GOBankingRates’ Best Rewards Credit Cards

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Update: Some offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer available. View current credit card offerings from our partners at CardCritics here on the issuer’s website.

If you’re going to be spending money, you may as well be getting rewarded for it — and for many consumers, these rewards are a major motivator to swipe. A recent GOBankingRate survey found that the No. 1 reason people use credit cards is for the rewards and perks. And with the right credit cards, these rewards can really add up.

GOBankingRates found the Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2021 by analyzing rewards cards across a number of factors: annual fees, purchase APR, promotional APR, sign-up bonuses, and rewards and features. GOBankingRates’ top picks offer a range of rewards, including cash back on purchases or points that can be redeemed for Amazon shopping, travel, gift cards, charitable donations and more.

Find out which credit cards will give you the best rewards — without crazy fees or super-high interest rates.

Our Top Rewards Card

Best Rewards Credit Cards 2021

Keep reading to see the rest of the Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2021.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred^® Card

Why we like it: The American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card is free of an annual fee for the first year. It offers one of the highest rewards rates available for groceries at 6%. While there is a cap of $6,000 (earning 1% cash back thereafter) in this category, you can still rake in $360 annually by meeting the maximum threshold each year.

Benefits

• Earn 6% cash back on groceries, up to $6,000 a year, and 3% cash back on gas

Drawbacks

• Annual Fee:

Key features

• 6% cash back on groceries, up to $6,000 a year
• 6% cash back on streaming services
• 3% cash back on transit
• 3% cash back on gas
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome Offer

Redeeming Rewards:

Cash back is received in the form of reward dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit

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Chase Freedom Unlimited^® Credit Card

Key Benefits

• Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase
• 3% on dining, including takeout, and at drugstores
• 1.5% on all other purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

Redeeming Rewards:

Redeem for cash back via a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts; shop with Points at Amazon; redeem for a variety of gift cards and certificates for shopping, dining and entertainment and more; book your travel with Chase Ultimate Rewards®

Chase Freedom Flex^SM Credit Card

Key Benefits

• Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
• Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase
• Earn 3% cash back on dining including takeout and drugstores
• Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

Redeeming Rewards

Redeem for cash back via a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts; shop with Points at Amazon; redeem for a variety of gift cards and certificates for shopping, dining and entertainment and more; book your travel with Chase Ultimate Rewards®

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature^® Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 5x points on gas paid at the pump and EV charging stations
• 3x points at the supermarket
• 3x points at restaurants
• 1x points on all other purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

• 15,000 Bonus Points when you spend $1,500 in first 90 days

Redeeming Rewards

Redeem for gift cards for shopping, dining and entertainment, and more; check out our reward catalog for more options; travel; shopping – with reward points

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Go Visa Signature^® Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 4x points on dining, food delivery, and takeout
• 2x points at grocery stores
• 2x points at gas stations
• 1x points on all other purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

• Earn 20,000 bonus points, just spend $1,000 in the first 90 days

Redeeming Rewards

Redeemable towards merchandise, gift cards, cash back, travel and more

Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 3% cash back on dining
• 3% cash back on entertainment and streaming services
• 3% cash back at grocery stores
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

• Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months

Redeeming Rewards

You can get your cash back upon request in the form of a statement credit or a check

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Connect Visa Signature® Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 5x points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in Altitude Rewards Center
• 4x points on travel
• 4x points on gas
• 2x points on grocery
• 2x points on dining
• 1x points on all other eligible purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

• Earn 50,000 bonus points, just spend $3,000 in the first 120 days

Redeeming Rewards

Redeemable towards merchandise, gift cards, cash back, travel and more

American Express^® Gold Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 4x points on dining
• 4x points on groceries
• 3x points on flights
• 1x points on all other purchases

Welcome Offer

• Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership

Redeeming Rewards

Pay with points at checkout; get a statement credit when you use points for recent card charges; gift cards; use Membership Rewards points to place an offer on a seat upgrade with over 20 participating airlines; go shopping; charitable donation

U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
• 2% cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants
• 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

• Earn a $200 rewards bonus after you apply online and spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening

Redeeming Rewards

Cash back is redeemed in the form of a statement credit or a deposit made to your U.S. Bank savings, checking or money market account based on your designation, or as a U.S. Bank Rewards Card

American Express^® Green Credit Card

Key Benefits

• 3x points at restaurants
• 3x points on transit
• 3x points on travel
• 1x points on all other purchases

Sign-Up Bonus

• Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new card in your first 6 months of card membership

Redeeming Rewards

Book travel; pay with points at checkout; get a statement credit when you use points for recent card charges; gift cards; use Membership Rewards points to place an offer on a seat upgrade with over 20 participating airlines; go shopping; charitable donations

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Karen Doyle contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates identified the best rewards credit cards by analyzing the following factors: (1) annual fees; (2) APR for purchases; (3) promotional APR; (4) sign-up bonuses; and (5) rewards and features. All fees and rates are subject to change at the credit card issuers’ discretion. Some bonus offers may no longer be available on the credit card issuers’ websites, depending on how one accesses the web page. All data was sourced from each financial institution’s website or promotional material and is accurate as of Aug. 11, 2021. Please verify terms and conditions before opening an account.

All information about American Express card offers have been collected independently by GOBankingRates and have not been reviewed or approved by American Express. These offers are not available through GOBankingRates.

Last updated: Oct. 19, 2021

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