We Just Gave These 2 Cash Back Cards a Perfect 5-Star Rating -- Here's Why
Our team reviews hundreds of credit cards every year. So earning a perfect rating is no small feat.
That's why I'm excited to spotlight two cards that both received perfect 5-star ratings and genuinely crush it in the cash rewards category: the Discover it® Cash Back and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees).
Both cards are cash rewards champions -- each built for different kinds of spenders.
And they both have no annual fee.
Best for optimizers: Discover it® Cash Back
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= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards 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 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.
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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.
Read Full Review -
- Rotating bonus categories
- Welcome bonus offer
- Great intro APR offer
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee
- No fixed bonus categories
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- 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 virtual 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.
This cash back card is perfect for folks who don't mind putting in a little work to earn extra rewards.
The Discover it® Cash Back offers a super high rate on rotating categories -- the catch is, you've got to pay attention and plan your spending to take full advantage.
Top perks with this card:
- 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.
- Automatically earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- First-year cash back match: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on both balance transfers and new purchases (18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR applies at the end of the intro period).
- $0 annual fee.
That first-year match is a really enticing welcome offer, because you could do some serious damage in year one if you max out those bonus categories. For example, if you earn $400 in cash back your first year, Discover will match it to $800.
To get the most out of the 5% categories, you'll need to activate them each quarter and be a little strategic with your spending. In past years, categories have included things like grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and Amazon.com -- stuff most of us already spend on. And keep in mind a quarterly maximum applies.
If you don't mind a little effort for big rewards, this card is one of the best cash back options on the market. Apply for the Discover it® Cash Back and get ready to be PAID (see rates and fees).
Best for no-fuss cash rewards: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
2025 Award Winner
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= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 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 Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
2% cash rewards
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
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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
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- 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.
Some people don't want to deal with tracking categories or changing spending habits. They just want a flat-rate rewards card with a high return on everything.
That's where the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card stands out. Here's an overview of the perks:
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases.
- Get a $200 welcome bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and purchases.
- Get up to $600 of cellphone protection against damage or theft (with a $25 deductible).
- $0 annual fee.
There's nothing to track, no spending limits, and no rotating categories to worry about. It's one of the most straightforward cards out there.
If you want consistent value without overthinking it, this card is for you. Apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card today and snag that $200 cash rewards bonus!
Which one should you choose?
If you're detail-oriented and love squeezing every bit of value from your spending, the Discover it® Cash Back is the move.
You'll need to keep an eye on rotating bonus categories and plan ahead, but the payoff (especially in year one with the Cashback Match) can be huge.
But if you prefer to keep things simple, The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a winner. It's best for folks who want easy, flat-rate 2% cash rewards on everything they buy.
As for balance transfers, both cards offer 0% intro APR on balance transfers for at least 12 months (after that the go-to APR applies). Great if you're in the market for a balance transfer card and long-term rewards.
And hey, here's a whacky idea: get both cards. Seriously. You can use the Discover it® Cash Back for those bonus categories, and the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card for 2% cash rewards on everything else. Together, they make a killer combo -- both with no annual fee.
Ready to level-up your cash back game? Compare all our expert picks for best cash back cards here and apply today.
Our Research Expert
Joel is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, known for his clear, approachable voice on topics like credit cards, savings hacks, and side hustles. He’s been writing about money since 2018 and previously managed editorial content for the How To Money podcast.
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