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Credit Cards

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card review: Earn 5% cash back in two categories of your chosing

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature Card lets you pick your 5% cash-back categories

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Some Chase cards are currently not available on CNBC Select but you can check out our marketplace to compare offers from other issuers including American Express and Citi.

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature Card is one of a handful of $0 annual fee cards that can earn you 5% back in several everyday categories. Usually, these cards rotate which categories earn 5% without your input, but every quarter the U.S. Bank Cash lets you choose which purchase types earn this high rate.

CNBC Select takes an in-depth look at the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature Card to see if its 5% cash back is right for you.

Information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

CNBC Select Rating
4.8

Information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Credit score

N/A

Regular APR

See terms

Annual fee

See terms

Welcome bonus

See terms

*See rates and fees, terms apply.

  • 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
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Welcome bonus

You can earn a $200 rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.

Benefits and perks

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature Card doesn't have too many bells and whistles, but as a Visa Signature card it offers some decent travel-focused benefits. This includes travel and emergency assistance services and premium perks at the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection, such as automatic room upgrades when available. The card also comes with a complimentary concierge service, which can help with anything from securing dinner reservations to hard-to-get concert tickets.

How to earn and redeem U.S. Bank Cash+ rewards

Earning

When using your U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card, you can earn cash back at different rates:

  • 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of your choice
  • 5% cash back on air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
  • 2% cash back on one everyday category you choose each quarter
  • 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

You can select from the following 12 options when choosing your two 5% cash-back categories:

  • Fast food
  • Electronics stores
  • TV, internet and streaming services
  • Home utilities
  • Cell phone providers
  • Furniture stores
  • Department stores
  • Ground transportation
  • Gyms/fitness centers
  • Select clothing stores
  • Sporting goods stores
  • Movie theaters

For your 2% cash back category, there are three options to select from:

  • Grocery stores
  • Gas and EV charging stations
  • Restaurants

You'll earn 1% cash back on all the spending that falls outside of your selected categories, plus on any purchases that exceed the $2,000 combined cash back cap of your chosen ones. You must enroll in the categories of your choosing each quarter to receive the elevated rewards rate.

Redeeming

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card offers several different ways to redeem your rewards, one being the Real-Time Rewards program, which allows you to use points to offset the price of qualifying purchases almost immediately. After you enroll in Real-Time Rewards and install the mobile app, you should receive a text after the purchase that allows you to redeem points toward that purchase on your credit card balance.

Other redemption options include a statement credit, prepaid U.S. Bank Rewards Cards, or depositing the cash back into a U.S. Bank checking or savings account.

Rates and fees

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card has a $0 annual fee and charges a foreign transaction fee of 3%. Late or returned payments can have fees of up to $41 and a balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer or a $5 minimum, whichever is greater.

Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.

Card comparison

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex®

Chase Freedom Flex®

CNBC Select Rating
5
CNBC Select Rating
5

Spotlight

New cardholders receive a 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers.

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

18.24%-27.74% variable

Annual fee

$0

Welcome bonus

Earn a $200 Bonus

Member FDIC. Terms apply. Information about the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Read our Chase Freedom Flex® review.

The Chase Freedom Flex® is an excellent cash-back card for maximizing your spending in a variety of categories.

  • Long intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
  • Rewarding quarterly bonus categories
  • No annual fee
  • Bonus categories are capped each quarter
  • Has a foreign transaction fee

Rewards

  • 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate (then 1%)
  • 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
  • 3% on drugstore purchases and on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services)
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases

Balance transfer fee

Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Foreign transaction fee

3%

The Chase Freedom Flex® is another no-annual-fee card that offers 5% back in select categories, but with this card, the categories automatically rotate each quarter. The card earns rewards at the following rates:

  • Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases via categories that rotate each quarter (activation required)
  • Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM
  • Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
  • Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
  • Earn 1% on all other purchases

One big (potential) advantage the Freedom Flex has over the U.S. Bank Cash+ is that the Chase card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. If you pair the Freedom Flex with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees), Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees), you can transfer those points to any of Chase's airline and hotel partners, where they can give you tremendous value.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On Wells Fargo's site

CNBC Select Rating
5.0

On Wells Fargo's site

Credit score

Good to Excellent670–850

Regular APR

18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR

Annual fee

$0

Welcome bonus

Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus

See rates and fees. Terms apply.

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%

If managing rotating spending categories sounds more trouble than it's worth, then the simplicity of the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card may be more your speed. This card earns 2% cash rewards on purchases and, unlike with the U.S. Bank card, those rewards don't have a cap.

Similar to the Freedom Flex, the cash rewards earned by the Active Cash Card can get a big boost in value if you also have a qualifying Wells Fargo card, such as the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card (see rates and fees), which unlocks the ability to transfer rewards to the bank's partner airline and hotel loyalty programs.

With the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card, you are sacrificing a higher rewards rate for the flexibility and simplicity offered by a flat cash-back card. If you put the majority of your purchases on one card or don't want to deal with categories, this card could be a good choice.

Is the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card right for you?

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card could be a great option for those looking for a cashback card that offers more customization. If you want a travel card or one that offers premium benefits, you might prefer a different card. But if you have the patience to time your spending to the 5% cashback categories of your choice, U.S. Bank's card can give a nice boost to your bank account.

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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 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.

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Information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card and Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.

Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
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