Best Credit Cards for New Parents
Many of these cards earn high rewards in categories like groceries and gas; others earn a solid flat rate on all purchases.
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Along with more sleep and less unsolicited advice, new parents can benefit from the pint-sized power of a credit card that offers rewards on all the child-related purchases you'll be making for the days to come.
Here are several of our favorite cards for new parents:
Top credit cards for new parents
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Our pick for: Everyday spending
Card details
Rewards:
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. (Full list here).
3% cash back on transit including taxis, rideshare services, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
3% cash back at U.S. gas stations.
1% cash back on everything else.*
Terms apply (see rates and fees).
Welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Terms Apply.
Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
APR: A 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 20.24%-29.24% Variable APR.
Why we like it
A delivery from the stork also means another family member to feed, clothe and transport. The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns healthy rewards on your kid’s basic expenses (like snacks) at U.S. supermarkets, as well as your own needs (like a relaxing Netflix binge after they go to bed). You'll also earn boosted cash back on getting around, whether you're heading to day care or back from a playdate.
Drawbacks
In the long run, the annual fee (currently $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.) might be an unappealing additional expense. And if your shopping habits after the new addition to your family lean more toward dining out, discount superstores or other non-supermarket spending, you'd be better off with a card that earns rewards in those places.
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
Our pick for: Your choice of retailers
Card details
Rewards:
6% cash back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter with two retailers you choose (see list of eligible retailers below).
3% cash back on your first $1,500 in eligible purchases each quarter in your choice of one everyday category, including wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, bills and utilities. (Note: gas purchased at discount stores, supercenters and wholesale clubs doesn't qualify.)
1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
5.5% cash back on prepaid hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center.
Welcome offer: Earn a $250 bonus after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
APR: The ongoing APR is 18.74%-28.74% Variable APR.
Why we like it
With the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card, there’s a solid list of useful retailers to choose from for 6% cash back — helpful for things like furnishing a child's room or stocking up on supplies (especially if you tend to shop at superstores like Walmart instead of grocery stores). Plus, the 3% cash-back categories are practical for parents, offering you choices like gas, wholesale clubs and recurring bills. And since you can change your categories each quarter, it’s a card that can adapt to meet your ever-changing needs.
Drawbacks
Depending on your spending, those $1,500 quarterly caps on earning higher cash-back rates might be quite limiting, and that's before taking into account the card's annual fee after the first year. Plus, you’ll need to map out each quarter’s anticipated spending to decide which categories you’ll want to choose. That can be a tall order when you're adjusting to a new routine.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Our pick for: Simplicity
Card details
Rewards:
2% cash back on all purchases: 1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay your bill.
Welcome offer: 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.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: Get 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.24%-28.24% Variable APR.
Why we like it
Maybe you're not looking to expend even more energy juggling different cards for different purchases. For simple but above-average earnings on every purchase, check out the Citi Double Cash® Card. It pays an easy-to-track 2% cash back on every purchase: 1% when you buy something and another 1% back when you pay the bill. You can redeem rewards for a check, statement credit or gift cards. There's also a potentially useful introductory APR of 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.24%-28.24% Variable APR.
Drawbacks
If you know you're going to be spending a lot in certain categories (ahem diapers and wipes), you may find that another card offers better rewards in those areas.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our pick for: Takeout and cooking at home
Card details
Rewards:
3% cash back on dining, at grocery stores, on entertainment and on popular streaming services.
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.24%-29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies.
Why we like it
When you’re adjusting to your new routine, you may need to alternate between ordering restaurant deliveries or buying ready-to-eat meals at the grocery store. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card can offer a top rewards rate on both of these expenses while also providing value on basic household necessities at supermarkets. (See rates and fees.) The 3% back on popular streaming services is also a welcome incentive as you catch up on shows when sleep disruptions arise. In addition to the rich ongoing rewards rate, the card packs healthy introductory offers for new cardholders. The sign-up bonus can defray the cost of a large purchase, and the interest-free window can offer time to pay it off.
Drawbacks
The drawbacks aren’t many with this card, but if you frequently order food deliveries from restaurants you might get more value from a card that also offers credits toward those purchases.
American Express® Gold Card
Our pick for: Credits on restaurant orders
Card details
Rewards:
4 Membership Rewards points per dollar spent at restaurants on up to $50,000 in purchases per year.
4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per year.
3 points per dollar spent for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel.
2 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible travel booked through amextravel.com.
1 point per dollar spent on other eligible purchases.
Terms apply.
Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Annual fee: $325.
APR: See Pay Over Time APR.
Why we like it
The American Express® Gold Card offers a healthy dose of rewards at restaurants and on spending at U.S. supermarkets — two major line items in many household budgets — and it's chock-full of useful foodie-related perks, too. There’s a $120 annual dining credit (available as monthly credits of $10 on select purchases), up to $120 a year in Uber Cash (issued as $10 per month), a credit of up to $100 toward eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants on the Resy app or Resy.com (issued as $50 semi-annually), and a credit of up to $84 at Dunkin’ Donuts (issued as $7 per month). Terms apply; see rates and fees.)
Drawbacks
The annual fee is on the higher end compared with other credit cards, and while all those credits can potentially offset the cost, they're issued in use-it-or-lose-it monthly installments. Unless you're already spending on purchases that qualify for those credits, it won't be worth it.
Discover it® Cash Back
Our pick for: Seasonal spending
Card details
Rewards
5% cash back at different places each quarter (past categories have included gas stations, grocery stores and home improvement stores, up to the quarterly maximum of $1,500, each time you activate.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 18.24%-27.24% Variable APR.
Why we like it
If your spending aligns with the Discover it® Cash Back's bonus categories, it could be a money saver for your growing family, letting you stockpile family essentials when your preferred purveyor is eligible to earn elevated rewards. Past 5% bonus categories have included family-friendly areas such as grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, home improvement stores and wholesale clubs. And the unique welcome bonus is potentially quite lucrative.
Drawbacks
You have to remember to keep track of the rotating categories and opt in each quarter, which may be bothersome. And if you've already got a large family and often spend above and beyond the quarterly category cap, a card with a different rewards structure is probably a better fit.
Mesa Homeowners Card
Image courtesy of Mesa
Our pick for: Day care expenses
Card details
Rewards:
3 points per $1 on day care expenses and home-related spending (including home decor, home improvement and maintenance, general contractors, cable and streaming services, home insurance, property taxes, telecommunications services and utilities).
2 points per $1 spent on groceries, gas and electric vehicle charging. (Grocery purchases at warehouse clubs and big box stores are excluded.)
1 point per $1 spent on your mortgage payment (up to a maximum of 100,000 points per calendar year) when you make $1,000 in qualifying purchases every month.
1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: None.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 25.24% for purchases as of this writing.
Why we like it
A credit card that offers elevated rewards on day care expenses is vanishingly rare. With the Mesa Homeowners Card, you can earn bonus rewards at any day care that accepts Visa cards — although if the day care charges convenience or processing fees for the transaction, it likely won’t be worth using this payment method. Still, the card has other unique features: It allows you to earn rewards on your mortgage payments and home-related expenses, and its lengthy list of merchant and service credits can add further value.
Drawbacks
Point values are relatively low, depending on the option selected. The card also doesn’t have any introductory offers for new cardholders.
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi
Our pick for: Gas and discount shopping
Card details
Rewards:
5% cash back on gas at Costco gas stations and 4% back on gas and EV charging at other gas stations, on up to $7,000 in combined spending a year, then 1% back.
3% cash back on eligible restaurants and eligible travel purchases.
2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: N/A.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: The ongoing APR is 19.49%-27.49% Variable APR.
Why we like it
You can use the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi anywhere Visa is accepted, so those stellar cash-back rates on gas will be useful no matter where you fill up. Plus, you'll earn rich rewards of 3% on dining and travel and 1% on all other purchases, making it a solid all-around choice for spending. The card's 2% back on Costco purchases only sweetens the deal at a retailer known for its wholesale pricing.
Drawbacks
You have to be a Costco member to apply for the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, which starts at $65 annually. Your earnings on the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi are redeemable only once a year.
Target Circle™ Credit Card
Our pick for: Superstore loyalists
Card details
Rewards:
5% off at Target and Target.com on all qualifying purchases.
Welcome offer: N/A.
Annual fee $0.
APR: The ongoing APR is 28.95%, Variable APR.
Why we like it
If you already do most of your household shopping at Target, then using the Target Circle™ Credit Card to get a 5% discount off your purchases is a smart move. There's no annual fee and no worrying with traditional reward redemptions. Plus, Target.com shoppers with the card can get additional discounts on diapers and wipes with an eligible subscription, letting you further stack the savings.
Drawbacks
The Target Circle™ Credit Card is a "closed-loop" card, meaning you can use it only for Target purchases. (You may eventually be upgraded to a Mastercard version, which can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.) If you typically carry a balance, the high APR on the Target Circle™ Credit Card will exceed the value of the card's 5% discount on purchases. You'd be better off with a card that offers a lower APR or comes with a 0% intro APR offer on purchases.
Prime Visa
Our pick for: Doorstep delivery fans
Card details
Rewards:
5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership.
2% back at restaurants and gas stations.
2% back on local transit and commuting (including rideshare).
1% back on all other purchases.
Welcome offer: Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
Annual fee: $0. But a paid Amazon Prime membership is a requirement.
APR: The ongoing APR is 19.49%-28.24% Variable APR.
Why we like it
If you have no desire or intention to haul your kiddo into a physical store with you, you can still get rewarded when you complete your shopping list online. The Prime Visa will snag you 5% back on every purchase at both Amazon and Whole Foods Market, if that's where your family prefers to shop. And you'll snag solid rewards of 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores.
Drawbacks
Although technically the Prime Visa doesn't carry an annual fee, a Prime membership is required to apply for the card, which starts at $139 a year ($69 a year for eligible students).
» MORE: Full review of the Prime Visa
Instacart Mastercard®
Our pick for: Groceries at your door
Card details
Rewards:
5% cash back on Instacart purchases.
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase.
2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and select streaming services.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Annual fee: $0.
Why we like it
Heading to the grocery store for a big shop is last on the list of things many new parents feel like doing. The Instacart Mastercard® earns an impressive 5% cash back on your purchases while someone else does the shopping for you. Plus, it earns a solid 2% cash back on several everyday spending categories like restaurants and gas stations.
Drawbacks
If you're a sporadic Instacart user, you'll do better with a different card since in-person grocery hauls or after-work shopping runs that you make yourself won’t earn 5% cash back.
Information related to the Instacart Mastercard® has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.
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