The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card is a good credit card to consider if you have a credit score of 750 or higher, you want to earn cash back rewards at a high rate on all purchases, and you plan to pay your bill in full each month. It is especially worthwhile if you also get a checking account from Alliant. 

This card doesn’t charge an annual fee, so there’s no fixed cost to worry about. You also don’t need to worry about qualifying for membership in Alliant Credit Union. If you don’t automatically qualify based on where you live, where you work, or whom you’re related to, you can join for free by becoming a “digital inclusion advocate” in Alliant’s charitable foundation.

What I Like About the Alliant Visa Signature Credit Card

1.5% - 2.5% cash back

The Alliant Visa Signature Card gives you 2.5% cash back on the first $10,000 per month (with qualifications met) and 1.5% otherwise. The average cash rewards card only offers about 1% back, so this is above-average at worst and elite at best. 
 

No annual fee

Most cash back credit cards don’t charge annual fees, but some with especially high reward rates do come with a fixed cost. Fortunately, this Alliant cash back card isn’t one of them. The card’s lack of an annual fee saves cardholders $26.75 per year compared to the average credit card offer right now, according to WalletHub’s Credit Card Landscape Report. 
 

Helpful secondary benefits 

The Alliant Visa Signature Card offers a variety of secondary benefits that can save you a lot of money and time in certain situations. This includes insurance for death or dismemberment while traveling, insurance against rental car damage or theft and roadside assistance in case you’re ever stranded. You can also benefit from protection against damage to or theft of recent purchases, extended warranty coverage, and funds to help restore your identity in case it’s ever stolen. Many other credit cards are eliminating perks like these. 
 

Anyone can join the credit union

You’re automatically eligible if your employer is one of Alliant’s partners, one of your immediate family members belongs already, or you live near Alliant’s Chicago headquarters. If you don’t qualify via one of these avenues, you can simply become a digital inclusion advocate in the Alliant Credit Union Foundation. Alliant will make the necessary $5 donation on your behalf, so joining is free to you. 

What I Don’t Like About the Alliant Visa Signature Credit Card

You need to open a checking account to maximize the rewards

If you don’t get an Alliant High-Rate Checking account and meet certain usage requirements, you won’t be eligible for the card’s maximum rewards rate. You’ll only earn 1.5% back, which is still good but not quite as impressive. You shouldn’t have to open two accounts just to make the one you really want as good as advertised. 
 

No initial bonus

The best credit cards with rewards typically give you a bonus for opening an account and meeting an initial spending requirement. This can save you hundreds of dollars on purchases you were going to make anyway. The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card can still save you a lot of money with its ongoing rewards, but this is a bit of a missed opportunity. 
 

Excellent credit required

You need a credit score of 750 or higher to have good odds of getting approved for the Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card. That’s pretty much to be expected, considering the card’s attractive terms, but it would be better if more people could qualify. If you don’t know what your score is, you can get your free credit score right here on WalletHub. You will also need enough income to afford the monthly bill payments in order to get approved. 
 

High APR

This card’s APR could be slightly lower than the average for a card that requires excellent credit for approval, or it could be significantly higher than average, depending on your overall creditworthiness when you apply. Either way, it’s not a great option for financing large purchases over time. If you need months to pay off a big purchase, you’re far better off getting a credit card with a 0% introductory APR.