3 of the Most Underrated Cash Back Cards

Motley Fool
2024-10-28

KEY POINTS

  • The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns bonus cash back in three popular spending categories.
  • The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card is great if you're a Preferred Rewards client.
  • The Prime Visa earns an unlimited 5% on your Amazon.com spending.

Cash back credit cards make it easy to save more money. That's one of the reasons they're the most popular type of credit card. Over two-thirds (68%) of Americans have a cash back card, according to research by The Motley Fool Ascent.

If you've seen any lists of the best cash back cards before, you're probably familiar with the big names. There are also some excellent options that fly under the radar. Here are three that are worth checking out.

1. Amex Blue Cash Everyday

Ratings Methodology

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Apply Now for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

Terms apply

Rates & Fees

Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score:Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

On American Express' Secure Website.

Terms apply

Rates & Fees

Credit ScoreCircle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

APR

18.74%-29.74% Variable

RewardsCircle with letter I in it. 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%. 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

1%-3% cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome OfferCircle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

$200

  • If gas and groceries are big line items in your budget, don't miss this card. You won't pay an annual fee, and you can earn a generous 3% cash back at supermarkets, online retail purchases, and gas stations in the U.S., on up to $6,000 per year, per category. A 0% APR intro offer lasting 15 months and a $200 welcome bonus for a $2,000 spend inside of 6 months (terms apply) round out the perks on this Amex. Read Full Review

    • U.S. supermarkets and online retail rewards
    • U.S. gas stations cash back
    • Big welcome offer
    • No annual fee (see rates and fees)
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • High spend requirement for welcome offer
    • Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
    • No Annual Fee.
    • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 18.74% to 29.74% variable APR.
    • 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
    • 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
    • 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
    • Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
    • Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
    • Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
    • Terms Apply.
• Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. • Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. • Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express gets overshadowed by other cards in the American Express lineup. When you give it a closer look, you find a card with big savings opportunities and no annual fee (see rates and fees).

As a new cardholder, you earn a $200 statement credit as a welcome offer when you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 6 months. Terms apply. It also earns 3% ash back in the following categories:

  • Groceries at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases)
  • Gas at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases)
  • U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases)
  • Terms apply.

Those are impressive rates for a no annual fee card, in three popular spending categories. This card also offers up to $84 per year in Disney Bundle credits. You get a $7 monthly credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express to spend $9.99 or more each month on a Disney Bundle subscription. Terms apply.

2. Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards card

Ratings Methodology

Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

Apply Now for Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score:Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Credit ScoreCircle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APRCircle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.74% - 28.74% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular APR

18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)

RewardsCircle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

1.5% cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome OfferCircle with letter I in it. $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening

$200 cash back

  • This is a solid pick for one-card wallet seekers who want a straightforward, unlimited cash back card – plus a strong $200 bonus & 0% Intro APR offer. It’s a particularly good fit for Bank of America Preferred Rewards members, who can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase, depending on your tier. Read Full Review

    • Unlimited cash back
    • Sign-up bonus
    • No annual fee
    • Great 0% intro APR offer
    • No bonus categories
    • Balance transfer fee
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
    • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
    • If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 1.87%-2.62% cash back on every purchase with Preferred Rewards.
    • No annual fee.
    • No limit to the amount of cash back you can earn and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
    • 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.74% - 28.74% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
    • Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
    • This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

At first, the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card looks like an ordinary cash back card. It earns an unlimited 1.5% back on purchases and doesn't charge an annual fee. That's nothing special, considering there are cards that earn 2% back.

But this card becomes special if you're in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program. One of that program's benefits is a credit card rewards bonus. Here are its tiers, the balance requirements, and the rewards bonus you get with each one:

  • Gold: Requires a three-month average combined balance of at least $20,000 and includes a 25% credit card rewards bonus.
  • Platinum: Requires a three-month average combined balance of at least $50,000 and includes a 50% credit card rewards bonus.
  • Platinum Honors: Requires a three-month average combined balance of at least $100,000 and includes a 75% credit card rewards bonus.
  • Diamond: Requires a three-month average combined balance of at least $1 million and includes a 75% credit card rewards bonus.

You can meet the balance requirements through Bank of America bank accounts or Merrill investment accounts. If you have at least $50,000 in balances, you'll get a 50% rewards bonus, which means this card earns an unlimited 2.25%. With at least $100,000 in balances, it's a 75% bonus for an unlimited 2.625% back.

3. Prime Visa

If you're a Prime member, it's probably a good idea to apply for the Prime Visa. Upon approval, you get an Amazon gift card instantly loaded to your account. The amount varies, but it's currently $100.

You'll also earn a ton of cash back on Amazon when you pay with this card. It earns:

  • 5% at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, and Chase Travel purchases
  • 2% at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including ride-hailing services)
  • 1% on other purchases

Even if you don't use this for all your spending, it's one of the best credit cards for Amazon purchases. A 5% cash back rate is hard to beat. And like the other two cards on this list, the Prime Visa doesn't charge an annual fee.

Since cash back cards are so popular, there are lots of options available, and many end up slipping through the cracks. These three cards don't get as much attention. But for the right cardholder, they have some serious earning potential.

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