Best cash-back credit cards of June 2026

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When it comes to cash-back credit cards, it literally pays to do your homework.

Using the right cash-back card strategically can earn you hundreds of dollars a year and thousands of dollars over time. But the best choice isn't always obvious.

Cash-back cards earn rewards at different rates, and the fees and benefits vary wildly. Some cash-back cards have no annual fee, and others offer bonus spending categories that reward you for specific types of purchases. If your search for a cash-back card has stalled, here are a few of the top options for you to consider.

Who's this for? The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is ideal if you're looking for a cash rewards card that offers a long intro APR on purchases and balance transfers.

Standout benefits: You won't need to juggle specific or limited bonus categories with this card because it earns 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Introductory APR: The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers new members a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter). Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and an intro balance transfer fee of 3%; after the fact, a balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) applies.

Who's this for? If you do your online shopping across several different stores, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a versatile pick. It earns 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases, then 1%).

Standout benefits: Fans of streaming will likely use the annual $84 Disney Bundle Credit, which comes in the form of $7 monthly statement credits after using your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card for a subscription purchase. This includes a bundle subscription purchase at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites (subject to auto-renewal).Best for flat-rate cash back

Who's this for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is ideal for anyone who wants a robust rewards card with no annual fee. It's also an excellent choice if you own another Ultimate Rewards® card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See rates and fees), as you can convert cash back into fully transferable Ultimate Rewards® points.

Standout benefits: Cardholders can enjoy discounts and special perks with Lyft and more — all for no annual fee.

Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is a solid choice if you're looking to maximize your spending without worrying about rotating bonus categories. You'll earn up to 2% cash back: 1% back when you buy and 1% when you pay off your bill.

Standout benefits: The Citi Double Cash doesn't charge an annual fee, and it features an easy-to-use rewards program with no activation required and no limit to how much cash back you can earn. Plus, you'll get full access to Citi's travel partners.

Who's this for? Many of the best cash-back cards require good or excellent credit, but there are some options for people with fair/average credit that offer comparable cash-back rates. The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card earns a competitive 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no limit on the amount of cash back you can earn.

Standout benefits: The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card charges no foreign transaction fees and comes with access to CreditWise.

Who's this for? The Prime Visa is a great fit if you do a bulk of your shopping with Amazon. The card earns 5% cash back on all purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods and Chase Travel^SM.

Standout benefits: Outside of rewards on Amazon, you'll earn 2% cash back at gas stations,
restaurants and on local transit. Plus, you'll receive a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval, exclusively for Prime members.

Who's this for? A student card like the Discover it® Student Cash Back can help you build credit while earning cash back. To qualify, you need to meet a few requirements: attend a two- or four-year college, be over 18 and be a U.S. citizen.

Standout benefits: The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, which makes it a good choice for students studying abroad. Plus, you'll get an automatic dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year.

Who's this for? If you're looking to maximize rewards, consider a rotating bonus category card like the Chase Freedom Flex®. The cash-back calendar changes every quarter and may feature categories like grocery stores, gas stations, Amazon purchases and more.

Standout benefits: In addition to rotating bonus categories, you'll earn 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, and on drugstore purchases. You can also get discounts and special perks with partners like Lyft.

Who's this for? The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards lets you choose from six different spending categories to earn 3% cash back, plus an automatic 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%).

Standout benefits: Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members can earn 25% to 75% more cash back on every purchase, depending on their membership tier.

A cash-back card is a type of rewards credit card that earns cash-like rewards. These, typically, are the most straightforward rewards credit cards on the market, as what you earn has a clear value.

For example, if you earn $50 in cash back, it's worth $50. With a cash-back credit card, you usually don't have to worry about using specific redemptions to maximize your value.

There are many types of credit cards that offer a range of perks and rewards programs, especially when it comes to cash-back credit cards. The three main types are flat-rate, bonus rewards and rotating categories:

• Flat-rate cash-back cards offer the same amount of cash back on all purchases
• Bonus rewards cash-back cards offer extra rewards on select purchases, such as gas, groceries, dining and travel
• Rotating category cash-back cards offer higher cash-back rates on certain categories that change every month or quarter

Depending on your spending habits, you can benefit from having one or more cash-back cards.

Cash-back credit cards can be very valuable, but it depends on the type of card and your spending habits. There are three main ways you'll receive value from a credit card that earns cash back:

• Welcome bonus: You can earn a one-time welcome bonus after approval, but you typically need to meet a spending requirement to receive it
• Spending: Earning cash back on spending made with you card is the most common way to accumulate rewards
• Other benefits: Statement credits, insurance perks, and special discounts can also boost your cash-back balance, depending on the card

When a credit card offers a welcome bonus, consider how much you'll earn in the first year compared to how much you'll earn in subsequent years, since the intro bonus is a one-time benefit.

The best welcome bonuses for cash-back cards are typically worth $200 to $500, although you can earn bigger bonuses (especially with business credit cards and travel credit cards). How much you earn from spending depends on what you spend on and how much you use your credit card.

If you spend an average of $15,000 on credit cards in a year and put all of those purchases on a 2% cash-back card, you'll earn $300 cash back annually. Not factoring in other possible benefits or the welcome bonus, that's more than enough to justify an annual fee.

To choose the best cash-back card for your needs, you'll need to take a few things into consideration:

1. Consider the annual fee

While many cash-back cards have no or low annual fees, consider if you're willing to pay for your credit card each year.

2. Review your spending habits

Reviewing your previous credit card or bank statements can help you narrow down where you do the most spending — and the type of cash-back card you want.

For example, if you spend a lot at the supermarket, consider a grocery rewards card. But if your spending habits are unclear, stick with a flat-rate cash-back card like the Citi Double Cash.

3. Decide if you want a 0% APR

If you have large purchases coming up or credit card debt to pay off, consider a card with an intro APR. Many cash-back cards offer an introductory 0% APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both, which can help you save money on interest charges.

Intro APR periods on cash-back cards typically range from 12 months to 15 months, though you can find longer offers from cards that don't earn rewards. You should also take into account any balance transfer fees and the variable APR charged after the intro period.

4. Compare your options

If you're having trouble narrowing down the best cash-back card for you, it can be helpful to do a side-by-side comparison. First, list the value of the benefits, rewards and the cost of the annual fee (if it has one). Then, take a look at your spending from the previous year or the last few months.

Once you have that information, it'll be easier to see which card will be the most rewarding for you. If you don't spend a lot on common bonus categories (dining, etc.), a flat-rate card like Citi Double Cash may be a good fit. But if bonus categories are worthwhile for you, a card like the Chase Freedom Flex could be more valuable.

To make the most of your cash-back card, familiarize yourself with its benefits and fees. Review the annual fee, foreign transaction fees and APR, and make sure you have a solid understanding of your card's rewards rates (including any spending caps or activation requirements) and redemption options.

Once you're familiar with the terms of your card, you can begin to optimize it. Set up autopay to ensure payments are made on time and consider how you want to redeem cash back. If there's an automatic redemption option, that can be a simple way to cash out your rewards.

And if you have multiple credit cards, make sure you know the best time to use each card. Let's say you have the Citi Double Cash Card and the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Use the Freedom Unlimited for all your Chase Travel^SM purchases (5% cash back), dining (3% cash back) and drugstore (3% cash back) expenses, then use the Double Cash for all other purchases to earn an effective 2% cash back.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best cash-back credit cards.

To determine which cash-back credit cards will put the most money back in your pocket, CNBC Select evaluated cash-back credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.  

We compared each card on a range of features, including cash-back rewards, annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem your rewards (e.g., is there a minimum redemption requirement).

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For rates and fees of the Discover it® Student Cash Back, click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, click here.  

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

*We may earn commissions from qualifying purchases made through Amazon links.