For most US households, gas, groceries and restaurant spending will take up a large part of a daily budget. To determine the best credit cards for the typical ledger, we identified the cards with rewards programs that could maximize value across these categories. Most of these cards have no annual fee, so they are less costly to maintain if used responsibly. We’ve included a variety of picks for cardholders with a range of credit scores. Read on for more details.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% variable APR
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card will help you maximize cash rewards on purchases across the board. It’s got one of the highest flat rates on the market, with 2% cash rewards on your purchases. While you can find higher rewards rates for specific spending categories elsewhere, you won’t have to switch between different cards to get a good overall return. Your everyday spending may earn you the welcome bonus, as well.
For more details and benefits, see our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Regular APR
- 19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- up to 5%; min: $5
The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card will help you maximize cash rewards on purchases across the board. It’s got one of the highest flat rates on the market, with 2% cash rewards on your purchases. While you can find higher rewards rates for specific spending categories elsewhere, you won’t have to switch between different cards to get a good overall return. Your everyday spending may earn you the welcome bonus, as well.
For more details and benefits, see our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Regular APR
- 19.99%, 24.99%, or 29.99% variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- up to 5%; min: $5
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 18.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 5% Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.; Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
If you find yourself going through different phases of spending from month to month -- maybe you primarily use groceries at home for a few weeks and then turn to takeout the following weeks -- the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card card allows you to optimize your cash-back rewards automatically.
This card earns you 5% cash back on your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle (on up to $500 spent, then 1%), calculated by Citi without any work required on your end. Eligible spending categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
You’ll earn 1% on all other purchases, and you can take advantage of the welcome bonus, too. To learn more about this card and its benefits, see our full review of the Citi Custom Cash card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months on balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months on purchases
- Regular APR
- 18.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
If you find yourself going through different phases of spending from month to month -- maybe you primarily use groceries at home for a few weeks and then turn to takeout the following weeks -- the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card card allows you to optimize your cash-back rewards automatically.
This card earns you 5% cash back on your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle (on up to $500 spent, then 1%), calculated by Citi without any work required on your end. Eligible spending categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs and live entertainment.
You’ll earn 1% on all other purchases, and you can take advantage of the welcome bonus, too. To learn more about this card and its benefits, see our full review of the Citi Custom Cash card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months on balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months on purchases
- Regular APR
- 18.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.74% – 28.49% Variable
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 5% 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!; 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service; Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠* claims many rewards categories in an eclectic fashion. There is a rotating 5% category that changes every quarter. It typically covers common everyday spending categories -- like grocery stores, gas stations and retailers like Walmart -- but it only applies to your first $1,500 in spending per quarter (then 1%). You’ll also have to manually activate this benefit each quarter to use it.
Besides the other cash-back rates, you’ll also get benefits for Lyft and DoorDash. Through March 2025, you can earn 5% cash back on all Lyft rides when you use the Chase Freedom Flex to pay. You also get three complimentary months of DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service (activate by Dec. 31, 2024). This service provides unlimited deliveries for a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders of $12 or more on DoorDash and Caviar. You’ll then automatically be enrolled in DashPass at half off for the next nine months, but you can opt out if you decide not to keep the service.
For more details on this card’s other offerings, check out our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.74% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠* claims many rewards categories in an eclectic fashion. There is a rotating 5% category that changes every quarter. It typically covers common everyday spending categories -- like grocery stores, gas stations and retailers like Walmart -- but it only applies to your first $1,500 in spending per quarter (then 1%). You’ll also have to manually activate this benefit each quarter to use it.
Besides the other cash-back rates, you’ll also get benefits for Lyft and DoorDash. Through March 2025, you can earn 5% cash back on all Lyft rides when you use the Chase Freedom Flex to pay. You also get three complimentary months of DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service (activate by Dec. 31, 2024). This service provides unlimited deliveries for a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders of $12 or more on DoorDash and Caviar. You’ll then automatically be enrolled in DashPass at half off for the next nine months, but you can opt out if you decide not to keep the service.
For more details on this card’s other offerings, check out our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.74% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 18.99% – 29.99% Variable
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 3% 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.; 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
The Blue Cash Everyday, as you might’ve guessed, is designed to reward you for purchases you have to make all the time. For no annual fee, you can earn a return on your essential spending. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
In addition to its strong rewards at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, it’s a great credit card for online shopping with its rewards for U.S. online retail purchases. It also features an intro 0% APR offer for new purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening (then 18.99% to 29.99% variable). That means you can pay off new purchases or an existing balance on another credit card at no interest, making it a good option for an emergency credit card, too.
Read more about the Everyday in our Blue Cash Everyday review.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.99% – 29.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The Blue Cash Everyday, as you might’ve guessed, is designed to reward you for purchases you have to make all the time. For no annual fee, you can earn a return on your essential spending. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
In addition to its strong rewards at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, it’s a great credit card for online shopping with its rewards for U.S. online retail purchases. It also features an intro 0% APR offer for new purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening (then 18.99% to 29.99% variable). That means you can pay off new purchases or an existing balance on another credit card at no interest, making it a good option for an emergency credit card, too.
Read more about the Everyday in our Blue Cash Everyday review.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 18.99% – 29.99% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Intro Offer
-
60,000 points Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
- Annual fee
- $95
- APR
- 20.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
670 – 850
Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1x – 3x Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels; Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets; Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The $95 annual fee for the Citi Premier® Card is well worth it for most people when you can get a 3 points per dollar spent on everyday spending like restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations as well as big-ticket travel costs like air travel and hotels. If you redeem these points for a statement credit on Thankyou.com, travel or gift cards, you can get 1 cent per point -- essentially a 3% return rate. This is the closest many households will get to earning a flat 3% return rate on their spending, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
For more information, see our full review of the Citi Premier Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 20.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
The $95 annual fee for the Citi Premier® Card is well worth it for most people when you can get a 3 points per dollar spent on everyday spending like restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations as well as big-ticket travel costs like air travel and hotels. If you redeem these points for a statement credit on Thankyou.com, travel or gift cards, you can get 1 cent per point -- essentially a 3% return rate. This is the closest many households will get to earning a flat 3% return rate on their spending, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
For more information, see our full review of the Citi Premier Card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 20.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
- Intro Offer
-
20,000 points Intro Offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
-
800 – 850
Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1x – 4x 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery.; 2X points on streaming services.; 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, and EV charging stations; 1X point on all other eligible purchases.
Food away from home is one of the biggest everyday spending categories for Americans, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you love grabbing takeout or dining out, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card earns 4x points on dining, takeout and restaurant delivery. At a redemption rate of 1 cent per point, you earn 4% back. The other rewards rates and the welcome bonus aren’t as competitive but they’re a nice bonus.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on purchases
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
Food away from home is one of the biggest everyday spending categories for Americans, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you love grabbing takeout or dining out, the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card earns 4x points on dining, takeout and restaurant delivery. At a redemption rate of 1 cent per point, you earn 4% back. The other rewards rates and the welcome bonus aren’t as competitive but they’re a nice bonus.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles on purchases
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 28.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
Who should get an everyday credit card?
“Everyday” credit cards are great for anyone who regularly spends on necessities like gas and groceries. They’re meant to reward you for your most common purchases. An everyday credit card can also consolidate your spending into a single bill, making it easier to manage.
If you don’t have a credit card that provides rewards on your regular spending, you may be leaving reward money on the table. The card might also feature perks that make shopping and traveling more secure via extra protections like purchase protection and travel insurances.
How to choose the best everyday credit card
You’ll want to consider a card’s reward categories and rates in terms of your spending patterns, but that’s not all.
Spend categories
You’ll want to bolster your normal spending, without having to adjust your habits to match the card. Everyday credit cards typically provide rewards for gas, groceries, dining out and entertainment purchases. Choose the card that best fits your needs.
Flat-rate cards
Flat-rate cards offer the same rewards no matter what you’re buying. They provide a good deal of flexibility for a varied budget. For example, some credit cards provide 1%, 1.5% or 2.0% cash back based on all of your purchases.
Other rewards cards may offer higher rewards rates but only for specific purchases. Sometimes the categories that are eligible for higher rewards rotate monthly or quarterly.
Reward redemption
The fate of your rewards is nearly as important as how they’re earned.
Cash-back credit cards usually have fewer redemption options, and 1% cash back will typically equate to 1 cent no matter how it’s redeemed, except if you’re using rewards at checkout.
If your rewards credit card earns points, however, you’ll likely have more redemption choices but which you choose could affect how much they’re worth. For example, a card might provide a greater per-point value for gift card redemption than statement credits. Most issuers will tell you how much the points are worth for each redemption option in the card terms.
Welcome bonus
A welcome bonus -- as the name suggests -- is a bonus new cardholders can earn by spending a certain amount on their new card. Usually a higher annual fee equates to a better welcome bonus. While welcome bonuses are great ways to earn extra rewards, you’ll want to make sure you aren’t making extra or unnecessary purchases just to reach the bonus.
Annual fee
Cards with an annual fee typically offer better rewards and perks. However, you’ll want to make sure an annual fee fits into your budget. If you can’t generate enough rewards through your normal spending habits to cover the fee while also earning a profit, it’s likely not the card for you.
Compare credit cards by calculating the cash value of its annual rewards with your budget. Include the welcome bonus and subtract the cost of the annual fee. The card with the highest net value is worth the most during the first year. After the first year, ignore the value of the welcome bonus when comparing the cards.
Card benefits
Credit cards designed with general spending in mind don’t usually provide the most impressive additional benefits, but they could help protect your purchases more than if you were to use cash or a debit card. For example, some rewards cards offer purchase protection which covers your new purchases against damage or theft, or an extended warranty.
How to maximize your everyday credit card rewards
The simplest way to make sure you’re getting the most from your everyday credit card is by picking the right credit card and using it properly. Be careful to redeem your rewards in the most lucrative way, and make all of your payments on time and in full to avoid interest charges.
FAQs
The industry standard rate for a flat-rate cash-back card is 2%. There are a number of credit cards that provide this rate, but two of the best are the Wells Fargo Active Cash card (2% cash rewards on purchases) and the Citi® Double Cash Card (1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% cash back when you pay for those purchases). Both of these cards have no annual fee.
The better the benefits, the more hoops you’ll need to jump through to be eligible for certain credit cards. Credit cards with attractive rewards programs or cash-back rewards require better credit than more basic credit card varieties.
If you have poor or fair credit, you might only qualify for credit builder or secured credit cards. If you have good to excellent credit, you may easily qualify for any credit card you want. But if you don’t have the right score, you can always work to improve your credit for better odds of approval.
The best credit card for beginners is one that will help you build credit, so make sure to get a card that reports to the three credit bureaus. You’ll also want to determine how you plan to use a credit card. Are you expecting to carry a balance from month to month, or can you reliably pay the credit issuer off? Are you a student who needs to finance a bunch of back-to-school purchases? Depending on what you need, one credit card might be better than another.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express, click here.
*All information about the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
