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Cash back credit cards

We think you'll love these cards from our partners.
CK Editors’ Tips††: Cash back cards offer rewards on your purchases, either at a flat rate on everything or with elevated rates in certain bonus categories. These cards are usually best if you want clear value for your most common purchases.
Read more
What to consider when choosing a cash back credit card
Cash back credit cards don’t always offer the best rewards value, but they do tend to be more straightforward and easier to manage than travel rewards credit cards. When shopping for cash back cards, consider where you do most of your spending and what it will take to earn your rewards. Focusing on your spending habits can help you decide on key choices like paying an annual fee, going for a flat rate on all purchases or bonus categories, and opting for rotating categories or consistent bonus rewards.
How we picked the best cash back credit cards
We chose the best cash back credit cards to answer several key questions people may ask when shopping for rewards cards. Some people might choose between flat-rate rewards and maximizing cash back, while others might want to find the best card for gas or groceries purchases. No matter the approach, we wanted to address these common use cases to help you find the right cards for your needs. Read more about our methodology for picking the best credit cards.
Jump to editors’ picks

Great for straightforward rewards††
Milestone® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards
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Milestone® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards

Great for straightforward rewards††

Milestone® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards

10 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1.5%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $75 the first year; $99 thereafter
Rewards rate

1.5% Cash back

Annual fee

$75 the first year; $99 thereafter

  • Earn 1.5% cashback rewards for all of your eligible purchases!
  • Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. If your application is not approved, a hard inquiry will not appear on your credit report, which means your credit score will not be impacted.
Great for cash back and average credit††
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
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Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Great for cash back and average credit††

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

937 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1.5% - 5%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $39
Rewards rate

1.5% - 5% Cash back

Annual fee

$39

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
  • No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
Great for automatic credit limit increases††
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®
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Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®

Great for automatic credit limit increases††

Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®

631 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $39
Rewards rate

1% Cash back

Annual fee

$39

  • Earn 1% cash back rewards on eligible gas, grocery purchases and mobile phone service, internet, cable and satellite TV services, terms apply
  • With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
Great for access to unsecured credit††
Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card
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Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card

Great for access to unsecured credit††

Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card

40 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    2% - 10%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $59
Rewards rate

2% - 10% Cash back

Annual fee

$59

  • No security deposit required
  • 2-10% cash back at select local and national merchants
Great for paying off major expenses††
Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa®
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Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa®

Great for paying off major expenses††

Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa®

1015 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    3%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $0
Rewards rate

3% Cash back

Annual fee

$0

  • Unlimited cash back on payments - 3% on Home, Health and Auto categories
  • No annual fee
Great for straightforward rewards††
Indigo® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards
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Indigo® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards

Great for straightforward rewards††

Indigo® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards

38 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1.5%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $75 the first year; $99 thereafter
Rewards rate

1.5% Cash back

Annual fee

$75 the first year; $99 thereafter

  • Unlimited 1.5% Cashback Rewards* earned on Every Purchase!
  • Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. If your application is not approved, a hard inquiry will not appear on your credit report, which means your credit score will not be impacted.
Great for a loan alternative with rewards††
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®
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Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

Great for a loan alternative with rewards††

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

1006 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1.5%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $0
Rewards rate

1.5% Cash back

Annual fee

$0

  • Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
  • No annual fee
Great for simple cash back††
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit
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Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit

Great for simple cash back††

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit

2 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1.5% - 5%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $0
Rewards rate

1.5% - 5% Cash back

Annual fee

$0

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
  • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Great for straightforward rewards††
Avant Cash Back Rewards Card
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Avant Cash Back Rewards Card

Great for straightforward rewards††

Avant Cash Back Rewards Card

151 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $0
Rewards rate

1% Cash back

Annual fee

$0

  • 1% Unlimited Cash Back on Every Purchase, Everywhere MasterCard is accepted
  • No Limit On The Monthly Rewards You Can Earn
Great for straightforward rewards††
Destiny® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards
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Destiny® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards

Great for straightforward rewards††

Destiny® Mastercard® Cashback Rewards

12 reviews
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  • Rewards rate

    1.5%
    Cash back
  • Annual fee

    $75 the first year; $99 thereafter
Rewards rate

1.5% Cash back

Annual fee

$75 the first year; $99 thereafter

  • Earn 1.5% cashback rewards for all of your eligible purchases!
  • Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.
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This offer is no longer available on our site: Chase Freedom Flex℠

Hear from our editors: The best cash back credit cards of September 2025

Updated August 29, 2025

This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.

Editorial Note: Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Written by: Tim Devaney

If you’re looking to earn cash back rewards, you should think about what things you spend the most money on.

Do you spend a lot on gas? Do you cook or get takeout more? Do you prefer a simple, flat rate on every purchase or a higher rate on rotating categories? How long will it take you to pay for your purchases? Figuring out the answer to these questions could help you find the card that’s best for you.

Here are our picks for the best cash back rewards credit cards.


  • Best for everyday spending: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
  • Best for rotating bonus rewards: Chase Freedom Flex℠
  • Best for simple cash back: Citi Double Cash® Card
  • Best for groceries: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
  • Best for dining and entertainment: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • Best for fair credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • Best for gas: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Best for everyday spending: Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Here’s why: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great all-around cash back credit card.

You’ll find some generous cash back bonus categories.

  • 5% on travel bookings made through Chase Travel℠
  • 3% back at restaurants
  • 3% back at drugstores

These bonus categories cover a wide range of everyday spending. But if all else fails, you’ll still get 1.5% back on all other purchases.

Plus, there’s a $0 annual fee.

For more information, check out our review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

Best for rotating bonus rewards: Chase Freedom Flex℠

Here’s why: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ is nearly identical to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, but with one key difference: It features rotating bonus categories.

You could earn 5% cash back on up to the first $1,500 you spend each quarter in combined purchases in a revolving series of bonus categories (which you must activate).

Beyond that, it’s hard to tell these two cards apart.

For the bonus categories, you’ll get …

  • 5% back on travel purchases booked through Chase
  • 3% back at restaurants and drugstores
  • 1% back on all other purchases

You’ll get a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases during the first 3 months your account is open — and there’s a $0 annual fee.

See what Credit Karma members think about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to learn more.

Best for simple cash back: Citi Double Cash® Card

Here’s why: Earning cash back couldn’t be any easier than with the Citi Double Cash® Card.

You’ll earn 2% back on every purchase. That includes 1% back when you make a purchase, plus another 1% back when you pay it off.

The annual fee is $0.

Take a look at our review of the Citi Double Cash® Card to learn more.

Best for groceries: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Here’s why: If you prefer to cook your own meals at home, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express rewards you for grocery shopping.

You’ll earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 spent in eligible purchases each year (then 1%). That means if you spend about $115 per week on groceries, you could earn about $360 annually in cash back. (Keep in mind, though, that American Express excludes superstores and warehouse club stores from its definition of supermarkets.)  

Aside from groceries, you’ll also earn …

  • 6% cash back on certain U.S. streaming subscriptions — think streaming services like Spotify or Netflix
  • 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations
  • 3% back on rideshares, taxis, trains, buses, tolls, parking, and other forms of eligible transit
  • 1% back on all other purchases

Not to mention, you’ll receive a $250 welcome bonus as a statement credit after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases during the first 6 months your account is open.

Of course, to see if this card is worth it for you, you’ll have to weigh all this potential cash back against the annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. If you spend less than $60 per week on groceries, you might be better off with the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, which offers less cash back on groceries but comes with a $0 annual fee.

Check out our reviews of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express to help you figure out if either of these cards is a good option for you.

Best for dining and entertainment: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Here’s why: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great choice for people who like to go out on the weekends.

You’ll earn …

  • 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and groceries (except at superstores like Target and Walmart)
  • 8% on Capital One Entertainment purchases
  • 5% on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 1% on all other purchases

There’s a $200 sign-up bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, for a limited time, you’ll get a $100 credit to use towards flights, stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year.

The $0 annual fee makes the card a great choice for people who dine out or go to the movies.

Learn more in our review of Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card.

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

Here’s why: The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card gives people with fair credit a chance to earn cash back.

You’ll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make. Plus, Capital One will periodically review your account for a credit line increase, which can help your efforts to build credit.

Unfortunately, it also comes with a $39 annual fee that can eat into the cash back you earn. But if you’re in the process of building credit, this could be a good option.

Find out more in our review of the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, or compare other offers for people with fair credit on Credit Karma.

Best for gas: Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

Here’s why: The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi actually gives you more cash back to fill up your tank at other gas stations than it does to shop inside a Costco store.

You’ll earn a whopping 5% cash back on gas at Costco and 4% cash back on gas and electric vehicle charging purchases (including at eligible non-Costco gas stations) on up to the first $7,000 combined spend each year (then 1%). You’ll get 3% back on dining and travel (including purchases made from Costco), 2% cash back on all other Costco purchases, and 1% on all other purchases.

There’s also a $0 annual fee. But you must be a Costco member to apply, and the cost of the membership could eat up any money you save on that fee.

That’s why we think this card is best for people who are already Costco members: There’s no additional cost for them.

Take a look at our review of the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi to learn more.


How we picked these cards

We started by narrowing down our list to only cash back credit cards, which offer rewards that can be redeemed for statement credits, bank deposits or paper checks.

Then, we looked through the list to determine the different types of cash back they offer.

Once we picked the categories, we looked for the cash back cards with the best features to see what exceptional offers and perks they have.

Is it worth getting a cash back credit card?

Whether there’s a right cash back credit card for you depends on your situation. For example, if you dine out or get takeout most of the time, you probably want a card that rewards you more for restaurants than it does for grocery shopping. If you don’t drive very often, a card that rewards you for gas probably won’t do you much good.

It’s important to take a look at your personal spending habits when considering which card fits best for you.

Are travel rewards credit cards a better option?

Perhaps. But travel rewards credit card programs can be much more complicated than cash back credit card programs.

For example, many travel rewards cards earn points that may have no set value. You’ll need to research how to redeem your points for the best possible value while finding availability for your chosen reward type, such as hotel stays or airline tickets.

Different travel rewards cards may also have different redemption options, which sometimes include transferring points, as well as converting them to miles, to yet another rewards program, such as an airline’s loyalty program. While having more options usually presents the opportunity to get more value per point or mile, those options come at the cost of more time spent researching and planning to get the best deal.

What are the common types of cash back cards?

Broadly, there are three ways to earn cash back from a card — flat-rate cash back, tiered cash back and rotating cash back.

  • Flat-rate cash back — The simplest way to earn cash back is with a flat-rate cash back credit card that offers the same amount of cash back for every purchase you make. These cards are great for people who don’t want to waste time maximizing credit card rewards. But they don’t typically offer the highest cash back rate.
  • Tiered cash back — This type of cash back card may also offer more cash back than a flat-rate card, but your cash back will be on a limited number of purchases. Tiered credit cards offer several categories with varying amounts of cash back. It’ll be up to you to keep track of how much you’re spending in various cash back categories in order to make the most of this type of cash back card.
  • Rotating cash back — Like tiered cash back, this type tends to offer more cash back but on a limited number of purchases. The difference is that rotating credit cards feature bonus categories that change every quarter and require activation. So if you’re not one to remember to opt-in to cash back, this type of card may not be for you.

When’s the best time to redeem your cash back?

At the very least, you want to make sure you redeem your cash back before it expires. If you’re not sure when that is, check with your credit card issuer.

You might be tempted to save up your cash back for a big redemption. But there’s something to be said about using it sooner than later.

For example, if you’re carrying a balance on your credit card, redeeming cash back for a statement credit could help you save money on interest charges over time by lowering your balance. On the other hand, if you pay your credit card bill in full every month, you could actually earn interest on your rewards by redeeming your cash back for a bank deposit into an account that has a decent APY. Either way, the sooner you redeem your cash back, the more it could be worth for you in the long run.

How can I redeem cash back?

The simplest way to redeem your cash back is often by requesting a statement credit, bank deposit or physical check in the mail, depending on what your issuer offers. Some credit card issuers might give you other options. If you have the choice to convert your cash back to travel rewards, you could potentially get a better value that way.

Can I lose my cash back rewards?

If you return an item you purchased, rewards may be deducted from your account. Some other ways you can lose access to rewards, whether temporarily or permanently, include …

  • Closing your credit card before claiming or using the rewards
  • Allowing the rewards to expire
  • Breaking the rules of the rewards program
  • Missing a credit card payment
  • The card issuer changing the rewards offer

Generally, it’s a good idea to keep track of your rewards and redeem them shortly after you’ve reached the minimum redemption threshold. That way, you won’t forget about them. Some card issuers may enable email or text alerts to help you remember when your rewards are about to expire.


About the author: Tim Devaney is a personal finance writer and credit card expert at Credit Karma. He’s a longtime journalist who prides himself on being a good storyteller who can explain complex information in an easily digestible wa… Read more.

FAQ: Editors’ answers

Editorial Note: Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors' opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about our team.
Many credit card companies offer cash back credit cards, so there are a lot of options available. You can find cash back cards with or without annual fees, that offer introductory bonuses and interest rate promotions.
When you use your cash back cards for eligible purchases, you’ll earn a percentage of the purchase’s amount back in the form of cash back rewards. Depending on your card’s rewards structure, you can earn a different amount of cash back from each purchase.
There are flat-rate cash back cards that offer the same cash back rate on every purchase. Then there are bonus category cash back cards. These cards offer bonus cash back on qualifying purchase categorized under certain merchant categories and a lower base rate on all other purchases. Finally, there are cards that offer higher cash back rates — in addition to a base rate — for purchases made within rotating bonus categories that generally change every three months.
Cash back cards generally offer only cash back. Rewards credit cards may offer cash back, rewards through a card issuer’s program, or miles or points in the card partner’s program (such as an airline or hotel loyalty program). There’s no overall best option, but there are a few general rules of thumb that could help you decide whether a cash back or rewards card is best for you.
If you’re looking for simplicity and no annual fees, consider cash back cards. With these types of cards, comparing the different cash back cards is straightforward. And when you earn cash back, it’s easy to understand how much you’ll earn from each purchase. Some of the top-earning cards are also available without an annual fee, although cash back cards that have annual fees may offer higher cash back rates.
Rewards cards can be more difficult to compare, because the value of a mile or point will depend on the rewards program. But they sometimes offer more value than cash back as a mile or point could be worth several cents.
Additionally, a rewards card could offer valuable cardholder benefits, such as free checked bags on flights or status in a hotel loyalty program. But many mid- to premium-level cards have annual fees.
If you’ve decided a cash back card makes the most sense, you’ll still need to choose which cash back card to get. Consider your credit, spending habits and whether you’re open to paying an annual fee.
Your credit can affect your ability to get approved for a card, and having anything but good or excellent credit may limit your options. If you can’t qualify for the card you want right now, you may want to focus on building your credit and trying later.
Also, consider where you tend to use credit cards. If you use a card for all your purchases, you may want a flat-rate cash back card. But if you tend to primarily use a card for travel, dining, groceries or some other specific type of purchase, a tiered-rewards cards that offers bonus cash back in that category could be more rewarding.
In either case, look for cards with and without an annual fee and estimate how much cash back you’ll earn from the different options. If you can afford it, a card with an annual fee may be worth it — but only if you earn enough rewards to outweigh the cost.
Choosing the right cash back card for your lifestyle is the first step in maximizing the cash back you’ll earn. But once you’ve got your card, there are still a few things you can do to maximize your cash back.
If you have a tiered or rotating cash back card, prioritize shopping at the stores that will offer bonus cash back (assuming they don’t charge more for the products you want). Sometimes creative thinking and planning out your purchases can lead to earning more rewards as well. For example, if your card offers bonus cash back at supermarkets, you may be able to stock up on other household goods.
Also, keep track of your spending and make try to avoid making purchases if you won’t be able to comfortably pay off your balance in full by your bill’s due date. Although rewards are nice, the interest you’ll pay while carrying a balance could more than offset the cash back you earn.

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†† The opinions you read here come from our editorial team. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors' opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when it’s posted.
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