What’s the highest paying cash back card?

Every cash back card is different and the highest-paying one will depend on what you buy and where you spend the most. For example, suppose you want to buy a new couch from your nearest furniture store and it costs $1,000. The Wells Fargo Active Cash card earns a flat rate of 2 percent back for a total of $20 back. However, if you use the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature card for that same purchase, you can earn $50 back because it earns 5 percent back at furniture stores (when you enroll, up to $2,000 in spending per quarter).

Should I get a cash back card or a travel card?

The right credit card for you will depend on your spending habits and the perks that matter most to you. Travel cards are great for people who know they want to redeem rewards for travel expenses or want perks like elite status, free checked bags, free hotel stays or airport lounge access.Cash back cards can be simpler to use and offer more flexibility than travel cards. If you don’t travel often enough to justify an annual fee on a travel card, a cash back card may be better for travel.

Do cash back cards actually give you cash?

You may not receive cold, hard cash, but issuers offer redemption options like a direct deposit into a checking account, mailed checks, statement credits or gift cards. Perhaps the closest you can get to redeeming rewards for physical cash is through a Wells Fargo card that allows you to redeem for cash withdrawals at eligible ATMs.

Is cash back from a credit card taxable?

Generally, cash back earned with a credit card is not considered taxable income. Learn more about what credit card rewards can be considered taxable.

Does cash back expire?

Many cash back cards offer rewards that never expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. However, it’s best to check the terms and conditions before applying since not every issuer has this policy.

11 Best Cash Back Credit Cards - May 2025

Compare Bankrate's top cash back credit cards

	Best for	Cash back highlights	Welcome offer		Learn more
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees	Dining	3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming service and grocery store purchases (excluding Walmart® and Target®)	Intro Offer: Earn $200 Cash Back Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)	$0	Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Apply now on Wells Fargo's secure site See Rates & Fees	Flat-rate rewards	2% cash rewards on purchases	Intro Offer: $200 cash rewards Regular APR: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR	$0	Apply now on Wells Fargo's secure site See Rates & Fees
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply	Online shopping	3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, gas stations and online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per calendar year in each category, then 1%)	Intro Offer: Earn $200 Regular APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable	$0	Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply
Citi Double Cash® Card Apply now on Citi's secure site See Rates & Fees	Balance transfers	Up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay)	Intro Offer: $200 cash back Regular APR: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)	$0	Apply now on Citi's secure site See Rates & Fees
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees	Everyday spending	5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through September 30, 2027) and travel booked through Chase Travel 3% cash back on dining at restaurants and drugstore purchases 1.5% cash back on all other purchases	Intro Offer: Earn $200 cash back Regular APR: 18.99% - 28.49% Variable	$0	Apply now on Chase's secure site See Rates & Fees
Discover it® Cash Back Apply now on Discover's secure site See Rates & Fees	Category variety	5% cash back on rotating categories (on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter, then 1% back, activation required)	Intro Offer: Cashback Match Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR	$0	Apply now on Discover's secure site See Rates & Fees
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply	Groceries	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, 1% after) and on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis, rideshares, parking and more)	Intro Offer: Earn $250 Regular APR: 20.24%-29.24% Variable	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.	Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply
Prime Visa Apply now on Amazon's secure site See Rates & Fees	Amazon Prime members	10% cash back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership 5% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership 2% cash back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)	Intro Offer: Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card Regular APR: 19.49% - 28.24% Variable	$0	Apply now on Amazon's secure site See Rates & Fees
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card Apply now on Bank of America's secure site	Flexibility	3% cash back in one of six choice categories (category can be changed monthly) 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined 2% and 3% purchases each quarter, then 1%) 25% to 75% rewards rate boost for Preferred Rewards members	Intro Offer: $200 Regular APR: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers	$0	Apply now on Bank of America's secure site
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees	Simplicity	1.5% cash back on purchases	Intro Offer: Earn $200 Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)	$0	Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
TD Cash Credit Card Apply now on TD Bank's secure site See Rates & Fees	Quarterly customizable categories	Unlimited 3% and 2% cash back in two categories: dining, entertainment, gas, grocery stores and travel 1% cash back on all other purchases	Intro Offer: $200 Cash Back Regular APR: 19.24%, 24.24% or 29.24% variable APR based on your creditworthiness.	None	Apply now on TD Bank's secure site See Rates & Fees

Researching the best cash back credit cards

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We thoroughly rate and research the best cash back credit cards based on key criteria to help you make confident decisions when choosing your next credit card. We named the cards on this page as the best cash back cards because they carry multiple features that can help bring value to your wallet.

Welcome offers, intro APR offers, high cash back rates and perks are important things to consider when deciding on the best cash back card for you, and many of these cards have all of them. We’ve considered multiple spending scenarios and consumer data to narrow down which cards rank the highest. Learn more about our methodology below.

Cash back card basics

Cash back cards are among the most flexible and rewarding cards you can get. They’re great if you want to access valuable, simplistic rewards without feeling like you’re missing out on what the best points-earning cards offer. Although some cash back cards can be more complicated than others, they’re mostly a great way to maximize your credit card rewards.

What's a cash back credit card?

A cash back card is a credit card that earns cash back rewards when you use it for spending. The cash back typically accumulates in your credit card account until you redeem it. Usually, you can redeem your cash back rewards as a statement credit or direct deposit to a bank account, but some cards let you redeem cash back for gift cards, at Amazon check out, charity and more.

How much you can earn with cash back rewards

If you’ve only ever used a debit card or cash, earning just 1 percent back on any purchase you make might seem generous just for using a specific payment method. However, cash back credit cards have evolved to create a competitive marketplace with cash back rates as high as 8 percent for certain purchases on select cards. Issuers know there is no shortage of options for the average consumer, and they’ve been adding new incentives to credit cards for decades to win your loyalty. Cash back on credit cards is just one of those incentives.

How much cash back you can earn depends entirely on which card(s) you hold. If you have a card that earns 1 percent back on everything, you can expect 1 cent back for every dollar you spend. A card with a 5 percent cash back rate will reward 5 cents for every dollar you spend.

Of course, this means the more you spend, the more you earn, but you should be wary of seeing rewards as a reason to spend money. Cash back and rewards become a slippery slope when you start imagining that 5 percent cash back is the same as a 5 percent discount on your purchase.

Here's the cash back earning potential for the most common cash back rates with a spending example of $5,000 in a year. How much you can earn depends on the card you choose, but here's an idea of how much cash back to expect based on your card's rewards rate.

Card type	Rewards rate	Cash back earned
Base	1%	$50
Flat rate	2%	$100
Bonus category	3%	$150
	4%	$200
	5%	$250

How many cash back cards do you need?

You don’t need a cash back card. It’s just nice to have because you can put more money back into your wallet and, if you have the credit score to get one, it’s in your best interest to take advantage of it. However, some people are turned away by the extra steps to redeem rewards, so they choose the simplest payment method available. If you want as few cards as possible, you should choose a flat-rate credit card that rewards 2 percent back on all purchases.

Rewards maximizers, like many people on the Bankrate editorial team, have several credit cards to earn generous cash back rates in multiple categories. It's possible to earn boosted rewards for just about every purchase you make, but you’ll need more than one credit card.

If you’re new to the card rewards space, consider limiting your card stack to one or two options. Once you have more experience with cash back cards, you could try maximizing your earnings with multple cards.

How to choose a cash back card

Choosing a great cash back card typically comes down to how you want to earn rewards, but there are some features you should also always consider. A great cash back card will have one or more of the following:

Welcome offer

Cards usually have a welcome offer — also called a sign-up bonus — that give you a windfall of cash back for reaching a spending threshold in the first few months of opening the card. Consider cards that give you the most cash back for your regular spending.

Best card: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro APR offers

The best cash back cards also come with an intro APR period for balance transfers, purchases, or both. Intro APR periods for purchases on cash back cards can be handy for earning rewards on a large purchase while also giving you time to pay off your balance.

Best cards: Citi Double Cash® Card or Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Low or no annual fee

Why let more fees eat into your cash back? If you can offset a cash back card's annual fee, it might be worth it. But it can be better to choose a card with no annual fee so you don't have to worry about it denting your rewards.

Best card: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

High rewards rates

Pay close attention to a card's rewards rates to ensure you're getting maximum value out of using it. If you want top cash back earnings, then look for cards with at least 3 percent to 5 percent cash back and higher.

Best card: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

How to maximize cash back credit cards

Our credit card experts are no stranger to the top cash back cards, and many of Bankrate’s writers and editors have strategies of their own to maximize credit card rewards. We look at and research credit cards every day, so we know which options are best for us. Although what works for our experts may not necessarily be a great fit for you, here are a few different, well-crafted cash back strategies to learn from:

While premium travel cards come with perks and credits, they usually charge hundreds in annual fees. But using a no-annual-fee cash back card is an underrated way to offset your travel costs. For example, Bankrate senior editor, Brooklyn Lowery, uses a Bank of America cash back card to get cash back that she redeems for travel.

Lowery uses the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card — plus, she's a Preferred Rewards member with Bank of America, so her cash rewards rate is even higher than the card’s standard rate.

I usually let that cash back accumulate and then redeem it after a trip to offset expenses — food, an experience or a rental car — that my travel rewards didn’t cover. I love the feeling when that $200 or $300 hits my checking account and I know I didn’t do anything special to earn it. So you could say that the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card does have a place in my travel rewards strategy, even if not directly.
Senior Editor, Credit Cards

You can also use a cash back card that has a bonus travel category or even a gas category to earn cash back during road trips. Then use Lowery's strategy to offset your trip's costs with statement credits or direct deposit into your bank account.

If you’re a perfectionist and want to earn boosted cash back in most of your spending categories, you’ll need multiple credit cards. For some people it’s worth it, but for others it's not. You might be tempted to open several cards at once and put yourself on an optimized cash back road to riches, but this kind of impulse might be overwhelming. Sometimes the best strategy is the one you can rely on without much thought.

Bankrate senior editor, Nouri Zarrugh, has a great strategy for maximizing cash back without overthinking it:

When I first got into rewards strategies, I went a little overboard, carrying a card for every spending category I could think of, constantly switching based on where I was shopping or which bonus category was available in a given quarter. It eventually became a headache, though. Now I take a more streamlined approach, focusing on a few key spending categories as I try to strike a balance between high earnings and low maintenance. Is my stack perfect? Definitely not. But for now, five cards is plenty to juggle.
Nouri Zarrugh, Senior Editor, Credit Cards

While this is just Zarrugh's experience maximizing cash back with his spending, you may get some inspiration from exactly how he's set up his wallet to earn rewards. Here's how his credit card stack breaks down for him to maximize his cash back:

Groceries: The Citi Custom Cash® Card automatically rewards your top spending category each billing cycle, and I only use it for groceries, making that my top category by default.
Gas and online shopping: It makes sense for me to use the no-annual-fee Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express to get a solid rewards rate on gas. As an added bonus, this card comes with an online shopping category — another key category for me.
Dining: The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers one of the best rates you can get at restaurants without paying an annual fee (See Rates & Fees)
Everything else: I use the Citi Double Cash® Card for all other purchases.

Sometimes the best strategy is one you hardly think about. Most cardholders don't have the time or spending habits to track rotating categories or plan purchases the way that some people do, so a set-it and forget-it approach to cash back and rewards is their best way to maximize cash back. We spoke with India Davis, an editor on the Bankrate editorial team, about how she makes cash back work for her.

Here's what she shared:

While I'm a credit card expert, I prefer a straightforward cash back strategy. I only alternate between the Amex Blue Cash Everyday for for gas and online shopping, and the Capital One Quicksilver for everything else. Often, my purchases change from week to week. Sometimes, it's groceries and hobbies. Other times, it's pet expenses and gifts. Every now and then it's a concert or experience. Call it vibes, call it flexibility, but more than anything, I want my cards to be flexible and available with an opportunity to see a nice chunk of cash back in my account.
India Davis, Bankrate editor

Watch out: Mistakes to avoid with cash back cards

Earning cash back seems simple, but a few mistakes can leave you missing out on more or losing cash back. Keep these in mind with your cash back credit cards:

Not understanding category spending limits

If your card’s spending limit for earning boosted rewards is $500, any dollar you spend past that limit will only earn the card’s base rewards rate.

Avoiding annual fees without considering the benefits

Some cards with annual fees have easily accessible perks that offset its costs of the annual fee.

Using a flat rate card for concentrated spending

If you spend reliably in one or two everyday categories, a tiered rewards card might be a better fit for you.

BANKRATE EXPERT FAQ

Ask the experts: How do you maximize flat-rate and rotating category cash back cards?

Erica Sandberg

Contributor, Credit Cards

Flat-rate cards do not require any pre-planning, which is great. You buy what you buy and earn cash back at the same rate for everything. To make the most of cash back cards that have rotating categories, however, you have to pay a bit more attention. Quite a few cards offer 5 percent back when you make purchases at places like grocery stores, gas stations, big box retailers, and more, but you’ll need to plan out where and when to shop to take full advantage. For example, if a card offers 5 percent cash back at Amazon in Q4, you may consider doing most of your holiday shopping through that site.

Expert take: Should you have a 2% cash back card?

Most popular cash back credit cards

According to a 2024 J.D. Power survey, 58 percent of cardholders use cash back cards, making them the leading financial product for purchases among credit cardholders. The survey indicates that more people are turning to cash back cards to retain value without paying an annual fee.
A recent Bankrate study also found that cash back is cardholders' favorite card feature.

There is a lot of overlap between what J.D. Power finds in its survey results and what we find in our data — which informs the cards we bring forward for you to choose from.

Although the best card for you will depend on your spending habits, we have data for the most popular cash back cards on our site from the last six months.

Here are our readers’ top picks:

It comes as no surprise that no-annual-fee, flat rate cash back cards are topping the list of most popular cash back cards. Most people, like J.D. Power found, want a simple rewards experience that doesn’t sacrifice value and has no annual fee — cash back cards can be the best way to achieve that.

There are a lot of cash back cards available, so what works for one person may not work for everyone. Our most popular cash back cards are generally great options for just about anyone though, because they’re either flat-rate or highly customizable to your spending strategy.

Frequently asked questions about cash back credit cards

Up next

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Best cash back credit card bonus offers

How to choose a cash back credit card

Flat-rate cash back cards vs. bonus category cash back cards

Best rotating category credit cards

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Are credit cards that automatically reward your top spending categories a good deal?

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How does cash back work?

How we choose the best cash back credit cards

We select cards for “Best” credit cards pages based primarily on how cards score in our proprietary card rating system, our editors’ subjective assessment of card quality, card approval odds and credit requirements and unique card features.

Cards typically must score a minimum of 3.0 to be included on a “Best” list. However, we may include cards with scores below 3.0 if they have low credit requirements or unique features — despite their scores, these cards may still be among the “best” in certain categories. Card ratings are not influenced by advertisers or issuer relationships in any way.

Card selection and ordering may vary based on business considerations, including Bankrate visitor interest, site interactions and card application volume. Affiliate commissions (see how we make money), limited-time offers and a card’s general popularity in the product landscape may also influence which cards we feature on our pages and the order in which they appear. Bankrate’s editorial and business teams also strive to feature a variety of card types from various issuers.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key factors in our cash back card scoring methodology and details we considered when putting together our list of the best cash back cards.

Overall Score

Value 65%
Flexibility 15%
Perks 15%
Customer experience 5%

The primary criteria for a rewards-earning card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.

To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits. In other words, we assess whether the card earns rewards at a high rate in the most popular spending categories.

We use consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to get a reliable third-party measure of people’s spending habits. The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2023 was $77,280 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $22,500.

Some of the major spending categories that contribute towards the annual spend include:
- Groceries: $6,000
- Dining out: $3,900
- Entertainment: $2,500
- Gas: $2,400
- Apparel and services: $2,000
Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 26 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries. We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various issuer, airline and hotel rewards programs.

This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases — as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value

With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other rewards cards.

The better these values, the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.

Here’s a deeper look at the factors considered as part of a rewards card’s “Value” rating:
Overall rating
Pie chart with 5 slices.
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5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Overall Score
- Ongoing rewards value 50%
- Annual fee & average APR 20%
- Rewards rate 15%
- Sign-up bonus value 15%
We also score each card’s set of features – its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating.

We break down these tiers as follows:

Tier 1 includes fewer features than even standard credit cards (for example, an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits).

Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges.

Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection.

Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs.

Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.

In evaluating the best cards, we tend to favor cards that offer at least Tier 3 benefits, unless they include other unique features that could make up for less-impressive perks.

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

*For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

*The information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Card and the Citi Custom Cash® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

We use primary sources to support our work. Bankrate’s authors, reporters and editors are subject-matter experts who thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate, timely and relevant.
1. Show Me the Money! J.D. Power. Accessed on Accessed on May 19, 2025.

Brendan Dyer Writer, credit cards

Brendan Dyer is a Bankrate editor who writes and edits content for rewards, travel, cash back and business credit cards. He’s passionate about informing readers about the most…

Steve Dashiell Editor, Credit cards

Steven Dashiell is an editor for Bankrate and CreditCards.com with expertise in rewards credit cards, financial literacy, and helping consumers build and maintain their credit.

* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.

11 Best cash back credit cards for May 2025

+ Show Summary

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Citi Double Cash® Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Discover it® Cash Back

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Prime Visa

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

TD Cash Credit Card