Credit Cards That Offer Customizable Rewards

Customizable rewards offer maximum flexibility, but sometimes they require extra work.
Kimberly Palmer
By Kimberly Palmer 
Updated
Edited by Kenley Young

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If your spending doesn’t often match up with the traditional bonus categories on credit cards, such as travel or restaurants, then you might be better off with a credit card that offers customizable rewards. With these cards, the bonus categories shift according to your own spending habits.

In some cases, you must actively select the bonus categories from a list, and in others, the bonus categories automatically shift in response to how you spend.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Depending on how you spend, you might be better off with a flat-rate cash-back card or a rewards card that offers more traditional bonus categories. It’s worth looking at how you spend before making that choice.

Here are some of the top cards that offer customizable rewards:

Cards that offer customizable rewards

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Citi Custom Cash® Card
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your highest spend category per billing cycle (eligible options include grocery stores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and more).

  • 1% back on all other purchases.

Rewards are earned in the form of ThankYou Points, which can be redeemed for cash back as a direct deposit, check or statement credit at a value of 1 cent per point. Other redemption options include gift cards, travel or purchases made on Amazon.com.

Sign-up bonus: 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.

Why we like it

Rewards automatically adjust for your spending each billing cycle, which allows for maximum flexibility, especially if your spending changes month to month. Some of the 5% categories, such as live entertainment and home improvement stores, aren’t commonly found on bonus category lists, so if you happen to spend a lot on those categories, this card could give you a high rewards rate that’s difficult to match elsewhere.

Drawbacks

The $500 spending cap on the 5% rewards category means that you can earn at most $300 in your bonus category each year, plus the additional 1% rewards on all other spending. That’s a relatively low rewards rate after you hit that cap.

The automatically adjusting rewards structure is helpful for those who want to earn outsized rewards without fuss. But those looking to maximize every purchase will need to track category spending closely and consider pairing with another card to earn more than 1% on other purchases.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 3% back on a category of your choice, with options including online shopping, gas/EV charging stations, and dining, and 2% back on grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 of combined bonus category/grocery store/wholesale club spending per quarter. After hitting that cap, you earn 1% back on those purchases.

  • 1% back on all other purchases.

🤓Nerdy Tip

Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members can earn 25%-75% more, depending on the amount they have in an eligible Bank of America® or Merrill account. That means the 3% back could increase to 5.25% back with the highest level of rewards.

Sign-up bonus: $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

Annual fee: $0.

Why we like it

The flexibility to choose your own rewards categories out of a relatively flexible list — online shopping, for example, includes spending at many online retailers, including Amazon.com and BestBuy.com — gives cardholders a lot of leeway when it comes to earning bonus rewards. The dining category also includes spending at coffee shops and fast-food establishments, among others.

Drawbacks

This card takes some effort to manage: You can change your bonus category up to once a month, and if you don’t choose one, it will default to gas. The spending caps limit your earning potential.

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Credit Card
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 5% cash back on the first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases each quarter in two categories of your choice, from a list of 12. (In the past, options have included sporting goods stores and home utilities.) See below for the full list.

  • 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center.

  • 2% cash back in one “everyday” category of your choice. (In the past, options have included gas stations and restaurants.)

  • 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

  • Fast food.

  • Home utilities.

  • TV, internet and streaming.

  • Department stores.

  • Cell phone providers.

  • Electronics stores.

  • Sporting goods stores.

  • Movie theaters.

  • Gyms/fitness centers.

  • Furniture stores.

  • Ground transportation.

  • Select clothing stores.

Sign-up bonus: $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.

Annual fee: $0.

Why we like it

The fact that you can customize your rewards and pick not just one but two categories to earn 5% cash back on makes this card stand out. The spending cap of $2,000 is also relatively high.

Drawbacks

In order to earn the 5% and 2% bonus rewards rates, you must select the categories that you want each quarter. If you don’t opt in, then you'll earn only the 1% cash back rate.

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card  - NerdWallet Exclusive
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 6% cash back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter at two retailers you choose from a list of 24 (see full list below).

  • 3% cash back on your first $1,500 in eligible purchases each quarter in your choice of one everyday category.

  • 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

  • 5.5% cash back on prepaid car and hotel reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center.

  • Ace Hardware.

  • Apple.

  • Amazon.com.

  • Anthropologie.

  • Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

  • Best Buy.

  • Chewy.com.

  • Crate & Barrel.

  • Disney.

  • Home Depot.

  • Ikea.

  • Kohl's.

  • Lowe's.

  • Lululemon.

  • Macy's.

  • Menards.

  • Nordstrom.

  • Pottery Barn.

  • QVC.

  • Restoration Hardware.

  • Target.

  • Walmart.

  • Wayfair.com.

  • Williams Sonoma.

Sign-up bonus: Get 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.

Why we like it

The list of two-dozen possible 6%-back categories includes one-stop stores like Amazon, but also Walmart and Target — the kinds of big-box retailers that are often specifically excluded from other rewards credit cards. The 3% "everyday" list is also useful and potentially lucrative.

Drawbacks

Unlike a lot of other cash-back cards, this one comes with an annual fee. You can certainly offset it thanks to the card's rich rewards, but it will require some work and strategy on your part. In addition to keeping in mind the quarterly spending caps on the 6% and 3% categories, you'll also have to remember to select your 6% and 3% categories every quarter. If not, you'll earn just 1.5% back on purchases. Also bear in mind that the 6% rate is for combined quarterly spending across two categories. Depending on which ones you select, you could hit that cap pretty quickly.

Venmo Credit Card

Venmo Credit Card
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 3% cash back in your top spending category for the month (from one of eight possible categories, including grocery, dining, travel, gas and more).

  • 2% back in your second-place spending category for the month (from one of the remaining seven possible categories).

  • 1% back on all other purchases.

Sign-up bonus: Terms vary.

Annual fee: $0.

Why we like it

The large number of bonus categories gives this card’s rewards maximum flexibility; you also automatically earn the bonus rewards in your categories with the highest spending each month, so you don’t have to actively manage the card or remember to opt in.

Drawbacks

You must have a Venmo account to apply for the card, and many spending categories earn only 1% back.

American Express® Business Gold Card

American Express® Business Gold Card
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 4 Membership Rewards points per dollar in two categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle. There are six categories to choose from, and they include airfare purchased directly from airlines and U.S. purchases at restaurants. The 4x rewards rate applies to the first $150,000 in spending on those two combined categories (1 point per dollar thereafter). Terms Apply.

Welcome offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.

Annual fee: $375.

Why we like it

If your business's spending aligns with at least some of the six bonus categories, you can earn a high level of rewards. You don’t have to opt into the categories; you automatically earn the higher rate on your two highest-spend categories, which makes the card easy to manage.

Drawbacks

The high annual fee means you have to spend a lot to earn enough rewards to break even; if you spend less, then a different card might be a better fit.

TD Cash Credit Card

CARD DETAILS

TD Bank TD Cash Credit Card Credit Card
NerdWallet rating 

Rewards:

  • Choose your top two spend categories to earn unlimited 3% and 2% cash back.

  • Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Rewards may be redeemed for a statement credit or direct deposit once you’ve accumulated at least 2,500 points.

Sign-up bonus: Bonus Cash Back: Earn $200 Cash Back when you spend $500 within 90 days after account opening.

Annual fee: $0.

Why we like it

Every quarter, TD Cash Credit Card holders may select two categories in which to earn elevated rewards: one that will earn 3% and another that will earn 2%. The categories should align with many consumers’ regular spending:

  • Dining.

  • Entertainment. (This category includes movie theaters, ticket agencies, amusement parks and tourist attractions.)

  • Gas.

  • Grocery. (Superstores and warehouse clubs will always earn just 1%.) 

  • Travel.

Note that the default 3% category is dining, and 2% category is grocery stores. New cardholders have 30 days within account opening to adjust the default categories. If you don’t change your categories before each quarter, the 3% and 2% categories will remain the same as the previous quarter.

Drawbacks

The primary disadvantage of this card is its limited availability. To get it, you must be a resident of certain eligible states (or Washington, D.C.). Also, the TD Cash Credit Card tops out at 3% cash back, which is lower than what you’d find on other cards, even those with a $0 annual fee. For example, the previously mentioned U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card earns — among other things — 5% cash back in two categories of your choosing from a list, on up to $2,000 quarterly spending. Terms apply. And while the list of bonus categories for the TD Cash Credit Card covers many people’s everyday spending habits, it’s not as extensive as the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card (12 categories) or Citi Custom Cash® Card (10 categories).

Truist Enjoy Cash credit card

CARD DETAILS

Rewards: Cardholders may choose from one of two rewards structures:

  • Option 1: Unlimited 3% cash back on gas and EV charging stations, 2% on utilities and groceries (up to $1,000 monthly cap in both bonus categories); 1% back on all other eligible purchases. 

  • Option 2: Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases. 

Rewards may be redeemed for statement credit, cash back, gift cards, merchandise, event tickets and travel.

Sign-up bonus: None.

Annual fee: $0.

Why we like it

The Truist Enjoy Cash card is one of the only credit cards that allows cardholders to customize the entire rewards structure, giving them an incredible amount of say-so over how they earn rewards.

The first option has high cash-back rates on gas, utilities and groceries, popular spending areas for many households. The second option is 1.5% cash back on all purchases, a solid rate that is competitive with other credit cards and simple for those who don’t want to keep track of multiple rewards categories.

The Enjoy Cash card gets even better for Truist bank members, who can receive a 10%-50% bonus of their redeemed rewards when they deposit cash back into an eligible checking, savings or money market account. The amount of the bonus depends on the three-month average of the total balance across all Truist savings, checking and investment accounts.

Drawbacks

Enjoy Cash cardholders must choose their preferred rewards structure upon account opening, and this decision is final. Say you originally opted for the tiered rewards structure, primarily to get the 3% rate on gas stations because you have a long work commute. If you begin working from home, the Enjoy Cash card may no longer be the best fit.

And unlike other cards whose rewards don’t expire as long as the account is open and in good standing, rewards earned with the Enjoy Cash card have a shelf life of five years.

U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card

U.S. Bank Business Leverage™ Visa Signature® Card
NerdWallet rating 

CARD DETAILS

Rewards:

  • 5 points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly through the Rewards Center.

  • 2 points per dollar spent on purchases made in the top two out of 48 categories; categories include things like advertising firms, airlines, gas stations and hotels.

  • 1 point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.

Sign-up bonus: Earn $750 in rewards when you spend $7,500 in eligible purchases on the account owners' card within the first 120 days of opening your account.

Why we like it

The bonus rewards category automatically updates based on your spending, which means you don’t have to spend time managing rotating categories.

Drawbacks

While the customizable rewards offer a lot of flexibility, especially since there are 48 categories to choose from, it doesn’t make up for the fact that the overall rewards rate is still relatively low.

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