The following are the best credit cards that offer 5% cash back bonus promotions and do not charge an annual fee — usually on a quarterly rotating basis in select categories of goods and stores. The best strategy is to have several of these reward cards so all your categories are covered and you ensure that you don’t hit the cap where your reward is reduced to just 1%. For specific cashback information, click on the links to get the latest information.
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Prime Rewards Visa® Signature Card | none | 5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with eligible Prime membership.
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| Discover Cards | none | You can earn 5% Cashback Bonus on up to $1,500 in category purchases each quarter. The category changes quarterly, you have to activate the cashback each quarter.Earn 5% Cashback Bonus at restaurants and PayPal from July to September, on up to $1,500 in purchases. |
| Citi® Dividend | none | Earn 5% cash back every quarter in different categories. The total cash back you can earn with the card is $300 per calendar year.Earn 5% Cashback Bonus for airlines and movies from July to September. |
| Chase Freedom® | none | You will earn 5% cash back each quarter on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in that quarter’s bonus categories. Plus you get unlimited 1% cashback on all your purchases.Earn 5% Cashback Bonus at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market from July to September. |
| Nusenda Credit Union Visa® Platinum Cash Rewards | none | Earn 5% cash back on purchases in quarterly rotating categories, and 1% cash back on all purchases.New cardholders earn 2% cash back on all purchases for the first 90 days! Earn 5% Cashback Bonus at gas stations and for educational expenses from July to September. |
| Target REDcard™ | none | All Target stores and online purchases except gift cards or prescriptions. 5% discount is stackable with other Target coupons and promo codes. |
| Lowe’s Advantage Card | none | 5% off when you shop at Lowe’s |
| Costco Anywhere Visa® | none | This one is an honorable mention:
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This page does not include all available credit card offers or cards from all issuers; and it was not reviewed by, endorsed, or approved by the issuers mentioned on this page.
Pinyo Bhulipongsanon is the owner of Moolanomy Personal Finance and a Realtor® licensed in Virginia and Maryland. Over the past 20 years, Pinyo has enjoyed a diverse career as an investor, entrepreneur, business executive, educator, financial literacy author, and Realtor®.
I just received my credit card statement and it’s always fab when you see just how much you’ve built up in rewards, which I can now go and spend!!!!!! Love it. I get my rewards direct off my annual bill, rather than discounts on amazon or gas.
The rewards are very tempting. But we have learned our lesson. We have decided to stick with one card alone so that we can pay it off at the end of the month.
If the supermarket let you buy $500 denomination MasterCard, Visa, or Amex gift cards with the 5% reward credit card for $5.95 fees you now have a credit card that pays you back ~4% good anywhere that a debit card is accepted.
I just learned recently that my aunt is a loyal customer of Target because it is nearer her place and she uses Target REDcard, which she loves because of the cashback she receives from her purchases.
good to see such special offers at one place which is useful for the people. Thanks
I am bad with reward cards. I tend to spend more on my cards in an effort to earn more rewards forgetting about the interest rates that are getting tacked on if I don’t pay off the balance in full!
Does anyone know anything about the new Chase Liquid card? Is it a credit card or a prepaid debit card? Can you get great cash back deals on it like these cards?
Sally Stretton
I have an MBNA card, and they give the cash back via cheque whenever it reaches the $50.00 milestone. They send them in discreet looking envelopes that I almost always think is junk mail before opening. They also imitate the look of those silly cash back cheques they send hoping that people will use them.
I wonder how often these are thrown out or recycled because of these tactics?
I like using the Fideltiy rewards American Express. I always get 2% back on all of my purchases. It has worked great for me.
I quite like all of these reward cards except they are geared to make us spend more and stay in debt to the card. However, people who want to accumulate the rewards can save for an event like Christmas and have a ready supply of money
I’ve used several of the above credit cards and been very happy with them overall.
I’m an avid fan of the Target debit card. Use it every time I go. Paring this 5% back with a coupon or two definitely makes shopping there cheaper than anything else (even Walmart).
Unfortunately, the target card won’t give you five percent back on gift card/prepaid purchases. 🙁