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Factors and miles fans like to maximize their travel redemptions and relish of their cardholder advantages that assist offset high annual fees. Others favor an easier method, using one card that offers them cash back on their purchases with out annual charges.
When you’re one for the solo-card method, one in every of your primary issues ought to be whether or not you’re going to make use of the cardboard at residence, overseas or a mixture of each. Chances are high, should you don’t like annual charges, you’re not going to love incurring overseas transaction charges both.
Though high annual fee cards could be value it should you can maximize advantages and redemptions, there are good methods to earn cash back instead of points and miles in your spending.
Let’s check out the most effective no annual payment cash back cards.
Greatest cash-back playing cards with no annual payment
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Greatest for elevated money again within the class of your selection
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Greatest for fixed-rate money again on all purchases with no overseas transaction charges
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Greatest for elevated money again on eating and leisure with no overseas transaction charges
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Greatest for fixed-rate money again on all purchases and elevated money again on Lyft
- Chase Freedom Flex®: Greatest for elevated money again on rotating classes and Lyft
- Citi Custom Cash® Card: Greatest for a wider vary of elevated money again within the class of your selection
- Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees): Greatest for fixed-rate money again on purchases whenever you purchase and whenever you pay
- Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card: Greatest for elevated money again on rotating classes, each in your first yr and with no overseas transaction charges
The knowledge for the Citi Customized Money and Uncover it Money Again playing cards has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or supplied by the cardboard issuer.
Financial institution of America Custom-made Money Rewards bank card
Welcome bonus: $200 money rewards bonus after making at the very least $1,000 in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening.
With the Financial institution of America Custom-made Money Rewards bank card, you’ll be able to earn 3% money rewards in a single class of your selection: gas and EV charging stations, online shopping/cable/web/cellphone plans/streaming, dining, travel, drugstores/pharmacies or home improvement/furnishings. You can too earn 2% money rewards at grocery stores and wholesale golf equipment — however your 3% and a couple of% earnings are solely on the primary $2,500 of spending in these classes every quarter. These classes could be modified as soon as a month. All different purchases earn 1% money rewards.
When you spend $2,500 every quarter in a selected 3% class (and don’t do any spending in 2% classes), you’ll get $300 per yr in money rewards from this spending. Moreover, Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards® members can earn between 25% and 75% additional cash rewards.
This card additionally provides extended warranty protection whenever you pay bills with it. The draw back is that it prices a 3% overseas transaction payment.
For extra data, learn our full review of the Bank of America Customized Cash card.
Apply right here: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Capital One Quicksilver Money Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome bonus: $200 money bonus when you spend $500 on purchases inside three months from account opening.
The Capital One Quicksilver Money Rewards Credit score Card earns limitless 1.5% money again on each buy, with no overseas transaction charges and no annual payment. This makes it a very good card for common spending whereas overseas. Plus, whenever you pay with this card, it supplies extended warranty protection and travel accident insurance.
For extra data, learn our full review of the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card.
Be taught extra: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Associated: Best Capital One cards
Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card
Welcome bonus: $200 money bonus when you spend $500 on purchases inside the first three months from account opening.
The Capital One Savor Money Rewards Credit score Card provides 3% money again on dining and entertainment, fashionable streaming providers, at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Goal®) and 1% on all different purchases. There are not any overseas transaction charges and the cardboard provides extended warranty protection in addition to travel accident insurance and an auto rental collision damage waiver. So, this card is an efficient selection should you have a tendency to spend so much on eating and leisure, each at residence and overseas.
For extra data, learn our full review of the Capital One Savor credit card.
Be taught extra: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Associated: Credit card showdown: Capital One Savor vs. Capital One Quicksilver
Chase Freedom Limitless
Welcome bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% money again on the whole lot you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first yr) — value as much as $300 money again.
The Chase Freedom Limitless earns 5% cash back on Lyft rides via March 2025 and 5% again on journey booked via Chase Journey℠, 3% again on eating (together with takeout and eligible supply providers), 3% again at drugstores and 1.5% again on the whole lot else.
Nevertheless, the cardboard prices a 3% overseas transaction payment, so that you received’t wish to use it for purchases overseas. Once you pay for associated bills along with your card, the cardboard provides purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and auto rental collision damage waiver.
Taking a look at cash-back charges and overseas transaction charges, the Chase Freedom Limitless isn’t the most effective card for everyday spending; nonetheless, should you would take into account paying the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card’s $95 annual payment sooner or later, you could possibly accumulate rewards from on a regular basis spending on the Chase Freedom Limitless after which transfer them to your Sapphire Preferred account whenever you’re able to redeem.
1% money again would change into one Chase Ultimate Reward point when transferred to your Sapphire Preferred account, after which you could possibly redeem your factors for journey via Chase Travel at 1.25 cents per level or transfer your points to airline and hotel partners (which TPG’s February 2025 valuations peg at 2.05 cents per level).
For extra particulars, learn our full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Associated: Why Chase Sapphire Preferred and Freedom Unlimited are the perfect beginner combo
Chase Freedom Flex
Welcome bonus: $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
The Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% money again on Lyft rides (via March 2025), 5% on as much as $1,500 in mixed purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, 3% money again on eating and drugstore purchases and 1% money again on the whole lot else.
For the primary quarter of 2025, the 5% categories include choose grocery shops (together with Instacart and excluding Walmart® and Goal®), health membership and fitness center memberships, self-care and spa providers and Norwegian Cruise Line purchases (should e-book straight with the cruise line). There’s additionally a particular birthday shock class coming in March.
You received’t wish to use the cardboard for purchases overseas due to a 3% overseas transaction payment, however the card provides purchase protection, extended warranty protection, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and auto rental collision damage waiver whenever you pay for associated bills along with your card.
As with the Chase Freedom Limitless, your rewards can change into extra precious should you transfer them to another card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards, such because the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card.
For extra data, learn our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
Apply right here: Chase Freedom Flex
Associated: Chase Freedom vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited: Which card is right for you?
Citi Customized Money
Welcome bonus: Earn $200 money again after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of account opening.
The Citi Customized Money earns 5% money again in your prime eligible spending class every billing cycle, as much as the primary $500, 1% money again thereafter and 1% money again on all different purchases.
The classes embody drugstores, health golf equipment, gasoline stations, grocery shops, residence enchancment shops, dwell leisure, eating places, choose journey, choose transit and choose streaming providers. Moreover, via June 30, 2026, you’ll earn an extra 4% money again on motels, automotive leases, and sights booked via the Citi Travel portal.
You’ll not wish to use this card internationally as a result of it imposes a 3% overseas transaction payment. This card additionally consists of entry to Citi Leisure, which might help you rating tickets to among the hottest events in town.
For extra particulars, learn our full review of the Citi Custom Cash.
Citi Double Money Card
Welcome bonus: Earn $200 money again after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first 6 months of account opening.
The Citi Double Money card earns 2% money again on the whole lot (1% whenever you purchase and 1% as you pay).
The Citi Double Money Card earns as much as 2% money again on all purchases — 1% whenever you make a purchase order and one other 1% whenever you pay your assertion — all with no annual payment and no restrict on the money again you’ll be able to earn. This makes it a good selection for general spending when you’re within the U.S. However you’ll wish to retailer it deep in your baggage whenever you journey internationally as a result of it prices a 3% overseas transaction payment.
For extra data, learn our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
Apply right here: Citi Double Cash Card
Associated: How to get maximum value out of your Citi Double Cash ThankYou points
Uncover it Money Again
Welcome bonus: None.
With Uncover it Money Again, you’ll be able to earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases (per Uncover’s Cashback Calendar after enrollment and activation) and 1% money again on all different purchases.
The cardboard has no annual payment and no overseas transaction charges, so it’s a good selection for spending within the quarterly bonus classes whether or not you’re within the U.S. or abroad.
Uncover matches your whole money again after the primary yr of card membership, which means bonus class purchases will successfully earn 10% money again in your first yr. Sadly, the cardboard doesn’t provide a welcome bonus.
For extra data, learn our full assessment of the Discover It Cash Back.
Associated: Your ultimate guide to Discover cards
Do you have to get one or a number of playing cards?
When you refuse to pay any annual charges, or should you journey internationally and like the simplicity of cash-back rewards, you could possibly join the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card, which supplies 1.5% again on the whole lot.
If most of your bank card spending is on eating, leisure and groceries, you could be higher off with the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card. Neither of those playing cards prices an annual payment nor any overseas transaction charges, which makes both card a good selection should you’re searching for one card for all of your bills at residence and overseas.
When you don’t journey internationally, you could be higher off getting the Citi Double Cash Card should you solely need one card. However, relying on what forms of bills you usually put in your bank card, you could be higher off getting the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card or the Capital One Savor Money Rewards.
When you’re open to getting a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card, such because the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Freedom Unlimited can also be an affordable selection.
When you actually wish to maximize your money again earnings, you’ll be able to go for getting a number of playing cards. I’d begin with the Citi Double Money as an ideal card to start out with, because it earns 2% money again on all purchases (1% whenever you purchase, 1% whenever you pay).
You possibly can pair that with any of the opposite playing cards above to cowl different bonus categories to maximise your spending.
Associated: How many credit cards should I have at once?
Backside Line
There’s no scarcity of fine cash back and travel rewards credit cards in the marketplace. Whereas journey rewards can provide outsize worth, these searching for extra flexibility will get pleasure from incomes money again. Fortunately, there are a number of nice choices that don’t cost annual charges, so you’ll be able to maintain onto these playing cards yr after yr without having to pay to maintain them in your pockets.
Associated: Cash back vs. points and miles credit cards: The pros and cons of each
For Capital One merchandise listed on this web page, among the advantages could also be supplied by Visa® or Mastercard® and will range by product. See the respective Information to Advantages for particulars, as phrases and exclusions apply.