Credit:
GettyImages / LeoPatrizi
Products are chosen independently by our editors. Purchases made through our links may earn us a commission.
Credit:
GettyImages / LeoPatrizi
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
Learn more about our product testing
Need cash back on streaming services, transit, or groceries? The Blue Cash Preferred® Card has you covered with great reward rates in every category. Read More
This cash-back card with ample returns on supermarket and gas station spending has what everyday shoppers are looking for. Read More
With this card you must have a Prime membership. If you do, you’ll earn Amazon-specific rewards like points and gift cards. Read More
The Cash Rewards card lets you choose the category you each cash back in each month. Plus, there’s no annual fee for that bonus. Read More
Walmart teamed up with Capital One to provide cash back on not only store-related purchases, but also anywhere else Mastercard is accepted. Read More
Buying groceries can take a large chunk out of your budget each month. A grocery card offering rewards gives you an incentive for shopping that you could use to pay yourself back.
Rewards rates for grocery cards can vary, but you can earn as much as 6% cash back with cards on this list, and you can redeem rewards for gift cards, statement credits, or purchases.
Aside from giving you a reward for grocery hauls, some of our favorite cards have no foreign transaction fees and offer sign-up bonuses to sweeten the deal. You may also be able to earn additional rewards when you spend money at restaurants, gas stations, department stores, and more. If you’re ready to get a grocery rewards card, consider these options:
Best for Target Loyalists: RedCard™ Mastercard®
Most cards on this list have no annual fee, but don’t rule out the one that does—as long as the math makes sense. A credit card that comes with a fee (like the Blue Cash Preferred) can be a valuable addition to your wallet as long as the rewards you earn are worth more than the annual cost.
Credit card issuers often have strict guidelines on what stores qualify for grocery rewards. Bodegas and local bakeries may or may not be included in the grocery category, so be mindful that cardholders will only receive cash back on select purchases. If you do most of your shopping at specialty shops or corner stores, check that they’re included in the rewards program before applying. Warehouses and superstores are also typically excluded from the supermarket category unless expressly stated in the rewards offer.
Rewards caps are common. Credit cards may have a spending cap that limits how much you can earn in each bonus category. One card’s spending cap may be generous for a small household but limiting for a large one. Add up how much you spend buying groceries per month and compare spending caps before choosing one.
Check your existing cards to see if you’re already rewarded for grocery shopping. Since people are spending more time at home and less time traveling or dining out, many issuers, including Chase and American Express, have recently added grocery rewards for a limited time.
Paying off rewards cards each month is key. No matter which you choose, the goal should be to pay off the balance each month. Making minimum payments and revolving a balance means you’ll rack up interest charges which can negate the rewards you earn, and this can also have an effect on your credit score.
My name is Taylor, and I’m a personal finance writer who’s been reviewing credit cards and rewards programs since 2015. For this roundup, I took a look at 16 options that offer grocery rewards and categorized them by rewards opportunity, annual cost, and ease of use.
American Express Blue Cash Everyday
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
Robust rewards program
Membership exclusivity
No annual fee
Robust rewards program
High reward rate
Spending limits on rewards
Membership required for best rewards
No annual fee
High reward rate
Not many perks
No annual fee
Good store perks
High interest rate
Robust rewards program
No foreign transaction fees
Annual fee
No annual fee
High reward rate
Not many perks
No annual fee
High reward rate
Robust rewards program
Some spending limits on rewards
No annual fee
Good cash back
No foreign transaction fees
Membership exclusivity
Complicated rewards
Please note: The offers mentioned above are subject to change at any time and some may no longer be available.
Reviewed has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Reviewed and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
See rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express. See rates and fees for the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. See rates and fees for the American Express Gold Card.
We hate to break it to you, but there’s no one-size-fits-all answer here. The right number for you depends on what you can responsibly manage.
Does having a piece of shiny plastic an arm’s length away often encourage you to spend money you don’t have? Be honest. You may want to think twice before applying for more credit. Carrying a balance you can’t afford contributes to interest charges, and in the long run costs you more money—money that you could’ve used for that air fryer you've been eyeing.
If you’re financially responsible and stick to making purchases that you can pay off, there may be some upsides to adding another card to your arsenal. If you’re a jet-setter without a card that rewards you for hitting the road, or one that skips foreign transaction fees, a travel credit card may make sense for you.
There are a few other things to consider before opening a new account, like adding a different payment processing network, or taking note of any annual fees.
Credit card annual percentage rates range from 13% to 25%, with the national average in January 2022 around 16%. Credit cards marketed for applicants with bad credit tend to be on the higher side, as do credit cards with rewards programs.
Before you submit an application, you can see this range in the cardmember agreement. You won’t know the rate until you’re approved, as it’s determined by the issuer based on your creditworthiness. The higher your credit score, the lower the rate you can expect. Remember that with a variable rate, an issuer can change the interest it charges at any time—and, per your cardmember agreement, it may not have to notify you.
An issuer may charge a different APR for purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances. It may even offer an introductory rate that includes zero interest for a period of 12 to 18 (or 21) months. Lastly, a penalty APR may kick in if you’re late for a payment, exceed your credit limit, or break other terms and conditions laid out by the issuer.
We’ll say it till we’re blue in the face: Pay off your balance each month, and you won’t have to think about interest.
Despite the term “annual percentage rate,” credit card issuers calculate interest daily. The daily periodic rate is determined by dividing your APR by 365 days, which is then applied to your average daily balance. Crunch this number by adding up the total you carry each and every day of the billing cycle, and then dividing that by the number of days in the billing cycle.
Let’s say your APR is 16%, and this month you carried an average daily balance of $2,000. The issuer first calculates the daily periodic rate (0.16 divided by 365). That rate (0.00043) is applied to your average balance (0.00043 x $2,000), which brings us to 0.87. Over the course of the 30-day billing cycle (0.87 x 30), you’ll pay $26.30 in interest.
If crunching numbers isn’t really your thing, some issuers include tools that calculate how much interest you’ll owe based on your monthly payment. Petal, for example, shares this information in a mobile app for its two credit cards.
Remember: You won’t be charged interest if you pay off your balance in full and on time each billing cycle. We get that life happens. So if on occasion that’s not possible, consider paying more than the minimum amount to lessen the interest you’ll pay over time, or make more than one payment during the billing cycle to lower your average balance.
Some of us may deal with our credit score the way we deal with our bank statements. Ignorance can be bliss—but we don’t recommend avoiding either, for the record.
Keeping tabs on your credit score will let you know if something needs attention. A sudden drop might mean you missed a payment, or maybe someone else got ahold of your personal information.
You can get monthly updates from issuers—even ones you’re not a cardholder with—and there are a few other ways to stay in the loop, too.
Don’t neglect your credit report either, as mistakes can arise there. In fact, as many as one in four have an error that can affect your score. The best news? Staying on top of these details doesn’t cost you any money.
Long introductory period APR rates are only a short-term incentive. Potentially high APR rates snap into effect after the intro period ends, which could cost you a lot in interest if you’ve left your balance unpaid. It’s really important—especially when getting a card for a big purchase—to keep an eye on your finances, and keep an eye on the calendar.
APR rates and credit limits vary based on your creditworthiness. Credit limits and interest rates are determined based on each cardholder's personal situation, so we did not take that information into account when evaluating. Remember to pay your balance in full every month, so you will not be charged interest.
Banks have final say on who they accept for a credit card. These recommendations were put together with the assumption that applicants would have average or excellent credit. That being said, banks decide who they will issue credit cards to using criteria including, but not always limited to, an individual's credit score when evaluating each applicant.
best-right-now
Taylor Medine is a personal finance writer with over five years of experience writing about credit, credit cards, personal loans, and money management. She's written for Credit Karma, CompareCards, LendingTree, MagnifyMoney, Student Loan Hero, and more.
Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.
Shoot us an email
how-to
