Cash is king: The best cash back credit cards for 2021

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The old saying “cash is king” has certainly proven itself to be more apt than ever over the last year. While many people still like to use their credit card to earn travel points or miles that they can redeem for a once-in-a-lifetime trip, credit cards that earn cash back have become a more popular option during the pandemic while travel is still at a lull.

So, if you’ve been using a credit card that earns rewards for a vacation that maybe isn’t happening for a little while longer, why not consider a card that earns you cash back almost instantly? Having money in your pocket today allows you to use that cash on anything you desire — or save it for the future.

Sound interesting? Then check out our list of the best cash back credit cards to decide which one can best fit your needs.

The best cash back credit cards of 2021

Citi® Double Cash Card: Best overall card for cash back
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for US supermarkets
Chase Freedom Flex: Best for restaurants, including takeout and delivery
Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: Best for gas purchases
Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best for flexibility
Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card: Best for small businesses
Discover it® Cash Back: Best sign-up bonus
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card: Best for streaming

The information for the Discover it Cash Back and U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature cards has been collected independently by CNN Underscored. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuers.

Why did we select these cards as our best cash back credit cards for 2021? CNN Underscored’s comprehensive credit card methodology compares every aspect of each cash back credit card to our “benchmark credit card” to determine which cards can potentially earn you the most cash. So let’s dive into the details of each card and see how they stack up.

Citi Double Cash

Best overall card for cash back

Why it’s great in one sentence: The Citi Double Cash Card is extremely simple, since you earn 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your statement — all for no annual fee.

This card is right for: People looking for an easy and straightforward way to earn cash back without having to worry about category bonuses.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: None.

What we like about the Citi Double Cash: When compared to all of the other major no-annual-fee credit cards, the Citi Double Cash offers the highest ongoing flat-rate return on every single purchase. With this card you’ll earn 2% in cash back — 1% when you buy something and another 1% when you pay it off — on every purchase you make. There’s no cap on the amount of cash back you can earn, and you don’t need to worry about tracking bonus categories.

The Citi Double Cash also offers a relatively long 18-month introductory 0% interest rate period for balance transfers — a great way to pay off your debt (though make sure you pay it off, because the rate jumps to a variable 13.99% to 23.99% after the introductory offer ends). And you have up to four months after you open the account to make your first balance transfer and still have it qualify for the introductory offer.

Related: Read CNN Underscored’s list of the best balance transfer credit cards.

Experts will enjoy pairing this card with one of the premium Citi ThankYou credit cards, such as the Citi Premier or Citi Prestige. That’s because if you also have a premium ThankYou card, you can actually convert your cash back from the Citi Double Cash to Citi ThankYou points and then transfer those points to one of Citi’s 16 airline partners.

One thing that could be better: Although the Citi Double Cash card will earn you the most cash back on your everyday purchases, it doesn’t have any bonus categories. This can be a downside if you routinely make a large number of purchases in a particular category.

You’ll also find that the Citi Double Cash doesn’t come with many perks, such as travel or purchase protections. This is also not the card to use for international purchases, as you’ll be charged a 3% foreign transaction fee when you’re overseas, which more than offsets the rewards you’d earn.

Why it’s our benchmark card: The ease of use and straightforward top-of-market cash back earning rate of the Citi Double Cash are why CNN Underscored currently uses the Double Cash as our “benchmark” credit card to compare the features of other credit cards and determine if they’re better or worse overall.

You can read more about our benchmark credit card concept in our credit card methodology guide or dig into our complete review of the Citi Double Cash.

Blue Cash Preferred by American Express

Best for US supermarkets

Why it’s great in one sentence: The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%), making it one of the best credit cards year after year for buying groceries.

This card is right for: People who spend a significant amount of money at U.S. supermarkets but who also want to avoid high interest rates on their purchases for their first year as a card member.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: Earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months after opening the account, plus earn 20% back on Amazon purchases during the first six months of card membership, up to $200 back.

What we like about the Blue Cash Preferred: For many Americans, a significant portion of the monthly family budget goes to supermarket and gas station expenses. The Blue Cash Preferred card dials up the bonus cash back on those two categories, creating a go-to in your wallet for these routine purchases.

Not only will you earn extra cash back in the grocery and gas departments, but you’ll also earn a significant amount of cash back on all your U.S. streaming subscriptions. This includes over 20 different providers, such as Disney+, HBO, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube TV, among others. And when transit starts to make a comeback, you’ll also receive a nice return there as well, with 3% cash back on those transactions.

Related: Earn more rewards on your groceries with these credit cards.

The Blue Cash Preferred also comes with a solid return protection policy, which can come in handy during the upcoming holiday season. Return protection allows you to return an eligible item within 90 days from the day of purchase if the merchant won’t take it back. As long as you used your Blue Cash Preferred to pay for it, American Express will refund the full purchase price (excluding shipping and handling). Claims are capped at $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per card account per calendar year.

One thing that could be better: Many of the bonus categories on the Blue Cash Preferred are limited to purchases made within the United States. There’s also a 2.7% foreign transaction fee on the card (see rates and fees), which doesn’t make it an ideal choice for international travel. And the card has a $95 annual fee after the first year, which is significantly higher than many other cards offering cash back.

If you’d prefer a card that has no annual fee at all and also offers a strong return at U.S. supermarkets, you might consider the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express instead (see rates and fees). While the Blue Cash Everyday earns a lower 3% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), if you spend less than $3,166 in grocery purchases annually, it could be a better choice.

Related: Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs. Amex Blue Cash Everyday.

Where it beats our benchmark card: Welcome bonus, an introductory interest rate on purchases, return protection and car rental damage coverage.

Where our benchmark card is better: The Citi Double Cash has an introductory interest rate on balance transfers, and its cash back can be converted to Citi ThankYou travel points when combined with the Citi Prestige Card or Citi Premier Card.

Chase Freedom Flex

Best for restaurants, including takeout and delivery

Why it’s great in one sentence: The Chase Freedom Flex credit card offers both fixed bonus categories — including one specifically for dining — and a set of rotating bonus categories, plus cell phone protection as well.

This card is right for: People who are looking for a no-annual-fee card that earns bonus cash back at restaurants, even if they’re just getting delivery or takeout, as well as in several other categories.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: Earn $200 bonus cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months after opening the account, plus 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

What we like about the Chase Freedom Flex: While you might sign up for the Chase Freedom Flex for its sign-up bonus, it’ll likely become one of your long-term go-to cards, thanks to its rotating 5% bonus categories and ongoing 3% bonus cash back at restaurants and drugstores.

The Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% at drugstores and 3% at restaurants. And you’ll earn that increased cash back on takeout and eligible delivery orders, as well as when you’re physically dining in a restaurant.

But in addition to those three fixed bonus categories, the card offers a set of 5% bonus categories that rotate each quarter. For the current quarter from July through September, the categories are grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) and select streaming services. The rotating categories are capped at $1,500 in purchases per quarter, so you can earn as much as $75 in bonus cash.

Aside from the bonus categories, this card also comes with many unique benefits that differ from most other Chase cards. One of our favorites is cell phone protection. As long as you use your Chase Freedom Flex to pay your monthly cell phone bill, you’ll be covered against theft or damage to your phone, up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year, with a $50 deductible per claim and a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period. This is currently the only no-annual-fee Chase credit card that offers this highly sought-after benefit.

Related: Protect your cell phone from theft or damage with these credit cards.

One thing that could be better: While there’s no maximum on how much cash back you can earn in the three fixed bonus categories, the rotating 5% cash back categories do have that $1,500 cap in purchases — after that, you’ll only earn 1% cash back in those categories for the rest of the quarter. And you’ll need to remember to activate the rotating categories each quarter in order to earn bonus cash back in them.

Where it beats our benchmark card: Sign-up bonus, category bonuses and cell phone protection.

Where our benchmark card is better: The Citi Double Cash has an introductory rate on balance transfers.

Costco Anywhere Visa

Best for gas purchases

Why it’s great in one sentence: The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi offers big rewards on many practical purchases, such as 4% cash back on eligible gas purchases worldwide (capped at the first $7,000 in purchases per year, then 1% thereafter), 3% cash back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases and 2% cash back on all Costco and costco.com purchases.

This card is right for: Costco members who want strong rewards when buying at Costco and filling up their gas tank.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: None.

What we like about the Costco Anywhere Visa: For those looking to fill up their vehicle’s gas tank, the Costco Anywhere Visa offers the most cash back when compared to other top-earning credit cards.

Earning 4% cash back on all gas purchases worldwide for the first $7,000 per year (1% thereafter) can add up quickly and save you some serious money over the course of the year. And aside from the earning potential on gas, earning 3% cash back at restaurants and eligible travel purchases is on par — and many times better — than what you’ll see with other cash back credit cards.

The Costco Anywhere Visa also offers purchase protection, which is a great benefit for all purchases, especially during the holiday season. You’ll be covered if your item is damaged or stolen within 120 days of purchase (90 days for New York residents). The coverage is good for up to $10,000 per item and $50,000 annually.

The purchase protection applies to items you buy anywhere, not just at Costco. But even while Costco has a favorable return policy for most of its products, electronics and major appliances only have a 90-day return window, which makes the benefits of this credit card extra useful.

Also, with the card’s extended warranty coverage, you’ll receive an additional two years of warranty on top of the normal manufacturer’s warranty for any products you purchase with the card. Again, this extended warranty benefit applies not only to purchases made at Costco, but also to any other retailer as long as you use your Costco Anywhere Visa as your payment method.

One thing that could be better: One big disadvantage of the Costco Anywhere Visa is that you have to wait a full year to receive your rewards, which are sent in the form of an annual certificate after your February billing statement closes each year. The certificate can be redeemed for Costco purchases or exchanged for cash at your local Costco store, and will expire if it’s not redeemed by December 31 of that calendar year.

Also, although this card doesn’t carry an annual fee, to be a card member, you must have a Costco membership, which starts at $60 per year.

Where it beats our benchmark card: Extended warranty, purchase protection and no foreign transaction fees. Also, the Costco card is a Visa credit card, which is accepted at Costco in-store and at costco.com — Mastercards like the Citi Double Cash are not accepted in-store.

Where our benchmark card is better: With the Citi Double Cash, you receive your cash back on a monthly basis instead of once a year, and you don’t have to physically go into a store to exchange your rewards for cash.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Best for flexibility

Why it’s great in one sentence: If you want to earn bonus rewards on all your purchases but aren’t sure whether you’d prefer cash back or travel rewards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited allows you to do both when paired with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

This card is right for: People who want maximum flexibility in a no-annual-fee credit card.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: Earn $200 bonus cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months after opening the account, plus 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

What we like about the Chase Freedom Unlimited: If you prefer cash back now but think that a dose of adventure is in your future once travel returns to normal, the Chase Freedom Unlimited can give you the best of both worlds.

When you pair the Freedom Unlimited with a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards credit card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can convert your cash back to travel points at a rate of 1 cent per point. Then, you’re able to redeem those points for travel at an increased value of 1.25 to 1.5 cents apiece via the Chase travel portal.

Even better, once you’ve converted the cash back to points, you can transfer them to any of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel loyalty partners. This amazing flexibility is why frequent flyer website The Points Guy values Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents apiece. At that rate, since you’re earning 1.5% cash back in all non-bonus categories with the Freedom Unlimited, you could effectively end up with a 3% return on your everyday purchases.

One thing that could be better: The Citi Double Cash comes with a higher cash back earning rate on everyday purchases, and you can also convert its cash back to travel points in conjunction with a premium Citi card.

But Citi’s travel partners aren’t as impressive as Chase’s, and while the Double Cash doesn’t have any bonus categories, the Freedom Unlimited has the same trio of bonus categories as the Chase Freedom Flex (though you won’t receive cell phone protection with the Chase Freedom Unlimited).

Where it beats our benchmark card: Sign-up bonus, bonus categories, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and an introductory rate on purchases for 15 months.

Where our benchmark card is better: If you’re solely looking to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase you make, the Citi Double Cash will earn you more on your everyday purchases.

Ink Business Unlimited

Best for small businesses

Why it’s great in one sentence: Small business owners can earn 1.5% cash back on all their purchases with the Ink Business Unlimited for no annual fee, and also have the option to convert their cash back to travel rewards down the line.

This card is right for: Businesses who want flexible cash back rewards from a no-annual-fee credit card.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first three months after opening the account.

What we like about the Ink Business Unlimited: If your business is looking for a simple easy-to-understand cash back card, the Ink Business Unlimited is a great, straightforward option. It earns 1.5% cash back on everything your business buys with it, 365 days a year.

And if you decide down the line that you’d prefer travel rewards to cash back, you can pair the Ink Business Unlimited with the premium Ink Business Preferred (or alternately, the personal Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve) and convert your cash back to travel points, then redeem the points for travel or transfer them to any of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel loyalty partners.

Plus, right now is a fantastic time to get the Ink Business Unlimited. That’s because the card currently comes with the highest sign-up bonus we’ve ever seen on this card. New card holders can earn $750 in bonus cash back after spending $7,500 in purchases in the first three months after opening the account. That’s an unbelievable sign-up bonus for a card that has no annual fee.

One thing that could be better: You won’t want to use the Ink Business Unlimited on overseas purchases, as it charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. And the $7,500 minimum spend requirement to earn the $750 sign-up bonus isn’t small, but it should be feasible for any small business that has regular expenses that can be charged to a credit card.

Where it beats our benchmark card: Sign-up bonus, primary rental car insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty protection and an introductory rate on purchases for 12 months.

Where our benchmark card is better: If you’re solely looking to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase you make, the Citi Double Cash will earn you more on your everyday purchases.

Discover it Cash Back

Best sign-up bonus

Why it’s great in one sentence: The rotating categories and cash back match bonus on the Discover it Cash Back card mean you can earn a ton of cash back in the first year you have the card.

This card is right for: People looking for a card with a great sign-up bonus and who routinely spend money on popular rotating categories — such as groceries, gas stations, restaurants, Amazon.com and more.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: Receive a match of all cash back earned at the end of your first year.

What we like about the Discover it Cash Back: Earning 5% cash back on a quarterly basis, up to $1,500 per quarter, allows the cash back to really add up. The current quarterly categories on the Discover it Cash Back card are gas stations, wholesale clubs and select streaming services, while other categories later on the 2021 bonus calendar includes restaurants, Amazon, PayPal and more.

On top of that, all the cash back you earn on the Discover it Cash Back will be matched at the end of the first year for new card holders, making this an ideal card to have if you know you’ll be spending a lot on your credit card over the next year. This means those rotating bonus categories are worth 10% in the first year, and all your purchases outside of the bonus categories earn a solid 2% return the first year.

In addition to a great cash back rewards program, new card holders can also take advantage of a 0% introductory interest on all purchases and balance transfers for the first 14 months from the date of the first transfer, though the rate increases to a variable 11.99% to 2.99% at the end of the 14-month period. There’s a 3% intro balance transfer fee that goes up to 5% on future balance transfers (see terms)

Related: Tight on cash? These credit cards charge 0% interest on purchases.

One thing that could be better: You won’t get paid out on your sign-up bonus until you’ve had the card for an entire year, whereas many other credit card welcome offers are paid out as soon as you meet the minimum spend requirement. You also need to pay close attention to the cash back calendar and manually activate the categories on the Discover it Cash Back each quarter, online or by phone, before you make purchases in order to earn the bonus cash back.

Where it beats our benchmark card: No foreign transaction fees or introductory interest on purchases, and the cash back match in the first year equals the earning rate of the Citi Double Cash for everyday purchases and significantly beats it in the bonus categories.

Where our benchmark card is better: After the first year when the cash back match bonus ends, the Citi Double Cash earns a higher return on everyday purchases.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa

Best for streaming

Why it’s great in one sentence: Card holders earn 5% cash back in two categories they select from a list — including options like streaming services — every quarter throughout the year, up to $2,000 in purchases per quarter.

This card is right for: People who want a no-annual-fee credit card that offers the flexibility to earn cash back in the categories that work best for them based on their personal spending habits.

Highlights:

Welcome bonus: Earn a $150 rewards bonus after you apply online and spend $500 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.

What we like about the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa: When compared to the other 5% rotating category cards, the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card is the only one that allows you to customize your cash back categories to select two that work best for your quarterly spending habits. With the other cards, the increased quarterly categories are selected by the issuer and can’t be changed by the card holder.

With roughly a dozen category options to choose from, the 5% cash back categories on the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa include:

Since streaming services are popular these days, you can select this as one of your two options. And while the Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express earns slightly more cash back for US streaming services, it comes with a $95 annual fee after the first year, which you won’t have to worry about with the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa.

With the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa, you’ll also earn 5% cash back on up to $2,000 in purchases in your two chosen categories during each quarter, where other similar cards cap your cash back at $1,500 during the same time frame. That means you can earn up to an extra $100 cash back per quarter or up to $400 per year.

On top of the 5% cash back options, you’ll also be able to select one category to earn 2% cash back each quarter, with no cap on the amount you can earn. These 2% categories typically includes popular choices such as:

One thing that could be better: You need to activate the cash back categories every quarter on the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa, and you’ll only earn the increased 2% or 5% cash back after activation — rewards can’t be retroactively applied. This means you truly need to be on top of your credit card and remember the categories that you select on a quarterly basis.

The 5% cash back options also don’t include some more mainstream categories. Instead, everyday purchases, such as buying groceries and filling up your gas tank, are in the inferior 2% cash back bucket.

Where it beats our benchmark card: Sign-up bonus, selectable bonus categories and an introductory offer on balance transfers.

Where our benchmark card is better: The Citi Double Cash has a longer introductory offer on balance transfers and earns a higher 2% flat-rate cash back on all your everyday purchases for those who don’t want to worry about category bonuses and a maximum cap.

Looking for a credit card that earns travel rewards? Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the best travel credit cards.

Get all the latest personal finance deals, news and advice at CNN Underscored Money.

Click here for rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred card.
Click here for rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday card.