These 2 Cash Back Cards Absolutely Crush -- No Matter How You Spend

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When choosing a credit card, I always tell people to pick a card that fits how you already spend -- not one that has flashy rewards you don't need.

So for cash back credit cards, that usually means asking one big question: Are you the type of person who wants simple, automatic rewards on everything you buy?

Or do you love chasing bonus categories and squeezing every last dollar out of your spending?

Both approaches can work.

And here are two 5-star rated cards that match either style.

Flat-rate cash back: Great for easy, everyday rewards

Flat-rate cash back cards are exactly what they sound like. They give you the same percentage back on everything you buy.

The rockstar in this category is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees). It earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases, with no rotating categories to activate or spending limits to track.

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular APR

19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

2% cash rewards

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

$200 cash rewards

  • This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus and a decent intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before.

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    • Unlimited 2% cash rewards
    • Long 0% intro APR offer
    • Generous cash rewards welcome bonus
    • No annual fee
    • Cellphone protections
    • No bonus categories
    • Foreign transaction fees
    • Balance transfer fee
    • Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
    • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
    • Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
    • 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
    • $0 annual fee.
    • No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
    • Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
    • Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.

This card is perfect for:

  • Busy folks who don't want to think about credit card rewards
  • People who have a wide range of spending in all sorts of categories
  • Anyone who wants plain old cash back (no points or mileage programs)

Flat-rate cash back cards are also perfect for filling in the gaps if you have travel rewards cards.

Personally, I book all my trips with a travel-specific card that gets me 5% back on that spending. The rest of my everyday spending goes on a card that earns 2% like this one.

Right now, there's also a great welcome offer. You can earn $200 cash rewards after you spend $500 in the first 3 months. That's generous for a no-annual-fee card.

Looking for consistent cash back or no effort? Apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and snag that $200 welcome bonus!

Rotating categories: Higher cash back for a little more effort

On the flip side, rotating category reward cards are better for people who like to plan ahead and maximize their rewards.

The Discover it® Cash Back is one of the best cards in this category. It offers 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, plus 1% on all other purchases.

Ratings Methodology
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular APR

18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

1% - 5% Cashback

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.

Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

  • We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for cards with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches all the cash back new cardholders have earned at the end of the first year. That cash back can seriously add up when you earn 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories (when you activate them, up to the quarterly maximum) and 1% on other purchases.

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    • Rotating bonus categories
    • Welcome bonus offer
    • Great intro APR offer
    • No annual fee
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • No fixed bonus categories
    • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
    • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
    • Redeem cash back for any amount
    • Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 90 seconds. No annual fee.
    • Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with your digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
    • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
    • Terms and conditions apply.

If you're strategic about your spending -- or willing to shift your habits slightly during bonus months -- these cards can earn you higher rewards.

For example, in the months where the bonus category is grocery stores, you can make sure to hit that $1,500 by shopping more and eating at home. And when the restaurant category is featured, you can eat out a bit more knowing that you're basically getting a 5% discount. Bonus categories must be activated each quarter.

This strategy will pay off most in year one, when Discover matches your cash back earnings. That's right -- Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Rotating category cards are best for:

  • People who don't mind activating categories every quarter
  • Shoppers who regularly spend in common bonus categories (like groceries, gas, or Amazon)
  • Anyone who loves maximizing their credit card rewards

Just don't forget to activate those categories. Set a calendar reminder, or you might miss out on the best perks.

Get the Discover it® Cash Back today and max out that first bonus category! (See rates and fees.)

Can't decide? Use both

Personally, I carry a handful of credit cards, because each one has unique strengths.

There's no rule saying you have to use one credit card for everything. Why not get both a flat-rate card and a bonus category card?

For example, you might use the Discover it® Cash Back whenever one of your top spending types shows up in the rotating quarterly bonus categories. Then, switch to your flat-rate Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card for everything else.

This strategy gives you:

  • 5% cash back on rotating quarterly bonus categories (when activated, up to a quarterly maximum)
  • 2% cash rewards on everything else
  • No annual fees on either card

Not bad for a two-card setup.

And if you want to pair them with a travel rewards card, you'll have a perfect trifecta!

Final thoughts

If you're a "set it and forget it" kind of spender, a flat-rate card will serve you well.

But if you enjoy the thrill of optimizing your purchases and planning ahead, rotating categories can give you more bang for your buck.

And if you're down to juggle two or three cards? That's where the real magic happens.

Compare the best cash back card combos here and pick the one that matches your spending best.

Our Research Expert