When done with care, using credit cards can be a great way to earn rewards that can actually save you money over the long run. If you have good to excellent credit — a credit score of between 690 and 850 — you can take your pick from dozens of options. Many of them offer additional perks like sign-up bonuses and low introductory APRs, and it’s not too difficult to find ones that don’t charge annual fees.
The right cash back credit card can make you feel like you’re being paid to use it. The best ones offer especially generous cash back bonuses for the types of purchases that you make every day, including for groceries, gas, and dining out.
Of course, it pays to know a bit about today’s most popular cash back credit cards and what they have to offer. Additionally, it helps to do some extra research to figure out which ones you are likely to qualify for. Read on to learn more about five of today’s most popular cash back credit cards.
1. Discover it Cash Back Credit Card
The Discover it Cash Back credit card makes it easy to accumulate large cash bonuses. Its biggest claim to fame is that it gives you five-percent cash back when you make purchases in specific categories. The designated categories include gas, restaurants, groceries, Amazon, and wholesale clubs like Costco — and they change every quarter. You will also receive one-percent cash back on all other purchases. As if that isn’t generous enough, Discover will automatically match all the cash back that you have earned at the end of your first year as a cardholder. There is no limit to how much you can get.
You will need good to excellent credit to be eligible for this credit card. There is no annual fee, but quarterly cash-back bonuses are limited to the first $1,500 in spending. One of the biggest drawbacks of this credit card is having to designate and activate categories for the bonuses; as long as you stay on top of that, you stand to make a good amount of cash with this card.
2. Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express
With a credit score between 690 and 850 or so, you should qualify for this exceptionally rewarding cash back credit card by American Express. When you spend at least $1,000 on the card within the first three months of opening an account, you will receive a $200 statement credit. This card also pays a whopping six-percent cash back on purchases made at grocery stores; after $6,000 in such purchases in a year, the rate drops to one percent. You will also receive three percent back on purchases made at select department stores and gas stations and an additional one percent on all other purchases.
This card has a zero-percent introductory APR for the first 12 months, and there is a $95 annual fee. Thanks to the generous cash back rewards, though, it’s easy to recoup that amount and then some. The cash back that you earn can be redeemed for merchandise, statement credits, or gift cards.
3. Citi Double Cash Card
You won’t get a sign-up bonus with the Citi Double Cash credit card, but you will enjoy generous cash back rewards. The card pays two percent cash back; you get one percent back when you make purchases, and you get the other one percent back when you pay them off. Unlike many other cash back credit cards, you don’t have to deal with any categories since all purchases are eligible for the cash back offer.
In addition to earning cash back with this card, you will also enjoy a zero-percent APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months after opening your account. There are no caps on the amount of cash back that can be earned, and the cash can be redeemed as statement credits, gift cards, or checks in the mail. You must accumulate at least $25 in cash back to redeem it, and you will need good to excellent credit to qualify for this credit card.
4. U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
With no annual fee and very generous cash back terms, the Cash+ Visa Signature Card by U.S. Bank is worth a look. You will need impeccable credit to qualify for this card as a credit score of 720 to 850 is required.
After spending $500 on eligible net purchases within the first 90 days, you will receive a cash sign-up bonus of $150. As for ongoing cash back, you will enjoy five percent back on the first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter from any two categories combined, which you get to choose. You will also receive two percent cash back on purchases that are made from a single everyday category of your choice and one percent cash back on all other purchases. This gives you the flexibility to base your cash back rewards on the kinds of purchases that you regularly make, making it easier to accumulate generous rewards.
There is no limit on how much cash you can earn with this card, and you will also enjoy zero-percent APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles.
5. Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you’re worried about missing out because you don’t have good or excellent credit, the QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards card from Capital One may be the answer. You typically need a credit score of 630 to 689 to qualify for this card, which has a $39 annual fee.
The cash back program for this card is pretty simple compared to most. There are no categories to worry about. You will earn 1.5 percent on all purchases every day. There is no limit to the amount of cash back that you can earn, and it never expires as long as your account remains open. This card is designed to help cardholders build their credit, and you may be eligible for a higher limit after making your payments on time for five months.