Top 6 Best Cash Rewards Credit Card Offers | 2017 Ranking | Best Cash Back Rewards & Money Back Credit Cards

2017 RANKING & REVIEWS
TOP RANKING BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR CASH REWARDS

Find the Best Cash Rewards Credit Card & Earn Big in 2017

Normally, when we think of credit cards we think of one thing: losing money. But that does not have to be the case. Choose one of the best credit cards for cash rewards, and you can earn money on purchases you have to make anyway.

Award Emblem: Top 6 Best Cash Rewards Credit Card

Even the most budget-conscious among us still has to spend money from time to time—groceries, new socks, a date night, etc.—and when we spend that money, wouldn’t it be nice to get some cash back by simply putting it on the best money back credit cards?

In a large world of cash rewards credit cards, it may be intimidating to figure out which of the best cash rewards card options actually make you money and which actually strip you of money in fees and interest rates.

This is why we have collected a list of the top 6 best money back credit cards in 2017. You will be able to find yourself receiving some of the best credit card cash rewards with each.

AdvisoryHQ’s List of the Top 6 Best Cash Rewards Credit Card Choices

List is sorted alphabetically (click any of the credit card names below to go directly to the detailed review section for that credit card):

BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Credit Card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ Credit Card
Citi® Double Cash Card
Discover it® Card
Capital One® QuicksilverOne®

Top 6 Best Money Back Credit Cards| Brief Comparison & Ranking

Money Back Credit Card	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Credit Card	NONE	Good to Excellent
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	$95	Good to Excellent
Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ Credit Card	NONE	Good to Excellent
Citi® Double Cash Card	NONE	Good to Excellent
Discover it® Card	NONE	Good to Excellent
Capital One® QuicksilverOne®	$39	Average

Table: Top 6 Best Cash Back Rewards Credit Card Options | Above list is sorted alphabetically

Do Credit Cards with Cash Rewards Always Make You Money?

Short answer: no. Pay close attention.

While the best cash back rewards credit card options can be a great tool for getting serious cash back, that cash will make no difference if you have spent too much in fees or interest rates.

Photo Courtesy of: Creative Commons Search

Estimate your spending for the year to estimate your cash back from the cash rewards credit cards. Then see if those rewards give you more than you would pay in an annual fee or annual percentage rates (APR). If you end up losing money, find a different option.

The best credit cards for cash rewards should always leave you ahead, not behind.

Is Cash Better Than the Best Rewards Credit Card For Travel?

Short answer: sometimes.

There are times when the best rewards credit card for travel are actually credit cards with cash rewards. Remember that cash you are earning back can still be used exclusively for your travel budget if you would like it to.

And if you simply use the rewards from the best money back credit cards for travel, you do not have to deal with blackout dates, counting points, or having to use your rewards before they expire. Instead, you can keep all your cash from the best money back credit cards in a separate account and use it for a trip whenever you would like.

All-in-One Change Management Tools

Top Rated Toolkit for Change Managers.

Get Your Change Management Tool Today...

AdvisoryHQ’s Selection Methodology

What methodology does AdvisoryHQ use in selecting and finalizing the credit cards, financial products, firms, services, and products that are ranked on its various top-rated lists?

Please click here “AdvisoryHQ’s Ranking Methodologies” for a detailed review of AdvisoryHQ’s selection methodologies for ranking top-rated credit cards, financial accounts, firms, products, and services.

Detailed Review—Top Ranking Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards

Below, please find the detailed review of each credit card on our list of cash rewards credit cards. We have highlighted some of the factors that allowed these credit cards with cash rewards to score so high in our selection ranking.

BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Credit Card Review

To start our list of the best money back credit cards choices for 2017, we will start with the BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ Credit Card from Bank of America.

This is one of the more simple and straightforward money back credit card options. No annual fee, moderate APR, and an added bonus for those who bank at Bank of America.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards: Cash Back Breakdown

To qualify as the “best cash back rewards credit card,” how exactly does BankAmericard Cash Rewards™ earn you money? Here is how you get your cash back rewards:

1% back on every purchase
2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and 3% back on gas for the first $2,500 combined purchase every quarter
BONUS OFFER: $100 cash rewards when you spend $500 in the first 90 days

Best Cash Rewards Credit Card #1 Highlights:

No annual fee
0% APR for 12 months (then a range of 13.24% to 23.24%)
Added bonus for Bank of America customers: when you deposit your cash back into your Bank of America account, you get a 10% bonus

Don’t Miss: Top Best Credit Cards for Miles | Ranking | Best Miles Credit Card Reviews

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review

On our list of best money back credit cards, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has some of the steepest rewards percentages that can potentially go all the way up to 6%.

While this can be the best credit card cash rewards for some customers, keep in mind it does come with an annual fee. Do your own math to make sure you will get more rewards by the end of the year than you paid in the $95 fee.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards: Cash Back Breakdown

To qualify as the “best cash back rewards credit card,” how exactly does Blue Cash Preferred® earn you money? Here is how you get your rewards from this best cash back rewards card:

1% back on all purchases
6% back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 each year (then down to 1%)
3% back at US gas stations and select US department stores
BONUS OFFER: $250 cash rewards when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months

Best Cash Rewards Credit Card #2 Highlights:

0% APR for 12 months (then a range of 13.24% to 23.24%)
Easy online access for managing card and cash rewards
Roadside assistance
Member-only entertainment access

Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ Credit Card Review

Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ is a straightforward money back credit card on our list of best cash back rewards credit card options. No matter where you shop or how much you spend, you still get the same flat-fee cash reward.

The lower range of the APR is slightly higher than the other options, so this is the best cash rewards card for those who know they will not be carrying a balance over from month to month.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards: Cash Back Breakdown

To qualify as the “best cash back rewards credit card,” how exactly does Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ earn you money? Here is how you get your cash back rewards:

Unlimited 1.5% back on every single purchase
BONUS OFFER: $150 cash rewards when you spend $500 in the first 3 months

Best Cash Rewards Credit Card #3 Highlights:

No annual fee
0% APR for 15 months (then a range of 14.24%–23.24%)
Cash back rewards never expire (as long as you keep the card open)

Citi® Double Cash Card Review

When it comes to the best cash back rewards credit card options, the Citi® Double Cash Card is definitely the most innovative. Their double earning system not only encourages spending, but also paying off that balance.

This means you win by getting some of the best credit card cash rewards and by getting an extra shot of encouragement to pay off your credit card. Plus it has the longest 0% APR introductory offer.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards: Cash Back Breakdown

To qualify as the “best cash back rewards credit card,” how exactly does Citi® Double Cash earn you money? Here is how you get your rewards from this best cash back rewards card:

Earn cash back twice
1% on all purchases and a potential
Another 1% as you pay for those purchases in full or over time

Best Cash Rewards Credit Card #4 Highlights:

No annual fee
0% APR for 18 months (then a range of 13.24%–23.24%)
First late fee is forgiven
Member-only entertainment/dining access
Worldwide travel accident and car rental insurance

Discover it® Card Review

Next on our list of the best credit cards for cash rewards is the Discover it® Card from Discover. This card gives you some of the higher payouts from the credit cards with cash rewards.

Though you earn a flat rate on everyday purchases with this money back credit card, you earn an inflated rate on selected categories each quarter. This has some of the highest possible cash back rates without an annual fee and a slightly lower APR range after the introductory offer.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards: Cash Back Breakdown

To qualify as the “best cash back rewards credit card,” how exactly does Discover It earn you money? Here is how you get your cash back rewards:

1% on all purchases
5% on select categories each quarter (examples: gas, Amazon.com) up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter
BONUS OFFER: If you are a brand-new card member, Discover will match all the cash back you earn at the end of the first year

Best Cash Rewards Credit Card #5 Highlights:

No annual fee
0% APR for 12 months (then a range of 11.24% to 23.24%)
View FICO credit score for free
Freeze It allows you to free and unfreeze your account in seconds

Free Wealth & Finance Software - Get Yours Now ►

Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Review

Up until now, our list of the best money back credit cards required good to excellent credit. QuicksilverOne from Capital One only requires average credit. This does mean, however, they have an APR rate that is much higher than our other options.

But if you are looking at credit cards with cash rewards without the best credit, you can’t beat this option. Plus, they allow access to your credit score in order to help you bring it up.

Best Credit Cards for Cash Rewards: Cash Back Breakdown

To qualify as the “best cash back rewards credit card,” how exactly does QuicksilverOne® earn you money? Here is how you get your cash back rewards:

1.5% back on every single purchase

Best Cash Rewards Credit Card #6 Highlights:

0% APR for 9 months (then a 23.24% variable rate)
Cash back rewards never expire
Access to higher credit line after making your first five monthly payments
Unlimited access to credit score

Conclusion—Top 6 Best Cash Rewards Credit Card Choices

Now that you have seen this selection of the top 6 best money back credit cards choices in 2017, you can make the decision of which is right for you.

Make sure to ask yourself important questions to ensure you are getting the best credit card cash rewards for you, including:

Do I spend enough to make enough cash back to cover an annual fee? (If you don’t, the best cash rewards credit card for you is one without the fee.)

Do I carry a balance from month to month? (If you do, the best cash back rewards card for you will be one with a lower APR.)

Do I want the hassle of keeping track of specific categories? (If you don’t, choose a money back credit card with a simple flat-rate unlimited cash reward.)

Do I want to earn more on special categories? (If you do, choose the best cash rewards card that offers higher rates on particular categories.)

Do I want the best rewards credit card for travel? (If you do, consider getting a card with high cash back rates and then using that cash for travel. This way you do not have to deal with blackout dates.)

Answering these questions will help you narrow down which of these best money back credit cards will be perfect for you in 2017.

AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer:

Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info.

Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.