Credit Card Roundups

The Top 5 Credit Cards for Amazon Purchases

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Billions of people visit Amazon each month, so getting a decent cash back rate at Amazon can be fairly important. The company isn’t without controversy, but we’re going to focus solely on cash back credit cards with the below information. Amazon still has more than 200 million Prime members and has been designated America’s most trusted retailer. Note that Amazon frequently has promotions to save even more money.

Outside of these top 5 options (which are all Visa Signature cards), check out our list of the best cards for everyday spending. It’s pretty easy to earn 2% to 5% cash back on all purchases.

 

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The Top 5 Credit Cards For Retail Purchases or Mobile Wallets

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In some cases, a store-brand card can help save money. They typically offer 5% back year-round (as a discount or cash back) on transactions at that store. But store cards aren’t always good options, and they’re limited to only one store at a time. It’s often a better idea to get a credit card which can work at multiple stores. Cards with flexible usage and flexible rewards usually beat narrow-use cards.

Two of the below options are even more flexible due to earning cash back on any mobile wallet transactions (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, etc). This is good not just for retail stores, but categories like groceries and gas too.

This is a list of credit cards which can work at multiple stores and earn decent cash back. Outside of these top options, view our list of the best cards for everyday spending.

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Credit and Debit Cards Earning Cryptocurrency

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Some companies allow customers to earn rewards in cryptocurrency. As of late 2021, there are 8+ known options available. More are coming soon like Nexo and Celsius.

The main downside is how this complicates finances. Some issues to consider:

  • Tax implications for some cards and/or transactions, including any rewards earned (capital gains or losses may apply)
  • At this time, most people would rather earn than spend cryptocurrency, since crypto is an asset which generally appreciates in price
  • It can be more cost-effective to stick with traditional credit cards (which typically have higher earn rates) and manually purchase cryptocurrency with those rewards (or dollar-cost averaging)
  • Services aren’t available in every country or state, which may potentially cause issues with cross-border transactions (or if you decide to move)
  • Most of the below cards don’t have sign-up bonuses or other obvious incentives to get a crypto-specific card
  • Variable value makes it difficult to accurately calculate rewards, and cash back rates could be as low as 0%

Overall, cryptocurrency-focused cards aren’t attractive at this time. They’re mostly novelties with niche use cases. This is hopefully subject to change as blockchain technology gains wider adoption.

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Credit Card Issuers: Cardless (4+ Cards Reviewed)

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Update 2: IMPORTANT! As of August 2022, the below information no longer applies. Cardless gutted every credit card’s earn rates. And they reduced sign-up bonuses to almost nothing. None of these cards are worth getting anymore, unless MAYBE you’re a fan of the below teams. If not: Cardless has zero benefits compared to competitors. Very few people will find these cards useful – many better options exist!

2 out of 5 stars for everything from Cardless.

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Update 1: As of April 2022, there are now 6 cards, and all of them now have the same sign-up bonus.

Although at first glance the “Cardless” credit cards look like novelties for certain sports teams, they’re surprisingly interesting. The sign-up bonuses and earning structures are reasonable for no-fee cards. Points are a standard $0.01 each as a statement credit. (Slightly more if you get gift cards related to the specific sport team instead.) Even if you don’t care about the team featured on each card, these are worth considering for long-term cash back benefits.

Cardless uses the Mastercard network. “Issued by First Electronic Bank, Member FDIC. Offers subject to credit approval.“ They reportedly use the Experian bureau. We haven’t verified yet if there are special benefits like World Elite status. Cards don’t have any fees. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, no late fees, nothing. Several reports say that Cardless doesn’t allow applications to more than one card. If you’re going to pick one of the below options, choose carefully, because that’ll be the only option for your foreseeable future.

Most of these cards earn cash back on streaming. This might be limited. According to their FAQ: “Purchases on subscription streaming services (including eligible music and video streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.) Some services, such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, ESPN+, Prime Video, AT&T TV and Verizon FIOS On Demand, are excluded, as well as audiobook subscription services & fitness programming.” Some cards have an extra monthly benefit, “$5 towards Peacock Premium after $500 in monthly spend.”

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The Top 5+ No-Fee Credit Cards For Streaming

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Streaming is a category that’s growing in popularity, although it isn’t as important as other categories. Most people probably spend $30-40 monthly on a couple of streaming services. If you’re spending $50-100 every month on streaming, you’re probably oversubscribed; consider cutting down on your subscriptions. Streaming is typically a low-ROI activity as it is.

Remember that bonus offers and free trials exist for most services on a limited basis. Existing credit cards may give small discounts for new subscribers. As another example, Discovery+ can be free via Verizon, and Amazon Prime members can get Showtime for $5 per month for 6 months. Check deal sites before signing up for a new streaming service. A free or discounted introductory period is likely available.

Note: Credit card issuers have different definitions for “streaming” eligibility. The top cards might not be the best cards for you. Check your subscription(s) against each card’s list of eligible categories.

 

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The Top 5 No-Fee Credit Cards For Travel

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Travel experienced a big downturn in 2020, but it’s picking up again. A 2021 CNBC article said the average American household spends $2,244 per year traveling. To maximize cash back rewards without annual fees, this list has the best general options. Keep in mind that airline-specific or hotel-specific credit cards may have more benefits. Cards with annual fees can be good too. It depends on your region, spending habits, and preferences. This list applies broadly to “any” travel expense; we’re trying to cover all the bases at once.

If you come across a credit card which should be on this list, feel free to let us know so we can make updates.

Options are a little limited in this category. It’s also best to have a Visa card when possible, since that’s accepted in far more places than American Express or Mastercard. Having multiple cards from different networks is helpful (to have backup options). Though most of the good travel cards have annual fees (and a few don’t cover certain travel categories like parking or tolls). No-fee cards rarely touch the travel category in any serious way, partly because premium cards are usually superior.

Without further ado, let’s explore the options.

 

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The Top 5 No-Fee Credit Cards For Restaurants

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“Restaurants” includes dining in, eating out, takeout, food delivery, and more. A 2021 CNBC article said the average American household spends $3,675 per year with restaurants. To maximize cash back rewards without annual fees, these are the best options. Note that cards with annual fees may have greater rewards. But if you don’t want to deal with fees, these are the top 5 credit cards to consider.

As always, to see which credit card is best for you, you’ll need to understand your spending habits. Everyone has different preferences and lifestyles, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. If you do find something that should be on this list, feel free to contact us for updates.

 

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The Top 5 No-Fee Credit Cards For Groceries

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Only a few credit cards are worth considering if you want maximum cash back on groceries without annual fees. A 2021 CNBC article said the average American household spends $5,174 per year on groceries. To optimize cash back rewards without annual fees, this page showcases the best options. Anything not on this page is likely worse.

As always, do your research to see which credit card is best for you. Everyone has different habits and lifestyles, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. If you do find something that should be on this list, feel free to contact us for updates.

Note: cash back for the “grocery” category typically excludes large wholesale clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, Wal-Mart). Some smaller shops also don’t count as grocery stores, although it’s pretty hit-or-miss.

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The Top 5 No-Fee Credit Cards For Gas

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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.

 

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The Top 10 No-Fee Credit Cards For Everyday Spending (2021-2022)

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For general spending, there are now many cards which offer unlimited 2+% cashback on everything (no category restrictions). Because of these options, any card promoting 2% back in a specific category is unnecessarily limiting. And for people seeking simplicity, they can ignore other cards entirely, and only look at the below cards.

Credit cards may have good earn rates in certain categories, but for spending which doesn’t fall into a specific category, you’ll need an “everyday” card to fill in the gaps.

These are the best 10 cards for non-category spending in 2021.

 

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