View Authorized User Purchases With These Credit Cards
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Adding an authorized user to your credit card comes with a lot of benefits. For one thing, you’ll probably be helping the person build good credit. For another, you’ll be racking up rewards faster.
But tracking authorized user purchases can get frustrating pretty fast. You’ll be able to see any charges to your card no matter who makes the purchase, but many credit cards issue billing statements as one long list of transactions, with no way to tell which activity belongs to which user.
Thankfully, some cards build in the ability to track authorized users' purchases, making it easier to manage your account.
Which credit cards allow you to see a breakdown of authorized user purchases?
If you’re trying to keep careful track of an authorized user’s purchases, it’s important to use a credit card that will allow you to see which transactions were made by which user. Surprisingly, this feature is somewhat hard to come by.
Here's a list of the largest credit card issuers and whether they itemize authorized user activity:
Chase | No. |
Wells Fargo | No. |
Bank of America® | No. |
Citi | If an authorized user swipes a card to make an in-store purchase, you’ll see their name next to the charge on your statement. |
Capital One | Yes, online and on monthly billing statements. |
American Express | Yes, online and on monthly billing statements. You can also manage some authorized user activity on the American Express app. |
Discover | Charges are not separated on statements. However, you can select transaction details online to see which card was used for an in-store purchase. |
Barclays | Yes, online and on monthly billing statements. |
U.S. Bank | No. |
Information current on Aug. 17, 2021.
As you can see, only American Express, Capital One, and Barclays itemize transactions by user, both online and in monthly billing statements.
Although Citi and Discover don’t offer transactions by user in an up-to-the-minute fashion, each provides some way for the primary user to track activity by an authorized user. It may not be particularly convenient, but you can access the information if you really need it.
Chase, Wells Fargo, Bank of America® and U.S. Bank don’t offer any options for sorting transactions by user.
Our top picks if you want to add an authorized user
For groceries and commuting: the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, on up to $6,000 a year in spending (then 1%).
6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis, rideshares, parking, tolls, trains and buses).
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Terms apply (see rates and fees).
What’s more, this card comes with this welcome bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Terms Apply. (see rates and fees.)
There is a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
For nights out and nights in: the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores.
8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
5% cash back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel. Terms apply.
1% on all other purchases.
The annual fee is $0, plus the card also offers a sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
For frequent or high-end travel: The Platinum Card® from American Express
5 points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5 points per $1 on prepaid hotel stays booked on AmexTravel.com.
1 points per $1 on everything else.
Terms apply (see rates and fees).
It also provides entrée to primo travel benefits, like airport lounge access, a $100 credit toward the Global Entry program and a $200 annual airline fee credit (enrollment required). Terms apply (see rates and fees).
This card comes with a generous welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply. Its annual fee is a hefty $695.
For Apple Pay users: The Apple Card
Apple Card Family allows you to add up to five other people to your Apple Card account, either as a co-owner with equal responsibility for the account, or as authorized users. You and the co-owner, if you designate one, can track account use and set limits on authorized users’ spending through Apple Wallet. Unlike most other cards where the primary account holder keeps any rewards their authorized users earn, all Apple Card Family participants keep their own earned rewards.
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