Best cash back credit cards for February 2023

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Best for 2% cash rewards with an intro APR

• What we love about the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Aside from the stellar rewards rate, there’s another standout feature — cellphone protection. You’ll receive up to $600 of protection (subject to a $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellphone bill with your card.
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: If you’d like to earn a higher rate of rewards in a variety of spending categories, the Discover it Cash Back Card earns up to 5 percent cash back in different bonus categories that rotate each quarter (upon enrollment, on to $1,500 in purchases, then 1 percent).

Learn more: Is the new Wells Fargo Active Cash worth it?
Read our Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review or jump back to offer details.

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for restaurants

• • What we love about the SavorOne Cash Rewards Card: Its entertainment category includes a variety of 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.
  • Who this card is good for: Restaurant-goers, grocery shoppers and even social butterflies can find something to love about this card.
  • Alternatives: 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 5 percent back in your top eligible spend category, including restaurants (on up to $500 in spending each billing cycle, then 1 percent).

Learn more: Is the Capital One SavorOne Worth it?
Read our Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to offer details.

Discover it Cash Back: Best for rotating cash back categories

• What we love about the Discover it Cash Back Card: This card offers 5 percent cash back on up to $1,500 spent in categories that rotate each quarter, then 1 percent (activation required). This can be especially rewarding for cardholders who can flex their spending to align with the Discover boosted cash back categories each quarter.
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: If you value simplicity or your spending stays consistent throughout the year, you may prefer a card that doesn’t require you to enroll 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.

Learn more: Is the Discover it Cash Back worth it?
Read our Discover it Cash Back review or jump back to offer details.

Citi Custom Cash Card: Best for automatic bonus category

• What we love about the Citi Custom Cash Card: There are 10 eligible bonus categories to choose from and many of them conveniently fit into a cash back or rewards strategy.
• Who this card is good for: Someone looking for a high rate of cash back who doesn’t want to remember to activate bonus categories.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: Why your Citi Custom Cash card could be great for travel
Read our full Citi Custom Cash Card review or jump back to offer details.

Citi Double Cash Card: Best for up to 2% cash back

• What we love about the Citi Double Cash Card: 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.
• Who this card is good for: Hands-off rewards earners. Cardholders get a straightforward cash back card for no annual fee without tracking or enrolling in tiered categories.
• Alternatives: If you have large purchases coming up and want a promotional 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.

Learn more: Why expert Holly Johnson loves the Citi Double Cash Card.
Read our Citi Double Cash Card review or jump back to offer details.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card: Best for customizable rewards

• What we love about the US Bank Cash+ card: 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 5 percent cash back each quarter (up to $2,000 in combined purchases per quarter, then 1 percent) and one everyday category that will earn 2 percent cash back.
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex
Read our full U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card review or jump back to offer details.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for 1.5% cash back

• What we love about the Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card: 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.
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: Why expert Nicole Dieker loves the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards.
Read our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review or jump back to offer details.

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best for groceries

• What we love about the Blue Cash Preferred Card: Few cash back cards offer rates as high as 6 percent, much less in a rewards category as valuable as U.S. supermarkets (6 percent on up to $6,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per year, then 1 percent).
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: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.

Read our Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express review or jump back to offer details.

Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for customizable 3% category

• What we love about the Customized Cash Rewards Card: 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.
• Who this card is good for: People looking for flexibility. If you want the freedom to choose and change your bonus rewards category, this card is a great option.
• Alternatives: 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 — no matter how much you charge to the card, you can earn up to 2 percent back (1 percent when you buy and another 1 percent when you pay off purchases).

Learn more: How the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card’s category selection works
Read our Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card review or jump back to offer details.

Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa: Best for personal loan alternative

• What we love about the Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa: 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).
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: 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, since you’ll earn 1 percent cash back when you spend and another 1 percent when you pay. Just keep in mind that you’ll earn marginally less with the Double cash.

Learn more: Is the Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa worth it?
Read our Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa card review or jump back to offer details.

Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best for sign-up bonus

• What we love about the Chase Freedom Unlimited: 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.
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: 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 of $200 after just $500 in spending in your first three months.

Learn more: Why expert Jacqueline DeMarco loves the Chase Freedom Unlimited card.
Read our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for fair credit

• What we love about the QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Card: 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.
• Who this card is good for: Credit-builders who want to earn cash back.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: Capital One QuicksilverOne vs. Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Read our Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: Best for online shopping

• What we love about the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa: 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.
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature offers ample points for online shopping
Read our Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card review.

Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card: Best for 2.5% cash back

• What we love about the Alliant Cashback Visa: This card offers a cash back rate that’s almost unheard of: 2.5 percent back on all purchases (on up to $10,000 in qualifying purchases per billing cycle, then 1.5 percent).
• Who this card is good for: 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.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: Guide to Visa Signature credit cards
Read our Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card review.

Discover it Secured Credit Card: Best for bad credit

• What we love about the Discover it Secured Card: 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.
• Who this card is good for: People with bad or no credit who want to earn rewards while they work on their score.
• Alternatives: 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.

Learn more: Is the Discover it Secured card worth it?
Read our Discover it Secured Credit Card review.

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

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.

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.

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.

Credit cards can play an important role when it comes to your personal finances while also teaching important life lessons. But they’re not for everyone. Here’s when a cash back card isn’t the best idea:

• You’re a frequent flyer: If you travel often, a type of rewards credit card structured specifically to earn points and miles on travel purchases is a better addition to your wallet.
• You tend to carry a balance: Credit card interest can eat away at your rewards and leave you owing more than you earn. If you don’t pay your balance in full each month, a low-interest option like a credit union credit card may be a better fit.
• You don’t follow a budget: Overspending is one of the main causes of credit card debt. If you make impulse purchases and spend more than you can afford, hold off on applying for a credit card until you’re ready to follow a budget.

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:

• Travel credit card: Best for frequent travelers who want to redeem their rewards for flights and hotel stays and who can take advantage of a travel card’s additional benefits to further cut down on the costs of travel and make their next trip more fun and rewarding.
• Low-interest or credit union cards: Best for people who tend to carry a credit card balance and could benefit from having an ongoing low interest rate.
• Balance transfer credit card: Best for people looking to take advantage of a promotional APR period to make interest-free payments and pay down credit card debt more efficiently.
• Student credit card: Best for college students new to the credit world who are looking to improve their credit score and show off good credit habits.
• Credit-builder credit cards: Best for people with credit that falls below the good-to-excellent range who want to improve their credit score to gain access to better rates, credit limits and card benefits.

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