Best Rewards Credit Cards
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best rewards credit card for you.
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Best Rewards Credit Cards
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Initial Rewards Bonus
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Cash Rewards with No Annual Fee
- Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card: Rewards for Excellent Credit
- Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card: Rewards for Limited Credit
- Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business: Business Rewards
- Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer: Flat-Rate Cash Rewards
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Bonus Cash Rewards
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Travel Rewards
- Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Rewards for Fair Credit
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49%-25.49% variable APR after that
- Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card

- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
- No expiration on rewards
- If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25% - 75% more cash back on every purchase
- No annual fee
- 0% Introductory APR for 12 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to all balance transfers
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap
- See More Details & Reviews About TheBank of America® Cash Rewards credit card
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

- Earn $200 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
- 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
- Terms Apply.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%.
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee.
- No annual fee.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheBlue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR after that
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Chase Freedom Unlimited®

- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open.
- No annual fee.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a variable APR of 14.99 - 23.74%.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheChase Freedom Unlimited®
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates and fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Transfer your miles to over 10+ travel loyalty programs
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR after that
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card
- Earn a $150 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on purchases
- 1.8% cash rewards on digital wallet purchases including Google Pay™ or Apple Pay® during the first 12 months from account opening
- Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card
- No category restrictions or sign ups and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open
- Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 14.49% to 24.99% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee
- $0 annual fee
- See More Details & Reviews About TheWells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

- Earn a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
- Terms Apply.
- $0 introductory annual fee for one year, then $95.
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheBlue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value
- Earn 3X points on eating out and ordering in
- Earn 3X points on popular streaming services
- Earn 3X points on gas stations, rideshares and transit
- Earn 3X points on travel including flights, hotels, homestays and car rentals
- Earn 1X points on other purchases
- Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
- $0 annual fee and no foreign currency conversion fee
- See More Details & Reviews About TheWells Fargo Propel American Express® card
Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCiti® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
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Best Credit Cards for Rewards in 2021

Chase Freedom Unlimited® - Bonus Cash Rewards
The best rewards credit card is the Chase Freedom Unlimited card because it gives a $200 bonus for spending just $500 in the first 3 months, plus 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases normally. The Freedom Unlimited card’s bonus rewards categories include travel booked through Chase, dining, and drugstore purchases. Its base rewards rate is roughly 50% higher than average, too.
Chase Freedom Unlimited can also help you save money on fees and interest. It offers 0% for 15 months on purchases, in addition to a $0 annual fee. A few other cards could offer the potential for more rewards value, particularly those with travel rewards, but pretty much all of them charge annual fees. For more on why Freedom Unlimited is a great option, check out our full Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer - Flat-Rate Cash Rewards
The best everyday cash back rewards credit card with no annual fee is the Citi Double Cash because it gives 2% cash back: 1% cash back on all purchases and another 1% cash back when you pay the resulting credit card bill. That means people who pay their bill in full each month will earn roughly twice the market average for a cash rewards card.
To learn more about why this offer is among the best rewards cards right now, check out our full Citi Double Cash Review.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Initial Bonus
The best credit card for initial bonus rewards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card because it gives 60,000 points to new cardholders who spend $4,000 within 3 months of opening an account. That provides enough value to cover the card’s $95 annual fee for years. Sapphire Preferred also gives ongoing rewards at a rate of 1 - 2 points per $1.
For more on why this is one of the best rewards credit cards right now, read our full Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Everyday Rewards
The best rewards credit card for bonus cash back in popular spending categories is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. It gives all cardholders 1 - 6% cash back, with U.S. supermarkets (on the first $6,000 spent each year), U.S. streaming services, U.S. gas stations, and transit expenses among the categories earning bonus rewards. Plus, Blue Cash Preferred starts new cardholders with an initial bonus of $300 statement credit for spending $3,000 within 6 months of opening an account.
Given those lofty earning rates, paying the Amex Blue Cash Preferred Card’s $95 annual fee (waived the first year) is an investment that could pay off big time.
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business - Bonus Rewards
One of the best rewards credit card offers for business owners is the Capital One Spark Cash because it gives unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases. Spark Cash for Business also offers a $500 initial bonus after spending $4,500 in the first 3 months of account opening.
Capital One Spark Cash offers free employee cards, too. Employees also earn 2% cash back on all purchases, with the rewards going back to the business. The Spark Cash Card has a $0 annual fee for the first year, followed by a $95 every year after.
Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card - Limited Credit
The best rewards credit card for people with limited or no credit history is the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card because it has a $0 annual fee and gives at least 1% cash back on all purchases. Consistently paying your bill on time gets you higher rewards rates, too. You get 1.25% cash back after six months of on-time payments, then 1.5% cash back after 12 on-time payments.
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card - Fair Credit
The best rewards credit card for people with fair credit is the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. It gives unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases in return for cardholders paying a $39 annual fee. In other words, the value proposition is very simple. Just make sure to pay your bill in full every month to avoid interest charges.
Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card - Excellent Credit
Among the best cash back rewards cards for people with excellent credit who don’t mind paying an annual fee in return for high earning rates is the Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card. The card offers 2.5% cash back, and it has an annual fee of $0 for the first year, $99 after.
Alliant Credit Union membership is open to anyone, though you may have to donate $5 to a nonprofit to qualify.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card - Travel Rewards
The best travel rewards credit card available right now is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card because it offers an initial bonus of 60,000 miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, it has ongoing rewards-earning rate of 2 miles per $1.
This card requires good credit or better for approval. It has an annual fee of $95. For more on why it's one of 2021’s best rewards credit cards, read our full Capital One Venture review.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a student, however, the decision isn’t so clear-cut. There are many credit cards for college students with very attractive rewards right now. You can find all the top options among our picks for 2021’s best student credit cards.
Best Rewards Credit Cards Compared
Credit Card | Best For | Rewards Rate |
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Fair Credit | 1.5% Cash Back |
Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer | Flat-Rate Cash Rewards | 2% Cash Back |
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Bonus Cash Back Rewards | 1 - 6% Cash Back |
Chase Freedom Unlimited® | Cash Rewards with No Annual Fee | 1.5 - 5% Cash Back |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Travel Rewards | 2 miles / $1 |
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Rewards Bonus | 1 - 2 points / $1 |
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business | Business Rewards | 2% Cash Back |
As you can see, some of the best rewards credit cards offer big initial bonuses. Others provide great ongoing rewards. A few even combine the two. It all comes down to finding a card that suits both your lifestyle and credit standing.
You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub, if you don’t know where you stand. And if you want to know more about the rewards card elite, make sure to check out our editors’ in-depth review of the year’s best rewards credit cards.
Questions & Answers
Comparing rewards credit cards can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered....show moreshow less
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Featured Credit Cards
Ask the Experts
To help people better understand and benefit from historically valuable credit card rewards, we posed the following questions to a panel of personal finance experts. You can check out who they are and what they had to say, below. And you can bet it will be plenty rewarding!
- Do you think most people take full advantage of rewards credit cards?
- Do you agree with the notion that cash users subsidize the cost of credit card rewards?
- What would you say are the biggest/most common mistakes that rewards credit card users make?
- Do you have a credit card with rewards? If so, how did you select it?
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Soheil Ghili
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Yale University
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Sarah C. Whitley
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia
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Katie Gerst
Associate Professor of Practice, Marketing & Supply Chain Management, Academic Director, Fox Honors Program, Assistant Academic Director, OMBA and OBBA Programs, Fox School, Temple University
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Mary C. Gilly
Professor Emerita of Marketing, University of California, Irvine, Paul Merage School of Business
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Kishore G. Kulkarni
Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Economics, College of Business, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Chief Editor, International Review of Business and Economics
Read More
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Min Zhao
Associate Professor of Marketing, Carroll School of Management, Boston College
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