Gas is a spending category which applies to most people. A 2021 CNBC article said the average American household spends $2,218 per year on gas. To maximize cash back rewards without annual fees, we’ll show you the best options here. Even cards with annual fees are rarely as good as these top credit cards.
If you happen to know about a credit card which should be here, feel free to let us know so we can update this list.
Note that gas-station-specific cards are rarely worthwhile, especially when gas prices are high. Sunoco for example gives a perpetual discount of $0.05 per gallon, but if gas is $3 per gallon, 5% cash back cards give triple the value (at $0.15 per gallon). Rewards programs (like through T-Mobile Tuesdays) may give additional discounts.
1. Abound Credit Union Visa Platinum
This card earns an unlimited 5% cash back on gas. Formerly issued under the Fort Knox Credit Union banner, this is easily the best card for gas purchases. It doesn’t have spending limits and cash back is automatically applied as statement credits. You do need Abound Credit Union Membership, but that shouldn’t be overly complicated.
The card also has temporary spending bonuses for 5-7% cash back in other categories. (In October 2020/2021, this is Amazon.com purchases.)
5% back on $2,218 of spending is $110.90 in cash back.
2. USAA Cashback Rewards Plus
This card earns 5% cash back on gas, up to $3,000 in annual spending. Most people don’t spend $250+ every month on gas, so the spending limit could be reasonable. Heavy travelers with gas-guzzling vehicles may bump into this limit. You’ll need to know your expenses/budget to see if this card makes sense for you. The other downside is that USAA membership is restricted to military members and their families, s0 most people can’t get USAA cards.
If you’re in this category, however, another option is the Navy Federal Credit Union More Rewards. It earns 3x points for supermarkets, gas, transit, and dining. Or you can try the PenFed Platinum Rewards credit card, which earns at least 4.25% cash back on gas. The Navy Federal and PenFed cards may have lower earn rates, but they have other benefits to make them worth considering.
5% back on $2,218 of spending is $110.90 in cash back.
3. Citi Custom Cash
This card earns 5% cash back on gas, if you only use the card for gas. It’s usually better to aim for the Abound card, and use the Custom Cash in a different spending category. The CCCC is typically best used for other expenses. There’s also a $500 spending limit per billing period. This shouldn’t be a problem for 99% of people, and it’s higher than USAA’s limit. If you want an easy 5% cash back on gas, this is definitely an option to consider, even if it isn’t “optimal.”
5% back on $2,218 of spending is $110.90 in cash back.
Click here to read our full Custom Cash review.
4. PNC Cash Rewards
This card earns 4% cash back on gas and 3% back at restaurants. While this isn’t the most impressive earn rate, it can be easier to get an account with PNC than other banks. The Cash Rewards credit card is decent enough for everyday spending. It’s also arguably better than its closest competitor, the Citi Costco credit card. The downside of PNC’s card is the $8,000 annual spending limit, which is largely irrelevant since it’s even higher than CCCC’s limit.
4% back on $2,218 of spending is $88.72 in cash back.
Click here to read our full PNC Cash Rewards review.
5. UMB Simply Rewards
This card earns 3% back on gas, plus 3% at grocery stores and restaurants. Earning 5% cash back would be a lot better, but having multiple categories simplifies your wallet. These are also very popular everyday categories. The card isn’t a bad option overall, it just isn’t “optimal,” so it’s at the bottom of this list.
We have slightly better alternatives than UMB, but they can be more difficult to get. There’s the NFCU More Rewards (mentioned above) and Wells Fargo Propel (currently unavailable for new signups). The Propel gets 3% cash back on dining, gas, rideshares, public transit, flights, hotels, car rentals, streaming services, and more.
3% back on $2,218 of spending is $66.54 in cash back.
Honorable mentions (without fees)
- Discover It – 5% back (April/May/June 2021)
- Chase Freedom Flex – 5% back (April/May/June 2021)
- Nusenda – 5% back (Jan/Feb/March & July/Aug/Sept 2016-2021)
- Cardless New Orleans Pelicans – 4% cash back on gas and restaurants (strictly better than the PNC card)
- Cardless Miami Marlins – 3% cash back on gas, drugstores, restaurants
- Kroger Family of Companies – 5% cash back on mobile wallet transactions, limited to $3,000 per year (not supported at every gas station)
- Penfed Platinum Rewards – unlimited 4.25% cash back on gas and electric vehicle charging stations
- AOD Federal Credit Union – 3% cash back on everything, possibly limited to Alabama only (YMMV)
- Coinbase Debit can potentially earn up to 4% cash back on everything, although it has several potential downsides (and gas stations often put holds on debit cards until the funds clear)
Honorable mentions (with fees or hurdles)
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards – earn 5.25% cash back for Platinum Honors members (must choose Gas as your 3x category)
- U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite – earns up to 4.5% cash back when using mobile wallets (not supported at every gas station)
- Capital One Venture X Visa Infinite – can potentially earn more than 3% cash back on everything (with good utilization of their transfer partners)
- PCMCU Platinum Rewards Mastercard – 5% cash back on everything ($1000 monthly spending limit), waivable annual fee, limited to Wisconsin (Marinette or Green Bay only)