Chase Freedom Flex®: Best Credit Card for Shopping With Multiple Bonus Rewards Categories
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome Bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
The Chase Freedom Flex® is a versatile card that can be a good fit for many. It earns up to 5% cash back in quarterly rotating bonus categories, which means it can offer strong earnings across many common spending areas.
Though the bonus categories rotate every quarter, previous categories have often included purchases near and dear to shoppers, such as Target, Amazon.com and PayPal. Not to be overlooked is the card’s 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% to 28.49% applies. Balance transfer fee of up to 5% (min. $5) of the amount of each transfer applies. That extended intro APR could soften the impact of a big purchase.
Prime Visa: Best Credit Card for Amazon Shopping
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 5% back on purchases at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel℠ purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% back on other purchases.
Welcome Bonus: Earn a $100 Amazon gift card upon approval with an eligible Prime membership.
The Prime Visa offers best-in-class rewards of 5% back at Amazon, Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh with a Prime membership. In addition to excellent rewards within the Amazon ecosystem, you can earn above-average rewards at restaurants, gas stations and transit (including rideshares), making this a solid pick for many everyday categories.
Since you can practically get anything you want from Amazon, the Prime Visa can satisfy most shoppers’ needs via the behemoth retailer’s site. Just keep in mind that an Amazon Prime membership is required to apply for the card, which starts at $14.99 per month or $139 per year.
Citi Custom Cash® Card*: Best Shopping Credit Card for Choosing 5% Cash-Back Categories
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category up to the first $500 spent each billing cycle, 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel portal through 6/30/2026 and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome Bonus: Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. The bonus points come in the form of 20,000 ThankYou points that can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
If your top spending categories shift each month, then the Citi Custom Cash® Card* is designed for you. Each billing cycle, you’ll earn bonus cash back in whichever category you spend the most. There’s no need to choose your bonus categories or enroll—the earnings are automatic.
The Custom Cash could help you achieve high earning rates in shopping categories not usually covered by other cards. Eligible 5% categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment. The card earns Citi ThankYou® Points, which you can redeem in multiple ways, including cash.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best Shopping Credit Card for Flat-Rate Cash Rewards (rates & fees)
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Welcome Bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
The simple and generous rewards offered by the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card make it a cinch to shop anywhere you like. You’ll earn the same cash rewards rate everywhere without having to worry about bonus categories or spending caps.
The earning rate on this card might not seem stratospheric, but its simple flat-rate approach adds value. Since every purchase earns 2% cash rewards, you might make out better overall than with a card that earns high rewards in some areas but low rewards in others. It also comes with cellphone insurance of up to $600 (with a $25 deductible).
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card*: Best Shopping Credit Card for Choose-Your-Own Bonus Categories
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center, 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of choice, 2% cash back on one everyday category such as gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants (excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs), and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Welcome Bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
If you don’t mind putting in a little work, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card* can be a rewarding option for those who shop in various categories throughout the year. Each quarter, you choose and activate eligible categories to earn bonus cash back with the card. You activate by logging in to your account and selecting two bonus categories to earn 5%, with options including department stores, electronic stores, sporting goods stores and clothing stores.
You can also choose an additional category to earn 2% on, including groceries, dining and gas stations (exclusions apply). Plus, the card comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, then a standard 18.49% to 28.74% variable APR applies. A balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 minimum) applies and balances transferred must be completed within 60 days from account opening. Any shopper can appreciate a longer runway to pay off their purchase without accruing interest.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best Credit Card for Online Shopping
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 3% cash back in the eligible category of your choice, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Welcome Bonus: Earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card earns copious rewards in categories you can choose each month, and online shopping is among the included categories. The card also has a shopper-friendly 0% introductory APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and balance transfers, 18.24% to 28.24% variable APR applies thereafter. Intro rate applies for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days; balance transfer fee of 3% applies to each transfer during this period, then 4%.
With Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program, those earning rates increase by 25% to 75%, based on your combined daily average in Bank of America and Merrill Lynch eligible accounts. For those who qualify, this is an unbeatable earning rate.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best Card for Shopping at Grocery Stores (terms apply, see rates & fees)
Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
Rewards: Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Welcome Bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months.
Between the low introductory APR and annual fee, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers healthy cash-back earning options for filling your fridge. With this card, you can earn up to $360 per year in bonus cash back on your groceries alone. Cash back is earned as Reward Dollars, which can be redeemed as a statement credit.
The card also gives you a year to earn rewards before the annual fee kicks in. Grocery rewards are limited to U.S. supermarkets. A $7 monthly credit for an eligible subscription to the Disney Bundle (enrollment required) can help offset the card’s annual fee. Plus, you’ll get access to Amex Offers (enrollment required), which gives card members opportunities to earn extra cash back at select merchants.
Target Circle Credit Card*: Best Store Credit Card
Annual Fee: $0
Rewards: Earn 5% off on purchases at Target in store or online purchases, plus earn 2% on dining and gas purchases and 1% everywhere else.
Welcome Bonus: Earn $50 in Target Circle Rewards after spending $50 or more on qualifying purchases within 60 days of approval.
The Target Circle Credit Card* hits the bullseye for frequent Target shoppers. Cardholders earn a generous 5% discount when using the card for Target purchases. Some well-qualified applicants may automatically be considered for and issued a Mastercard version of this card, which can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Card perks include free two-day shipping on eligible items ordered at Target.com and a 30-day extended return and exchange window on eligible items. But arguably the best perk of all is its unusual upfront discount on purchases, which means you get your benefit immediately at checkout without having to deal with any redemption programs.
