Below chart gives you the Credit Cards 5% Cash Back Quarterly Categories for several cards like the Chase Freedom Flex / Freedom, Discover It, Citi Custom Cash, U.S. Bank Cash+, and more.
If you’re the type to have many credit cards to maximize your return/rewards, it can be a lot to keep up with, but keeping track of which card is optimum for certain purchases is paramount.
Update 9/16/24: Q4 is almost here, so you can start making purchases to earn 5% for the categories you find useful.
2024 Credit Card 5% Cash Back Categories
| Credit Card | 5% Cash Back Limits | Activate | Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Flex ($150 bonus) | Up to $1,500/quarter spent in bonus categories | Activate | Review |
| Discover it® ($100 bonus) | Up to $1,500/quarter spent in bonus categories | Activate | Review |
| US Bank Cash+ ($200 bonus) | Up to $2,000/quarter spent in bonus categories | Activate | Review |
| Ink Business Cash® Card ($750 bonus) | Up to $25,000 per year on office supply stores, internet, cable, & phone services | N/A | Review |
| Citi Custom CashSM Card ($200 bonus) | Up to $500 each month spent on highest category | N/A | Review |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express ($250 bonus) | 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases. 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. | N/A | Review |
| Amazon Business American Express Card ($100 bonus) | Up to $120K per year. 5% at Amazon & Whole Foods *Must have Amazon Prime | N/A | Review |
| Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card ($100 bonus) | No Limit, Year Round. 5% at Amazon & Whole Foods. *Must have Amazon Prime | N/A | Review |
| Target REDcard | No Limit, Year Round @ Target | N/A | Review |
| Abound Visa® Platinum Credit Card | 5% cash back on gas | N/A | Review |
| AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card ($100 bonus) | 5% cash back on grocery store purchases | N/A | Review |
| AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card ($100 bonus) | 5% cash back on gas purchases and electric vehicle-charging stations | N/A | Review |
| U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card ($250 bonus) | 6% cash back on top 2 retailers for the first $1,500 per quarter | N/A | Review |
Earn 5% Back
Chase Freedom Flex / Chase Freedom
The Chase Freedom has a quarterly cap of $1,500 in spend on 5x categories per account. Below are the categories for 2024:
- January-March 2024: Grocery stores(excluding Walmart and Target), Fitness Clubs & Gym Membership, Self Care & Spa Services (Activate by March 14, 2024)
- April-June 2024: Restaurants, Hotels, Amazon, Whole Foods (Activate starting March 15, 2024)
- July-September 2024: Gas Stations, EV Charging, Live Entertainment, Movie Theatres (Activate starting June 15, 2024)
- October-December 2024: PayPal, McDonald’s, Pet Shops and Vet Services, Select Charities(Activate starting September 15, 2024)
See Chase Freedom Flex FAQs \ See Chase Freedom FAQs
(Activate Your 5% at Chase)
 The Chase Freedom FlexSM offers a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR. You'll earn: • Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! • 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 • Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases You cash back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. This card has no annual fee. |
Discover It
The Discover it has a quarterly cap of $1,500 in spend on 5% categories. Below are the cash back categories for 2024:
- January-March 2024: Restaurants & Drugstores (Ends 3/31/2024)
- April-June 2024: Gas & EV Charging, Home Improvement Stores, and Public Transit (Activation begins 2/1/2024)
- July-September 2024: Grocery Stores & Walmart (Activation begins 5/1/2024)
- October-December 2024: Amazon, Target (Activation begins 8/1/2024)
(Learn more at Discover)
Editor’s Note: Sign up through our referral link for a $100 bonus.
Citi Dividend
The Citi Dividend earns 5% cash back on a cumulative total of $6,000 in spend per year rather than on $1,500 spend per quarter. Below are the cash back categories for 2024:
- January-March 2024: Amazon & Select Streaming Services (Ends 3/31/2024)
- April-June 2024: Grocery Stores and Drugstores (Activation begins 2/1/2024)
- July-September 2024: Gas Stations, Home Improvement Stores (Activation begins 5/1/2024)
- October-December 2024: Restaurants, Citi Travel (Activation begins 8/1/2024)
(Learn more at Citi)
Editor’s Note: The Citi Dividend is no longer available for signups.
US Bank Cash+ (Choice of 2 Categories):
Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined net purchases in your chosen 5% categories
- Choose two of the following:
- TV, Internet, and Streaming Services
- Home utilities
- Select clothing stores
- Cell phone providers
- Electronic Stores
- Gyms/Fitness
- Fast food
- Ground Transportation
- Sporting goods
- Department Stores
- Furniture Stores
- Movie theaters
(Activate Now at U.S. Bank)
Citi Custom CashSM Card:
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your *Single* top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent. Repeat every month. No enrolling. Just earning.
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Select transit
- Select streaming services
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card:
Earn 5% Cash Back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year.
- Office supply stores
- On internet, cable and phone services
 The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. You'll earn: • 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year • 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year • 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn. This card comes with no annual fee. You'll be able to take advantage of employee cards at no additional cost. |
American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card
- 6% cash back at US supermarkets all year long (on up to $6,000 per year)
- 6% cash back at select US streaming subscriptions (includes Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, Netflix, Sling, Vudu, Fubo TV, Apple Music, SiriusXM, Pandora, Spotify, YouTube TV, and more).
- 3% cash back at US gas stations and transit (taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
 The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a $300 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. You will receive the $300 back in the form of a statement credit. Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It(R) to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors. Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR. You'll earn • 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). • 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. • 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). • 1% Cash Back on other purchases. • $84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. The card does come with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. (See Rates & Fees) Terms Apply. |
Amazon Prime Rewards Card
Earn 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods all year long. Prime membership required. New cardholder bonus varies by person. No annual fee.
($100 bonus)
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Bottom Line
Keeping up with the cash/points back features of each card can be a juggle if you have several cards. Earning these rewards can definitely pile up over time with the potential to earn hundreds to even thousands of dollars per year depending your spending & strategy.
With that being said, it’s all in all free money right back in your pocket no matter how small or big your purchase as it will add up over the course of time. You’ll be able to redeem the rewards as statement credit, hotels, vacations, flights, gift cards, cash, and more!
To help pay off the credit card statements, you can take advantage of these bank bonuses and earn free cash rewards.
A.B.O. Chicago is a 5 times points bonus not 5%. For instance you need 3328 Points for a $25 Statement credit. According to a voice mail, from Latoya, Air Travel is the only category where 5 points = 5%.
9/16/19 And note, their Rewards page lists more 5 points Categories then their leaflet.
There is an app on IOS and PlayStore – Maxivu that keeps track of all rotating categories and also recommends me which of my cards should I use at a particular location.
The US Bank card no longer includes charities as a category.
Please edit! Headline says 2nd Quarter ’17 .Chart headline says 1st Quarter ’17
you guys are great!! just save 118 dollars on amex purchasing fee!!
Yes the citi Double cash card. 2%
Thanks TomT. It has been updated.
It is probably time to update this page with the 2016 Q1 categories for the Chase Freedom, Citi Dividend and Discover IT cards.
Both Discover and Chase tend to use the same categories, over and over and over again. Discover used to have grocery stores AND travel as a category, but not for 2015. Chase used to have charitable donations as a category, but hasn’t in at least 3 years. Same boring categories: gas, home improvement, dept stores and amazon.
If you hardly ever shop at home improvement or dept stores, these 2 cards are no longer worth it for the bonus.
I do not understand why you have the Citi Double Cash card listed in the table above since it is titled “2015 Quarter III Credit Cards 5% Cash Back Categories”. Also, there are multiple other cards offering 2% on everything (Capital One Venture Visa, Fidelity Investment Rewards Amex and Barclay Priceline Visa, new applicants for the latter now only get 1%). Finally, if this page is for 5% cash back cards with categories that change each quarter, the Amex SimplyCash and Chase Ink cards don’t fit either. If you are using this page to list cards with 5% back, there are others with 5% in a particular category: Amazon Store Card (5% Amazon), BarclayCard Barnes & Noble (5% B&N), Citi Forward (5% restaurants), Banana Republic / Gap / Old Navy (5% at all Gap stores), Pentagon Federal (5% pay at the pump gasoline), Target RED card (5% Target). Plus there are two cards that get you even more: Amex Blue Cash Preferred (6% grocery stores) and Toys R Us (8% Toys R Us / Babies R Us).
Thanks. Fixed.
For Chase you’re showing the 2nd quarter categories. For July – September you get 5% back at gas stations.
does anyone pay better than 1%on medical bills
Yes, US Bank Cash+ should be added to the table. Another is the Sallie Mae World Mastercard. 5% cash back year round (remitted as statement credit, student loan payment, or upromise deposit) on grocery, gas, and bookstore purchases, with $250, $250, and $750 monthly caps, respectively. 1% on everything else.
thanks. the error is fixed.
My Chase confirmation for the 5% categories says Gas Stations, Drugstores and Starbucks for Jan 1 to March 31, not restaurants and Amazon.
US Bank Cash+ card (relatively new) has one 2% cash back category (drug, gas, groceries) every quarter and 2 5% cash back categories every quarter. Up to you to pick the categories every quarter. 5% cash back categories include Bill Pay (utilities, insurance, internet/cable), airlines, hotels, etc. So far, the same category choices have been available every quarter but T&Cs state they can change.
Nope, it’s still 5%. You can see it once you click through the link.
Chase Ink ended their 5% last I checked, Its 3% now I think.