This offer is no longer available on our site: Citi Custom Cash® Card
The holiday season comes with many sources of stress, and rising costs are certainly one of them. While there’s no easy way to solve all the challenges of holiday finances, our picks for the best credit cards for holiday shopping can help you save on spending and minimize interest charges throughout the season.
Amazon Prime Visa: Best for Amazon and Whole Foods
Here’s why: The Amazon Prime Visa gives Amazon Prime members a 5% rewards rate on both Amazon and Whole Foods purchases, a perfect combo for both gift-shopping and hosting holiday get-togethers.
Prime members get …
- 5% back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and Chase Travel purchases
- 2% back on gas stations, restaurants and local transit and commuting (including rideshare services)
- 1% back on all other purchases
There’s a $0 annual fee, and you’ll get a $250 Amazon gift card instantly loaded to your account after approval.
Discover it® Cash Back: Best for Amazon.com and drugstores
Here’s why: Through December, you’ll earn a terrific cash back rate on purchases at Amazon.com and drugstores, which makes it a great card for both big-ticket items and smaller gifts.
Discover it® Cash Back offers 5% back on up to $1,500 spent (then 1%) in categories that change every quarter (activation required). For this quarter, those categories are Amazon.com and drugstore purchases — you’ll be able to earn in a new set of categories in January, and every three months after that. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.
The card has a $0 annual fee, and there’s also a strong introductory low-interest offer to help you manage interest costs. There’s no traditional sign-up bonus, but Discover will match all the cash back you earn in your first year of card membership.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for simple cash back
Here’s why: If you’re looking for simple rewards on your holiday purchases, it’s hard to beat this card’s 2% cash back on all eligible purchases with a $0 annual fee.
While the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card won’t give you a higher rate in any of the most common holiday categories, it does have a low-interest introductory offer to help you manage interest costs on your spending.
There’s also a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months of account opening.
See Wells Fargo card offers on Credit Karma.
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best for groceries and online retail
Here’s why: Strong rewards on groceries and online purchases make this card a great fit for events and gifts during the holidays.
For a $0 annual fee, you’ll earn …
- 3% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% back U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 1% on all other purchases
Plus, you can earn a $200 statement credit when you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
There’s also an introductory low-interest offer to help you guard against hefty interest costs on your holiday spending.
See American Express credit cards on Credit Karma (you must be logged in to see certain offers).
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card: Best for maximizing cash back with select retailers
Here’s why: This card’s unique rewards structure gives you the chance to earn 6% cash back at two eligible retailers of your choice. While the list doesn’t cover everything, it includes plenty of holiday-friendly options, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Nordstrom, Target and Walmart.
You’ll earn …
- 6% back at two eligible retailers of your choice on your first $1,500 in combined spending each quarter (then 1.5%)
- 3% back in one eligible category of your choice on your first $1,500 in spending each quarter (then 1.5%)
- 1.5% back on all other purchases
Note that you’ll need to choose your categories every quarter to earn the bonus rates.
In addition to bonus rates, there’s a sign-up bonus offer of $250 when you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases in the first 120 days after your account opens. The card has an annual fee of $0 for the first year, then $95 after that.
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for maximizing cash back in one category
Here’s why: You’ll automatically get 5% cash back in your top eligible spending category every billing cycle, with no need to activate your category. Eligible categories include restaurants, grocery stores, drugstores and home improvement stores — any of which could be helpful when it comes to holiday entertaining and gift giving.
For the $0 annual fee, you’ll earn …
- 5% back in your top eligible category on up to $500 in spending every billing cycle (then 1%)
- 1% back on all other purchases
You’ll also have the chance to earn a bonus $200 cash back when you spend $1,500 on purchases in your first 6 months after your account opens.
Tips for managing your holiday spending
The financial stress of the holidays can impact everyone, and you’re not alone if you’re feeling it this year. According to new Intuit Credit Karma data, 47% of Americans feel stressed about affording the holiday, and 81% of consumers are concerned about the effect tariffs will have on their holiday spending.
There’s no simple way to get rid of that feeling, but your credit cards may have features that can help you manage it.
1. Consider rewards categories that can help you save.
Many credit cards offer bonus rewards rates in categories that align nicely with common holiday spending.
For instance, some of the rewards cards we’ve mentioned in this article offer high rewards rates for Amazon.com purchases, and others can earn you cash back on grocery purchases for when you have to spend big for family gatherings.
2. Seek out sign-up bonuses.
If you’re in the market for a new credit card, holiday spending can help ensure you’re able to qualify for a valuable sign-up bonus. With some lucrative bonuses requiring thousands of dollars in spending, buying gifts can be a great opportunity to ensure you’re getting extra value for your purchases.
3. Keep an eye on low-interest offers.
Some credit cards offer an intro 0% APR on purchases for a certain amount of time after your account opens. With some of these offers stretching past 12 months, you can time your spending to give you leeway on paying off your balance without seeing interest charges.
4. Choose a card for the long term
While credit cards can help you out during the holiday season, it’s important to remember that the right credit card for you is probably one that matches your habits year-round. Consider if a card fits your lifestyle for more than just a few months of the year, especially if it comes with an annual fee.