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Rotating bonus category cards offer enhanced cash back rewards in shopping categories that change periodically, allowing you to earn more rewards on your eligible everyday purchases. Here’s everything you need to know about these popular credit cards.
Comparing the best rotating category credit cards
The best rotating category credit cards earn high cash back on a wide variety of everyday, useful purchases year-round. Here’s a list of our favorites.
| Card Name | Best for | Highlights | Rotating category spending cap | Bankrate Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Flex® | Rewards |
|
$1,500/quarter | 4.8 |
| Discover it® Cash Back | Cash back |
|
$1,500/quarter | 4.4 |
| Citi Custom Cash® Card | Flexibility |
|
$500/month | 4.4 |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | Frequent category changes |
|
$2,500/quarter (combined between the 3 percent and 2 percent categories) | 4.3 |
| U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card | Choosing multiple categories |
|
$2,000/quarter | 3.2 |
Top rotating category credit cards
How to choose the best rotating category credit cards
Despite their potential benefits, rotating category reward cards require hands-on management and careful planning to maximize. Here’s what to consider when deciding on a rotating category credit card.
- Higher rewards in popular categories: You can earn elevated rewards in everyday categories like grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants or online spending, helping you earn more on what you’re already spending. Categories also tend to incentivize seasonal spending needs. During the winter holidays, you’ll likely see popular retailers like Amazon, Target, or Walmart, and during the summer travel season, you may see gas or restaurants as your categories. Spend wisely to maximize your returns if you plan on spending in these categories.
- Sign-up bonuses and intro APR offers: The best rotating bonus category credit cards also provide valuable welcome offers that allow you to boost your rewards quickly without high spending requirements, help you consolidate debt or give you breathing room for large purchases. Assess your spending needs to find the best combination of these offers to maximize your returns.
- Activate or choose your bonus categories: With most cards on our list, if you forget to activate or choose your bonus categories, you won’t start earning cash back at the higher rate and miss out on significant earnings. If you don’t think you’ll remember to do this, consider one of the cards that rewards you automatically.
- Spending caps: Every card on the list has a monthly or quarterly limit on earning top rates. Choose a card that allows you to comfortably reach the spending cap without adjusting your spending too much. And after you hit the spending cap, you should have another card to use that earns more than 1 percent on relevant additional spending.
How to maximize rewards with rotating category credit cards
Rotating bonus category credit cards are a great way to earn high reward rates with a little bit of effort Here are a few ways to maximize your overall rewards with rotating bonus category cards.
Align spending with your bonus categories
Spend now to save later if you’ll spend the money anyway.
Sometimes, it makes sense to time your spending for maximum rewards. For example, if you need to make an emergency purchase at a home improvement store, you can set your category to home improvement at the next available opportunity if you have a card that supports that feature. Or if you get regular care at a spa and can earn bonus rewards, you could pay in advance to lock in those higher rates.
Pair with a flat-rate card
If you want to earn rewards on as many purchases as possible, pair a flat-rate cash back card with your rotating category card. You can use your bonus category card when you make a qualifying purchase and your flat-rate cash back card for every other purchase.
Pair with a card that covers other spending habits
Depending on your spending needs, consider pairing your rotating bonus category card with a card that rewards grocery shopping or restaurant spending. Or, if you spend a lot of money online, consider a credit card that rewards online shopping. That way, you can earn significant rewards throughout the year in addition to your rotating bonuses.
Frequently asked questions
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We recommend a good to excellent credit score to qualify for rotating category credit cards. This score falls between 670 and 739 according to FICO’s scale. Aiming for a higher score within this range can boost your chances of approval.
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Yes, you can have rotating category credit cards from multiple issuers. However, managing them requires keeping up with their specific categories, activation deadlines, and spending caps to fully benefit from the high reward rates.
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If you spend over the limit in a rotating category for your credit card, you’ll earn rewards at a lower rate, typically 1 percent. It’s a good idea to have another card to use after reaching the cap to maximize your rewards.
What’s next?
Enter some basic information into CardMatch™, Bankrate’s prequalification tool, to find a card that best suits your needs. For more insight, our Spender Type Tool can point you in the right direction.
The bottom line
By taking advantage of these cards, you can earn rewards on a greater variety of purchases than a traditional flat rate card. While they require some attention and management, the potential rewards are well worth the effort.
*Information about Chase Freedom Flex® and the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate and have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card was last updated on Aug. 19, 2024.
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