Flat-rate cash back credit cards allow you to maximize your spending without the headaches of navigating a complicated rewards program. Cash back is easy to redeem, and with the right rewards cards, you can earn at least 2% back on every purchase — double the standard 1% return most cards provide on everyday purchases that fall outside bonus categories.
If you're looking to streamline your wallet, CNBC Select reviews the top credit cards that earn at least 2% cash back on all purchases to help you find the best option.
Best 2% cash back credit cards
- Best for 0% APR on purchases: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
- Best for balance transfers: Citi Double Cash® Card
- Best for side hustles: The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
- Best for U.S. Bank customers: U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card
- Best for investing: Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
- Best for businesses: Signify Business Cash℠ Card by Wells Fargo
- Best for easy redemptions: Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®
Best for 0% APR on purchases
Who's this for? The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great fit if you need to finance a large purchase and want to earn 2% cash rewards on purchases simultaneously.
Standout benefits: With a new Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, you'll get access to a low intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, along with a generous welcome bonus. The card also comes with cell phone protection, roadside dispatch, travel and emergency assistance services and car rental coverage.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers for a year
- No annual fee
- Cell phone protection
- Has a foreign transaction fee
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 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 fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Best for balance transfers
Who's this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card is a good option if you want a card that offers a little bit of everything, including up to 2% cash back on purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay), an intro APR on balance transfers, a welcome bonus and access to transfer partners.
Standout benefits: The Citi Double Cash Card offers new account holders a long intro APR on balance transfers and an easy-to-earn welcome bonus. Perhaps the best feature is that you can transfer the rewards you earn to nearly all of the Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners, which is an uncommon feature to have with a no-annual-fee credit card.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is one of the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward rewards structure.
- Balance transfers get a long intro APR
- Generous flat-rate cash-back rewards structure
- No annual fee
- Travelers face a foreign transaction fee
- Intro APR only applies to balance tranfer
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% - 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Best for side hustles
Who's this for? The American Express Blue Business Cash offers valuable features for anyone with a small business, side hustle or freelance gig, including 2% cash back on purchases (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%), an intro APR, a welcome bonus and shopping protections.
Standout benefits: New accounts receive a low introductory APR on purchases as well as a statement credit after meeting the spending requirements.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is an ideal fit for a growing business because it offers an intro APR for purchases and a generous cash-back rate.
- Valuable intro-APR offer for purchases for 12 months
- No annual fee
- Additional cash back is capped
- It has a foreign transaction fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.74% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. APRs will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on the first $50,000 of purchases each calendar year, 1% thereafter. Cash back earned is automatically credited to your statement.
- From workflow to inventory to floor plans, your business is constantly changing. That's why you've got the power to spend beyond your credit limit with Expanded Buying Power*.
- * The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee. Terms Apply. Learn More.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Refer to Terms and Conditions
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
Best for U.S. Bank customers
Who's this for? The U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature is a generous card, but only if you pair it with an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.
Standout benefits: This cash back card offers an intro APR offer and earns a minimum of 2% back on every purchase. You can increase the cash back you earn, but you'll have to jump through several hoops.
Earn up to an additional 2% cash back (4% back total) on your first $10,000 in eligible purchases each billing cycle. To receive the extra cash back, you must have a U.S. Bank Smartly® Savings account or open one with a $25 minimum deposit. Once you've met that qualification, you need a qualifying balance of at least $10,000 in consumer U.S. Bank Smartly Checking or Safe Debit accounts to receive an extra 0.5% back on the first $10,000 in purchases each billing cycle. To receive the maximum of 2% in additional cash back everywhere, you'll need a qualifying balance of at least $100,000.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase
- Up to additional 2% cash back on your first $10,000 in eligible Net Purchases each billing cycle when paired with U.S. Bank Smartly® Savings account plus qualifying balances in U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking and/or Safe Debit account.
- These cash back rates can be obtained when rewards are redeemed into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account.
- No Annual Fee
- 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR applies, currently 17.74%-27.99%.
- Get your cash back directly deposited into your U.S. Bank checking or savings accounts, as a statement credit, a rewards card, merchant gift cards and more.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Balance transfer fee
Either 5% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each foreign transaction
Best for investing
Who's this for? Consider the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card if you want to use your credit card rewards to grow your retirement or investment accounts.
Standout benefits: The Fidelity Rewards Visa Card earns an unlimited 2% cash back everywhere, and you can deposit the rewards you earn into up to five eligible Fidelity accounts, including IRAs, 529s and HSAs. It also offers rental car insurance and up to $100 in Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits.
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Rewards
2% cash back on every eligible net purchase (when deposited into an eligible Fidelity account)
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
16.49% to 26.49% based on your creditworthiness
Balance transfer fee
Either 5% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
Terms apply.
Pros
- Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases when deposited into an eligible Fidelity account
- No annual fee
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- High credit score required
Best for businesses
Who's this for? The Signify Business Cash℠ Card by Wells Fargo, which earns 2% cash rewards on purchases, is great for business owners looking to save money and maximize their returns for no annual fee.
Standout benefits: New account holders can take advantage of an intro APR to finance business investments. This card also includes Mastercard ID Theft Protection (enrollment required), travel accident insurance and rental car coverage. You can enroll in Priority Pass airport lounge membership, but you must pay a per-visit fee.
- High flat-rate rewards
- Intro APR for a year on purchases
- No annual fee
- Airport lounge access has a per-visit fee
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Best for easy redemptions
Who's this for? The Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® is a no-nonsense 2% cash back card that's ideal if you don't want to think about redemptions.
Standout benefits: The cash back you earn is automatically applied to your account as a statement credit (within two billing cycles), so you don't have to navigate a list of options or worry about accidentally redeeming your rewards for subpar value. The Synchrony Premier card offers several Mastercard benefits, including ID theft protection and Mastercard travel and lifestyle services.
Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®
Rewards
Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
19.24%, 28.24%, or 34.99% Variable APR
Balance transfer fee
4% fee with a $10 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Credit needed
Excellent
Pros
- High flat-rate rewards with no limits
- No annual fee
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- Potentially high APR
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Pros and cons of 2% cash back credit cards
- Simple rewards: 2% cash back cards provide a high rate of return on non-category purchases, and they rarely have bonus categories to navigate.
- Low cost: Most 2% cash back cards have no annual fee, meaning there's no cost to carry the card each year.
- Less valuable rewards: Cash back typically has less potential value than transferable travel rewards.
- Fewer perks: Most flat-rate cash back cards have few, if any, premium benefits and perks.
FAQs
Do any credit cards offer more than 2% cash back?
There are credit cards with cash back rates above 2%, but the higher returns are usually capped, apply only to specific purchases or both. In some cases, you can earn a better cash back rate if you have a large balance in a bank or investment account with the issuer.
Is a 2% cash back card worth it?
Credit cards that earn 2% cash back are some of the most straightforward and rewarding options. You don't have to remember limited bonus categories, and you'll still earn an above-average return on every purchase.
Does Capital One offer a 2% cash back credit card?
Capital One has a 2% cash back business credit card: the Capital One Spark Cash Plus. But the issuer's best cash back personal card — the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card — only earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed financial decisions. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors. 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 2% cash back credit cards.
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Our methodology
To determine which 2% cash back credit cards will put the most money back in your pocket, CNBC Select evaluated over 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).
We considered consumer spending data forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
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For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, click here.
