One of the highest rewards rates on the market, you can earn 5 percent cash back on rotating or handpicked categories with the cards below. Plus, you might earn 2 to 3 percent on additional categories and 1 percent on everything else.
Take a look at the card’s welcome bonus, spending caps and other terms before applying. And if the 5 percent category isn’t comprehensive enough for you, a high flat rate cash back card might be a great addition.
Top cards for 5% cash back
The Discover it® Cash Back lets you earn a high cash back rate in rotating quarterly bonus categories. There’s no annual fee, and Discover will match all the rewards you earn after the first year with its unique Cashback Match program.
Additionally, the Discover it® Cash Back offers an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. The Discover cash back calendar also shares some promising rewards categories annually, but no one knows the exact categories until about a month before they start.
Pros
The intro APR offer can help you save money when you carry a balance or transfer high-interest debt.
Earn a large sum of cash back with Discover’s unique welcome offer, raising the bar for first-year value.
Cons
Discover doesn’t announce bonus categories until the month before they start, so it can be hard to plan purchases ahead of time.
Cash back earnings are capped at $1,500 in quarterly bonus category spending, restricting rewards potential for big spenders.
The Chase Freedom Flex is unique because it offers several bonus categories along with its quarterly rotating bonus categories. There’s no annual fee, and Chase sweetens the pot with a decent welcome offer.
Like Discover’s categories, the Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories are announced on a quarterly basis. While it’s not known exactly what the bonus categories will be for any given quarter until a month or so in advance, they can be somewhat similar from one year to the next.
Pros
Its exceptional earning rates in everyday categories and rotating categories make it a good stand-alone card.
You can take advantage of extra travel benefits like trip cancellation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision coverage and travel assistance services — rare for a no-annual-fee card.
Cons
Chase only reveals its 5 percent bonus categories one quarter at a time, so it’s difficult to plan ahead.
While the card offers an intro balance fee of 3 percent (minimum $5), its balance transfer fee jumps to 5 percent after the first 60 days, so it won’t be too beneficial for long-term debt management.
The Citi Custom Cash automatically rewards your top eligible spending category each billing cycle with 5 percent cash back on up to $500 each billing cycle (then 1 percent). This makes the Citi Custom Cash one of the easiest 5 percent cards to use since you don’t have to remember to activate your bonus category each cycle and you can earn 5 percent back in any eligible category on your terms throughout the year. This flexibility makes it one of the best cards for pairing because it can easily fill gaps in any multi-card rewards strategy.
Pros
This rewards card is low maintenance as your top eligible category is automatically rewarded with 5 percent back each billing cycle with no need to activate it.
It carries an intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers, making it a valuable and flexible addition to your wallet.
Cons
Your 5 percent category is capped at $500 in spending each billing cycle, which limits your earning potential in categories where heavy spending might be most rewarding.
You’ll pay a balance transfer fee that is on the higher end, 5 percent (or $5, whichever is greater), so it might impact how much you save if you take advantage of the intro APR offer on balance transfers.
The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature works a little differently compared to other 5 percent back cards on this list. The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature lets you select two 5 percent bonus categories each quarter, as well as a 2 percent category focused on everyday purchases.
You’ll earn this card’s highest rewards rate in two customizable categories to a limit of up to $2,000 in combined spending, but this card’s valuable flexibility will make it an ideal pick for maximizing your rewards in some spending categories seldom found on rewards cards.
Pros
You get to pick your 5 percent categories each quarter, as well as 2 percent back on one everyday spending category.
It carries an intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers, making it an ideal card for debt management.
Cons
You’ll have to make sure to transfer any qualifying balances in the first 60 days to qualify for the introductory offer.
It’s not the best card for international purchases since it has a foreign transaction fee, which can cut into your rewards earnings.
Comparing the best 5% cash back cards
Card name
Best for
Annual fee
Recommended credit score
Rewards rate
Discover it® Cash Back
Rotating categories
$0
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in activated rotating categories each quarter, then 1%
1% on all other purchases
Chase Freedom Flex®
Extra dining and drugstore rewards
$0
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
5% cash back on up to $1,500 activated rotating categories each quarter, then 1%
5% back on Chase Travel purchases
3% on dining and drugstore purchase
1% on all other purchases
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Automatic rewards
$0
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
5% cash back on up to $500 in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, then 1%
4% on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on Citi Travel portal through 6/30/2026
1% on all other purchases
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Customizable rewards
$0
Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
5% cash back on up to a combined $2,000 in two eligible categories of your choice, then 1%
5% on prepaid airfare, hotel stays and car rentals through the Rewards Travel Center
2% on one category of your choice
1% on all other purchases
5 percent cash back cards typically require a good-to-excellent credit score. If you have bad or fair credit, consider our top picks for cards for bad credit.
How to choose a 5% cash back card
You’ll notice similarities across cards that offer this high rewards rate, but there are a few deciding factors to compare.
Look at the rewards calendar. Cards with rotating category rewards often don’t announce the next category until a month before, but you can check out past years’ calendars for category examples. If the card offers 5 percent on your automatic or chosen top category, check out the full list of available categories. In a nutshell, you want to make sure your big ticket expenses will reap the card’s 5 percent.
Compare welcome bonuses and other perks. The cards above all come with welcome offers, but they vary in terms of size and spending requirements. Make sure you can earn the bonus in time and are satisfied with the offer terms. Also look for card perks like purchase protection and access to issuer travel or entertainment booking, as some cards offer more than others.
Check for any spending caps. These 5 percent cards often come with spending caps on the bonus categories, ranging from $500 per billing cycle to $2,000 per quarter. If you’re a big spender in a certain category, you can calculate the rewards you’d earn with one of these cards with a cap versus a card that earns unlimited 3 percent rewards on the same category, for example.
Tips for maximizing rewards with a 5% cash back card
You can make the most of that hefty rewards rate with the right moves. Here’s how to maximize your cash back.
Activate your bonus category every billing cycle or quarter. Except for the Citi Custom Cash’s automatic rewards, other 5 percent cards often require you to activate a rotating category or choose your preferred bonus category. If you forget, you’ll miss out on elevated rewards.
Pair multiple cards with different bonus categories. Consider using more than one card to cover as many bonus categories as possible. You can use a different card to maximize rewards in its respective 5 percent categories throughout the year, and most cards in this niche do not charge annual fees.
Pair a 5 percent cash back card with a flat-rate cash back card. Most 5 percent back credit cards only give you 1 percent back on regular purchases, so consider pairing it with a flat-rate rewards credit card that rewards you with 1.5 or 2 percent back on regular spending.
Pay your credit card bill in full each month. If possible, try not to carry a balance on your card — the interest accrued will wipe out any rewards value. If you’re not able to pay on time and in full, stop making purchases with the card and adding to the balance until you’ve repaid it.
What’s next?
The bottom line
5 percent is one of the best rewards rates out there, and a 5 percent cash back card can be a great addition to your wallet if you strategize your spending. Keep an eye on bonus categories and remember to activate them, if needed. But these cards often come with spending caps and may only reward one category. Other cash back cards offer unlimited rewards on multiple categories, albeit at a slightly lower rate. The best card for you is the one that aligns with your spending habits, not just the one with the highest rewards rate.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the cards above are our picks for the best 5 percent cash back cards, offering a high rate on rotating or customizable categories. Note that the 5 percent rate may come with spending caps before dropping to 1 percent. But for no annual fee, one of these cards is helpful to pair with another rewards card.
You generally can’t earn 5 percent cash back on all purchases. But if you pair multiple credit cards that offer 5 percent back in different categories, you can cover a lot of ground. Potential pairings include the Citi Custom Cash Card, the Chase Freedom Flex and Discover it Cash Back for their quarterly categories, and even the Amazon Prime Visa for Amazon and Whole Foods purchases.
Choosing between points and cash back hinges on personal preference and habits. Frequent travelers may favor points or miles for potentially higher redemption value, while others who value simplicity may prefer 5 percent cash back.
*Information about the Chase Freedom Flex®, Citi Custom Cash® Card and U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
