| Credit Card | Introductory Offer | Annual Fee | Our Thoughts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Savor |  | $300 | No annual fee | Best cash back card and it even with an annual fee. | [earnist_link ref="capital-one-savor-cash-rewards-apply" id="10373"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
| Wells Fargo Cash Wise |  | $150 | No annual fee | Best no fee cash back credit card. | LEARN HOW TO APPLY >> |
| Chase Freedom Flex | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"] | $200 | No annual fee | Best cash back rewards with 5% rotating quarterly bonuses. | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday |  | $200 | No annual fee | Best cash back card for groceries that also has no annual fee. | [earnist_link ref="blue-cash-everyday-card-from-american-express-apply" id="10877"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
| Freedom Unlimited | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"] | Extra 1.5% Rewards | No annual fee | Simple cash back card that also has an option to transfer to primary Chase cards for travel. | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
Maybe travel rewards points seem a little bit daunting when it comes to redeeming. You may want to consider something a little simpler. Something like a cash back card, where you earn a percentage of your purchases back in cash back rewards. Then you can redeem the cash back on anything you’d like.
While we typically like to use our rewards points on travel, there are times when we like to use our points on other purchases so we don’t have to spend our actual money. This is where a cash back card can benefit you. You can use your cash back for that new TV you’ve been wanting, or those stand up paddle boards for this summer, or maybe you’d just like to have a nice dinner out. You can use your cash back rewards for anything.
Yes, at Travel Freedom we believe that travel is the most valuable redemption, but some people would rather have other things in life. Others just simply don’t enjoy traveling. If this is you, there are cash back credit cards to earn rewards that can be redeemed for anything. Just like earning points for travel, there’s no catch to it. Earning points is actually very simple. I believe if you’re going to be spending money, you might as well get some rewards back from your purchases.
Let’s go ahead and get into the list of the 5 best cash back credit cards.
1. Capital One Savor
The first two cards we mentioned both have no annual fee and somewhat small introductory offers. The Capital One Savor card is slightly different. It does have an annual fee, but makes up for it with better overall benefits. Did I mention that the annual fee is waived in the first year, making it an even better deal? While the two Chase Freedom cards were great because they can be paired with other cards to make them more valuable, the Capital One Savor is the best stand-alone cash back credit card.
The main reason that the Capital One Savor is one of the best cash back credit cards, is its large introductory offer. That’s not all the Savor card has going for it though. It also boasts some pretty impressive rewards categories including dining, entertainment, and groceries. These three categories are where a lot of people spend the most money.
Let’s take a deeper look at what the Capital One Savor card offers.
Capital One Savor |
|---|
| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn $300 cash back rewards after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 4% cash back at dining and entertainment. You’ll also earn 2% at grocery stores. |
| BENEFITS Premium experiences in dining, entertainment and more. |
| FEES $95 Annual Fee. No foreign transaction fees. |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is a great cash back card with a large introductory offer and a waived annual fee in year 1. |
| [earnist_link ref="capital-one-savor-cash-rewards-apply" id="10373"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
The Pros
- A large introductory offer that we value at $500 when used as cash back.
- High earning rewards categories.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Annual fee waived year 1.
The Potential Cons
- Has an annual fee.
- Only earns 1X on non-category bonus spend.
Our Overall Thoughts on the Capital One Savor
With such a high introductory offer and the annual fee being waived in the first year, this card should be considered as one of the best cash back credit cards. If you spend much money on dining, entertainment, and groceries you’ll also see a big benefit from using this card regularly. If you’re looking for the best introductory offer, this is the best cash back credit card for you.
At Travel Freedom, we value this cards introductory offer at $500 if redeemed as cash back. For more information on this card, you can read our full Capital One Savor review.
2. Wells Fargo Cash Wise
The Wells Fargo Cash Wise card is a no annual fee cash back credit card. On top of having a nice introductory offer for a no annual fee card, it also earns elevated rewards on all purchases and has one of the best cell phone protection plans of any credit card.
This is absolutely one of the best cash back credit cards that has no annual fee. Let’s take a deeper look at what the Wells Fargo Cash Wise offers.
Wells Fargo Cash Wise |
|---|
| INTRODUCTORY OFFER $150 cash rewards after spending $500 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 1.5% cash rewards on purchases. Earn 1.8% with mobile wallet purchases in the first 12 months (ie: Apple Pay, Google Pay) |
| BENEFITS Cell phone protection. ($25 deductible) |
| FEES No annual fee. |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is a great cash back card. It has no annual fee and also offers great cell phone protection. |
| LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >> |
The Pros
- A large introductory offer.
- No annual fee.
- Cell phone protection.
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
The Potential Cons
- No rewards category bonuses.
Our Overall Thoughts on the Wells Fargo Cash Wise
For a card with no annual fee, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise is a great option as a cash back credit card. It offers a substantial introductory offer, earns 1.5% on every purchase, and also comes with cell phone protection in case your phone is broken or stolen.
At Travel Freedom, we value this cards introductory offer at $200. For more information on this card, you can read our full Wells Fargo Cash Wise review.
3. Chase Freedom
The Chase Freedom is our favorite cash back credit card. We love it because it has quarterly rotating categories that earn 5X rewards on up to $1,500 in purchases. That means if you spend the full $1,500 per quarter on the bonus categories, you’ll be earning 30,000 points per year. You can see the current and past 5X category bonuses on our Chase Freedom calendar.
The main reason that the Chase Freedom is the best cash back credit card, is its rotating rewards categories. They’re typically at places you’d normally shop like gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores, and department stores. It also comes with a nice chunk of points as an introductory offer. Travel Freedom values the introductory offer of the Chase Freedom to be worth $150 when used as cash back, but these points can also be transferred to a primary Chase Ultimate Rewards card account if you have one, where you can use the points for travel at a higher redemption rate.
You’ll get these card benefits without having to pay an annual fee at all. This makes it even better, as you’ll pay nothing to keep the card.
Let’s take a deeper look at what the Chase Freedom card offers.
Chase Freedom [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"] |
|---|
| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn $200 (in the form of 20,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after spending $500 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You'll earn 5% on rotating quarterly categories. (up to $1500 in purchases per quarter) |
| BENEFITS Points can be transferred to primary Chase cards for better redemptions. Free credit score. |
| ANNUAL FEE No annual fee |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is one of the best "cash back" cards for earning rewards. You can earn up to 5X per dollar and those points can be transferred to a primary Chase card for better redemptions. It's a perfect card to pair with either of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred. |
| [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
The Pros
- 5X rotating rewards categories.
- $150 introductory offer.
- No annual fee.
- Points can be transferred to a primary Ultimate Rewards card for higher value travel redemptions.
The Potential Cons
- 5X categories are limited to $1,500 per quarter.
- Other purchases only earn 1X point per dollar.
Our Overall Thoughts on the Chase Freedom
The Chase Freedom is our overall best cash back credit card for a few reasons. It offers valuable 5X redemption bonuses on rotating categories that we actually spend money on each quarter. It also offers a decent introductory offer, especially for having no annual fee to worry about. We personally like this card because it pairs well with the primary Chase Ultimate Rewards cards to earn a lot of free travel. If you’re looking for something simpler with a set amount of points for every purchase, you’ll probably like the second card on our list better.
At Travel Freedom, we value this cards introductory offer at $150 if redeemed as cash back. The value can be doubled if you pair it with other Chase cards and use it for travel. For more information on this card, you can read our full Chase Freedom review.
4. Amex Blue Cash Everyday
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is another no annual fee cash back credit card. It’s known for having great rewards categories for regular spending including at grocery stores, gas stations, and department stores in the US.
Even though the Amex Blue Cash Everyday has no annual fee, it still comes with a solid introductory offer. Not only that, it earns more rewards on groceries than many cards that do have an annual fee.
Let’s take a deeper look at what the Amex Blue Cash Everyday offers.
Amex Blue Cash Everyday |
|---|
| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You’ll earn $150 cash back rewards after you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months. |
| REWARDS You’ll earn 3% cash back at US supermarkets. (up to $6000 in purchases per year) You’ll also earn 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores. |
| BENEFITS Cash back is earned in reward dollars that can be used for statement credits, gift cards and merchandise. |
| FEES No annual fee. Terms Apply |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is a great no-fee card for grocery shopping. Earning 3X is one of the best without an annual fee. |
| [earnist_link ref="blue-cash-everyday-card-from-american-express-apply" id="10877"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
The Pros
- Good introductory offer.
- Great rewards categories.
- No annual fee.
The Potential Cons
- No benefits outside of spending.
- Normal spending only earns 1%
Our Overall Thoughts on the Amex Blue Cash Everyday
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday is one of the best credit cards for grocery purchases as it earns a high rewards bonus. There are other cards that offer higher rewards on groceries, but they also come with an annual fee of around $100. To justify paying the annual fee for a higher grocery rewards card like the Amex Blue Cash Preferred, you’d need to spend over $300 on groceries per month.
At Travel Freedom, we value this cards introductory offer at $150. For more information on this card, you can read our full Amex Blue Cash Everyday review.
5. Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited card is similar to the Chase Freedom in many ways. Earning cash back couldn’t be simpler than with the Freedom Unlimited. It earns 1.5X Ultimate Rewards on each and every purchase, with no limits.
On top of that, the Chase Freedom Unlimited has a slightly different style introductory offer than most cards. Instead of getting a certain amount of points, you’ll earn 3X back on all purchases in the first year (up to $20,000). That enables the possibility to earn up to 30,000 extra Chase Ultimate Rewards if you spend the full amount in the first year.
Let’s take a deeper look at what the Chase Freedom Unlimited card offers.
Chase Freedom Unlimited [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"] |
|---|
| INTRODUCTORY OFFER You'll earn an additional 1.5% rewards on all purchases in the first year. (up to $20k purchases) |
| REWARDS You'll earn 1.5% back on all purchases. (after year 1) No limit. |
| BENEFITS Points can be transferred to primary Chase cards for better redemptions. Free credit score. |
| ANNUAL FEE No annual fee |
| TRAVEL FREEDOM THOUGHTS This is one of the best "cash back" cards for earning rewards. You earn 1.5% per dollar (3% year 1) and those points can be transferred to a primary Chase card for better redemptions. It's a perfect card to pair with either of the Sapphire cards or the Ink Business Preferred. |
| [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY NOW >>[/earnist_link] |
The Pros
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases. (in the form of Ultimate Rewards)
- 3% cash back on purchases in the first year.
- No annual fee.
The Potential Cons
- No bonus rewards categories.
- No introductory offer of points.
Our Overall Thoughts on the Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is also one of our favorite cash back credit cards for a few reasons. First, it offers a great introductory offer that is unlike other cards. It also has no annual fee to pay. On top of that, it has the potential to double the points value if used for travel, by transferring points to a primary Chase card that you pair it with (Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, and Ink Preferred).
At Travel Freedom, we value this cards introductory offer at up to $300 if you spend $20,000 in the first year and points are redeemed for cash back. For more information on this card, you can read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
With two of the top cash back credit cards both being the Chase Freedom branded cards, you may be wondering which is really the best for you. Well, we did a Chase Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited comparison to help you out.
The Best Cash Back Credit Cards
As you can see, there are many great cash back credit cards available. These are the Travel Freedom top 5 cash back credit cards. Any of them are great options if you’re looking to earn some cash back rewards on your purchases. We like to use our points towards travel, but you can also earn rewards to buy whatever you’d like. Good luck choosing the best cash back credit card for yourself and buy something you’ve always wanted with your rewards!
| Credit Card | Introductory Offer | Annual Fee | Our Thoughts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Savor | | $300 | No annual fee | Best cash back card and it even with an annual fee. | [earnist_link ref="capital-one-savor-cash-rewards-apply" id="10373"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
| Wells Fargo Cash Wise | | $150 | No annual fee | Best no fee cash back credit card. | LEARN HOW TO APPLY >> |
| Chase Freedom Flex | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"] | $200 | No annual fee | Best cash back rewards with 5% rotating quarterly bonuses. | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom" id="6315"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
| Amex Blue Cash Everyday | | $200 | No annual fee | Best cash back card for groceries that also has no annual fee. | [earnist_link ref="blue-cash-everyday-card-from-american-express-apply" id="10877"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
| Freedom Unlimited | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"] | Extra 1.5% Rewards | No annual fee | Simple cash back card that also has an option to transfer to primary Chase cards for travel. | [earnist_link ref="chase-freedom-unlimited-card" id="6346"]LEARN HOW TO APPLY >>[/earnist_link] |
