Reward cards

These offers are no longer available on our site: U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠, Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Hear from our editors: The best rewards credit cards of September 2022

Updated August 31, 2022

This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.

Editorial note: Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Written by: Ben Luthi

Finding the right rewards credit card can make it easier to maximize your points, miles or cash back. But the best rewards credit card can help you make the most of your everyday purchases. Here’s our take on the best rewards credit cards to help you narrow down your options.

• Best cash back credit card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Best travel rewards credit card: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best for rotating categories: Chase Freedom Flex^SM
• Best for dining: Savor® Rewards from Capital One® 
• Best for grocery shopping: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Best for flat-rate cash back rewards: Citi® Double Cash Card
• Best for bad credit: Discover it® Secured Credit Card
• Best for college students: Deserve® EDU Mastercard

Best cash back credit card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Here’s why: The card offers a high base rewards rate of 1.5%.

Cardholders will also earn …

• 5% back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® platform
• 5% cash back on gas station purchases on up to $6,000 spent during your first year with the card
• 3% cash back on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services
• 3% cash back at drugstores

After getting the card, you’ll earn a $200 bonus when you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

And the card doesn’t charge an annual fee.

Check out our review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited® for more information.

Best travel rewards credit card: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Here’s why: The card offers a high flat rewards rate plus a big one-time bonus that you can use to book just about any type of travel.

You’ll earn two miles per $1 spent on every purchase you make, plus five miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and five miles per $1 on bookings made through Turo. Also, when you first get the card, you can earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.

When you’re ready to redeem your rewards, you can book travel through Capital One, book travel elsewhere and use your points to get a statement credit, or transfer your miles to one of the bank’s airline and hotel partners.

As a benefit, the card offers an application fee credit of up to $100 for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, which can help you get through airport security and customs faster. Just keep in mind that the card charges a $95 annual fee.

Learn more about the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Best for rotating categories: Chase Freedom Flex℠

Here’s why: The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers a super high cash back rate on rotating everyday spending categories each quarter you activate, plus bonus rewards on travel, dining and drugstores.

Similar to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, this card offers 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 5% cash back on gas station purchases on up to $6,000 spent during your first year with the card; 3% back at drugstores; and 3% on dining, including takeout and eligible delivery services. The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers just 1% back on all other purchases.

But what makes the card stand out is its 5% rotating bonus. Each quarter you activate, you’ll earn that rate on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories. In the past, the Chase Freedom bonus categories have included gas stations, select streaming services, major retailers like Amazon.com and Walmart, and more.

You’ll also earn a $200 bonus when you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. The card has no annual fee. Read member reviews about the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to learn more.

Best for dining: Savor® Rewards from Capital One®

Here’s why: You’ll earn a whopping 4% cash back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services as well as 3% back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Target and Walmart).

All other purchases will net you just 1% back. But when you first sign up for the card, you’ll earn a $300 cash bonus after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.

Just keep in mind that the card comes with a $95 annual fee, so you’ll have to spend a fair amount in the bonus categories to get value.

Read our Savor® Rewards from Capital One® review for more details.

Best for grocery shopping: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Here’s why: You’ll be hard-pressed to find a higher cash back rate on purchases made at U.S. supermarkets.

The card offers 6% back on up to $6,000 spent each year at U.S. supermarkets (then 1%), 6% back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% back on transit and at U.S. gas stations, and 1% back on everything else.

The card also has a $350 welcome bonus (which you’ll receive as a statement credit) when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months after opening your account.

The card has an annual fee of $95. Though an annual fee is uncommon for a cash back card, you could easily make up for that cost if you spend about $1,600 a year on groceries.

Check out our review of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express to learn more.

Best for flat-rate cash back rewards: Citi® Double Cash Card

Here’s why: You’ll earn a solid 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% back when you make a purchase and another 1% back as you pay it off.

Beyond that, the card doesn’t offer a ton of benefits. But if you’re looking for a great rewards card for the long haul, there aren’t many that can beat 2% back on everything, with a $0 annual fee.

Keep reading about the Citi® Double Cash Card to learn more.

Best for bad credit: Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Here’s why: It’s one of the few secured credit cards on the market that offers rewards.

You’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%) and 1% back on everything else. What’s more, the Discover it Cashback Match means Discover will match all the cash back that new cardholders earn after their first year with the card.

You’ll have to make a security deposit of at least $200. Starting at seven months, Discover will review your account to determine if you can get your deposit back. The card doesn’t charge an annual fee, which is another huge plus for someone hoping to build credit.

Get more information about Discover it® Secured Credit Card in our editorial review.

Best for college students: Deserve® EDU Mastercard

Here’s why: The card offers a flat 1% cash back on every purchase, plus an Amazon Prime Student membership for a year after you’ve spent $500 on purchases in the first three billing cycles.

Where the card really shines, though, is with international students. You may need a Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number to get a credit card in the U.S. With this credit card, though, no Social Security number is required, paving the way for international students to build credit.

In addition to the Amazon Prime Student benefit, cardholders will also get up to $600 worth of cellphone protection when they use their card to pay their phone bill. The card’s annual fee is $0.

Read more about the Deserve® EDU Mastercard.

How do rewards cards work?

Credit card rewards allow you to get some form of value back on every purchase you make with your cards. When you buy something, you’ll receive a certain amount of rewards based on the card’s rewards program and the type of purchase you made.

Depending on the card, you may have a number of redemption options. Also, some cards require you to have a certain amount of cash back, points or miles before you can redeem, but that’s not the case with all of them.

As a result, it’s crucial that you take the time to find the card that’s best suited for your spending habits and other preferences. Then use the card as often as possible — with the goals to avoid overspending and to pay your bill on time and in full every month — to make sure you’re not leaving value on the table.

How we picked these cards

We considered a lot of factors to determine the best rewards credit cards. First, we looked at the cards that offer the chance to earn a lot of cash back, points or miles. Second, we considered that most rewards credit cards require good or excellent credit, which can make things tough for someone trying to build a credit history. So we made sure to add a couple of options for folks with less-than-stellar credit.

Finally, we understand that readers may prefer cash back, travel rewards or general points, including some with or without annual fees, so we added a mix of each to make it easier for you to find the right card for your needs.