Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card review: The ultimate flat-rate card — with a few hurdles
It has one of the highest flat rates around and offers a chance at a low variable interest rate if you don’t mind the eligibility requirements and limited features.
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Snapshot
3.9
Bottom line
If you’re willing to join Alliant Credit Union and maintain an eligible checking account, this card’s cash back rewards rate can offer more long-term value than competing flat-rate cards.
Intro offer
N/A
Rewards rate
1.5% - 2.5%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
16.99% - 26.99% (Variable)
4.0
Cardholder rating
Extra perks
Meets needs
Online tools
Customer service
3.9
Bankrate score
Rewards value
APR
Rewards flexibility
Features
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Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Card overview
The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Card offers one of the highest flat cash back rates available today, and the card’s variable APR range beats out many of the best rewards cards on the market. This makes it a good choice if you want a low-interest card that doesn’t skip the rewards. Despite this, it doesn't attract as much attention as other rewards cards — perhaps because it’s a credit union rewards card that requires you to join the Alliant Credit Union.
There are also a few drawbacks that make the Alliant Cashback Visa less appealing than other cards. The card lacks a sign-up bonus and doesn’t carry an intro APR offer, giving it less short-term value than other no-annual-fee cards. You’ll also have to meet a few requirements to earn the card’s highest rewards rate, which can mean more work than applying for one of the best rewards cards with a better rate.
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Rewards
- 2.5 percent cash back on all purchases (on up to $10,000 in qualifying purchases each billing cycle, then 1.5 percent) with a qualifying Tier One Rewards status each quarter
- Unlimited 1.5 percent cash back with Tier Two Rewards status
Expert Appraisal: Exceptional
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- APR: 16.99% - 26.99% (Variable)
- Annual fee: None
- Over-limit fee: None
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Late payment fee: Up to $27
- Returned payment fee: Up to $27
- Balance transfer fee: 3 percent of the balance being transferred
- Cash advance fee: Either $10 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis - APR: 16.99% - 26.99% (Variable)
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Other cardholder perks
- Roadside dispatch
- Purchase protection
- Identity theft protection up to $5,000
- Travel accident insurance
- Extended warranty protection
- Auto rental collision damage waiver
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis
Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card pros and cons
Pros
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This card surpasses the gold standard of 2 percent cash back with one of the highest flat cash back rates on the market.
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It has no annual fee, so there’s no extra cost to carry the card or eat into your cash back earnings.
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This card charges a relatively low variable APR and other fees, making it a good card if you occasionally carry a balance.
Cons
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To qualify for the card and the best rate, you’ll have to meet numerous requirements — far more than with a traditional credit card.
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There is a $50 minimum cash back redemption requirement, which makes it harder to redeem your rewards compared to cards with low or no redemption minimums.
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The card has no cash sign-up bonus or intro APR offers available, limiting its first-year value.
Why you might want the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card
The Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card is one of the most outstanding flat-rate cash back cards on the market because it earns a higher rewards rate on all purchases while still offering a relatively low interest rate. Also, its various benefits protect your purchases, travel and identity.
Rewards: Great flat rewards rate for its highest-tier offering
Compared to bonus category cash back cards, you’ll have an easier time earning rewards with the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature. The card offers a flat rate on all purchases without requiring you to track bonus categories.
The rate you earn depends on the tier you qualify for. To earn the card’s maximum rewards rate, you have to be in Tier One, which is reserved for people who meet all the following requirements:
- Have an Alliant High-Rate Checking account
- Opt in to receive e-statements
- Have at least one electronic deposit posted to the account each month
- Maintain an average daily balance of $1,000
Tier One cardholders earn 2.5 percent cash back on qualifying purchases on up to $10,000 per billing cycle, which means the maximum cash back you can earn per cycle is $250 before stepping down to 1.5 percent back.
That 2.5 percent rate is hard to beat, making the Alliant Cashback card one of the best flat-rate cash back cards, and the spending cap is extremely generous.
According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average household spent $77,280 in 2023, or $6,440 per month. These numbers include expenses not typically paid for with a credit card, like housing, so it’s reasonable to assume many people will have no trouble staying under the $10,000 monthly spending cap.
However, if you don’t meet the minimum requirements for Tier One, Tier Two members earn 1.5 percent cash back on qualifying purchases. This rate is still great, and if you qualify for an APR near the low end of the card’s variable range, the Alliant card makes a better low-interest card than many other 1.5 percent cash back cards.
Rates and fees: No annual fee and low potential interest rate
The Alliant Cashback Visa Signature is remarkably low-cost for a card with a fantastic rewards rate. There’s no annual fee, over-limit fee or foreign transaction fees to eat away at your cash back earnings. The up to $27 late payment and returned payment fees are below average as well (these can be up to $40 each). Plus, depending on the rate you qualify for, the card’s APR can be far enough below the current average interest rate to make it an amazing low-interest credit card.
A low interest rate is essential, especially if you’re among the 48 percent of Americans who carry a balance month-to-month. If you can’t pay your balance off quickly and you don’t take advantage of a credit card with an intro APR offer or a low ongoing interest rate, high interest charges can ruin your credit and push you further into debt.
However, if you make a late payment or make a payment that gets returned (like for having insufficient funds), you’ll get hit with a 29.49 percent penalty APR. The penalty APR will last until you make six on-time payments. Luckily, this timeframe isn’t as long as some other cards, which set a penalty APR to last for a year or longer. If you’re concerned about this factor, know that many cards don’t charge a penalty APR if you miss a payment.
Perks: Offers basic protection benefits
The major pull of this card is its high rewards rate, but it also offers a few other benefits to help give it good long-term value. It includes some essential purchase and travel protections even though it doesn't include all Visa Signature perks, such as reimbursement for lost luggage or airline incidental fee rebates.
The issuer protects your eligible purchases with 90-day purchase security and up to one year of extended warranty coverage, along with travel staples like travel accident insurance, 24/7 pay-per-use roadside dispatch and auto rental collision damage waiver coverage. Of course, your account will also be protected with typical account safeguards against identity thieves, such as $0 fraud liability and up to $5,000 reimbursement for personal identity theft protection. These benefits are generous compared to the barebones perks you get with similar cards and are bound to come in handy for most cardholders.
Additionally, Alliant offers an optional debt protection plan in the case of death, disability or involuntary unemployment, which is a rare perk you won’t find with most credit cards. This plan could cancel three to 12 potential payments or up to $100,000 in debt based on the eligible event and comes with a monthly cost of up to $1.99 per $1,000 of your outstanding balance.
Why you might want a different cash back card
Even though you can earn high rewards with the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card, you still have to jump through several hoops before you can start earning its maximum cash back rates. You also don't have the option of earning a welcome bonus or taking advantage of an intro APR offer on purchases or balance transfers, which could free you from interest for a limited period. Not only that, but the card’s redemption requirements are more restrictive than most.
Intro APR: No offer for purchases or balance transfers
The Alliant Cashback card doesn’t have an intro APR offer, making this a poor choice if you want a promotional period to avoid interest charges while you pay off debt or new purchases. While there is a chance for a low interest rate, it's not guaranteed, making this card a gamble for those who want to focus on paying down debt.
Other flat-rate cash back cards offer a more complete variety of features and benefits compared to the Alliant Card, including high-value sign-up bonuses and intro APR offers.
Welcome bonus: No offer for new cardholders
Currently, the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature card has no welcome offer, which really hinders its short-term value. A typical no-annual-fee card has a welcome offer worth up to $200 if you spend $500 to $1,000 within the first few months — a nice chunk of change for you within the first year of having a card, especially if you want to splurge every once in a while.
Other cash back rewards credit cards may seem more appealing due to their welcome bonuses, but it’s worth noting that one-time benefits may not be worth more than the long-term earning potential of the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature card. Run the numbers on your own spending to see what this card’s benefits mean for you over time.
Redemption: High minimum requirement and limited options
Like other cash back programs, you can redeem this card’s earnings as a statement credit or deposit them into your Alliant checking or savings account. Redeeming your cash back as a direct deposit will get you your cash in up to five days, while opting for a statement credit could take up to two billing cycles. This is because Alliant seems keen on cardholders using their credit union checking account.
Unfortunately, members need to earn a minimum of $50 in cash back before they can claim their rewards. The cash back also has a time limit, as any cash back you’ve earned is valid for four calendar years before expiring on your December billing cycle date. For example, any cash back earned in 2024 will expire in December 2028. Many comparable cards require half that minimum or allow you to redeem at any time. You’ll also likely find more redemption options like gift cards, discounts or travel benefits with other cards.
How the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card compares to other cash back cards
Even though the Alliant Cashback card offers one of the best flat cash back offerings and a solidly low interest rate, its meager features and rewards-rate eligibility requirements limit the card’s appeal. To maximize rewards on your purchases, you may want a card that earns higher rates in select bonus categories that match your everyday spending habits. If so, here are two alternatives to the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature card to consider.
Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Card
Annual fee
Intro offer
Rewards rate
2.5 percent cash back on all purchases (on up to $10,000 in qualifying purchases each billing cycle, then 1.5 percent) with a qualifying Tier One Rewards status. Unlimited 1.5 percent cash back with Tier Two Rewards status.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Rewards rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That’s 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Rewards rate
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more. 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service. 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card
Combining cards is a great way to fix the shortcomings of each card and get you the best value. Pairing your Alliant card with a bonus-category cash back card lets you maximize your flat-rate cash back card while earning a higher rate in popular categories.
Who is the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Card right for?
The Alliant Cashback Visa Signature card isn’t the best option for everyone, but it could be the next best addition to your wallet if you identify with the following types of spenders.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card worth it?
Although you’d have to join the Alliant Credit Union and maintain an eligible checking account, the Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card is a solid pick. It rakes in perhaps the highest flat-rate cash back of any card on the market on all purchases, and the spending cap is so high that modest and budget spenders should have no problem staying within it.
If the card’s limited features are too much of a drawback, you can pair the card with a rewards card that offsets these disadvantages and helps you maximize your rewards.
The information about the Chase Freedom Flex® and Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
How we rated this card
We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.
Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest).
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review:
Frequently asked questions
What cardholders think
Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Card
In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are based on individual cardholder’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. Users received an incentive for their feedback. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these cards.
Community Reviews
* 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.
