The best cash back credit cards
Of the 47 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 feeA year of rewards on the illustrative household spending described on the method page, minus the annual fee. Your own spending will give a different number. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
American Express, most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 6 |
U.S. Bank, most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 7 |
Fidelity, most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 8 |
U.S. Bank, most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 9 |
SoFi, most from Groceries |
none | $529 |
| 10 |
U.S. Bank, most from Groceries |
none | $493 |
| 11 |
Navy Federal, most from Groceries |
none | $493 |
| 12 |
U.S. Bank, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $481 |
| 13 |
Capital One, most from Groceries |
none | $478 |
| 14 |
American Express, most from Groceries |
none | $457 |
| 15 |
U.S. Bank, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $455 |
| 16 |
Sam's Club / Synchrony, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $451 |
| 17 |
Capital One, most from Groceries |
$39 a year | $439 |
| 18 |
Citi, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $433 |
| 19 |
Citi, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $433 |
| 20 |
U.S. Bank, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $401 |
| 21 |
Truist, most from Groceries |
none | $398 |
| 22 |
Bank of America, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 23 |
Bank of America, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 24 |
Navy Federal, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 25 |
Discover, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 26 |
OnePay / Synchrony, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 27 |
PayPal / Synchrony, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 28 |
Capital One, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 29 |
Bank of America, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 30 |
Bank of America, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 31 |
Bank of America, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 32 |
Chase, most from Groceries |
none | $397 |
| 33 |
Venmo / Synchrony, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $358 |
| 34 |
Capital One, most from Groceries |
$39 a year | $358 |
| 35 |
PenFed, most from Groceries |
$95 a year | $339 |
| 36 |
U.S. Bank, most from Restaurants & Bars |
$95 a year | $337 |
| 37 |
Bank of America, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $337 |
| 38 |
Chase, most from Groceries |
$195 a year | $334 |
| 39 |
Bank of America, most from Groceries |
$95 a year | $332 |
| 40 |
Chase, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $323 |
| 41 |
Amazon / Chase, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $322 |
| 42 |
Amazon / Chase, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $322 |
| 43 |
Navy Federal, most from Restaurants & Bars |
$95 a year | $315 |
| 44 |
Discover, most from Restaurants & Bars |
none | $305 |
| 45 |
Wells Fargo, most from Groceries |
none | $283 |
| 46 |
Discover, most from Groceries |
none | $265 |
| 47 |
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: Altitude Connect — $4.00 per $100
- hotels: Altitude Connect — $4.00 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
- Uber and Lyft: Altitude Connect — $4.00 per $100
- public transit: Attune — $4.00 per $100
- EV charging: Altitude Connect — $4.00 per $100
- parking and tolls: Flagship Premier Visa Signature — $4.00 per $100