Best Cash Back Credit Cards of November 2023
The best cash back credit cards stand out for their ability to turn everyday expenses into rewarding opportunities. These cards are designed for consumers who appreciate straightforward rewards, offering cash back on a range of purchases from groceries and gas to dining and travel. Typically, these cards provide a percentage of spending back to the cardholder, either as a statement credit, check, or deposit into a bank account.
The appeal of these cards lies in their simplicity and versatility. Many offer higher cash back rates in specific categories, such as increased rewards for supermarket or restaurant spending, while others provide a flat rate on all purchases. Some of the top cash back credit cards also include welcome bonuses, which reward new cardholders for meeting initial spending thresholds. Additionally, these cards may come with other benefits like introductory 0% APR periods, no annual fees, and various consumer protections. Ideal for budget-conscious spenders and those looking to maximize returns on their regular spending, cash back credit cards offer a practical and rewarding way to manage daily finances.
| Credit Card | Our Rating | Annual Fee | Rewards Rate | Intro Offer | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card |
5.0/5 | $0 | 2% | $200 | Apply Now |
 Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
4.7/5 | $0 | 1.5%-5% | Unlimited Matched Cash Back | Apply Now |
 Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card |
4.9/5 | $0 | 1%-10% | $200 | Apply Now |
 Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
5.0/5 | $0 | 1%-6% | $250 | Apply Now |
 Citi Custom Cash® Card |
4.5/5 | $0 | 1%-5% | $200 | Apply Now |
 U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card |
5.0/5 | $0 | 1.5%-5% Cashback | $200 | Apply Now |
Citi Double Cash® Card |
5.0/5 | $0 | 1.5%-5% | $200 | Apply Now |
 Discover it® Cash Back |
4.6/5 | $0 | 1%-5% | Cashback Match™ | Apply Now |
Our pick for
Flat-rate cash back: High ongoing rate + incentives
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
2%
INTRO OFFER
$200
CREDIT SCORE
690-850
The $0-annual-fee Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers an excellent 2% rewards rate on everything you buy, as well as a bundle of other goodies not often found on cards like it.
You’ll earn 2% cash rewards on all purchases, among the best rates on the market for products in its class. But the card also features a generous sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. On top of that, it also offers a 0% intro APR on Purchases for 15 months and 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR.
You can find higher cash-back rates in specific, popular spending categories, if you’re OK with keeping track of tiered or rotating reward structures. And like many cash-back cards, this one’s not ideal for traveling abroad, thanks to its foreign transaction fee.
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world’s most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge.
- Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).
Our pick for
Bonus rewards: 5%/3% categories + high ongoing rate
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1.5%-5%
INTRO OFFER
Unlimited Matched Cash Back
CREDIT SCORE
690-850
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the rare cash back card that doesn’t just have bonus categories (travel booked through Chase, restaurants and drugstores) but also pays more than 1% on purchases outside those categories. New cardholders get a great bonus opportunity, too.
This card earns 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase; 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores; and 1.5% on other purchases. There’s a strong intro APR offer, and new cardholders who apply through NerdWallet get this bonus offer: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year! There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.
While you can earn big rewards on travel bookings with this card, it also charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it’s not a good companion abroad.
- SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Use your card for all your purchases and at the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned! There is no limit to how much you can earn. Every dollar in cash back rewards you earn is a dollar Chase will match.
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back is just the beginning of what you can earn. You’ll enjoy 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% – 29.24%.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Our pick for
Bonus rewards: High rates on dining, groceries and more
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1%-10%
INTRO OFFER
$200
CREDIT SCORE
720-850
For foodies, the $0-annual-fee Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an irresistible (and hard-to-find) combo: high rates on dining AND at grocery stores.
You’ll earn 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 3% back on dining, grocery stores, eligible streaming services and entertainment. All other purchases earn 1% back. There’s also a generous sign-up bonus, not to mention an intro APR offer. That’s a lot of value packed into a card with a $0 annual fee.
If your spending is more concentrated in one food category over the other — dining out or cooking at home — you might do better with a card that specializes in one of those areas.
- 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, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- 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 and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% – 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
Our pick for
Bonus rewards: Groceries, gas, commuting, streaming
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1%-6%
INTRO OFFER
$250
CREDIT SCORE
690-850
The annual fee is high for a cash-back card, but the stellar rewards rates on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express will more than make up for it for families that spend a lot on groceries, gas, transit and streaming.
This card’s 6% cash back rate at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 a year in spending, then 1%) and its 3% rate at U.S. gas stations have long made it a NerdWallet favorite. On top of that, you now get 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3% on transit, including such things as taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains and buses. All other purchases earn 1% back. The welcome bonus offer also adds to the appeal.
The annual fee will be a sticking point for some, but the rewards will offset the fee if you spend just $31 a week at the supermarket. If you don’t have significant grocery expenses, however, this simply isn’t the card for you. Instead, consider the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, which has a $0 fee but lower rewards rates.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% – 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
- 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.
- 3% Cash Back 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.
- Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. That’s $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
- Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. Enrollment required.
- Terms Apply.
Our pick for
Bonus rewards: 5% categories tailored to your spending
Citi Custom Cash® Card
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1%-5%
INTRO OFFER
$200
CREDIT SCORE
630-850
The $0-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash® Card offers something unique in its class: 5% rewards that are automated based on your spending and don’t require any “activation” or bonus-calendar tracking. Terms apply.
The card earns 5% back automatically in your eligible top spending category per billing cycle, on up to $500 spent per cycle. All other purchases earn 1% back. Eligible 5% categories include popular line items like restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and a host of others. And you get that rate automatically; it’s customized to your spending.
Note the $500 monthly spending cap for the 5% rewards rate, which means the most you can earn per month in a bonus category would be $25. Also note the low rewards rate outside of your lone bonus category for the month.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No Annual Fee
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
Our pick for
Customizable rewards: Wide selection of categories
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1.5%-5%
INTRO OFFER
$200
CREDIT SCORE
690-850
The unique rewards system on the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card makes it a potentially lucrative option for people who don’t mind (or who even enjoy) actively managing their credit card accounts.
A rotating category card with a twist: You pick your bonus categories. You earn 5% cash back in two categories you choose, on up to $2,000 per quarter in combined spending (then 1%); unlimited 2% cash back in an “everyday” category of your choice; and 1% elsewhere. There’s a good sign-up bonus, and the annual fee is $0.
Rotating category cards involve work, and this one adds an extra layer of effort because you have to pick your categories each quarter. Forget to do so, and you’ll earn only 1%. Further, the 5% categories tend to be more specialized than on comparable cards, so you might have trouble maxing out bonus rewards.
- $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
- 2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations/EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for the first 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 19.49% – 29.49%
- No Annual Fee
- Terms and conditions apply.
Our pick for
Flat-rate cash back: High ongoing rate
Citi Double Cash® Card
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1.5%-5%
INTRO OFFER
$200
CREDIT SCORE
630-850
The stalwart Citi Double Cash® Card gets high marks for pure value and simplicity: 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% when you make it and 1% when you pay it off.
There are no bonus categories to track or spending limits to be mindful of. The combined 2% rate on all purchases is probably the best you’re going to do on a card with a $0 annual fee.
The value in this card is all in the rewards rate, so there’s no 0% period for purchases. Higher cash back percentages can be had on different cards for specific categories.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 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. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- 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 an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Our pick for
Bonus rewards: Quarterly categories + cash-back match
Discover it® Cash Back
ANNUAL FEE
$0
REWARDS RATE
1%-5%
INTRO OFFER
Cashback Match™
CREDIT SCORE
690-850
You get 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending per quarter in categories that you activate — and unlike with some cards, the 5% categories include places where a lot of people spend a lot of money. With Discover’s unique bonus and a $0 annual fee, the Discover it® Cash Back does well as either an everyday card or a backup.
The 5% categories regularly include big line items in many household budgets: grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com. You earn 1% on all other spending (that is, spending outside the bonus categories and category spending above the $1,500 quarterly limit when you activate). This card also puts you in charge of your new cardmember bonus. The more you use the card, the bigger your bonus.
Activating the bonus categories each quarter can be a hassle. If you forget, you don’t get 5%. The categories might not be a good fit for everyone. You also have to wait a year for your bonus.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.