The best rewards credit cards take into consideration: everyday rewards, bonus opportunities for new cardholders, extra perks and credits, and the card’s annual fee (if any). Our current picks for best rewards credit cards are below. (See also Best Cash Back Credit Cards or Best Travel Credit Cards for more choices and card reviews.)
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express – Why We Like It: Maybe the best rewards credit card for grocery purchases with no annual fee, plus a rare 3% reward for general online purchases. EARN: 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card – Why We Like It: No-brainer opportunity to earn 5% cash back in the everyday category you shop most each month, with no annual fee! EARN: 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter and on all other purchases. The 5% eligible categories are: Restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, live entertainment. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card – Why We Like It: Offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee! Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. EARLY SPEND BONUS: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Citi Premier® Card – Why We Like It: 3% cash back on a ton of purchases PLUS a HUGE bonus opportunity! Earn: 3X/3% cash back at gas stations, PLUS 3X restaurants PLUS 3X supermarkets PLUS 3X air travel and hotels, and 1% on any other purchases. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Annual fee: $95.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express – Why We Like It: 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card – Why We Like It: Offers the desirable features of more expensive travel cards, but strips away the fluff to keep the annual fee reasonable. That annual fee is $395, but you can easily offset $300 of that fee when you book through Capital One Travel (you’ll get the first $300 in bookings credited back to your card), and there is an Early Spend Bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
And, with an Anniversary Miles Bonus of 10,000 miles (equal to $100 toward travel) that kicks in starting on your first card anniversary, you could easily get more value in miles and credits than the annual fee ($300 potential credits + $100 in miles = $400 value) — and that’s before we even talk about the everyday rewards and perks!
In terms of everyday purchase rewards, earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar in purchases on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, plus unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases. And don’t forget airport lounge access through the Priority Pass network as well as access to the Capital One Lounges, plus quite a bit more.
Author: Adam Jusko