Our picks at a glance
- Best flat-rate: Citi Double Cash Card (2% on everything: 1% when you buy, 1% when you pay)
- Best flat-rate with an intro APR: Wells Fargo Active Cash Card (unlimited 2% cash rewards, 0% intro APR for 12 months)
- Best for groceries: Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express (6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year)
- Best no-fee for dining and entertainment: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards (3% on dining, entertainment, streaming and groceries)
- Best all-rounder with bonus categories: Chase Freedom Unlimited (3% dining, 3% drugstores, 1.5% everywhere else)
- Best rotating 5%: Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back
- Best choose-your-category: U.S. Bank Cash+ and Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Cash back cards compared
| Card | Annual fee | Main rewards | Intro APR | Foreign fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Double Cash | $0 | 2% on everything | 0% on balance transfers for 18 months; none on purchases | 3% |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash | $0 | 2% on purchases | 0% for 12 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers | 3% |
| Capital One Quicksilver | $0 | 1.5% on everything | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | None |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | $0 | 3% dining and drugstores, 1.5% other | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | 3% |
| Capital One Savor | $0 | 3% dining, entertainment, streaming, groceries | 0% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers | None |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | $0 first year, then $95 | 6% U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr) and select streaming; 3% gas and transit | 0% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers | 2.7% |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | $0 | 3% U.S. supermarkets, online retail, gas (each up to $6,000/yr) | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | 2.7% |
| Chase Freedom Flex | $0 | 5% rotating (up to $1,500/quarter, activate), 3% dining and drugstores | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | None (removed Sept 2026) |
| Discover it Cash Back | $0 | 5% rotating (up to $1,500/quarter, activate), 1% other | 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | None |
| U.S. Bank Cash+ | $0 | 5% in two chosen categories (first $2,000/quarter), 2% in one | 0% for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers | 3% |
| BofA Customized Cash | $0 | 3% chosen category, 2% grocery and wholesale clubs ($2,500/quarter combined) | 0% for 15 billing cycles on purchases; balance transfers in first 60 days | Not confirmed |
Best flat-rate cash back cards
One rate on every purchase, nothing to track.
Citi Double Cash Card
You earn 2% on every purchase: 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay, with no cap. Rewards post as Citi ThankYou points worth 1 cent each for cash. There's no annual fee. The intro offer is 0% on balance transfers for 18 months, with no intro rate on purchases. The transfer fee is 3% (min $5) for transfers made in the first 4 months, then 5%. Regular APR is 18.49%–28.74% variable (as of October 2026). The 3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor card to use abroad.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
This card also pays an unlimited 2%, and it adds 0% intro APR for 12 months on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers (transfers must be made within 120 days). The current offer on Wells Fargo's site is a $100 cash rewards bonus after $500 in spending in the first 3 months (offer changes often). Regular APR is 18.74%, 24.74% or 28.74% variable (as of October 2026).
Capital One Quicksilver
The rate is lower, at 1.5% on everything, but there's no foreign transaction fee. That makes it a reasonable flat-rate card to use at home and on trips. Capital One currently shows a $200 bonus after $500 in the first 3 months (offer changes often). Regular APR is 18.74%–28.74% variable (as of October 2026).
Best cards with bonus categories
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
You get 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year, then 1%. You also get 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% at U.S. gas stations, 3% on transit, and 1% on everything else. The annual fee is $0 the first year, then $95. See our Amex cash back comparison for when the fee pays off.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards
This is the no-fee card that used to be called SavorOne. It pays unlimited 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores), and 1% on everything else. There's no foreign transaction fee.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
You earn 3% on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery), 3% at drugstores, 5% on travel booked through Chase Travel, 2% total on Lyft through 09/30/2027, and 1.5% on everything else. Regular APR is 18.24%–27.74% variable (as of October 2026). Chase currently shows a $200 bonus after $500 in the first 3 months (offer changes often).
Best rotating and choose-your-category cards
Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back each pay 5% on quarterly categories, on up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter, once you activate. For Q4 2026, Chase covers grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target), dining and American Red Cross donations. Discover's Q4 categories are restaurants, entertainment and utilities, per CNBC Select's calendar. Discover also matches all the cash back new cardmembers earn in their first year. Discover is now owned by Capital One and is still taking applications. See the full breakdown in rotating category cards.
U.S. Bank Cash+ pays 5% in two categories you pick (first $2,000 per quarter; enroll every quarter). BofA Customized Cash pays 3% in a category you choose plus 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (first $2,500 per quarter).
Citi Custom Cash is closed to new applicants
Citi stopped accepting applications for the Citi Custom Cash Card on May 28, 2026, and now points applicants to the Double Cash. If you already have the card, you keep it for now. We no longer recommend it because you can't apply.
Which card fits you
- You want zero effort: Double Cash, or Active Cash if you want a 0% purchase APR.
- You spend a lot on groceries: Blue Cash Preferred if you spend enough at supermarkets to cover the $95 fee, otherwise Blue Cash Everyday or Savor. More in our grocery card guide.
- You eat out often: Savor or Freedom Unlimited. See best cards for dining.
- You travel abroad: Quicksilver, Savor, Discover it or Freedom Flex, which have no foreign transaction fee. For travel rewards, see our best travel cards.
- You'll use two cards: Pair a 2% flat card with one category card, and use each where it earns more. Our flat-rate vs. category guide works through the numbers.
- You carry a balance: Rewards won't cover interest. Look at balance transfer cards first.
Card terms change often, so check the issuer's site before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
A flat 2% card such as the Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash. Both have no annual fee and no categories to track. Active Cash adds a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months.
No. Citi stopped accepting applications on May 28, 2026. Existing cardholders keep the card for now, and Citi points new applicants to the Double Cash.
Yes. The Discover page now says it is a Capital One webpage, but it still takes applications, and new cardmembers still get Cashback Match. Account management moved to Capital One's website and app on July 27, 2026.
It depends on your supermarket spending. Against the no-fee Blue Cash Everyday, the extra 3% at U.S. supermarkets covers the $95 fee at roughly $3,170 a year in supermarket spending. Below that, the Everyday is usually the better deal. The first year has no annual fee.
Citi Double Cash Card — Citi
Citi Double Cash review — CNBC Select
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card — Wells Fargo
Capital One Quicksilver review — NerdWallet
Chase Freedom Unlimited — Chase
Chase Freedom Unlimited review — NerdWallet
Chase Freedom Flex — Chase
Chase Freedom Q4 2026 categories — Chase Media Center
Discover it Cash Back — Discover
Discover cash back calendar — CNBC Select
Capital One Savor — Capital One
Blue Cash Preferred Card — American Express
Blue Cash Everyday Card — American Express
Bank of America cash back credit cards — Bank of America
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card — U.S. Bank
Citi Custom Cash Card — Citi
Citi Custom Cash closed to new applications — AwardWallet
Amex Blue Cash Preferred review — NerdWallet
Card terms, rates and fees change often and APRs are variable. Information was checked in October 2026; confirm current terms on the issuer's website before applying. MoneyVerge may be compensated by some card issuers; this does not affect our assessments.