Best Credit Cards for Rewards and Cash Back in 2025
In 2025, credit cards continue to be one of the best financial tools for earning rewards, cashback, and exclusive perks. Whether you’re a frequent traveler, a food lover, or someone who just wants to make the most of your everyday spending, there’s a credit card that suits your needs. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the best credit cards for rewards and cash back in 2025, helping you make an informed decision on how to maximize your spending power.
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the most popular travel rewards credit cards, and it continues to be a top contender in 2025 due to its fantastic earning potential and valuable benefits.
Key Features:
- Sign-up Bonus: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening (worth $750 in travel).
- Earn Points: 2x points on travel and dining purchases, 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Point Value: Points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Annual Fee: $95
- Additional Benefits: Travel insurance, car rental insurance, purchase protection, and access to exclusive experiences.
Why It’s Great: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers incredible value for travelers and foodies alike. With the 2x points on travel and dining, you can rack up points quickly, and the sign-up bonus alone can help you get a head start on booking travel.
2. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
For those who spend heavily on groceries and streaming services, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one of the best cash-back cards in 2025.
Key Features:
- Sign-up Bonus: Earn $300 in statement credits after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening.
- Cash Back:
- 6% cash back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%).
- 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% cash back on transit, including taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, and trains.
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Annual Fee: $95
- Additional Benefits: Purchase protection, extended warranty, and access to Amex Offers for additional discounts.
Why It’s Great: This card is a powerhouse for grocery shoppers and people who stream content regularly. The 6% cash back on U.S. supermarket purchases is among the highest available, and the 6% on select streaming services means you’ll earn back significant rewards on everyday expenses.
3. Citi® Double Cash Card
If you’re looking for a straightforward, no-frills cash-back card, the Citi® Double Cash Card is a top pick in 2025, offering a flat-rate cash-back system with excellent earning potential.
Key Features:
- Cash Back: 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% when you buy, and 1% when you pay.
- No Annual Fee
- 0% Intro APR: 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months (then 18.24% to 28.24% variable APR).
- Additional Benefits: Access to Citi® Price Rewind, Purchase Protection, and 24/7 Customer Service.
Why It’s Great: The Citi® Double Cash Card is ideal for people who want a simple rewards structure without tracking categories. You earn 2% on every purchase—no need to worry about rotating categories or spending caps. The combination of rewards and no annual fee makes it one of the best options for cash-back lovers.
4. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Another fantastic option for those who prefer simplicity, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is perfect for those who want to earn a flat-rate cash back on every purchase.
Key Features:
- Sign-up Bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Cash Back: 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
- Annual Fee: $0
- Additional Benefits: No foreign transaction fees, travel and emergency assistance, extended warranty, and 24/7 fraud coverage.
Why It’s Great: With no annual fee and a generous sign-up bonus, the Capital One Quicksilver card offers excellent value for everyday spending. The 1.5% cash back on every purchase is a strong, consistent earning rate, and the added bonus of no foreign transaction fees makes it a great choice for travelers.
5. American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is ideal for those who want to maximize their rewards in food and dining. Known for its incredible earning rate on dining purchases, it remains one of the top credit cards for rewards in 2025.
Key Features:
- Sign-up Bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening (worth $600 toward travel).
- Rewards Rate:
- 4x points at restaurants, including takeout and delivery.
- 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- 1x points on other purchases.
- Annual Fee: $250
- Additional Benefits: $120 annual dining credit (enrollment required), purchase protection, travel insurance, and access to exclusive events.
Why It’s Great: The 4x points at restaurants is one of the highest rewards rates available on dining purchases, making it perfect for food lovers. Whether you’re dining out at restaurants, ordering in, or exploring new eateries, the American Express® Gold Card helps you earn substantial rewards.
6. Chase Freedom Flex℠
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers an excellent mix of rewards, including rotating categories and additional benefits, making it one of the best cash-back cards for 2025.
Key Features:
- Sign-up Bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Cash Back:
- 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (activation required, up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter).
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 3% on dining, including takeout and delivery.
- 1% on all other purchases.
- Annual Fee: $0
- Additional Benefits: Purchase protection, extended warranty, travel insurance, and access to Chase Offers for discounts.
Why It’s Great: The rotating 5% categories (which include categories like groceries, gas stations, and more) offer tremendous earning potential for those who pay attention to the quarterly spending options. Additionally, 3% cash back on dining makes it a good card for foodies, and the no annual fee is a big plus.
7. Discover it® Cash Back
The Discover it® Cash Back card is known for its great rewards program, especially with its rotating cash-back categories, which can help you earn more depending on your spending habits.
Key Features:
- Cash Back: 5% cash back on rotating categories (activation required, up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter), 1% on all other purchases.
- Cashback Match: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year automatically.
- No Annual Fee
- Additional Benefits: Free access to your FICO® credit score, fraud protection, and no foreign transaction fees.
Why It’s Great: The 5% cash back on rotating categories and the unique Cashback Match for new cardholders makes the Discover it® Cash Back card one of the best options for new credit cardholders in 2025. Plus, it has no annual fee, which is great for people looking to maximize rewards without paying extra costs.
Conclusion
Choosing the best credit card for rewards and cash back depends on your spending habits and preferences. If you love to dine out, the American Express® Gold Card or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card may be perfect for you. If you want straightforward cash back, the Citi® Double Cash Card or Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card are excellent options.
Ultimately, the best card for you will align with your lifestyle and how you plan to use your rewards. Whichever you choose, make sure to use your card responsibly to maximize your rewards and take advantage of the many perks and benefits these cards have to offer!