more cash back consistently.

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Best for up to 2% cash back

Citi® Double Cash Card

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The rewards structure incentivizes you to stay on top of your payments. You’ll only earn the full 2 percent cash back on your purchases once you’ve paid them off — 1 percent back when you buy, 1 percent when you pay off purchases.

Hands-off rewards earners. Cardholders get a straightforward cash back card for no annual fee without tracking or enrolling in tiered categories.

If you have large purchases coming up and want an introductory period to save money on interest charges, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card. It earns the same flat rate on purchases but comes with a long intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers.

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Best for 1.5% cash back

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

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For a no-annual-fee card, the Quicksilver offers quite a few protections, including travel accident insurance, 24-hour travel assistance services and extended warranty protection.
Cash back beginners. With a flat rate and no annual fee, this card is a solid low-maintenance option for someone just getting started earning cash back rewards.
If you spend heavily on purchases like groceries and gas, you’re likely to earn more cash back with a card that has a higher rewards rate in those categories. The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Card is a worthy alternative, as it retains a generous cash back rate in multiple categories and gives cardholders the option to change their highest cash back category once per calendar month.
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Best for groceries

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

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Few cash back cards offer rates as high as this card, much less in a rewards category as valuable as U.S. supermarkets.
People with a moderate-to-large grocery budget who can offset the card’s annual fee and still rake in a considerable amount of cash back.
The Citi Custom Cash Card is an underrated grocery card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. Pair it with the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card (for dining, gas station, travel, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans) or another cash back card to help you score as much or more cash back on your groceries and other everyday essentials than what you’d earn with the Blue Cash Preferred Card.
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Best for automatic bonus category

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

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There are 10 eligible bonus categories to choose from and many of them conveniently fit into a cash back or rewards strategy.
Someone looking for a high rate of cash back who doesn’t want to remember to activate bonus categories.
You’ll only earn 5 percent back on the first $500 you spend in a single category each billing cycle (after that, 1 percent), so you may stunt your monthly cash back if you only use the Citi Custom Cash. Consider supplementing this card with a tiered cash back card that earns at a consistent rate in your biggest spending categories. For example, the Capital One SavorOne earns 3 percent back on dining, eligible streaming services, grocery stores and entertainment, with no limit to how much cash back you can earn.
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Best for customizable 3% category

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

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The ability to pick from six bonus categories is pretty great. Even better is the fact that you can change your pick once per calendar month to match your spending habits.
People looking for flexibility. If you want the freedom to choose and change your bonus rewards category, this card is a great option.
This card’s cash back limits may hold you back. Heavy spenders may earn more with a card that offers an unlimited flat rate on all purchases, such as the Citi Double Cash Card.
 
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Best for personal loan alternative

Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®

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Every time you make a payment, this card rewards you with one of the highest flat cash back rates on the market. It also charges fewer fees than the typical credit card and comes with a sign-up bonus (not always found on flat-rate cash back cards).
Fans of flat-rate cards who can pay their balances in full and people looking for a low-interest card who can qualify for the low end of the card’s ongoing APR range.
One of the most unique traits of the Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa is its emphasis on making card payments to earn your cash back rewards. If you want the best of both worlds and to earn when you spend and when you pay, the Citi® Double Cash Card allows you to do just that, though at a slightly lower rate.
 

Additional Options:

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BEST FOR SIGN-UP BONUS

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

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This card offers bonus rewards for far more travel-related purchases than the typical cash back card. Its 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases that fall outside bonus categories is also higher than the typical 1 percent offered by other bonus category cash back cards. It comes with one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses around, though the spending requirement to earn maximum value is far higher than you’ll find with other sign-up bonuses.
People who want to stick with a single everyday rewards card and frequent travelers who want to avoid annual fees and earn rewards at a high rate on more than just airline, hotel, and rental car bookings.
A few cards also have a high rewards rate in travel and other everyday categories, but their welcome offers may be easier to maximize. The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card earns bonus rewards in a variety of travel and everyday categories. It also comes with a welcome offer that has a relatively low spend requirement.
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Best for fair credit

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

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You’ll automatically be considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months with on-time payments, which can help you keep your credit utilization in check.
Credit-builders who want to earn cash back.
Although 1.5 percent cash back is a decent rate, it may not be worth the card’s annual fee based on your spending habits. If you want to avoid both an annual fee and a security deposit, consider a no-annual-fee, unsecured credit-building card like the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card or the Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card.
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Best for online shopping

Prime Visa

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Retail cards aren’t known for their sign-up bonuses or perks, but new Amazon Prime Rewards cardholders receive a $150 Amazon gift card upon approval, with no minimum spending requirement. Your purchases are also covered by an extended warranty and purchase protection.

Whole Foods shoppers and Amazon Prime members. Earning 5 percent back for both online purchases and groceries is a rare offer, making the card ideal for Amazon customers who are looking for new ways to save.

If you prefer Walmart over Amazon for online shopping, the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® charges no annual fee and offers 5 percent cash back at Walmart.com. A general-purpose cash back card like the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards card or the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express could also be a better fit if you’re looking to earn cash back for select online purchases.
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Best for 2.5% cash back

Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Card

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This card offers one of the highest flat rates around — even higher than the Wells Fargo Active cash card.
Rewards maximizers willing to join Alliant Credit Union and keep an average daily balance of $1,000 in your Alliant High-Rate Checking account every month of the preceding calendar quarter to maintain your 2.5 percent cash back rate.
If you don’t want to sign up for a credit union and maintain an account balance at Alliant, a no-annual-fee flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash can be a great alternative despite earning at a lower rate of 2 percent cash rewards back.
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Best for bad credit

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

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Welcome bonuses are rare among credit cards for bad credit, but the Discover it® Secured stands out for automatically matching all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year with the card.
People with bad or no credit who want to earn rewards while they work on their score.
If you aren’t able to pay your balance in full each month, a low-interest secured card like the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card or the Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card could make it easier to pay down your balance and avoid missteps like late payments, which can have a negative impact on your credit score. Or if you aren’t able to afford a security deposit of $200, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card may offer you a credit line of $200 with a deposit of $49 or $99, based on creditworthiness.
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Best for customizable rewards

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

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It’s a rare treat to find a card that lets you choose which categories will earn bonus cash back. Along with its fixed travel rewards category, the Cash+ card lets users pick two categories that will earn maximum cash back each quarter and one everyday category that will earn 2 percent cash back.

People eager to maximize cash back earnings with a multi-card strategy. This card’s flexibility and high earning potential make it a particularly great option for people who don’t mind juggling multiple credit cards to get as much value out of them as possible.

If you don’t like strategizing and tracking rewards categories, a flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card may be a better fit. You’ll earn 2 percent cash rewards on your purchases, without needing to track spending or enroll in bonus categories.
 

What is a cash back credit card?

Cash back credit cards reward you for eligible purchases by giving you a percentage of your purchase price back as cash. It’s essentially a discount on eligible purchases. You may not see the discount at checkout, but the payoff comes when you redeem your rewards.

For example, a 3 percent cash back rate means you earn 3 cents back for every dollar in eligible spending. For someone with a $4,000 annual grocery bill, earning 3 percent with a cash back card for groceries could mean up to $120 in cash back rewards. 

Learn more: See our full guide on how cash back works

Types of cash back credit card rewards

Cash back cards come in a variety of forms. The best cash back credit card type for you depends on your spending habits and lifestyle. Before you apply, you should know all of the options available to you.

Pros and cons of using cash back credit cards

While cash back cards can put hundreds of dollars per year back into your wallet, they can also come with drawbacks that make them less appealing. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of carrying a cash back card.

Pros

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    Earn rewards: If you pick a card that fits your spending habits, you can earn some extra cash every month just by using your credit card.

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    Build credit: Used responsibly, a cash back credit card can help you improve your credit score by adding to your credit history.

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    Many have no annual fee: Plenty of the best cash back credit cards feature no annual fee. As long as you pay your bill in full, you won’t have to worry about whether you’re coming out ahead, no matter how you spend with the card

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    Sign-up bonuses: A sign-up bonus or welcome offer is an incentive offered to new cardholders who spend a certain amount within the first few months of opening the account. Cash back credit cards often offer bonuses worth a few hundred dollars.

Cons

  • Sometimes less valuable than travel rewards: With cash back cards, you usually can’t score a particularly lucrative deal with your redemption, as you might when trading in travel rewards points for a flight.

  • Higher APRs: Rewards cards typically come with higher interest rates, so it almost always makes sense to choose a low-interest credit card instead of a cash back card if you carry a balance from month to month.

  • Value-limiting restrictions: As with any credit card, make sure to read the fine print. Some cards require you to periodically activate or enroll in your cash back category to earn cash back.

  • Penalty APRs: If you are late making a payment, some cash back cards won’t just hit you with a late payment fee. They’ll also give you a higher APR, which could last a year or longer. That means more interest charges if you carry a balance.

Who should get a cash back credit card?

Just about anyone can benefit from getting a small portion of their purchases back. And unlike travel points or miles, you’re free to use cash back however you please. In fact, our experts share that credit card rewards are a way Americans can combat today's rising prices and interest rates

For suggestions based on your spending habits, try Bankrate’s Spender Type Tool. Select the spender type that you most closely identify with and you’ll get card recommendations that may suit your spending habits.

6 ways to maximize cash back credit cards

Here are some tips that can help ensure you’re getting as much cash back as possible with your credit card.

  1. Pay your balances in full each month

    Otherwise, you’ll simply lose the cash back you’ve earned (and then some) to interest. Note: Paying monthly balances on time and in full is a best practice, no matter what type of card you’re carrying.
  2. Snag a sign-up bonus

    Choose a cash back credit card that offers bonus rewards if you spend a certain amount of money within a specified time period. Just make sure the spending requirement is in-line with your current spending habits, or you’ll risk carrying a balance and losing rewards to interest.
  3. Enroll or activate your bonus categories each quarter

    Rotating category cards typically require you to enroll or activate (the language varies) the bonus cash back categories for the upcoming quarter to earn the higher bonus rate. If you don’t, you’ll earn the standard rate.
  4. Consider combining cards

     A combination of cards will probably serve you best. The key is to make sure your major spending categories are covered so that you’re always earning the maximum amount of rewards on purchases.
  5. Explore the card’s online shopping portal

    Some card issuers feature online shopping portals that offer cash back incentives, discounts or both. Examples include Chase Ultimate Rewards and Barclaycard RewardsBoost.
  6. Don’t spend for the sake of earning

    It’s not worth it to spend in excess of what you normally spend just because you’ll earn a small percentage of cash back.
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Bankrate Insight

Consider the Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred Credit Card. Consumers who spend across a wide variety of categories can pick up this combination of cards and combine Chase Ultimate Rewards points when they’re ready to redeem. By having all three cards, consumers can utilize bonus categories efficiently to maximize rewards for the year.

Cash back alternatives

Cash back cards have a lot of advantages, but they may not be the best fit for everyone. Here are a few alternatives to consider:

Video: Why 2% cash back cards are a great addition to any wallet



How we chose our best cash back cards

All credit cards from our partners are rated with a 5-star scoring system. To select the best cash back cards, we narrow our focus to concentrate on key features that make a big difference in this specific category, such as:
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    Cash back rates
    While a rate of 1 percent cash back on all eligible purchases is useful, the cards that truly stand out tend to earn higher percentages. To estimate how much an average consumer might earn with particular cards, we used spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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    Special categories
    Many of our top-rated cards feature higher rates for certain purchase categories, which makes it easier to find the most lucrative card for your spending habits and lifestyle.
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    Low fees and cost of ownership
    The whole point of cash back cards is to earn rather than owe, so cards that go easy on annual fees and similar charges get high marks.
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    Variable APR
    We recommend against carrying a credit card balance if at all possible — but if you have to, a reasonable and affordable interest rate can make it less financially taxing.

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

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

Frequently asked questions about cash back credit cards