Top Cash Back Credit Cards: Maximizing Your Rewards in 2026
Whether you crave plentiful travel perks, basic cash back, or a high rebate on groceries and gas, you’ll find a card here that suits your tastes.
Lisa Gerstner
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
We may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. We may not cover every available offer. Our relationship with advertisers may impact how an offer is presented on our site but our editorial selection of products is made independently. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. We calculate a typical annual reward for each card, assuming $36,000 spent annually and less any annual fee. Interest rates, fees, rewards and other terms listed in this article are subject to change. Before you apply for a credit card, check its current terms and conditions with the issuer.
Cash back credit cards reward with perks on everyday purchases. If you need help narrowing down the options, you’re in luck: We’ve done the homework and highlighted below our top picks in five categories, from cards that offer a healthy rate of cash back on all your spending to those that provide outstanding rewards on travel, gas, groceries and more.
Fees, bonuses and other terms can change at any time, so before you apply for a card, check the current terms with the issuer. And keep in mind that you should pay off your balance in full each month. Otherwise, interest charges will counteract the rewards you earn.
Know what kind of cash back card you want? Jump to these sections to see our top three picks in each category. Also, we listed credit cards in alphabetical order for each category.
Interest rates, fees, rewards and other terms listed in this article are subject to change. Before you apply for a credit card, check its current terms and conditions with the issuer.
Best Flat-Rate Cash Back Cards
Citi Double Cash® Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $1,500 in the first six months.
This card offers a flat 2% cash back on all spending. You’ll earn 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off. Plus, you get 5% cash back when you book hotels, car rentals and attractions through the Citi Travel portal. Rewards are offered as Citi Thank-You points, which you can redeem for a statement credit, a check or a direct deposit into your bank account at a rate of 1 cent per point.
Farmers Insurance Federal Credit Union Crystal Visa
Farmers Insurance Federal Credit Union Crystal Visa
Sign-up bonus: $100 back if you spend $5,000 in the first three months.
The Crystal Visa allows you to earn a remarkable 3% cash back on all purchases for the first year, with no annual fee. From year two onward, the $99 annual fee kicks in, and you’ll earn an unlimited 2.5% cash back—still a strong rate. Spending that exceeds $10,000 in a single month doesn’t earn rewards, which are redeemable as points that you can exchange for cash back. Farmers Insurance FCU is open to anyone nationwide, provided you become a member of the American Consumer Council and deposit $5 into a personal savings account.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $500 in the first three months
The Active Cash card is as simple as it gets: Earn an unlimited 2% on all purchases, with no spending caps or categories. You can redeem your rewards for statement credits, direct deposits (starting at a $25 redemption minimum) into a Wells Fargo account, purchases made through PayPal, or gift cards with any of 250 merchants.
Best Cards for Cash Back in Rotating Categories
Earn top rewards in categories that may change each month or quarter. These cards are a good fit for people who can keep track of and plan their charges in categories like online shopping, streaming, and travel.
Chase Freedom Flex
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $500 in the first three months.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on the first $1,500 charged in bonus categories that change each quarter. For the first quarter, categories include warehouse clubs, grocery stores and select streaming services. You'll also earn 5% back on purchases made through Chase Travel; 3% at restaurants, on eligible carryout and delivery services, and at drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases. Redeem points for travel purchases, gift cards or cash back, at a rate of 1 cent per point.
Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card
Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: An unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of cash back earned after your first year
Earn 5% cash back on up to the first $1,500 charged in quarterly rotating categories. Categories for the first quarter of 2026 include streaming services, wholesale clubs and grocery stores; other 2026 quarterly categories weren’t yet announced at press time. All other purchases earn 1% unlimited cash back. Redeem rewards as statement credits or a deposit into your bank account.
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card
Annual fee: $95, waived the first year.
Sign-up bonus: $250 back after spending $2,000 in the first four months.
This card offers an outstanding 6% cash back on the first $1,500 spent quarterly in two retailers of your choosing. Among the options are Amazon, Apple, Best Buy, Chewy, Disney, Lowe's, Macy's and Menards.
You can also select one category that earns 3% cash back or up to the first $1,500 charged quarterly. Categories include wholesale clubs, grocery stores and gas stations. All other purchases earn a strong 1.5% back. Use your points at a rate of 1 cent each for a statement credit, a deposit into your U.S. Bank account or a gift card.
Best Cash Back Credit Cards for Savers
You get the best value with these cards if you stash rewards in a bank or investment account. We excluded cards that require large deposits in accounts that do not have competitive interest rates.
Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa
Bank of America Premium Rewards Visa
Sign-up bonus: 60,000 points if you spend $4,000 in the first 90 days
Cardholders earn two points per dollar on all travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points per dollar on other spending. And savers who hold sizable deposit and investment balances with Bank of America can rack up points in a hurry, thanks to its Preferred Rewards program. If you carry an average daily balance of at least $100,000 in Bank of America and Merrill investment accounts, for example, you’ll get a 75% bonus on the rewards you earn (for more, see bankofamerica.com/preferredrewards). Use points for travel purchases, statement credits, or deposits into qualifying Merrill or Bank of America accounts at a rate of 1 cent per point.
In addition, cardholders are re-imbursed for up to $100 in incidental airline fees (such as for seat upgrades and baggage) each year, and every four years you can be re-imbursed up to $100 if you use the card to apply for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, which provide expedited security screening at the airport.
Fidelity Rewards Signature® Visa
Fidelity Rewards Signature® Visa
Reach your savings and investment goals faster with Fidelity’s credit card. You’ll earn 2% cash back on all spending when you redeem your rewards into a qualifying Fidelity account. Eligible options include a brokerage account, IRA, 529 college-savings plan or health savings account. Plus, you can deposit rewards into the eligible account of a friend or family member—say, a grandchild’s 529 plan. Travelers earn a credit of up to $100 when they use the card to apply for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
SoFi Unlimited 2% Credit Card
Sign-up bonus: None.
Financial-technology company SoFi offers cardholders 3% cash back on trips booked through SoFi Travel and 2% cash back on all other purchases. The benefit for savers: You can transfer your rewards into SoFi’s high-yield savings account, which recently offered a 3.3% rate if you meet certain deposit requirements, or a SoFi investment account.
Best Cash Back Cards for Groceries
These cards offer ample cash back on purchases at grocery stores.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Annual fee: $95, waived for the first year
Intro offer: You may be eligible for as high as $300 cash back after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Terms Apply.
Cardholders earn an excellent 6% back on the first $6,000 charged annually at U.S. grocery stores (1% thereafter). Earn 6% back on select streaming services, too, along with 3% on gas and transit and 1% on other expenses. Redeem rewards for statement credits or Amazon purchases.
American Express® Gold Card
Annual fee: $325
Intro offer: You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn four points per dollar on up to the first $50,000 spent per calendar year at U.S. supermarkets. You also get four points per dollar at restaurants (on up to $25,000 spent yearly), three points per dollar on flights, two points per dollar on prepaid hotel reservations booked through Amex Travel, and one point per dollar on everything else. The card comes with several other benefits, too, including $10 monthly in Uber Cash, $50 in semiannual credits when you use your card at restaurants that participate in the Resy platform, and a $10 monthly credit when you use the card at certain dining partners, including Grubhub and The Cheesecake Factory.
Terms apply.
Citi Custom Cash Mastercard
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $1,500 in the first six months
This card lives up to its name by customizing your rewards, automatically providing 5% cash back in whichever one of 10 categories you spend the most each month—including grocery stores. The other categories are restaurants, gas stations, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, live entertainment, select travel, select transit and select streaming services. The 5% rewards are limited to $500 spent monthly (1% thereafter). Hotels, rental cars and attractions booked through Citi Travel earn 4% back, and all other purchases get 1% back. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points, which you can redeem at a rate of 1 cent each for statement credits, a direct deposit or a check.
Best Cash Back Cards for Gas and EV Charging
If you drive an electric vehicle, see our article on getting cash back on your credit card for charging an EV. We can also point you to credit cards that cover rental car insurance.
Citi Custom Cash Mastercard
Sign-up bonus: $200 back if you spend $1,500 in the first six months
If gas is one of your top expenses, consider charging your fuel purchases on this card, which includes gas stations among the 10 categories that may earn 5% back on up to $500 spent each month. The card automatically applies the 5% rebate to whichever category you spend the most in. For more on the card’s eligible categories, rewards structure and redemption rules, see the section above.
Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi
Annual fee: None, but you must be a Costco member (fees start at $65 yearly)
Drivers can take advantage of 5% cash back at Costco gas stations and 4% back on other gas purchases and EV charging. You can spend up to $7,000 combined on gas each year to earn the 5% and 4% rewards; after that, gas purchases earn 1% back. Plus, earn 3% back on dining and travel (including Costco Travel), 2% on other Costco purchases, and 1% on everything else. Cash back arrives as an annual reward certificate you can use for Costco purchases or redeem for cash.
Sam’s Club® Mastercard®
Annual fee: None, but you must have a Sam’s Club membership (starting at $50 annually)
Sign-up bonus: $30 back if you spend $30 in the first 30 days
The credit card from wholesaler Sam’s Club offers 5% back on fuel purchases—both at Sam’s Club and elsewhere—up to the first $6,000 annually, then 1% back. You’ll also earn 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases if you’re a Plus member (otherwise, you get 1% back), 3% on dining and takeout, and 1% on other spending. Redeem your rewards for purchases at Sam’s Club or for cash.
Pros of cash back cards:
- Cash back cards are easy to understand and use. When it comes to simplicity and clarity, cash back cards are second to none among rewards cards. Cash back is expressed as a percentage of the amount you spend, so you know the exact value of your rewards. With travel rewards cards and other cards that provide points or airline miles for each dollar you spend, the value per point or mile may vary depending on which redemption you choose.
- They put cash in your pocket. Cash back is hard to beat if you want extra money to spend. You can often redeem cash-back rewards for a bank-account deposit, check or statement credit that reduces your credit card account balance. Or, as with some of our best cash back cards for savers, you may even be able to put the cash back in an investment account.
- You get good rewards for everyday spending. With a cash back card, you could get a healthy flat rate of about 2% back on everything you buy, or earn as much as 5% or 6% back on staples such as gas and groceries. Travel rewards cards tend to offer the highest rates on purchases of flights, hotels, dining out and other spending that usually falls into the non-essential category. Some banking cards will give you additional cash back (usually less than one percentage point) if you have a savings or investment account with the bank.
Cons of cash back cards:
- They don’t always offer the highest payback. If you prefer to get the maximum possible value out of the rewards you earn with a credit card, a cash back card may not be for you. With travel rewards cards, sometimes you can earn outstanding rewards rates by putting in some legwork. With a card that pays out airline miles, for example, you may squeeze out extra value by combing through flight schedules to find the best redemption rates.
- Sign-up bonuses are smaller. Travel rewards cards are known for offering hefty initial bonuses to draw in customers. Premium travel card Chase Sapphire Reserve, for example, recently provided 60,000 bonus points — worth $900 in travel redemptions — to new cardholders who spent at least $4,000 on the card in the first three months. Many cash back cards offer initial bonuses, but their values typically aren’t as high overall.
- Interest rates are high and variable. As with other rewards cards, the annual percentage rate on a cash back card is usually stiff. Average card rates run close to 20%, and some cards charge maximum rates closer to 30%. Plus, most cards have a variable interest rate tied to an index — often the prime rate. When the Federal Reserve raises short-term interest rates, the APR on your credit card increases, too.
How to Pick the Best Cash Back Card for You
There's no single cash back credit card that's best for everyone, so it's important to shop around and compare several factors to determine which is the right one for you:
- Rewards rates: If you don't want to keep track of different rewards rates, consider a flat-rate rewards card. If you want to maximize rewards on certain purchases, find a tiered or rotating rewards card with rewards categories that align with your spending.
- Welcome bonus: Consider the amount of each card's cash bonus, as well as the minimum spending requirement you need to meet to earn it. Only get a card if you can afford to meet that spending threshold without overspending.
- Redemption options: While cash back credit cards tend to offer more straightforward redemption options compared to travel cards, your redemption options can still vary. For example, some cards may only offer statement credits, while others may offer direct deposit, paper checks, gift cards, travel, online shopping and more.
- APR promotion terms: If you're after a 0% APR promotion, look at the length of each card's promotion and which transactions are included — purchases, balance transfers or both. If you want to do a balance transfer, look at each card's balance transfer fee.
- Other card benefits: Depending on your lifestyle, you may want to take advantage of other card benefits. For example, some cards may offer credits or complimentary subscriptions with popular retailers, travel and shopping protections and more.
- Annual fee: While most cash back credit cards don't charge an annual fee, there are some that do. If a card does charge an annual fee, look at the rewards program and other benefits to determine whether you can get enough value to make up for the yearly charge.
Take your time to research several options to determine the right fit for you. In some cases, it could make sense to use more than one cash back credit card to take advantage of the different bonus rewards categories and benefits.
Take your time to consider several options before you make a decision.
Cash back vs. travel credit card: which is better?
Both cash back and travel rewards credit cards can offer a lot of value, but the right one for you may depend on your travel habits, budget and preferences. Here's a quick comparison:
- Annual fee: Most cash back credit cards don't charge an annual fee, while the opposite is true for travel credit cards.
- Welcome bonus: If a cash back credit card offers a welcome bonus, it may range from $100 to $300 in most cases. With a travel credit card, a bonus can range from $200 to $1,000 or more.
- Rewards: Cash back credit cards can offer flat-rate, tiered or rotating rewards, while travel credit cards only offer flat-rate or tiered rewards. When it comes to redeeming rewards, travel points or miles aren't as flexible as straight cash back, but you could potentially get more value with certain programs.
- Intro APR: Many cash back credit cards offer a 0% APR promotion on purchases, balance transfers or both. On the flip side, travel rewards cards typically don't offer this feature.
- Other benefits: Cash back credit cards generally don't offer a lot of additional value beyond rewards and a 0% APR promotion (some exceptions exist). In contrast, some travel credit cards may offer hundreds of dollars in value each year in the form of travel perks.
As an independent publication dedicated to helping you make the most of your money, the article above is our view of the best deals and is not the opinion of any entity mentioned such as a card issuer, hotel, airline etc. Similarly, the content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of those entities.
Related content
- Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
- Credit Card Bonuses up to $1,600 for New Cardholders
- Credit Cards That Cover Rental Car Insurance
- Best Rewards Credit Cards
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Sean is a veteran personal finance writer, with over 10 years of experience. He's written finance guides on insurance, savings, travel and more for CNET, Bankrate and GOBankingRates.
- Lisa GerstnerEditor, Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine














