PayPal Cashback Mastercard®

Written by: TJ Porter
• Updated •1 min read
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Group of women sitting on a couch and shopping online while comparing paypal credit cardsImage: Group of women sitting on a couch and shopping online while comparing paypal credit cards

In a Nutshell

The PayPal Cashback Mastercard® offers a simple rewards structure with a solid cash back rate on all purchases.
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.

What to consider when applying for a cash back credit card

Cash back credit cards aren’t the only type of rewards cards, but they’re popular for a good reason — they’re easy to understand. Use your card and you’ll get cash back — there’s no complicated points or miles system. Cash is also more flexible. You can redeem your cash back toward anything you can buy.

When you’re applying for a cash back credit card, you’ll need to decide whether you want a card that offers flat-rate rewards or a card that has bonus categories.

As a rule of thumb, flat-rate cards pay a midlevel cash back rate on every purchase, usually 1.5% to 2%. Bonus category cards can offer as much as 6% cash back on certain types of purchases but will offer a lower rate, usually 1%, on nonbonus category purchases.

If you want to keep things simple, go for one flat-rate rewards card. If you’re the type who likes to optimize, you can try carrying multiple cards that each offer bonus rewards for one category of spending. Just make sure that the rewards categories align with the way you already spend and that you pay attention to the fees each card charges so you can decide whether they’re worth it.

About the author: TJ Porter is a Boston-based freelance writer who specializes in bank accounts, credit, and credit cards. He’s written for Bankrate, CardCruncher, DollarSprout and My Bank Tracker, among others. In his spare time, TJ e… Read more.