The Best 5% Back Cards of 2024

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Rewards credit cards can offer much value on everyday purchases, but they're not all created equal. Depending on how you spend your money, it can make sense to pick a card that offers a high reward rate on certain categories. The best 5% back cards offer a standout return on a wide range of spending categories, making it easy to rack up rewards quickly. Here are our top picks.

Best Credit Cards with 5% Back

Card	5% Category	Best for	Learn More
Citi Custom Cash® Card Apply Now Rates & Fees	Top eligible spending category (up to $500 each billing cycle) ^{Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou® Points.}	Flexible budgets	Apply Now Rates & Fees
Prime Visa Credit Card Apply Now	Amazon and Amazon Fresh Whole Foods Market Chase Travel _{Eligible Prime membership required for 5% back.}	Loyal Amazon shoppers	Apply Now
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Apply Now	Chase Travel	High base rewards rate	Apply Now
Target RedCard™ Credit Card Apply Now	Target purchases	Frequent Target shoppers	Apply Now
Chase Freedom Flex℠ Learn More	Rotating categories Chase Travel	Elevated rewards on rotating bonus categories	Learn More
Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card Learn More	Rotating categories	Big spenders who can take advantage of the first-year match	Learn More
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Apply Now	Office supply stores Internet, cable, and phone services	Small business owners	Apply Now

It's important to note that each card has its own way of providing 5% back. With the Target RedCard, for instance, you'll get a 5% discount on all eligible purchases. Other cards may issue your rewards as points instead of straight cash back, though you may still get the same flexibility with redemptions.

5% Category:

5% back on your top eligible spending category (up to $500 spent each billing cycle).

Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou^® Points.

Why We Recommend It:

The Citi Custom Cash® Card, from our partner Citi, customizes your top rewards rate based on your spending, which can be great for people whose spending may vary from month to month.

Card Benefits:

5% cash back on up to $500 spent each billing cycle in your top eligible category. Categories include restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.
1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases.
Introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, after which a 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies.

Best for: People who want to earn a high reward rate on a single category or those who want the flexibility of adjusting their 5% categories throughout the year.

5% Back Category:

Unlimited 5% back on Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and Chase Travel with eligible Prime Membership

Why We Recommend It:

Prime members and power Amazon shoppers can benefit the most from this card because of its unlimited 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods. If you currently do all of your shopping on Amazon and buy most of your groceries at Whole Foods, your rewards can add up fast with this card. You will need a Prime membership to qualify for the 5% back categories, as non-Prime members will earn just 3% back on those purchases.

Card Benefits:

Unlimited 5% cash back at Amazon, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and Chase Travel (with eligible Prime Membership).
Unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare).
Unlimited 1% back on all other purchases.
Get a $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval.
10% back or more on a rotating selection of categories on Amazon (limited-time offers).

Best for: Amazon Prime members who do the bulk of their shopping on Amazon and Whole Foods.

5% Back Category:

5% back on Chase Travel

Why We Recommend It:

With the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you'll get 5% back on travel booked through Chase, plus a high base rewards rate of 1.5% back on everyday purchases. The Freedom Unlimited also offers elevated rewards on practical categories like drugstores and dining at restaurants. Chase Ultimate Rewards points are one of the most valuable rewards programs out there, and you can maximize the value of points earned with this card if you use it as a part of the Chase trifecta.

Card Benefits:

5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
3% back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including eligible takeout and delivery services.
1.5% back on all other purchases.
0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, followed by a 20.49% - 29.24% (Variable) APR.

Best for: People who want a high base rewards rate for everyday spending and those who currently have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points.

5% Back Category:

5% off on Target purchases

Why We Recommend It:

Although the Target RedCard can only be used at Target, the automatic 5% discount provides instant savings — no redemption necessary. If you shop at Target often, you'll also love the free 2-day shipping on most items at Target.com and an additional 30 days to return or exchange items.

Card Benefits:

5% off on eligible purchases at Target and Target.com.
2% on dining and gas and 1% on everywhere else (RedCard Mastercard holders only).
Free 2-day shipping on most online Target orders.
Additional 30 days for returns and exchanges.
Access to other special items and offers from Target.

Best for: Frequent Target shoppers.

5% Back Category:

5% back on quarterly rotating categories
5% back on Chase Travel

Why We Recommend It:

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ 5% categories change every three months, allowing you to earn the bonus rate on various purchases throughout the year. In 2023, 5% rotating bonus categories included PayPal purchases, wholesale clubs, grocery stores, gas stations, Amazon, and Target. You can maximize your rewards if you can match up your spending with the card's quarterly rotating categories.

Card Benefits:

5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent each quarter in rotating categories when you activate.
5% back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
3% back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including eligible takeout and delivery services.
1% back on all other purchases.

Best for: People who want elevated rewards in flexible bonus categories.

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Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card

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5% Back Category:

5% back on rotating categories

Why We Recommend It:

The Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card offers 5% back on rotating categories, plus the chance to double all your rewards during the first year. Examples of 5% categories in 2023 include grocery stores, drug stores, streaming services, gas stations, restaurants, and wholesale clubs.

Card Benefits:

5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent each quarter in rotating categories when you activate.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Discover will match all the cash back you earn during the first year, with no limit to how much you can earn.

Best for: Big spenders who can maximize the matched cash-back offer in the first year.

5% Back Category:

5% back on office supply stores and internet, cable, and phone services

Why We Recommend It:

Small business owners can rack up serious cash back on some of their top operating expenses with the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. If you can max out the cash-back cap on this card's 5% category, you could potentially earn $1,250 in cash back each year. You can also pair this with a cash-back credit card to cover more spending categories or take advantage of a new business bank account bonus to further maximize your earnings.

Card Benefits:

5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year
2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
0% for first 12 months on purchases and balance transfers, followed by a 18.49% - 24.49% (Variable) APR.

Best for: Small business owners

Tips on Earning 5% Back on Almost All Your Purchases

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No credit card offers 5% back on every purchase you make, but if you're willing to do some legwork, you could earn 5% rewards on much of your spending. To achieve this, you will need to open multiple 5%-back cards to take advantage of the different spending categories each one has.

Once you have multiple cards, here are some tips to help you maximize your rewards:

Label your cards: Note each card's 5% categories, so you'll know when to use them throughout the year.
Keep track of your limits: If a 5% card caps your bonus rewards, keep track of your eligible spending so you don't exceed it and start earning a lower non-bonus rate, which is typically 1% on everything else.
Get a flat-rate rewards card: Consider getting a credit card with a high rewards rate on everything, like a 2% flat-rate credit card. You can use the card for all your non-bonus spending.
Look for special offers: Some card issuers offer special deals with select retailers, allowing you to earn even more rewards.
Focus on categories, not purchases: For example, if you have a card currently offering 5% back at grocery stores, you could purchase gift cards for restaurants and other merchants that normally aren't included in that category. Even a category like PayPal can cover a lot of categories, including online groceries, clothing, electronics, and more.

If you're unsure about managing several credit cards, limit how many you open based on your comfort level.

Frequently Asked Questions

These credit cards offer 5% back on select purchases, with the categories depending on which card you choose. Remember that while some 5%-back cards offer unlimited rewards, others may limit your earnings to a certain amount spent each month, quarter, or year.
While it's not the best ongoing rewards rate we've seen — some go as high as 6% — it's close. If you can earn that 5% rate on a good chunk of your purchases, you could rack up rewards faster than with other cards.
Ultimately, it depends on the card. Some of our top choices technically offer 5x points instead of 5% cash back, but you can still use those rewards for cash back, among other things. Some other cards, however, may offer 5x points without the same flexibility.

Ben Luthi

Ben Luthi is a personal finance and travel writer and credit card expert. He has a degree in finance from Brigham Young University and worked in financial planning, banking and auto finance before writing full-time for NerdWallet and Student Loan Hero. Ben is now a full-time freelance writer and enjoys traveling and spending time with his two kids. His work has appeared in several publications, including U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Money, Success and Slickdeals.

The Best 5% Back Credit Cards

Best Credit Cards with 5% Back

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Overview

Pros

Cons

Prime Visa Credit Card

Overview

Pros

Cons

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Overview

Pros

Cons

Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited Is Still the Best Daily Credit Card

Target RedCard™ Credit Card

Overview

Perks

Pros

Cons

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Overview

Pros

Cons

Best Credit Card Bonuses

Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Overview

Pros

Cons

Tips on Earning 5% Back on Almost All Your Purchases

Cash Back vs. Points—Which Credit Card Rewards Program Is More Valuable?

Frequently Asked Questions

How do 5%-back cards work?

Is 5% cash back good?

What's the difference between 5% back and 5x points?

Ben Luthi

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