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MagnifyMoney keeps a database of over 2,000 credit cards and their features, including cash back cards you can compare with our tool. We used it to find the absolute highest cash back rewards you can earn in each category, more than the standard 1-2% you usually see.
If you’re ready for cash back there are over 25 categories where you can earn 3% or more in pure cash back on your credit card purchases.
Scroll down and you’ll find links to the best cash back credit cards we’ve found that earn more than 2% cash back in special categories. These are cards that let you get pure cash value, not complicated points that can be used only for travel.
Before you dig into categories, every cash rewards wallet should have one of these cards, with double cash back on everything you spend:
Citi® Double Cash Card (a MasterCard that earns 1% + 1% – No annual fee, no limits)
Fidelity Investment Rewards Visa (which earns 2% – No annual fee, no limits)
Alliant Visa Signature Card (2.5% cash back, no limits, $59 annual fee after the first year – good if you spend $1,000 or more a month)
Once you have one of these, you can add other cards that earn more than 2% in special categories to really boost your cash rewards.
The best cash back credit cards with no limit rewards
Maybe you don’t want to mess with rotating categories or remembering limits on cash back. If that’s you, there are only a handful of cards that you need to carry to get the most in totally unlimited cash back.
As you’ll learn below, you may be leaving about $500 a year or more on the table by not holding at least some of these cards.
They are all no annual fee cards, and they ensure you will earn more than 2% cash back on your total spending with absolutely no limits. Some cards have higher cash back rates with limits, and you can see those below this list in our review of cards for each category
Airfare: PenFed Premium Travel Rewards – 4.25%
This card advertises 5x points on airfare, but there is a bit of a catch. When you redeem the points it earns for the closest thing to cash, a prepaid Visa card, your points are worth about 0.8 cents each, so that 5x points is really about 4.25% cash back on your airfare spending.
Travel: AAA Member Rewards Visa – 3%
While the PenFed Premium Travel Rewards wins for airfare spending, the AAA Member Rewards Visa offers 3% back on airfare, plus all kinds of travel, including hotels, car rentals, and cruises. You don’t have to be a AAA member to get the card.
Supermarkets: PenFed Platinum Rewards – 2.55%
The card earns 3x points on supermarkets, but the points are worth about 0.85 cents each when you redeem them for a prepaid Visa gift card, so the real unlimited cash back rate is about 2.55%.
If you spend less than $6,000 a year ($500 a month) on groceries, then the Amex Blue Cash Preferred offers 6% back on the first $6,000 each year. The $95 annual fee on this card is a better deal vs the PenFed Card if you spend about $3,000 a year in groceries (about $250 a month).
Note that if you live in California, you may earn 3% unlimited cash back on groceries with the Platinum Rewards card from Golden 1 Credit Union.
Gas: Fort Knox Credit Union Platinum Visa – 5%
You might not have heard of this credit union, but anyone can join. You just need to pay $5 to join the American Consumer Council / Kentucky and you’re eligible.
The Sam’s Club MasterCard also offers 5% at the pump on up to $6,000 worth of gas purchases a year at any gas station, plus 3% on travel and dining, but you need to be a Sam’s Club member to hold the card.
Dining: Chase AARP Visa – 3%
You don’t have to be 55+ to hold this card, it’s available to anyone who is interested and meets the credit standards. So you can enjoy your ‘senior discount’ on dining any time. Capital One also offers a Premier Dining Rewards card with 3% back on dining and 2% on groceries.
(The information related to the AARP Visa and Chase Ink Cash Business credit cards has been collected by MagnifyMoney and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of these cards.)
Everything else: Citi Double Cash (up to 1% + 1%) or Fidelity Investment Rewards Visa(2%)
If you’re willing to pay an annual fee, the Alliant Visa Signature card earns 2.5% cash back unlimited. The $59 fee is worthwhile if you spend over $1,000 a month on the card. Alliant is targeting this card to people with high income who spend $10,000 or more a month, so it might be tough to get approved.
If you have a military affiliation, USAA offers some members the USAA Limitless cash back card, with 2.5% unlimited cash back if you make $1,000 a month in direct deposits to USAA. This card is only targeted to select members, so you won’t see it advertised on their website and no guarantees you will be offered the card.
Or if you live in California, the JCB Marukai Premium card gives you 3% cash back on all purchases beyond $3,000 in yearly spending.
Just mark each of the cards you pick in your wallet with a sticker for each category so you remember which to use, and you’ll rack up lots of cash with minimal hassle. And afraid to have more than one card? Well if you’re responsible with credit, a few additional inquiries might have less of an impact than you think. See our experience with scores and getting several cards for the rewards.
For unlimited retailer-specific discounts, also consider:
- Amazon Prime Store Card – 5% – Amazon.com
- Target REDcard – 5% – Target
If you want to maximize absolutely everything, read on…
We’ve organized cash back cards for each of the over 25 spending categories that are currently eligible for more than 2% in cash back rewards.
They include both year round and quarterly rotating categories like those on the Discover It. Pick the categories that matter most to you, and you’ll see the opportunities you have to earn 3-5% if you’re willing to keep track of some limits and quarterly changes.
Remember, these are all cards that let you earn cash value rewards, with no restriction on where you spend the rewards, unlike travel points.
- Advertising Services
- Airfare
- Amazon.com
- Book Stores
- Car Rentals
- Cell Phone
- Clothing Stores
- Commuting, Taxis
- Department Stores
- Discount Stores
- Drug Stores
- Education
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Gas
- Grocery Stores
- Gyms
- Home Improvement
- Hotels
- Movie Theaters
- Office Supply Stores
- Online Retail
- Restaurants
- Shipping
- Sports
- Target
- Trains, Cruises, Other Vacation
- Utilities
- Walmart
- Warehouse Clubs
You’ll find three flavors of cash back rewards, in the order of hassle factor:
- Unlimited cash back – This is the simplest form. You usually won’t find the very highest 5%+ rewards this way, but we’ve found some great cards that get you 3% or more in some popular categories.
- Cash back with limits – This is where a card limits the cash back you earn by putting a cap on the spending which earns the cash back in the specific category, on a combination of categories, or the card as a whole.
- Quarterly rotating categories – These are the cards with the big headline 5% rates. Don’t be fooled. While you can earn the 5% rate, you may have to opt in to categories each quarter manually and be hit with caps on how much you can earn.
Advertising Services
With Limits
3%: SimplyCash Plus Business Credit Card from American Express– up to $25,000 in purchases in bonus categories
Airfare
Unlimited
- 4.25%: PenFed Premium Travel Rewards
- 3%: AAA Member Rewards Visa
- 3%: Union Bank Graphite, First National Omaha Graphite ($99 annual fee)
- 3%: AT&T Access More Card ($95 annual fee, website purchases only)
- 3%: Costco Anywhere Visa (need to be a Costco member)
- 3%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee – can join FAPAC at a reduced rate of $10, using discount code INFIRST)
With limits
- 3% – Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – Oct – Dec – up to $1,500 – Anyone can join the Nusenda Credit Union (formerly the New Mexico Educators Credit Union) by becoming a member of the La Montanita Food Co-op.
Amazon.com
Unlimited
- 5%: Amazon Store Card (Prime members only)
- 3%: Amazon Rewards Visa
- 3%: AT&T Access More Card ($95 annual fee)
5% Quarterly Category in 2017
- 5%: Discover it – up to $1,500 – October – December
Book stores
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
Car Rentals
Unlimited
- 3%: AAA Member Rewards Visa
- 3%: Citi ThankYou Premier ($95, waived for the first 12 months)
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
- 3%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee -join FAPAC at a reduced rate of $10 using discount code INFIRST)
Cell phone
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
- 5%: SimplyCash Business Card – up to $50,000 in bonus purchases a year
Cable / Satellite / Landline Phone / Internet
- 5%: Chase Ink Cash – up to $50,000 in bonus purchases a year
Clothing Stores
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Commuting, Taxis
Unlimited
- 3%: Citi ThankYou Premier ($95, waived for the first 12 months)
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Discover it – up to $1,500 January – March
Department Stores
Unlimited
- 3%: Amex Blue Cash Preferred ($95 annual fee)
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Citi Dividend – October – December – up to $300 total cash back on card (no longer open to new applicants)
Discount stores
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Drug stores
With limits
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 a quarter
Education
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – July – Sept – up to $1,500 – Anyone can join the Nusenda Credit Union (formerly the New Mexico Educators Credit Union) by becoming a member of the La Montanita Food Co-op.
Electronics
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: (Best Buy only) Citi Dividend – October – December – up to $300 total cash back on card (no longer open to new applicants)
Furniture
With Limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
Quarterly Category in 2017
- 5%: Citi Dividend – January – March – up to $300 total cash back on card (no longer open to new applicants)
Gas
Unlimited
- 5%: Fort Knox Credit Union Platinum Visa (anyone can join the credit union by becoming a member of the American Consumer Council for $5)
- 4.25%: PenFed Platinum Rewards (anyone can become a member of PenFed paying a one time dues to Voices for America’s Troops for $14 or National Military Family Association for $15)
- 4%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee – can join FAPAC at a reduced rate of $10 using discount code INFIRST)
- 3-5%: PenFed Platinum Cash Rewards
- 3%: Chase AARP
- 3%: Farmers Rewards Visa
- 3%: Coastal Credit Union, Apple Credit Union, Vystar, RB FCU, and several other credit unions
- 3%: Citi ThankYou Premier ($95, waived for the first 12 months)
- 3%: UPromise Card – At Exxon, Mobil when you spend 20 gallons a month
- 3%: BankAmericard Cash Rewards – up to $1,500 / quarter
- 3%: Amex Blue Cash Preferred ($95 annual fee)
- 2.5%: PayPal Extras MasterCard – 3x points, but they are worth 0.8 cents when turned into PayPal credits
With limits
- 5%: USAA Cashback Rewards Plus – up to $3,000 a year in purchases
- 4%: Costco Anywhere Visa – up to $7,000 a year in purchases
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
- 3%: (up to $5,000 per quarter spending) – Santander Bravo
- 3%: up to $6,000 in spend – Berkshire Bank Cash Rewards American Express, Eastern Bank, Johnson Bank, NBT Bank
- 3%: up to $1,500 / quarter BankAmericard Cash Rewards (gas plus grocery)
- 3%: Lake Michigan Credit Union Max Rewards – up to $500 a month
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Discover it – up to $1,500 January – March
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – July – September – up to $1,500
Grocery Stores
Unlimited
- 2.55%: PenFed Platinum Rewards
- 3%: Golden 1 Platinum Rewards (only available to California residents)
With limits
- 6%: Amex Blue Cash Preferred – up to $6,000 in spending a year ($95 annual fee)
- 3%: Consumers Credit Union Visa Signature Cash Rebate – up to $6,000 rebate per year – anyone can become a member of the credit union
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 a quarter
- 3%: Amex BlueCash Everyday – up to $6,000 in spending
- 3%: (up to $5,000 per quarter spending) – Santander Bravo
- 3%: up to $1,500 / quarter BankAmericard Cash Rewards
- 3%: Amex Everyday Preferred up to $6,000 a year in purchases ($95 annual fee)
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – January – March – up to $1,500
Gyms
With Limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
Home improvement
No limits
- 3%: Farmers Rewards Visa
With limits
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – April – June – up to $1,500
- 5%: (Home Depot only) Citi Dividend – January – March – up to $300 total cash back on card (no longer open to new applicants)
- 5%: Discover it – up to $1,500 – July – September
Hotels
Unlimited
- 3%: AAA Member Rewards Visa
- 3%: Citi ThankYou Premier
- 3% – AT&T Access More Card ($95 annual fee) (website purchases only)
- 3% – Costco Anywhere Visa (need to be a Costco member)
- 3%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee – can join FAPAC at a reduced rate of $10 using discount code INFIRST)
With limits
- 3%: Sam’s Club MasterCard – up to $5,000 cash back a year
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5% – New Mexico Educators Cash Rewards – Oct – Dec – up to $1,500
- 5%: (Hilton Hotels only) Citi Dividend – July – September – up to $300 total cash back on card (no longer open to new applicants)
Movie Theaters
With Limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – April – June – up to $1,500
Office Supply Stores
With limits
- 5%: SimplyCash Business Card – up to $25,000 in bonus purchases
- 5%: Chase Ink Cash – up to $50,000 in bonus purchases a year
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Online Retail
Unlimited
- 3%: AT&T Access More Card ($95 annual fee)
Restaurants
Unlimited
- 3%: Chase AARP
- 3%: Golden 1 Platinum Rewards (California residents only)
- 3%: Navy Federal GoRewards (you need to have military affiliation to be a Navy Federal member. Points expire after 4 years)
- 3%: Costco Anywhere Visa (need to be a Costco member)
- 3%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee – can join FAPAC at a reduced rate of only $10 using discount code INFIRST)
- 2.5%: PayPal Extras MasterCard (3x card but points worth 0.8 cents when you turn them into PayPal credits)
With Limits
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
- 3%: Santander Bravo – up to $5,000 per quarter spending
Quarterly category in 2017
- 5%: Discover it – up to $1,500 – July – September
- 5%: Nusenda Cash Rewards – April – June & Oct – Dec – up to $1,500
Shipping
- 3%: SimplyCash Plus Business Credit Card from American Express – up to $25,000 in purchases in bonus categories
Sports
With limits
- 5%: U.S. Bank Cash+ up to $2,000 / quarter across two 5% categories you choose
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 a quarter
Target
Unlimited
- 5%: Target REDcard
Trains, Cruises, Other Vacation
Unlimited
- 3%: AAA Member Rewards Visa
- 3%: Citi ThankYou Premier
- 3%: AT&T Access More Card ($95 annual fee, website purchases only)
- 3%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee – can join FAPAC at a reduced rate of $10, using discount code INFIRST)
With limits
- 3%: Sam’s Club MasterCard – up to $5,000 cash back a year
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Utilities
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Walmart
- 3%: Huntington Voice – up to $2,000 in spending a quarter in one category of your choice
Warehouse Clubs
- 2%: Costco Anywhere Visa – at Costco warehouse clubs
- 2%: InFirst Credit Union Visa Rewards (no annual fee – can join FAPAC at a reduced rate of $10, using discount code INFIRST)
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Source: http://docphy.com/business-industry/personal-finance/credit-cards/best-cash-back-credit-cards-every-category-3-2017.html
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