DoorDash Rewards Mastercard® review: Earn cash back on convenient deliveries

Quick highlights 

• Rewards rate: 4 percent cash back on DoorDash and Caviar orders, 3 percent cash back on dining when purchased directly from a restaurant, online or in-store, 2 percent cash back on grocery stores, online or in-store and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases
• Welcome offer: New cardmembers receive a Free year of DashPass ($96 value)
• Annual fee: $0
• Purchase intro APR: N/A
• Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
• Regular APR: 20.24 percent to 28.99 percent (variable)

New cardholders can earn one free year of DashPass, which provides you with unlimited deliveries from plenty of restaurants. Members also receive 5 percent DoorDash credits back on pickup orders and member-only exclusive benefits such as discounts on select restaurants and retailers.

After the first year, the DashPass membership auto-renews at the annual membership rate, which is currently $96, unless you cancel.  

The free year of DashPass gives you a welcome bonus value of $96. However, this offer gives you a lower welcome bonus compared with other no-annual-fee rewards cards, such as the Chase Freedom Flex® or the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card, which both offer a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 within three months of account opening. ( See Rates & Fees for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card). Additionally, if you wouldn’t spend $96 on a DashPass membership, you might find that a straightforward cash bonus is more valuable to you.

The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard rewards cardmembers for spending in the following categories:

• 4 percent cash back on DoorDash and Caviar orders
• 3 percent cash back on dining when purchased directly from a restaurant, online or in-store
• 2 percent cash back on grocery stores, online or in-store
• 1 percent cash back on all other purchases

Each anniversary year that you spend $10,000 on the card, you will also be eligible for a free year of DashPass. Otherwise, your membership auto-renews unless you cancel. 

You earn high rewards on DoorDash purchases, so it’s a fine choice for DoorDash loyalists. The 3 percent rewards rate on dining is comparable to other rewards cards, except that it’s restricted to purchases directly from a restaurant — meaning your Seamless or Instacart orders won’t count for that category. 

How you earn

Spending in the DoorDash and Caviar categories is the best way to earn maximum rewards with the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard. If you often order delivery from restaurants, you’re likely already familiar with these services. Caviar offers delivery from a curated list of what it claims are the “coolest” restaurants in your city. Beyond restaurants, DoorDash offers delivery service for groceries, convenience stores, flowers, retail, and in some areas, alcohol.  

When you use the card in a third-party wallet like Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Wallet, you can quickly earn these cash back rewards by just using an app. You can also continue earning the free DashPass membership perk when you spend $10,000 each year, which potentially increases the amount of discounts and exclusive offers you can have access to. 

Food purchases directly from restaurants earn solid rewards, but there are cards that offer better rates with more flexibility. The American Express® Gold Card, which earns 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. Plus earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. Keep in mind, the American Express Gold Card has a high $325 annual fee, so you would have to consider if the higher rewards rate and additional card perks are worth the cost. 

But if you want to avoid an annual fee and get higher rewards rates, the legacy Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card* is a great option. It offers a 4 percent cash back rate on dining along with categories like popular streaming services (such as Hulu and Netflix) and entertainment. It also has a 3 percent cash back rate at grocery stores (Walmart and Target are excluded), beating the 2 percent cash back rate offered with the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard. 

How to redeem

The redemption choices are flexible and uncomplicated, as is typical of other reward cards.There is no minimum balance needed to redeem cash back, and the rewards you earn with the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard are not subject to expiration as long as you have an open credit card account. 

Cardmembers can use their earnings to pay for DoorDash or Caviar orders (through checkout via DoorDash.com, TryCaviar.com, the DoorDash app or the Caviar app), to purchase gift cards from a wide range of brands and retailers or to receive a statement credit or direct deposit. Cardmembers can also redeem through Chase.com, the Chase mobile app or by dialing the phone number located on the back of the card.

How much are the rewards worth?

The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard's rewards system is straightforward. Your rewards are tracked in the form of points, and 100 points earned is equal to $1 cash back.  You can choose to redeem your rewards for gift cards, statement credits or toward DoorDash and Caviar purchases.

The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard offers a variety of worthwhile benefits, in addition to the one free year of DashPass. You'll also get special discounts and privileges that come with Mastercard World Elite, such as VIP access to Priceless Experiences® and World Elite Concierge. But, in comparison to other rewards programs, the roster of perks offered by this card isn't that remarkable. Some of these perks are only available for a limited time and others are already available among many cards.

Free DashPass membership

Cardmembers and one authorized user earn free DashPass for a year as part of the card’s welcome offer. You can continue to qualify for a free DashPass membership every anniversary year if you spend at least $10,000 on purchases. This includes $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for eligible DoorDash purchases and 5 percent back in DoorDash credits on pick-up orders. 

10 percent monthly discount

Through DoorDash (excluding Caviar), you can get 10% off one Convenience, Grocery, Alcohol, Retail or DashMart order every month. Maximum discount of $15 per order. Offer expires 12/31/2024.

World Elite Mastercard benefits

Since the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard is part of the Mastercard World Elite membership tier, it comes with premium benefits such as: 

• Exclusive offers on Fandango, Lyft, DoorDash and ShopRunner (You can get $5 credit off your first DoorDash order each month as an eligible DashPass member with World Elite)
• VIP access to Mastercard Priceless® Experiences, Mastercard Golf® and complimentary 24/7 concierge service
• Access to McAfee, cyber protection and Mastercard zero liability protection, ID identity theft protection and global services
• Access to Mastercard’s luxury hotel and resorts portfolio

Trip cancellation/interruption insurance

Your card is eligible for trip reimbursement for up to $1,500 per person and $6,000 per trip if you paid for nonrefundable travel with your card that you can’t complete for a covered reason. A flight home in case of an emergency can also be compensated.

Secondary car rental insurance

You will automatically receive secondary rental car insurance when you decline the rental car agency's rental car collision damage waiver and pay with the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard. 

Purchase protection

The card reimburses you up to $500 per damage or theft claim via purchase protection on new purchases for 120 days following the purchase date (maximum coverage per account is $50,000).

Extended warranty

When you pay for eligible items with your card, you can get extended warranty coverage for up to an additional year on certain U.S. manufacturers' warranties.

The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard has no foreign transaction fees, which is a terrific feature for a no-annual-fee rewards card, making it an excellent travel companion. But it has a high APR rate on purchases and no intro APR period, so if you don’t pay off your full balance before the end of the month, your outstanding charges will start to accrue significant interest. Notably, a number of no-annual-fee rewards cards provide intro APR offers on purchases, balance transfers or both. 

There are also a few other fees to be aware of when using the card:

• Penalty APR: Up to 29.99 percent (variable)
• Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5 percent of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• Cash advance fee: Up to 29.99 percent (variable; applies to APR as well). Either $10 or 5 percent of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.

These expenses are typical when compared to other rewards credit cards, although the balance transfer charge is notably higher than the average, which is generally either $5 or 3 percent of the transfer amount (whichever is greater). 

The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard is a great choice for DoorDash loyalists looking to earn rewards on food and store delivery and restaurant purchases. It provides competitive cash back rates and special advantages, making it a solid pick for foodies and delivery service lovers alike. 

When compared to other rewards credit cards, the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard offers a good number of incentives with no annual fee. However, there are other rewards cards that may offer greater value while also including DoorDash in their rewards structures.

DoorDash Rewards Mastercard vs. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card 

With no annual fee, the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card is one of the best credit cards for dining and restaurant rewards. It earns 4 points for every dollar spent on dining, restaurant delivery and takeout — one of the highest dining rewards rates available on a no-annual-fee card. It also earns 2 points for every dollar spent on groceries, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations and streaming services, plus 1 point for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. And unlike the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard, it rewards food delivery and dining at the same rate, without limiting you to one delivery service. It also offers rewards redemption toward travel discounts, which the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard does not.

On the other hand, the U.S. Bank Altitude Go has a substantially higher spending requirement for its welcome bonus. New qualifying cardholders must spend $1,000 within 90 days of account opening to earn 20,000 bonus points, which is worth $200 when redeemed. When it comes down to it, you may need to carefully assess your spending habits as well as prospective redemption options to determine which card offers the most value for you.

DoorDash Rewards Mastercard vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 3X points on dining (including eligible delivery services), select streaming services and online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), 5X points on travel via Chase Travel℠ and Lyft Rides (Lyft offer valid through March 31, 2025), 2X points on other travel purchases and 1X points on other purchases. It not only rewards cardholders at the same high rate for dining, food delivery, streaming and online grocery purchases, but cardholders also have the opportunity to activate a DashPass membership for a minimum of 12 months (offer valid until December 31, 2027).

The sign-up bonus spending requirement is a bit steep, but the bonus itself is more valuable. You must spend $4,000 within three months of account opening to earn the 60,000 bonus, which is worth $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠, significantly more than the DoorDash welcome offer. You also need to factor in the Sapphire Preferred’s $95 annual cost, as opposed to the DoorDash Reward Mastercard, which has no annual fee. 

Best cards to pair with this card

To optimize your options for collecting points on more of your everyday purchases, consider pairing the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard with a card that offers high rewards rates in other categories. For no annual fee, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 5X points on travel booked through the Chase Travel portal, 5X points on Lyft purchases (through March 2025), 3X points on drugstore purchases, and 3X points on dining at restaurants — which could come in handy if you need to order from an eligible delivery service on occasion. The card also provides 1.5X points on all other purchases. 

If you’re already a frequent DoorDash or Caviar user, then the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard could offer you a lot of value. Its rewards are primarily focused on food delivery purchases, plus you have access to a variety of exclusive bonuses, benefits and rewards. But, there are other cards that have similar, if not better, rewards and perks that still include DoorDash food delivery. If you want to earn a higher rewards rate in other bonus categories such as groceries or want high rewards for a variety of food delivery services, then another rewards credit card may be more useful.

*All information about the legacy Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

*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.