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Best cash back credit cards for December 2023

Updated December 07, 2023

Cash back credit cards earn rewards on your purchases in the form of statement credits. Many of these cards earn cash back on eligible categories automatically, with some requiring quarterly activations to achieve the highest rate. The best cash back cards on the market offer high cash back rates and flexible reward categories, letting you earn anywhere from 1 percent to 6 percent cash back on common spending items, including travel, groceries, gas and more. Here are the best cash back cards on the market for December 2023.

Info
Best for 2% cash rewards with low intro APR
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3
Info
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

2%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for restaurants
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 8%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for up to 2% cash back
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2
Info
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for groceries
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site
See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 6%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for customizable 3% category
Rating: 4.3 stars out of 5
4.3
Info
Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 3%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Best for rotating cash back categories
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

1% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for 1.5% cash back
Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5
3.8
Info
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

1.5% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Info
Best for automatic bonus category
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4
Info
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit
chance of approval
Info

Intro offer

Info

1% - 5%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Best for personal loan alternative
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2
Info
Apply now Lock
on Upgrade's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

Intro offer

Info

2.2%

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

BEST FOR LOW APR
Rating: 3.1 stars out of 5
3.1
Info
Apply now Lock
on USAA's secure site
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Recommended Credit

N/A

Intro offer

Info

1.5% cash back

Rewards rate

Info

Annual fee

Regular APR

Compare Bankrate's top cash back credit cards

Card name Best for Cash back highlights Welcome offer Annual fee Bankrate review score
2% cash rewards
2% cash rewards on purchases
Intro Offer: $200 cash rewards
Info
Regular APR: 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
$0
Apply now Lock
on Wells Fargo's secure site

4.3 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Restaurants
3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding Walmart® and Target®)
Intro Offer: $200
Info
Regular APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$0
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site

5.0 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Up to 2% cash back
Up to 2% cash back (1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay)
Intro Offer: $200 cash back
Info
Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
$0
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site

4.2 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Groceries
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, 1% after)
Intro Offer: Earn $250
Info
Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.99% Variable
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Apply now Lock
on American Express's secure site

4.4 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Customizable 3% category
3% cash back in choice category purchases (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases)
Intro Offer: $200
Info
Regular APR: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
$0
Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site

4.3 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Rotating cash back categories
5% cash back on up to $1,500 per quarter of rotating category purchases (activation required), then 1% 
Intro Offer: Cashback Match™
Info
Regular APR: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site

4.4 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

1.5% cash back
1.5% cash back on purchases
Intro Offer: $200
Info
Regular APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$0
Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site

3.8 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Automatic bonus category
5% cash back on your top eligible category purchases each billing cycle (up to $500, then 1% cash back)
Intro Offer: $200
Info
Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
$0
Apply now Lock
on Citi's secure site

4.4 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Personal loan alternative
2.2% cash back on purchases upon card payment
Intro Offer: $200
Info
Regular APR: 14.99% - 29.99%
$0
Apply now Lock
on Upgrade's secure site

4.2 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

Low intro APR

1.5% cash back on purchases

Intro Offer: N/A
Regular APR: 17.15% to 31.15% variable regular APR
$0
Apply now Lock
on USAA's secure site

3.1 / 5

Info

(Read card review)

A closer look at our top cash back cards

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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

BEST FOR 2% CASH REWARDS

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The stellar rewards rate is the card's standout feature, but the relatively lengthy intro APR for both purchases and balance transfers makes it hard to pass up if you want to earn rewards and save on interest during the intro period.

Simplicity seekers and people planning to make a large purchase. 

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

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Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

BEST FOR RESTAURANTS

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Not only does it have various ways to earn if you are a foodie, its entertainment category packs in a lot of value. Purchases that would earn just 1 percent back with most other cash back cards, like movie tickets and sporting events, earn 3 percent cash back too.

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

Other cards may earn more in specific categories, including the Citi Custom Cash® Card, which offers 5 percent back on up to $500 each billing cycle in your top eligible spending category (restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and more).

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Citi Double Cash® Card

Best for up to 2% cash back

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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 want to make a large purchase and save on interest charges during an intro offer, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card which earns cash rewards. 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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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Best for groceries

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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.
If groceries are your top spend every month, the Citi Custom Cash Card could also earn significant cash back in this category without the annual fee. Pair it with another cash back card to help you score as much or more cash back on other everyday essentials like gas and dining.
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Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Best for customizable 3% category

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The ability to pick from different choices in 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 compared to other cards’ reward programs. 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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Discover it® Cash Back

Best for rotating cash back categories

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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 keep track of Discover’s 2023 cash back calendar and adjust their spending to maximize earnings.

It's possible to earn more with a flat-rate cash rewards card like the Citi Double Cash Card or Wells Fargo Active Cash without the hassle of activating new bonus categories each quarter.

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Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best for 1.5% cash back

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The no-annual-fee Quicksilver card (See Rates and Fees) 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 most in a specific category like groceries or gas, consider cards that earn bonus rewards in those categories. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card even gives cardholders the option to change their highest cash back category once per calendar month.

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Citi Custom Cash® Card

Best for automatic bonus category

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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.

Since you’ll only earn a top rewards rate in a single category each billing cycle, consider pairing this card with one that earns boosted rewards in several categories. For example, the Capital One SavorOne earns unlimited rewards on dining, entertainment, grocery stores and more.

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Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®

Best for personal loan alternative

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Every time you make a payment, you earn 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 who can qualify for the low end of the card’s ongoing APR range.
You may want to consider a card that offers cash back and an intro APR for new purchases. The Discover it® Cash Back allows you to do just that, so you can finance a large purchase while racking in rewards.
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USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Along with its streamlined cash back program, this card carries a generous intro purchase APR offer and a chance at a low ongoing APR, so it could strike a nice balance if you want a simple way to earn rewards while minimizing interest charges.

USAA members looking for a simple flat-rate cash back card.

Though this card comes with a few key perks like an intro purchase APR offer, its flat cash back rate isn’t the highest on the market. A card like the Citi Double Cash Card should offer better long-term value since it earns 2 percent cash back on all purchases (1 percent when you buy and 1 percent when you pay off purchases).

 

Additional Options:

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Chase Freedom Unlimited®

BEST FOR VERSATILE BONUS CATEGORIES

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This card’s 1.5 percent cash back rate on general purchases beats out the rate you’ll find on other tiered bonus category cards. You can also pool your points for a high redemption value in travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

People who only want a single everyday rewards card and frequent travelers looking to avoid annual fees and earn bonus rewards on more than just travel.

A few cards also have a high rewards rate in travel and other everyday categories. For instance, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card earns bonus rewards on Capital One travel and in several popular everyday categories.
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Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best for fair credit

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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 and extend the ongoing value of their credit-building card.

The card’s annual fee may not be worth it 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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Prime Visa

Best for online shopping

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The card features one of the highest year-round reward rates for online shopping at Amazon.com, which includes Whole Foods Market. Plus, new Prime Visa cardholders receive a great welcome offer: Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.

Whole Foods shoppers and Amazon Prime members who can take advantage of 5 percent back for both online purchases and groceries, a rare offer.

If you prefer Walmart over Amazon for online shopping, the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® charges no annual fee (See Rates and Fees) and offers 5 percent cash back at Walmart.com. A general-purpose cash back card like the Bank of America Customized Cash 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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Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Card

Best for 2.5% cash back

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This card offers one of the highest flat rates around for Alliant Credit Union account holders — 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.
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 the slightly lower rate.
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Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Best for bad credit

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Welcome bonuses are rare among credit cards for bad credit, but the Discover it® Secured Credit Card 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 don’t want to tie up $200 in a security deposit, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card may offer you a credit line of $200 with a deposit of just $49, $99 or $200 based on creditworthiness. With no security deposit, the SuperCash™ Card may be even more accessible, and it earns bonus cash back on purchases.
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U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

Best for customizable rewards

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It’s a rare treat to find a card that lets you choose which categories will earn bonus cash back. Users can pick two high-earning quarterly cash back categories and one everyday category that earns at a slightly lower rate year round.

People who don’t mind managing multiple credit cards to get as much value out of them as possible.

A flat-rate rewards card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card may be a better fit if you prefer simplicity. 
 

What to know about cash back credit cards

Cash back credit cards reward you for eligible purchases by giving you a percentage of your purchase price back as cash. Their flexibility, simplicity and ongoing value make them one of the more popular types of credit cards on the market. Chances are if you frequently spend on groceries, gas or other essentials, there's a cash back card that's a great fit for your wallet.

Bankrate's image file
LEARN MORE

How does cash back work?

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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. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of carrying a cash back card.

Pros

  • Checkmark

    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.

  • Checkmark

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

  • Checkmark

    Many have no annual fee: If you choose a no-annual-fee card, you won’t have to worry about whether you’re coming out ahead based on your spending (as long as you pay your bill in full each month).

  • Checkmark

    Sign-up bonuses: A first-year sign-up bonus or welcome offer can be worth a few hundred dollars if you can meet the spend requirement.

Cons

  • Travel rewards can be more valuable: 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 carrying a balance can eat through any value you’d get via rewards. Some cards also hit you with a higher penalty APR if you are late making a payment, which can last a year or more.

  • Can be high maintenance: Some cards require you to periodically activate or enroll in your cash back category to earn cash back rewards.

  • Fewer travel perks: You might not see a ton of travel benefits on cash back cards, like lounge access, free hotel room upgrades or a TSA Precheck application statement credit.

Types of cash back credit card rewards

Cash back cards come in many forms. The best one for you depends on your spending habits and lifestyle. Before you apply, make sure you know the types of cash back cards available. 

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 you 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.

Tips on choosing the best cash back card for you

When picking a cash back credit card, ask yourself the following questions to determine if the cash back card you’re eyeing is right for you:

  • Credit Good

    Check your credit score

    This should be your starting point. Most of the best cash back credit cards require at least good credit.

  • Credit Card Cash Back

    Review your spending habits

    Look at your biggest expenses and then see which cards earn rewards in those spending categories. Be sure the places you shop most are eligible for rewards based on how each card defines its bonus categories.

  • Congrats

    Compare welcome offers

    A card's sign-up bonus can add significantly to its short-term value. Make sure the required spend is fairly easy to reach, as carrying a balance will cut into your earnings. 

  • Add Card

    Think about your cash back strategy

    You’ll need to choose between flat-rate and bonus category credit cards. Flat-rate credit cards are a great option for someone who just wants to earn consistent cash back on all purchases with minimal effort. Bonus category cash back cards can offer higher rewards rates, but take more work to maximize your credit card rewards.

  • Credit Card Apr

    Weigh the cost

    Factor the ongoing costs of keeping the card. For instance, you might decide a card's annual fee is worth it if you can offset the cost with rewards and perks. Watch out for interest rates and any other common credit card fees, like late charges and balance transfer fees, as these can all eat into your cash back earnings. 

  • Badge 1

    Review the perks

    Cash back cards may come with an assortment of perks that can add additional value to your wallet, such as statement credits on select subscription services. The presence of these perks can push one card’s value over another if you find the perks useful.

Here’s how a Bankrate editor chose his cash back cards

With all of this advice in mind, let’s see how a credit card expert made their picks. Here’s Bankrate editor Nouri Zarrugh on how he chose his cash back cards:

“I’ve been writing about cash back and credit card rewards for several years now, so I understand the benefit of carrying multiple cards and using them strategically to maximize my earnings. But I also know that sometimes juggling so many cards to earn a little more cash back can be more trouble than it’s worth.

When I first got into rewards strategy, 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. I even had a spreadsheet I used to track my purchases and cash back earnings.

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. Here’s what I focus on with my current credit card stack:

  • Groceries: The Citi Custom Cash Card. This card automatically rewards your top spending category each billing cycle, and I only use it for groceries, making that my top category by default. Using the card this way, I can enjoy perhaps the highest cash back rate available for grocery purchases on a no-annual-fee cash back card.
  • Gas and online shopping: The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. Since I use the Custom Cash for groceries, it made sense for me to downgrade my Blue Cash Preferred to the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday. By downgrading, I was able to protect my credit score (since I didn’t have to close the account) and avoid annual fees while still getting a solid rewards rate on gas. As an added bonus, this card comes with an online shopping category missing from the Blue Cash Preferred’s categories. Online shopping is another key category for me, so this card is quite versatile.
  • Dining: The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. This card offers one of the best rates you can get at restaurants without paying an annual fee (See Rates and Fees). The American Express Gold Card is a solid alternative for foodies, but I’d rather not worry about offsetting the annual fee. The SavorOne also rewards streaming and entertainment spending, so it always comes in handy.
  • Everything else: The Citi Double Cash. I use this card for all purchases that fall outside of groceries, gas, dining, travel and online shopping. A flat rate of up to 2 percent back (1 percent when you buy, 1 percent when you pay off purchases) is hard to beat, and I like that I can pay my Custom Cash and Double Cash bill with one issuer.
Is my stack perfect? Definitely not. I still have a co-branded airline card, a rotating category card and a specific online retailer card sitting around, and using them could help me squeeze a little more earnings out of my purchases. But for now, five cards is plenty to juggle."


— Nouri Zarrugh, Bankrate editor

Expert advice for cash back cards

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

Don’t spend just to earn

It’s tempting to spend more than you normally would knowing that you’re getting some of that spending back. But overspending can result in a balance that you can’t pay off in full. And if you carry a balance instead of paying it off in full each month, you’ll lose the cash back you’ve earned (and then some) to interest. Paying monthly balances on time and in full is a credit card best practice, no matter what type of card you’re carrying.

Enroll or activate your bonus categories each quarter

Rotating category cards typically require you to enroll or activate 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 and lose out on the additional value such cards offer. 

Earn your welcome bonus 

Welcome bonuses can deliver a substantial amount of up front value, and some cards are worth getting for the welcome bonus alone. Leaving this value on the table is a missed opportunity. Just make sure you won't have to overspend to meet the spending requirement.

Combine cards 

A combination of cards will allow you to maximize your cash back opportunities when making purchases. Pick cards that cover your major spending categories and at least one card that earns a high flat rate on all purchases so that you’re always earning the maximum amount of rewards on purchases.

Explore your card’s shopping portal

Shopping portals are a common, but often overlooked, perk available on many cash back cards. These portals offer special cash back deals — like 5 percent back at a specific retailer for limited time — that the card doesn’t normally have. Explore your issuer’s shopping portal and activate the offers to earn some extra cash back when you’re online shopping.

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Bankrate Insight

Consumers who spend across a wide variety of categories can often combine cards from the same issuer for greater effect. For example, by having a Chase Freedom Flex, Chase Freedom Unlimited and a Chase Sapphire card, consumers can use the Chase Trifecta's bonus categories efficiently to maximize rewards for the year.

Cash back credit card 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:

How we assess the best cash back credit cards

Document
150+
cards rated
Congrats
50+
rewards programs valued
Search
1800
data points analyzed
Moneybag
25
spending categories analyzed

When evaluating the best cash back 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 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 cash back cards.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered:

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.

*The information about the Chase Freedom Flex, Aspire Mastercard, and Chase Freedom Unlimited credit cards has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

Frequently asked questions about cash back credit cards

Ask the experts: How do you maximize flat-rate and rotating category cash back cards?


Contributor, Credit Cards

Flat-rate cards do not require any pre-planning, which is great. You buy what you buy and earn cash back at the same rate for everything. To make the most of cash back cards that have rotating categories, however, you have to pay a bit more attention. Quite a few cards offer 5 percent back when you make purchases at places like grocery stores, gas stations, big box retailers, and more, but you’ll need to plan out where and when to shop to take full advantage. For example, if a card offers 5 percent cash back at Amazon in Q4, you may consider doing most of your holiday shopping through that site.

Contributor, Personal Finance

I like to have both a flat-rate and rotating cash back card in my wallet — particularly a flat-rate card that earns at a higher rate (usually 1.5X-2X) than the base rate of the rotating category card. I maximize this duo by making purchases in the card’s rotating categories as much as possible, and when my purchase isn’t in one of these 3X-5X rotating categories, I use my flat rate card to capture the higher rate.

Financial Educator, Debt and Credit

I have found the most difficult part of maximizing rotating category cash-back cards is keeping track of which categories are currently earning bonus cash back. Setting reminders and keeping a rewards calendar helps, especially if you have multiple cards of each type. Of course, you also want to make sure you are putting the right expense on the right card to maximize the rewards.