Everyone has recurring expenses, from rent or phone bills to simple utilities like gas or electricity. And unfortunately, paying for these expenses has left Americans feeling a financial pinch.
Fifty-six percent of Americans say everyday life has become less affordable for their household compared to one year ago, according to a CNBC and SurveyMonkey Quarterly Money Survey released in April, with 49% citing the rising prices of utilities and 32% citing rent or mortgage.
As such, wouldn't it be nice to earn rewards on those expenses? With the right credit card, you can — and for a $0 annual fee in most cases. Here, CNBC Select analyzed the five best credit cards for utilities and recurring bills, and how they can help you earn on monthly payments.
Best credit cards for recurring bills and utilities
- Best for paying home utilities: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- Best for housing costs: Bilt Blue Card (see rates and fees)
- Best for streaming services: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for paying your phone bill: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
- Best for flat-rate cash back: Citi Double Cash® Credit Card
Best for paying home utilities
When should you use this card? If you have high home utility bills or are simply looking for a way to earn rewards on them, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card can help. The card earns 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of your choice, one of which is home utilities. Provided your utilities don't exceed roughly $666 per month, you'll earn the full 5% on all your payments.
Other great perks: You'll also receive 2% cash back on one everyday category you choose each quarter, including grocery stores, gas and EV charging stations and restaurants. This card comes with a $0 annual fee and a reachable welcome bonus of $250 after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days.
- Rewarding and versatile quarterly bonus categories
- Generous intro-APR offer
- Quarterly limits on the card's top bonus spending categories
- No statement credit offers or other ongoing benefits outside of the cash rewards
Best for housing costs
When should you use this card? If you pay rent or have a mortgage, the Bilt Blue Card will reward you for it. Earn up to 1X to 1.25X points on your rent or mortgage payments with no transaction fee, depending on how you choose to earn your rewards. With a $0 annual fee (see rates and fees), if you spend enough on the card, you can essentially earn free points whenever you pay for housing.
Other great perks: The Blue Card is an entry point into the Bilt ecosystem, earning 1X points on everyday spending (non-housing purchases). Bilt Points themselves are very valuable, especially for travelers who can take advantage of their generous airline and hotel transfer partners. You also earn $100 in Bilt Cash upon approval. At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
The Bilt Blue Card offers a solid entry card to the world of Bilt, offering 1X on everyday purchases without charging an annual fee.
- Earns ultra-valuable flexible rewards
- No annual fee
- Can earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage payments
- Additional steps for no-fee rent payments
- Bilt Cash redemptions are complicated
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee.
- 1X points on everyday spend
- Welcome offer: $100 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved. At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.
- Earn additional points through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits™ when you use your card at Bilt's network of 50,000+ merchant partners.
- Other benefits: No foreign transaction fees, Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection, Purchase Assurance, MasterRental Coverage (See Guide to Benefits)
Balance transfer fee
Greater of 5% or $5
Best for streaming services
When should you use this card? If you're an avid watcher of the newest TV shows and movies, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. The category includes popular services like HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Peacock and 28 others. Plus, this card comes with statement credits toward select streaming services.
Other great perks: You'll also earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 in spending per year). This card has a $0 annual fee for the first year; only in the second year does the (still reasonable) $95 annual fee start to apply.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a low-fee card with generous cash-back rewards and useful ongoing benefits, such as a monthly Disney Bundle credit. (Enrollment required for select benefits mentioned)
- High cash-back earnings for U.S. supermarkets and streaming services
- Intro-APR offer for purchases and balance transfers
- No annual fee for the first year
- It's less rewarding after the first year because of the annual fee
- Bonus rewards for U.S. supermarkets are capped
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49%.
- Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don't have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you'll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
- Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Best for paying your phone bill
When should you use this card? While the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card doesn't offer direct rewards on your phone bill, you earn a flat 2% cash rewards on all purchases and up to $600 in cell phone protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible).
Other great perks: The Active Cash welcome bonus requires a very reasonable $500 in spending over the first three months to earn $200 in cash rewards. The card also offers a decent intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers, which could help if you're looking to reduce debt payments.
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 flat-rate cash back
When should you use this card? If you're unsure exactly what card to use for each type of payment, or you don't want to open too many cards, the Citi Double Cash® Credit Card offers a flat 2% cash back on all purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay.
Other great perks: There's no limit to the cash back you can earn with the Double Cash Card, and the fact that it doesn't charge an annual fee means every ounce of savings is going directly to you. On top of this, cash back is technically awarded in the form of valuable Citi ThankYou® Points, making it a low-cost option for travel, as well.
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%
FAQs
Which is the best credit card for paying utility bills?
While it depends on the type of rewards you want, the U.S. Bank Cash+ earns 5% cash back on $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose (with utilities being an option).
Is it smart to put utility bills on a credit card?
It depends on how your utilities are billed. Many utility providers allow card payments but charge a fee, and if the fee is higher than your rewards, you'll lose money. It's also important that you're able to pay off your card each month, as credit card debt can be very costly.
Which Chase card is best for utilities?
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) is a top option for earning rewards on utilities. You'll earn an unlimited 1.5X on all purchases for no annual fee, and there's an easy-to-earn welcome bonus.
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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 decisions with their money. Every credit card list 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 credit cards for recurring bills and utilities.
Our methodology
To determine which cards would best rewards users for recurring bills and utilities CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued by FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions.
We compared each card on a range of features, including the types of utilities or services covered, rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), 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 points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back).
When choosing the best credit cards for recurring bills and utilities, we focused on cards that offered elevated rewards on specific recurring billing categories (home utilities, housing payments, streaming services, phone bills, etc). We also incorporated 0% APR options, additional credits and bonuses provided by the card, and the number of categories each card might cover.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
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