Best Cash Back Credit Cards of February 2019

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How to choose a cash-back credit card

Cash-back credit cards come in three varieties. Flat-rate cards, the simplest, give you the same rewards rate on everything. Tiered cards earn a higher rate in specific categories, such as groceries or gas, and usually 1% on everything else. Bonus category credit cards offer an even higher cash-back rate, typically 5%, in specific categories that change periodically, and 1% on everything else.

Which type is right for you depends on how you spend money and your patience for keeping track of rewards categories. If you spend a lot in certain categories, such as gas or groceries, consider a tiered or bonus category card. If you don’t want the fuss of remembering which of your cards have which bonus categories, opt for a flat-rate card.

Once you’ve decided which type of cash-back credit card works best for you, consider these factors:

• Are you willing to pay an annual fee for higher rewards?
• How flexible do you want your redemption options to be?
• Does the card have a sign-up bonus?
• Do you want a 0% introductory APR?

For more, see our guide to choosing a cash-back credit card.

Making the most of your cash-back card

Combine cards for optimum rewards. If you’re willing to switch among cards to maximize your rewards, be sure to get cards that complement one another's rewards structures. For example, you can get one card that offers extra cash back for dining, another that offers extra for shopping at Amazon and another that gives extra for gas and groceries. If your cash-back categories overlap, you’ll wind up with redundant cards in your wallet.

If there's an annual fee, make sure you’re getting more cash back. An annual fee is only worth it if you’re earning more in rewards than you pay — and more than you would if you were using a no-fee card. Most cash-back credit cards keep a running total of the rewards you’ve earned in the past year, so log in to your account and check your statements after a year to make sure it’s worth it to pay the annual fee again.

Take advantage of rotating bonus categories. If you have a card with rotating cash-back bonus categories, make sure to opt in to (or "activate") the categories every quarter so you don’t miss out on 5% cash back on featured categories like restaurants, wholesale clubs, gas stations, groceries and more.

Don’t miss out on your sign-up bonus. Make sure you meet the minimum spending requirement to qualify for the bonus, otherwise you could miss out on hundreds of dollars. Cash-back cards typically require less than $1,000 in spending to earn the bonus, so shift as much spending as possible to a new card until you have the extra cash sewn up.

Use your credit card’s shopping portal for extra rewards. Online credit card malls, accessible through your credit card login, can help you earn extra cash back on your web-based purchases, sometimes up to 10 times as much.

Other cards to consider

A cash-back credit card isn’t necessarily the best option for you. If you travel a lot, consider a travel credit card or an airline credit card. If you carry a balance from month to month, the interest can quickly gobble up more than you're earning in cash back. In that case, a low interest card is probably a better choice.

Still not sure? See our best rewards cards for a range of credit cards that earn cash, points or miles.

To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please visit this page.
To view rates and fees of the American Express Cash Magnet™ Card, please visit this page.