KEY POINTS
Cash back credit cards save you money on everyday expenses by giving you a percentage of your spending as a reward. Many of these cards have no annual fees and offer one-time sign-up bonuses ranging from $200 to $300. With cash back rates up to 5% back, these cards can play a vital role in saving you money during the upcoming holiday season.
If you're not using cash back credit cards right now -- or you haven't gotten a new one in quite some time -- here are five top credit cards with huge earning potential.
On Chase's Secure Website.
On Chase's Secure Website.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Regular APR
19.99% - 28.74% Variable
Rewards 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
$200 bonus
This Chase card is one of our favorites, and with good reason. You earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, alongside other standout perks (and at least 1% on all purchases). Plus, this one comes without an annual fee and with a generous welcome bonus. Read Full Review
The Chase Freedom Flex® is one of the best cash back credit cards out there. It earns 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Currently, those spending categories are McDonald's, PayPal, pet shops and vet services, and select charities.
The card also earns cash back in the following ways:
Finally, the Chase Freedom Flex® offers a $200 bonuswhen you spend $500 in the first 3 months.
The Discover it® Cash Back (see rates and fees) is another credit card that can turn your wallet into a high-performing cash back machine. Like the Chase Freedom Flex®, this card earns 5% cash back, up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500, on rotating categories. These categories must be activated quarterly and may include popular spending like grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations.
But don't get the wrong idea -- this card isn't a replica of the Chase Freedom Flex®. Not only do the cards rarely offer the same rotating categories within the same quarter, but the Discover it® Cash Back's welcome bonus is structured differently. For new cardholders, Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. If you earn $300 in cash back, Discover will give you another $300 as a bonus.
This bonus only applies for your card's first year, but its unlimited potential could give you a sizable bonus that no other card can match.
On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.
Rates & Fees
On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.
Rates & Fees
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR
Rewards Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus and a decent intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before. Read Full Review
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see rates and fees) is a utility card that earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases. This makes it an excellent companion to other credit cards. Since most cards earn only 1% on everyday spending, this card could double your rewards.
The card also offers an easy-to-earn $200 cash rewards welcome bonus when you spend $500 in the first 3 months. That breaks down to $167 in spending per month. Since this card is issued by Visa, it can also make an excellent Costco credit card.
On Citi's Secure Website.
Rates & Fees
On Citi's Secure Website.
Rates & Fees
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months on Purchases
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months on Balance Transfers
Regular APR
18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
1% - 5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
20,000 ThankYou® Points
We love this card's easy-to-use yet lucrative cash back program. There aren't many no annual fee cards that earn 5% back, and most of the others have rotating bonus categories that change every quarter. This card automatically adjusts to your spending habits, so getting the most out of it is a breeze. Read Full Review
Only a few credit cards will earn 5% back on popular spending categories; even fewer will let you choose those spending categories yourself.
That, in a nutshell, is the Citi Custom Cash® Card's secret sauce: It earns 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent) from a list of 10 (see rates and fees). Some of these categories include popular options like restaurants, gas stations, and grocery stores. If you max out the spending categories each billing cycle, you can earn $300 each year.
The card also earns a 20,000 ThankYou® Points sign-up bonus after you spend $1,500 in purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. If you hit that spending threshold and max out your monthly 5% category, this card could yield $500 in the first year.
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
Rates & Fees
On American Express' Secure Website.
Terms apply
Rates & Fees
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
APR
18.49%-29.49% Variable
Rewards 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 Offer 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
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a must-have for big-time grocery spenders and online shoppers.
The card earns 3% cash back at supermarkets, online retail purchases, and gas stations in the U.S., on up to $6,000 per year, per category. Terms apply, see rates and fees.
These cash back rates make it one of the best cards for groceries and gas. It also offers cardholders $84 in Disney Bundle credits (comes in $7 monthly statement credits) after you use your Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express to spend $9.99 or more on a Disney Bundle subscription. Terms apply.
These five cash back cards can help you generate some much-needed savings on your everyday purchases. For more cards like these, check out our curated list of best cash back credit cards.
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