We spend a lot of time discussing the best credit cards for various earning categories. We have entire articles dedicated to the best credit cards for gas, supermarkets, cruises and more. We also have a guide to the best credit cards for dining.
27.08.2024 - 13:46 / thepointsguy.com
While we love earning travel rewards here at TPG, there's also some real value in using a cash-back 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 hardly any effort.
With these fixed 2% cash-back credit cards, there's no need to pay attention to category bonuses, activate an increased earning rate or even select a category of your choice. The cash back is yours, regardless of the purchase you make. It's truly as simple as it looks.
Best of all, these cards have no — or extremely high — caps to the amount of cash back you can earn.
Here are five of our top picks for the best 2% cash-back cards.
The information for the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuers.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
Why we like it: The Citi Double Cash Card is one of the simplest and most valuable credit cards available. With 2% cash back — 1% when you make a purchase, plus 1% when you pay that purchase off — your rewards are very simple every time you swipe it.
Best of all, if at a future time, you decide that you'd prefer to redeem your cash-back rewards for travel instead, you'll have that opportunity as well — if you pair this card with a premium Citi ThankYou product, such as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees).
While this card has a $0 annual fee, the card doesn't offer many perks in the way of purchase or travel protection. It's also not an ideal card for international travel due to its 3% foreign transaction fee.
For more details, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
Apply here: Citi Double Cash Card
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Why we like it: The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is one of the few unlimited 2% 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 cellphone protection that covers against theft or damage as long as you pay for your entire bill with the card. With this benefit, you'll be covered up to $600 per claim (with a $25 deductible), though you are capped at two claims per 12-month period.
You'll get your 2% cash rewards in the form of a statement credit, which makes it incredibly easy to receive your rewards. There's also no cap on the amount of cash back you can receive.
For more
We spend a lot of time discussing the best credit cards for various earning categories. We have entire articles dedicated to the best credit cards for gas, supermarkets, cruises and more. We also have a guide to the best credit cards for dining.
I turned 40 in 2022. Along with checking a different box for "age range" on forms these days, I'm also taking a fresh look at both my credit and my credit card strategy.
Deciding on a credit card for the best travel perks may have just gotten easier thanks to a new study.
Many people newer to points and miles initially gravitate toward airline programs. That isn't a huge surprise — the ability to get to your destination for almost free is a logical first step. But what about once you arrive?
I've been invited to more bachelorette parties than I can count.
Aug 21, 2024 • 10 min read
I've taken all sorts of Amtrak train rides in various classes. In 2021, I finally booked the top option.
As interest in visiting Porto only grows stronger, visitors are finding even more things to do in the city. What was once seen for many as a short trip is becoming a longer break, with exploration outside of the city centre and into neighboring areas. Porto may be Portugal’s second largest city—after Lisbon—but it did give the country its name from the Roman Portus Cale. Centuries later, the city became famous for port, its “divine nectar of the Gods,” tastings of which are highly recommended in any of the port lodges lining the riverside in Vila Nova de Gaia. From there, look across the Douro at Porto’s colorful jumble of medieval houses, soaring church towers, and glossy blue-and-white tiled façades. Here, our selection of the best things to do in Porto can help you weave your way through the city, dipping into its sights, sounds, tastes, and smells to better get under its skin. To be sure, Porto will get under yours too.
Aug 20, 2024 • 13 min read
For so many, Siem Reap, Cambodia, is synonymous with its famed UNESCO World Heritage Site Angkor Wat, one of Southeast Asia’s most significant archaeological grounds. But beyond these iconic ruins is a city brimming with riverside cafés, festive bar scenes, cultural experiences, and French-style colonial streets. Siem Reap is also a culinary hotspot, boasting everything from expertly crafted street food to contemporary cuisine, with several restaurants earning spots on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list. And outside the urban hustle lies exciting cultural experiences in the province’s rural villages and countryside.
Seeing unauthorized charges on your credit card can be a headache. Removing these charges from your account and getting a replacement card isn't fun, either.
Many people use the terms "credit card" and "charge card" interchangeably. "No preset spending limit" is sometimes thrown into the mix. And while these cards have many similarities, they aren't the same.