I want the best card for cash back for everyday purchases like gas. I’m not a big traveler and a lot of cards I looked at have annual fees. Any recommendations?

Personal Finance

Close-up picture of a credit cards as a background.

Published: December 23, 2024 12:41 pm

If you’re searching for credit card rewards, the good news is that you have a laundry list of options in the cash-back credit card reward space. Almost every major credit card provider offers a slate of cash rewards cards with varying degrees of additional benefits.

Key Points

Cashback credit cards are a great way to earn free money.
If you want a card that offers an extra perk for gas purchases, there are quite a few options.
You can choose another card from Chase or Capital One.
The right cash back credit card earn you hundreds, or thousands of dollars a year for free. Click here now to see our top picks. (sponsor)

This is exactly the case of one Redditor who posted on r/CreditCards to find a credit card offering the maximum cash back on everyday purchases like gas. In this instance, the Redditor wants a card, doesn’t want an annual fee, and doesn’t care much about traveling.

Choosing a credit card with the best rewards is right up my alley as this is something I research regularly for my personal use, so I’m well versed in being able to make a recommendation.

The Current Card

Right now, this Redditor has a Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express and a Chase Freedom Student card. Interestingly enough, the Blue Cash card does support 3% cash at gas stations, so that’s a win early on. However, there is a $95 annual fee after the first year, so this may not be the right card.

In addition, the Redditor’s current Chase Freedom Student Card doesn’t offer an annual fee but does offer 1.5% cash back on all purchases. The only caveat is that you need at least $250 in a checking or savings account at Chase Bank, but otherwise, it’s a great card for people just starting to build their credit.

Even with both of these cards at the Redditor’s disposal, some other recommendations are worth considering.

Card Recommendations

Citi Custom Cash Card

One immediate recommendation that comes to mind for this Redditor is the Citi Custom Cash Card. With this card, you can get 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category, up to $500 with each billing cycle. In this case, if gas is the Redditor’s biggest monthly expense that is charged, maximizing the spend with a 5% reward would be a smart move.

On the downside, it only offers 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also has a 0% APR for 15 months and a $200 cash-back bonus if you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months. Best of all, there is no annual fee.

Discover it Chrome

Another strong alternative focusing on gas purchases is the Discover it Chrome card. This card offers a 0% interest rate for 18 months on balance transfers and six months on purchases. However, the card stands out because you get 2% cash-back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases every quarter.

While the rest of your purchases only offer 1% cash back rewards, you get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all cash back earned at the end of your first year. Discover doesn’t impose any limit on this amount either, so with this card, you get cash-back rewards that never expire and no annual fee.

Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards

One of the more popular cash-back rewards cards is the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card. Lengthy name aside, this card offers you the choice of one category to earn 3% cash, including gas and EV charging stations.

Best of all, you can switch this category up regularly and make it so that you receive 3% cash back on all online shopping purchases, so you have a lot of flexibility.

The Bank of America card stands out because you get 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. All other purchases offer you 1% cash back. However, if you are a Bank of America Preferred Rewards member, you can earn up to 3.75% – 5.25% cash back on the 3% category, which means even more cashback is possible, all without an annual fee.

Capital One Quicksilver

If this Redditor doesn’t want to worry about annual fees or choosing different categories, the Capital One Quicksilver card is a great catch-all cash-back rewards credit card. The benefit is unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, regardless of the category.

With a 0% APR for 15 months and no annual fee, the Quicksilver card checks all of the boxes this Redditor seeks. In addition, you can even use all of the cash-back rewards you have used to make purchases at Amazon if you want an alternate redemption method outside of standard cashback.

Are You Still Paying With a Debit Card?

The average American spends $17,274 on debit cards a year, and it’s a HUGE mistake. First, debit cards don’t have the same fraud protections as credit cards. Once your money is gone, it’s gone. But more importantly you can actually get something back from this spending every time you swipe.

Issuers are handing out wild bonuses right now. With some you can earn up to 5% back on every purchase. That’s like getting a 5% discount on everything you buy!

Our top pick is kind of hard to imagine. Not only does it pay up to 5% back, it also includes a $200 cash back reward in the first six months, a 0% intro APR, and…. $0 annual fee. It’s quite literally free money for any one that uses a card regularly. Click here to learn more!

Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings to provide coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.