Our analysis of 629 two-card combinations found that the top card combinations routinely 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 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. Even cards with rotating 5% and bonus category cards average around 1.5% cash back if you use them as your one and only card.
The Best Cash Back Credit Card Combinations To Maximize Cash Back
Updated: November 9, 2024
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Key Takeaways
On average, cash back cards pay out 1.5% cash back if you pick one card and use it for every purchase. The best two card combinations allow you to earn over 2.5% cash back.
The best 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’ll use them, like the Prime Visa.
Two Cash Back Cards Increase Your Cash Back Rate
The Best Cash Back Card Combination
The best cash back combination for is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card with Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express. The Active Cash card is the best cash back card overall, and the Blue Cash Preferred is best cash back card for bonus category cash back because of the 6% cash back on purchases at U.S. groceries for the first $6,000 annually.
| Credit Card | MoneyGeek Rating | Cash Back Strategy | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
4.4/ of 5 | Maximize the bonus categories by using this card on purchases at U.S. Grocery Stores, U.S. Gas Stations, transit and for select U.S. Streaming subscriptions. | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95* On Issuer's Site | |
5/ of 5 | Use it for 2% on all other purchases | $0 On Issuer's Site |
Pay for purchases using the Blue Cash Preferred card where it 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 either 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 | Use it for spending on only one category each month to earn 5% on the first $500. | N/A On Issuer's Site | |
4.7/ of 5 | Use it on all other purchases. Earn 1% when you purchase and 1% when you pay off the balance.. | N/A On Issuer's Site |
This combination requires a more active role in planning and tracking your spend. 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 in the $400 to $750 per month range on your top category.
THE STRATEGY
Add cards that earn high cash back rates in categories where you do most of your spending 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.
The 11 Best Cash Back Cards to Add To Your Existing Cash Back 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 one's 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 | Max groceries and streaming with 6% back; great for families. | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95* | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.6/ of 5 | Earn 5% back, up to $500 per month, on your top monthly category. | $0 | 670-850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
5/ of 5 | Flat 2% cash back on all purchases, no annual fee. Add to an existing bonus category card or upgrade a flat cash card. | $0 | 670-850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.7/ of 5 | Earn 2% on everything—1% buying, 1% when paying off. Add to an existing bonus category card or upgrade a flat cash card. | $0 | 670-850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.2/ of 5 | Use it for Gas stations to earn 4% back, 3% on dining and travel, 2% on Costco. | $0 | 740-850 (Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.3/ of 5 | Customize your 3% category, good for frequent online shoppers. Rewards can be even higher for BofA banking and investing customers. | $0 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.2/ of 5 | Get 3% on groceries, gas, and online retail, fee-free (but with spending caps). | $0 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.7/ of 5 | Maximize dining, groceries and entertainment. | $0 | 670-850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.0/ of 5 | Quarterly 5% rotating categories; 1.5% cash back base rate. | $0 | 670–850 (good to excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.1/ of 5 | 6% cash back at selected retailers; a grocery alternative that can pay cash back for Walmart and Target loyalists. | $95 | 670–850 (Good to Excellent) On Issuer's Site | |
4.0/ of 5 | Make this your dining and drugstore card and look for opportunities to plus up your cash back based on the rotating categories. | $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 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 max 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 a $1,000 instead, you’re still getting a net cash back of 3%.
How We Performed Our Analysis and What It Means for Your Card Choices
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 November 9, 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.
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.
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.