In a Nutshell
Great cash back credit cards don’t have to come with major annual fees or complex rewards systems. For those who qualify, a cash rewards card can come without an annual fee, and even offer straightforward perks and savings.These offers are no longer available on our site: U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card, Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card, Chase Freedom Flex℠
At a glance: Best cash back credit cards with no annual fee
| For no-hassle rewards | Citi Double Cash® Card |
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| For big cash back potential | U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card |
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| For mobile wallet users | Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card |
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| For a wider variety of perks | Chase Freedom Flex℠ |
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Cash back credit cards can earn you money for every dollar you spend — but if you’re paying an annual fee to use your card, the reward may not outweigh the cost by much.
Fortunately, you don’t have to lose out on your overall rewards, since a few cards out there get you cash back and come with no annual fee. Some even offer additional perks, such as higher earnings categories that you get to choose. And there are cards offering cash back rewards that are easy to understand and give you great incentives for everyday spending.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Who’s it for?
The person who wants straightforward, no-hassle rewards for every purchase.
Why we like it
The Citi Double Cash® Card is a stand-out card when it comes to earning cash rewards without complications. You’ll earn 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay off your purchases.
A total of 2% for every purchase is a bigger reward than you can get with many competitors. Plus since Citi Double Cash® Card gives you 1% back when you pay off your balance, it may be an incentive to pay off your balance on time. Not only is that a great financial habit, but it can help you build better credit, too.
Watch out for
If you like the Citi Double Cash® Card because of its enticing balance transfer offer, be sure to do all the math first. The card offers a 0% introductory APR for balance transfers for 18 months (after that, the variable APR for balance transfers will be 18.49% - 28.49%).
Keep in mind you’ll still be charged a balance transfer fee: Intro fee 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum). Plus, you need to request the transfer within four months of opening your account to get the intro balance transfer APR offer.
That means that if you transferred a balance of $2,500, you’d be charged $75 in fees. The fees might mean you end up paying more than you would have paid in interest if you had just left the balance on the original card. That’s why it’s important to do your due diligence first.
How to use it
For the biggest cash back earnings, consider using this card for every purchase, every day. But if you’re planning to do a balance transfer, make sure to crunch the numbers first and make every effort to pay off the balance before the introductory balance transfer APR period ends.
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card
Who’s it for?
People who plan their spending in advance and are willing to put in the effort to earn bigger rewards.
Why we like it
Cash back rewards cards can be really complex. The more cash back you can potentially earn, the more-complicated the spending caps and categories tend to be.
This card is no exception, but unlike other cards with big cash back potential, the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card lets you leverage your rewards by choosing your own earnings categories.
In addition to earning 1% on your everyday purchases, you can earn 5% cash back on up to $2,000 in purchases (then 1%) each quarter after activating two combined spending categories of your own choosing. If you were to spend a combined quarterly total of $2,000 in your two chosen categories, you’d get $100 back each time.
Here’s a sample of some of the 5% cash back categories you can choose from.
- Home utilities
- Cell phones
- Gyms
- Furniture stores
- Department stores
Plus you’ll earn 2% cash back, with no cap on earning, on your choice of either gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants.
Watch out for
Taking advantage of this card’s cash back potential can require some careful planning and timing. If you fail to enroll in your chosen spending categories each quarter for both the 5% and 2% cash back groups, all of your eligible spending will earn only 1% cash back.
Also note that special spending categories are subject to change.
How to use it
For the biggest benefit, take some time to get clear about what you’ll be spending on. Planning ahead for big purchases, like a new furniture set, can result in big rewards if you have the foresight to sign up for the corresponding bonus category. Set up calendar reminders to select and activate categories every quarter so that you can take advantage of those great 5% and 2% cash back rates.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card
Who’s it for?
Mobile wallet users and people who get a lot of cellphone wear and tear.
Why we like it
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card does a little more for you than the average cash rewards card. You’ll earn a fairly standard 1.5% back on everyday purchases, but for the first 12 months you’ll get 1.8% back on all purchases made with a qualifying mobile wallet, including Google Pay™, Apple Pay® and Samsung Pay.
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card comes with a $150 cash rewards bonus (as long as you spend $500 within the first 3 months).
But the biggest benefit for this card could be on potential cellphone expenses. You’ll get up to $600 in cellphone protection (subject to a deductible of $25) against covered damage or theft when you pay your cellphone bill with your Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card.
That protection may be able to save you money if you use it to replace a preexisting cellphone insurance plan.
Watch out for
The sign-up bonus for this card is nice, but make sure you’re not stretching your budget to reach the spending requirement.
You’ll have to spend $500 within the first 3 months of opening the account in order to get the bonus.
How to use it
To get the biggest cash back earnings and potential savings, look for ways to make your purchases and pay bills with your mobile wallet.
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Who’s it for?
People who want a wider variety of perks and can carefully plan spending to get a cash back boost.
Why we like it
This card comes with a variety of perks. You’ll get 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating bonus categories that you must activate each quarter. In the bonus category alone, you have the potential to earn $75 back each quarter, for a total of $300 a year.
You’ll also earn …
- 5% back on gas station purchases on up to $6,000 spent in the first year
- 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- 3% back on drugstore purchases
- 1% back on all other purchases
Chase Freedom Flex℠ has a sign-up bonus, too, and it’s relatively easy to cash in on. If you spend $500 in purchases on the card in your first 3 months from account opening, you get a $200 bonus.
Want something other than cash back? Chase Freedom Flex℠ awards are initially issued to you as points. Your points can be redeemed for cash back, or you can use them toward other rewards like gift cards or travel.
Watch out for
You have to activate the 5% bonus category each quarter, otherwise you won’t get that sweet 5% cash back rate. You also don’t get to choose the quarterly category, which means there’s no assurance that the category will be one you want or need to spend money on.
How to use it
Like the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card, getting the most out of Chase Freedom Flex℠ means planning spending around bonus categories, plus you’ll have to activate each quarter so you don’t lose your 5% cash back bonus.
Bottom line
Cash back credit cards with no annual fee come in lots of shapes and sizes. We chose our top four based on fairly broad characteristics, but your needs may be more specific.
To narrow the list down and find the single best cash back card for you, consider analyzing your personal spending patterns. Ultimately, the best cash back credit card is the one that’s going to earn you the most cash back for the things you already spend on.