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Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Review: Big Perks for the Right Cardholder

Review Updated
Brendan Byrnes
Author: Brendan Byrnes
Brendan Byrnes
Brendan Byrnes
Director

Brendan Byrnes is the former Managing Director of Motley Fool Money, a role he held from 2018 to 2026, where he led business strategy and editorial operations. Brendan joined The Motley Fool in 2011 and wrote hundreds of articles, contributed investing and market analysis, and appeared on CNBC and Fox. Early in his career at The Motley Fool, he interviewed executives and thought leaders from across the investing and business world. Brendan holds a degree in finance from Virginia Tech.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation.

Most credit cards make you choose between a long intro APR or strong rewards. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card delivers both.

You'll get interest-free breathing room to handle big expenses or pay down lingering debt, solid cash back potential, a $0 annual fee, and the rare ability to tailor rewards to your lifestyle. And starting in May 2026, simply having a Bank of America checking account enrolls you in the new Bank of America Rewards program, which means everyone qualifies for at least a 10% credit card rewards bonus on top of whatever cash back they earn, with no minimum balance required.

This card doesn't just check the boxes, it crushes them. Between the customizable 6% cash back category, the built-in rewards bonus, and $0 annual fee, it's one of the most well-rounded cash back cards available. In this review, I'll cover how it works, where it shines, and the limits to keep in mind before you apply.

Award Icon 2026 Award Winner

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
4.80/5 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.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
4.80/5 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)
Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Bonus Offer

Earn 6% cash back in the category of your choice -- like dining, travel, or online shopping -- for the first year. Plus, score a $200 cash rewards bonus after qualifying purchases.

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 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% - 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular APR

17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice. You’ll automatically earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category. Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.

1% - 6% cash back

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening

$200 cash back

  • This card's wide range of extra cash back options speaks for itself, with a choice of six bonus categories you can change monthly for 6% earnings for the first year in the category of your choice. And you can earn 2% back automatically at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. No annual fee and a nice welcome bonus also make this one a winner. Plus, if you're a Bank of America BofA Rewards™ member, this card will be even more valuable for you.

    • Competitive welcome bonus
    • Bonus cash back in a category of your choice
    • No annual fee
    • Great intro & transfer APR offer
    • Relationship rewards bonus
    • Foreign transaction fee
    • Limit on bonus cash back
    • $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
    • Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice. You’ll automatically earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
    • Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.
    • No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
    • Turn daily purchases into everyday wins. Simply use your Customized Cash Rewards credit card for the things you already buy - from gifts to groceries - BofA Rewards™ members earn more cash back.
    • 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% - 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
    • This offer may not be available elsewhere if you leave this page. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Bank of America content updated on 8/3/26.

Our reward card ratings focus on how much real value you can earn — and keep — with everyday spending. We look closely at rewards rates, intro offers, and fees to surface the strongest options for people who want to maximize cash back.

Our highest-rated rewards cards have:

  • Competitive rewards on everyday spending or common categories like groceries or gas
  • Welcome offers that add meaningful value in the first year
  • Low or no annual fee
  • Broadly useful perks like purchase protection or introductory 0% APR offers

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best rewards card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring rewards credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.

Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

Our reward card ratings focus on how much real value you can earn — and keep — with everyday spending. We look closely at rewards rates, intro offers, and fees to surface the strongest options for people who want to maximize cash back.

Our highest-rated rewards cards have:

  • Competitive rewards on everyday spending or common categories like groceries or gas
  • Welcome offers that add meaningful value in the first year
  • Low or no annual fee
  • Broadly useful perks like purchase protection or introductory 0% APR offers

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best rewards card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring rewards credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.

Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

What I like about Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards

Choose your own bonus category

This card gives you 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice (out of six options), 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The best part? You can switch your 6% category every month to fit your spending habits. Your options include:

  1. Gas and EV charging stations
  2. Online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans and streaming services. (This includes Amazon, Target, Walmart, Macy's, and more).
  3. Dining
  4. Travel
  5. Drug stores and pharmacies
  6. Home improvement and furnishings

That means if you're planning a big trip, you can set your 6% category to Travel for the month. Tackling a home renovation next? Switch it to Home Improvement. The flexibility here is rare among cash back cards.

Earn even more as a BofA Rewards member

Here's where things get even more interesting. With the BofA Rewards program, you can earn 10% to 75% more rewards on your Bank of America card, among other perks.

Here's how it works:

Tier Combined Balance Rewards Bonus Key New Benefits
Member Under $30,000 10% Cash back deals, enhanced fraud & identity monitoring
Preferred Plus $30,000 to <$100,000 25% Free non-BofA ATM (1/month), 7 no-fee services, waived maintenance fees
Preferred Honors $100,000 to <$1 million 50% Subscription credits up to $96/year, 60+ lifestyle experiences (BMW, Virgin Hotels, Audi)
Premier $1 million+ 75% Subscription credits up to $180/year, 100+ luxury experiences (Mercedes, Sollis Health, Blacklane)
Data source: Bank of America. Calculations by author.

Beyond the credit card rewards bonus, all members receive cash back deals from more than 15,000 national and local brands, exclusive discounts on home and auto loans, and enhanced fraud and identity monitoring, including dark web monitoring, Social Security number monitoring, and full-service identity restoration, at no additional cost.

Preferred Honors and Premier tier members also unlock subscription credits for popular streaming, entertainment, and news services, as well as curated lifestyle experiences ranging from major league sports and Broadway shows to luxury automotive savings and private events.

If you're already banking or investing with Bank of America, this card goes from good to great. And even if you're just starting out, the entry-level Member tier now makes it worthwhile from day one.

Attainable welcome offer

This is one of the easiest to attain welcome offers out there -- earn a $200 cash back bonus for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of having the card. Spending $1,000 in 90 days isn't exactly a tall order, and that's all it takes. That's a solid return for a card with no annual fee, especially if you were planning to put everyday purchases on it anyway.

No annual fee + intro APR = solid perks

This card keeps things simple with no annual fee and a 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers made in the first 60 days for 15 billing cycles. The go-to 17.49% - 27.49% (Variable) APR applies at the end of the intro period. That gives you a solid window to pay off purchases or tackle existing credit card debt without racking up interest. While these perks are fairly standard for cash back cards, they're still nice to have.

Strong first-year value, now even better long-term for all members

Everyone gets 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice, regardless of BofA Rewards™ status. That makes this card a great choice for all types of spenders right out of the gate, not just for loyal Bank of America customers.

What's new: even entry-level members now earn a 10% credit card rewards bonus under the expanded BofA Rewards program, so the card's value doesn't drop off after year one even for those who don't hold significant balances.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
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
Best for long 0% intro APR 		N/A N/A

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

4.80/5 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
Best for cash back 		Earn $200 cash back Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening 1.5% - 5% cash back Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 27.74% Variable

Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

4.70/5 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
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points (worth $250 travel credit) Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5-3 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on everyday purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through BofA Travel.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% - 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 5%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Downsides you should consider

Spending caps could limit your earnings

Here's the biggest drawback: There's a quarterly spending cap of $2,500 across all 2% and 6% categories. That's about $834 per month, or $10,000 per year. If you're a big spender who wants unlimited high cash back rates, this could be frustrating. In that case, a flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees), which offers 2% unlimited cash rewards, might be a better fit.

That said, even if you hit the cap, you'll still earn 1% on purchases, so it's not a total loss.

Is the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card right for you?

This card is a no-brainer if you're a Bank of America customer who can qualify for the higher rewards rates through BofA Rewards. Moving your savings or investments there could unlock some of the best cash back rates available on a no annual fee card. Even if you're not at that level yet, the ability to pick your own bonus category each month makes it a flexible choice.

But if you're after unlimited high cash back or you don't bank with Bank of America, you might want to keep browsing other credit cards.

If this card sounds like a good fit, apply today and start earning cash back on your terms.

FAQs

  • This card offers 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. You can change your 6% category monthly.

  • The 6% (3% after the first year from account opening) and 2% cash back categories have a combined spending cap of $2,500 per quarter. After that, purchases earn just 1% back.

  • You can change your 6% category once per month through your online account or the Bank of America mobile app. If you don't change it, your previous selection stays in place.