While we love earning travel rewards here at TPG, there’s also real value in using a cash credit card to earn cold, hard cash back in your pocket. There are several cards that will give you a solid 2% cash back on every single purchase you make – with no effort.
With these 2% fixed cash back credit cards, there’s no need to worry about class bonuses, activate an increased salary level, or choose a class you like. Cashback is yours, no matter what you buy. It’s really as easy as it looks.
Best of all, these cards have no – or very high – caps on the amount of money you can earn.
An overview of the best 2% credit cards.
Here are our top six picks for 2% cash back cards.
US Bank Signature Smartly Visa card information is independently collected by The Points Guy. The card information on this page has not been updated or provided by the card issuer.
The best credit cards are 2%.
Citi Double Cash Card
Those looking for a simple cash back card with no bonus categories to follow will love it Citi Double Cash.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn $200 in cash back after spending $1,500 in purchases in the first six months of account opening.
Daily Newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the best news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG experts
Why we love it: The Citi Double Cash Card is one of the easiest and most valuable credit cards available. With 2% cash back — 1% when you make a purchase, and 1% when you pay for that purchase — your rewards are super easy every time you swipe them.
Best of all, if in the future, you decide you’d like to redeem your travel cash back rewards instead, you’ll have that opportunity again — if you pair this card with a premium Citi ThankYou product, that is. like Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees).
Although this card has a $0 annual fee, the card doesn’t offer many benefits in the way of purchases or travel protection. It’s also not a good card for international travel because of its 3% foreign transaction fee.
To learn more, read our full Citi Double Cash review.
Apply here: Citi Double Cash Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
If cell phone protection is the benefit you’re looking for in your wallet, consider this Wells Fargo Active Cash.
Annual fee: $0 (rates and fees)
Welcome offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months.
Why we love it: The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is one of those 2% unlimited cash rewards cards with no annual fee that also comes with a welcome bonus. With this card, you’ll earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months.
Additionally, the card offers mobile phone protection that covers theft or damage as long as you pay off your entire bill with the card. With this benefit, you’ll be covered up to $600 per claim (with a $25 deductible), even if you have two claims in a 12-month period.
You can redeem your rewards for cash for gift cards, statement credit, and deposits to an eligible Wells Fargo checking account or mortgage. There is no limit to the amount of cash prizes you can receive.
To learn more, read our full Wells Fargo Active Cash review.
Apply here: Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Synchrony Premier World Mastercard
If you don’t care if your cashback card comes from a major issuer, consider the robust Synchrony Premier World Mastercard.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Nothing
Why we love it: While the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard is not always discussed, it is a top cash back option. You’ll earn 2% cash back on every purchase you make – excluding caps – which is automatically applied as a statement credit.
Even if the card doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, card members will receive lucrative benefits despite the fact that the card comes with no annual fee. Since the card is a World Mastercard, you’ll get benefits like Lyft credits, Hello Fresh credits and a three-month DoorDash DashPass membership.
To learn more, read our full Synchrony Premier World Mastercard review.
Apply here: Synchrony Premier World Mastercard
American Express Blue Business Cash Card
Small businesses looking for a cash back card should consider it American Express Blue Business Cash.
Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees)
We welcome you to provide: Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in your first three months of account opening.
Why we love it: A business credit card that offers 2% cash back is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card. This card is also extremely straightforward, but your earnings are up to $50,000 per calendar year (you’ll get 1% back on your purchases).
Getting your money back is incredibly easy, as you’ll receive the earned money automatically as a monthly statement credit. If you have a small business that spends below the cap threshold annually, this may be the preferred card because of the $0 annual fee.
To learn more, read our full Blue Business Cash review.
Apply here: American Express Blue Business Cash Card
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Small businesses that spend a lot of money annually should consider it Capital One Spark Cash Plus.
Annual fee: $150 (see rates and fees)
Welcome offer: Earn a $2,000 cash bonus after spending $30,000 in the first three months. Plus, get an additional $2,000 bonus on every $500,000 spent in the first year.
Why we love it: If you have a good amount of spending coming up and are looking for a small business card, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus may be the right option for you. While earning 2% cash back on all purchases is one reason to get the card, the current welcome bonus makes it even more appealing.
This is a great offer to start your company’s savings, but it has a high spending requirement to unlock the bonus.
While the card may be attractive at first because of its big welcome bonus, you’ll want to make sure the ongoing benefits outweigh the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) in subsequent years.
Benefits include no foreign transactions (see rates and fees), roadside assistance, extended warranty protection, and free employee cards (see rates and fees). Additionally, you can get your annual $150 cash back every year with a minimum spend of $150,000.
To learn more, read our full Spark Cash Plus review.
Apply here: Capital One Spark Cash Plus
US Bank Signature Smartly Visa Card
If you’re a loyal US Bank customer, check out the US Bank Smartly Visa.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: No welcome offer
Why we love it: The new Smartly Visa Signature Bank US Card earns up to 4% cash back on all purchases. The card earns 2% cash back on all purchases and an additional 2% cash back if you have a US Bank Smartly® Savings account.
Based on your savings account balance, you can earn anywhere from 2.5% cash back to 4% cash back with the US Bank Smartly card.
If you have a large amount of money with US Bank, this card is definitely worth considering.
Honorable mentions
In addition to the list above, there are a few other credit cards that will give you 2% cash back. However, they are not that simple. From being required to join a credit union to being an iPhone user, there are some caveats to these cards, so they won’t work for the masses.
If you’re looking for another option, though, these cards will give you 2% back with little effort:
- Apple Card*
- Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card*
- SoFi Credit Card*
- Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card*
- PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card*
Still, one of the best things about a cash back card is its simplicity, so think that the extra steps these cards require will be worth it in the long run.
*The information for all the cards listed in this section has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card information on this page has not been updated or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Pros and cons of cash back credit cards
Bottom line
If you want to make life easier, a 2% cash back credit card could be the answer.
While some credit cards offer more rewards on certain category purchases, they may require you to switch multiple cards in your wallet at once so that you can use that card for each purchase you make. Knowing that you will always get 2% cash back may be the easiest and most attractive option for you.
Related: How to choose a cash back card
For rates and fees for the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, click here.
For the Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be offered by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the appropriate Benefits guide for details, including applicable terms and exclusions.
Source link
