Our analysis of 629 two-card combinations found that the top card combinations can potentially earn you over 2.3% cash back. If you use one card exclusively for all of the credit card purchases you possibly could, the best you can likely do is 2% cash back, with cards like the Citi Double Cash and the Wells Fargo Active Cash Cards that offer 2% cash back on everything. According to our spending model for the median American household, even cards with rotating 5% and bonus categories average around 1.5% cash back if you use them as your one and only card.
Best Cash Back Credit Card Combinations to Maximize Cash Back
Updated: December 20, 2024
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Key Takeaways
On average, cash back credit cards pay out 1.5% cash back. However, if you combine two cards and spend heavily in bonus categories, you can potentially earn even more.
We found that the best overall cash back combination is the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express combined with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card or the Citi Double Cash® Card.
Pair a card that offers high bonus cash back in categories with another card to maximize your cash back. It can be with another card that offers different bonus categories or a flat cash back card.
Keep it simple, and don’t overthink it. Keep a maximum of two cards in your wallet for everyday spending and know when to use them. If you want to continue to optimize, pick cards that can stay at home or in your digital wallet most of the time and are obvious when you use them, like the Prime Visa Card.
Two Cash Back Cards Increase Your Cash Back Rate
Best Cash Back Card Combination
The best cash back combination is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card with the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. The Active Cash card is the best cash back card overall, and the Blue Cash Preferred is the best cash back card for bonus categories, thanks to its 6% cash back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets for the first $6,000 spent annually, then 1%.
| Credit Card | MoneyGeek Rating | Cash Back Strategy | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4.4/ of 5 | On Issuer's Site | |||
5/ of 5 | $0 | On Issuer's Site |
Pay for purchases using the Blue Cash Preferred card, which offers high bonus cash back category rates, and pay for everything else with the Active Cash card.
If you spend more than $200 per week on groceries, you’ll want to switch your grocery purchases from the Blue Cash Preferred about midway through the year to the Active Cash card. If you don’t want to deal with the hassle or remember to switch cards once a year, opt for the Capital One Savor, which has an uncapped 3% cash back on groceries, instead of the Blue Cash Preferred.
Best for Flexible Spending
The Citi Custom Cash® delivers more flexibility with 5% on your top category each month (up to $500) and 1% on everything else. When paired with the Citi Double Cash®, which offers a consistent 2% on all other spending, you get a more adaptable combination, letting you earn higher rewards, not just on gas and groceries.
| Credit Card | MoneyGeek Rating | Cash Back Strategy | Annual Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
4.6/ of 5 | N/A | On Issuer's Site |
This combination requires a more active role in planning and tracking your spending. Everything is purchased with the Double Cash card except for your primary spending category for the month. Either pick a category and put that all on the Custom Cash every month, or use the Custom Cash card for bigger ticket purchases. Just make sure you check on the bonus categories before you spend.
It is optimal to spend only $500 on a category per month, but that might be too high. You'll still earn great cash back rates if you spend $400 to $750 per month in your top category.
THE STRATEGY
Add cards that earn high cash back rates in categories where you spend most to maximize your cash back. If you have multiple cards with bonus categories, map out how to use them so they aren't overlapping.
Pick cards that are easy for you to remember how to use. If your system is so complex that you need to look at a note stored in your phone to figure out which card to use, then that defeats the purpose of convenience.
11 Best Cash Back Cards to Add to Your Existing Cards
We used our database of card combinations to find the 11 cards that lift your cash back rates the most, regardless of your existing card. Pick ones that have high bonus rates in your highest spend categories. Here are the 11 best second (or third) cards to add that maximize cash back earnings from greatest to least lift:
| Credit Card | MoneyGeek Rating | How to Use It | Annual Fee | Recommended Credit | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.4/ of 5 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | |||
4.6/ of 5 | $0 | 670-850 (Good to Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | ||
5/ of 5 | $0 | 670-850 (Good to Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | ||
4.2/ of 5 | $0 | 740-850 (Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | ||
4.3/ of 5 | $0 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | ||
4.2/ of 5 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | |||
2.2/ of 5 | $95 | Good to Excellent (670–850) | On Issuer's Site | ||
4.0/ of 5 | $0 | 670–850 (good to excellent) | On Issuer's Site | ||
4.1/ of 5 | $95 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) | On Issuer's Site | ||
4.0/ of 5 | $0 | 670–850 (good to excellent) | On Issuer's Site |
WHAT IF I HAVE A 1.5% CASH BACK CARD?
If you already have a 1.5% flat cash back card, you can still pick the category card that has the highest bonuses where you spend the most, and you can still earn over 2% cash back based on our spend analysis.
Strategies for Managing Two (or More) Cash Back Cards
Limit Cards in Rotation
Anything beyond two cards becomes a hassle to manage when in line at the coffee shop or getting gas. Keep two cards in rotation for day to day expenses.
Label Your Cards
Use a sharpie or sticker to label cards by category (e.g., "Dining"). This might look awkward when you go to pay for dinner with friends, but this tactic is very helpful the more cards you have. It's particularly helpful if you're the credit card mastermind and need your partner to tap the right card.
Pair Cards With Online Accounts
Link the correct card to frequently used online accounts like Amazon, Netflix or grocery delivery services so you get the best cash back rates automatically.
Automated Bill Pay
Setup automated bill pay setup on your accounts so you don’t miss payments. It’s easy to do, especially if you make it an extra step while activating a card.
Set Spending Alerts
Use your bank's app to set alerts when you're approaching a rewards cap (like $500 on the Citi Custom Cash). Credit card management can be a chore, so automated alerts are the only realistic way to achieve the maximum cash back on cards with spending caps.
Don’t Sweat Going Over Bonus Spend Caps
If you go over the Citi Custom Cash 5% spend cap of $500 and accidentally spend $1,000 instead, you're still getting a net cash back rate of 3%.
How We Performed Our Analysis
We analyzed 32 cash back cards in our card database and calculated the expected cash back earnings using a spending model for the median American household based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Surveys.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Consumer Expenditure Surveys." Accessed December 20, 2024.
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.