The best cash back credit cards
Of the 28 cash back cards in the catalogue — pays in dollars — Robinhood Gold Card earns the most in a year once its fee is paid: about $744.
Ranked by what each card earns in a year once its annual fee is paid — every rate converted to dollars with a dated point valuation, spending caps honoured, and rotating categories not credited. Priced on an illustrative household spending $2,205 a month on a card — the assumption, in full. Credits and perks are not priced: they are worth their face value only if you would have spent that money anyway.
| # | Card | Annual fee | A year, after the fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Robinhood · most from Groceries |
$50 a year | $744 |
| 2 |
American Express · most from Groceries |
$95 a year | $537 |
| 3 |
Wells Fargo · most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 4 |
Goldman Sachs · most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 5 |
Fidelity · most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 6 |
U.S. Bank · most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 7 |
SoFi · most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 8 |
Navy Federal · most from Groceries |
none | $493 |
| 9 |
U.S. Bank · most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $481 |
| 10 |
Capital One · most from Groceries |
none | $478 |
| 11 |
American Express · most from Groceries |
none | $457 |
| 12 |
U.S. Bank · most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $455 |
| 13 |
Sam's Club / Synchrony · most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $451 |
| 14 |
Capital One · most from Groceries |
$39 a year | $439 |
| 15 |
Citi · most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $433 |
| 16 |
Navy Federal · most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 17 |
Discover · most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 18 |
Capital One · most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 19 |
Bank of America · most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 20 |
Bank of America · most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 21 |
Bank of America · most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 22 |
PenFed · most from Groceries |
$95 a year | $339 |
| 23 |
Bank of America · most from Groceries |
$95 a year | $332 |
| 24 |
Amazon / Chase · most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $322 |
| 25 |
Discover · most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $305 |
| 26 |
Wells Fargo · most from Groceries |
none | $283 |
| 27 |
Discover · most from Groceries |
none | $265 |
| 28 |
Target |
none | $0 |
The best of them for each kind of spending
- groceries: Blue Cash Preferred — $6.00 per $100
- dining out: Altitude Go — $4.00 per $100
- gas: Sam's Club Mastercard — $5.00 per $100
- flights: Costco Anywhere Visa — $3.00 per $100
- hotels: Costco Anywhere Visa — $3.00 per $100
- online shopping: Blue Cash Everyday — $3.00 per $100
- streaming services: Blue Cash Preferred — $6.00 per $100
- food delivery: Altitude Go — $4.00 per $100
- public transit: Attune — $4.00 per $100
- EV charging: Attune — $4.00 per $100
- car rentals: Sam's Club Mastercard — $3.00 per $100
- sporting goods: Attune — $4.00 per $100
The best card is the one for this purchase.
Cardful picks between the cards you carry at every checkout.