Best credit cards for groceries of January 2025
Groceries are an essential expense, making rewards credit cards an invaluable tool for maximizing the value of these purchases. Our editors meticulously analyze the market to identify the best credit cards for groceries, encompassing cash-back, travel rewards, and other rewarding options. … View More
While store-branded cards may offer limited discounts, a broader strategy often proves more advantageous. A top-tier rewards card provides the flexibility to earn rewards at any grocery store, empowering consumers to shop where they prefer while accumulating valuable rewards. Moreover, many leading cards extend bonus rewards beyond grocery purchases, maximizing the return on everyday spending. View Less
List of Winners
- CardName – Best for U.S. Supermarket Purchases
- CardName – Best for Shopping at Costco
- CardName – Best for Online Grocery Purchases
- CardName – Best for Earning Where You Spend the Most
- CardName – Best for Cardholder-Choice Rewards
- CardName – Best for Simplicity
- CardName – Best for High Grocery Spending
- CardName – Best for Balance Transfers
- CardName – Best for Travel Rewards
- CardName – Best for Fair Credit
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The Bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new card within the first six months.
The Rewards: Cardholders earn 6% cash back on the first $6,000 spent at U.S. supermarkets each year and then 1% on purchases after that. You also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit and gas purchases at U.S. gas stations, and 1% cash back on other purchases.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- This card offers 6% cash back on all grocery purchases at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year. That works out to a maximum of $360 in cash back on groceries alone. Who ever said grocery shopping wasn't fun?!
- Introductory 0% APR on all new purchases and balance transfers for intro_apr_duration from the date of account opening is a great offer if you have a large purchase on the horizon. After the intro period, regular RegAPR APR applies.
- The welcome bonus offer is easy to earn and could go a long way towards future grocery purchases.
CONS:
- Some stores may seem like "supermarkets," but they might not actually qualify for the rebate. Wholesale clubs, superstores and alcohol retailers are typically the culprits for this confusion.
- You'll probably want to leave this card at home when you travel abroad as it charges fees on foreign transactions.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 78.5 | 78.2 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 7.6 | 7.8 |
Customer Service | 7.7 | 8.0 |
Website/App Usability | 8.1 | 7.7 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.3 | 8.2 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.2 | 7.5 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: None at this time.
The Rewards: Cardholders receive 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases (for the first $7,000 per year, 1% thereafter); 3% cash back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases; 2% on purchases from Costco and Costco.com; and 1% on all other purchases. Cash back is issued once a year as a reward certificate that can be redeemed for cash or merchandise at Costco stores.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and no foreign transaction fees.
- You earn 2% on purchases from Costco and Costco.com which is great if you like to do your grocery shopping in bulk.
- Because this card earns a robust 4% on eligible gas and EV charging purchases (for the first $7,000 per year) it's also great if you like to fill you car up with gas after you grocery shop.
CONS:
- While it's easy to accumulate cash back, it's only redeemed once a year and is done automatically, giving the cardholder very little control.
- Costco membership is required. While the card has no annual fee, you must pay for a Costco membership to apply.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 83.3 | 86.3 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 8.3 | 8.6 |
Customer Service | 7.7 | 8.5 |
Website/App Usability | 8.1 | 8.8 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 9.5 | 9.3 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.6 | 8.4 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The Rewards: Earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- Receive a $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Make your rewards go even further by taking advantage of Chase's extensive list of travel partners.
CONS:
- There is an annual fee to consider.
- Rewards earned are best used for travel, so if you're looking for something more flexible, a cash-back credit card may be a more suitable option.
Current Scores | Past Scores (avg.) | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 80.3 | 86.6 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 7.8 | 8.6 |
Customer Service | 8.0 | 8.7 |
Website/App Usability | 8.3 | 8.8 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.4 | 8.7 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.1 | 8.6 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: Spend $1,500 on purchases within the first six months of opening an account and you’ll receive 20,000 ThankYou® Points, worth $200.
The Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent (1% cash back thereafter) - there are no category enrollments to worry about or no need to juggle reward tiers. On everything else you purchase, you’ll get 1% cash back. Eligible 5% categories include: restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, fitness clubs, live entertainment, drugstores, and home improvement stores. As a special travel offer, earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- Perhaps some months you spend heavily on grocery purchases, but other months you spend most of your money elsewhere. With this credit card, you'll get rewarded for it all. As long as you're spending in an eligible spend category, you'll automatically earn 5% back on where you're spending most each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent.
- Rewards earned with this card are automatic. There are no category enrollments to worry about, or no rewards tiers to juggle.
- This is a good card if you have a large purchase on the horizon or if you need some time to pay off an existing balance interest free as it offers intro 0% APR for intro_apr_duration and balance transfers (then RegAPR).
CONS:
- If your spending is all over the place, you might have trouble maximizing the amount of rewards that can be earned with this card.
- Once you reach $500 in spend in any eligible bonus category each billing cycle, you'll only earn 1% on purchases.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 80.3 | 87.8 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 8.2 | 8.8 |
Customer Service | 7.7 | 8.8 |
Website/App Usability | 7.8 | 8.7 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.7 | 9.0 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 7.9 | 8.5 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: Earn $200 in online cash rewards after making at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
The Rewards: Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice - now with expanded categories, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases. Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishings purchases. Update your choice category for future purchases once each calendar month using the mobile banking app or online banking, or do nothing and it stays the same.
Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- As a Preferred Rewards client (membership and tiers are based on a three-month average balance across your eligible Bank of America accounts) you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on each purchase depending on your tier.
- You can choose the category in which you'll earn the highest rewards so you can rest assured that you're fully optimizing the card's reward potential.
- Bank of America offers BankAmerideals® through which you select deals from an ever-changing list of retailers, restaurants and websites. Just pay for your product or service with an eligible Bank of America credit or debit card (such as this one), and earn the listed cash back directly into your linked account.
CONS:
- If you aren't a Bank of America Preferred Rewards client, you could miss out on the full rewards potential offered by this card.
- You can only adjust your 3% cash-back earning category once per calendar month. If an unexpected expense comes up in a different category after you've already made your choice, you’ll only earn 1% cash back on that category.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 81.1 | 80.2 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 8.1 | 8.1 |
Customer Service | 7.9 | 8.1 |
Website/App Usability | 8.6 | 8.1 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 9.0 | 7.9 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 7.7 | 7.8 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
The Rewards:Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day, plus earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- Simplicity is a beautiful thing when it comes to a rewards program. The Venture card gives you unlimited 2X miles for every dollar spent on every purchase, and 5X miles for every dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- In addition to travel, miles can also be redeemed for various travel expenses, such as hotel stays, vehicle rentals and theme park tickets. Miles can also be turned into cash and merchandise credit.
- There are no foreign transaction fees.
CONS:
- If you do choose to redeem your miles for cash, the value is only half that of redeeming for travel or merchandise.
- The current partner airlines with the Venture card are not the most common or frequently used for rewards travel so transferring miles may not provide as much value as other card programs.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 83.3 | 76.0 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 8.2 | 7.7 |
Customer Service | 8.0 | 7.2 |
Website/App Usability | 8.4 | 8.2 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.9 | 7.9 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.5 | 7.2 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: Earn 60,000 points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership.
The Rewards: Earn 4X points per $1 spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year), then 1X points; 4X points per $1 spent at US supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year) then 1X points; 3X points per $1 spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com; 2X points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com; and 1X point per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- If you like racking up rewards in a hurry, this card fits the bill. You earn 4X points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per year, then 1X), 4X points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, then 1X), 3X points per dollar spent on flights booked at amextravel.com, 2x points per dollar on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases on amextravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases.
- Get a jumpstart on your rewards with the limited-time offer of 60,000 bonus points earned by spending at least $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months after opening an account.
- You can earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with your card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required).
- Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
- There are no foreign transaction fees, which can result in big savings if you travel overseas frequently for business or pleasure.
CONS:
- The annual fee is hefty. It can be offset by the cash back you earn but not if American Express is not your go-to card.
- Unlike typical credit cards, the card allows you to carry a balance for certain charges, but not all.
- The overall rewards earning with the Gold card is good, however the travel rewards earning being higher only on specific travel purchases made through American Express can be a bit of a barrier compared to other travel rewards cards that offer higher points earning on most travel purchases.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 81.9 | 83.4 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 8.0 | 8.4 |
Customer Service | 8.4 | 8.4 |
Website/App Usability | 8.2 | 8.3 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.6 | 8.4 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.2 | 8.2 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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Welcome Bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
The Rewards: You'll receive unlimited 1% cash back on all your purchases, including groceries. Then, you'll get another 1% cash back when you make payments on those purchases. Just make sure you're making minimum payments on-time to get the second 1% back. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- This card offers a 0% introductory interest rate for a full balance_transfer_duration_months (then RegAPR.
- No annual fee is always a nice perk when it comes to rewards credit cards.
- Earning rewards is easy with this card. You get 1% when you make the purchase and another 1% when you pay for them.
CONS:
- This card doesn't offer an introductory interest rate for purchases, so make sure you aren't using it for purchases if you've also made a balance transfer.
- To qualify for the bonus cash-back rewards, you need to make at least the minimum payment, on time each month. This encourages healthy credit card practices though, so it's not too strong of a con in our minds.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 77.2 | 84.7 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 7.9 | 8.5 |
Customer Service | 7.5 | 8.4 |
Website/App Usability | 6.9 | 8.3 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.2 | 8.8 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 7.7 | 8.4 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: For a limited time, earn 75,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening, redeemable for $750 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
The Rewards: You'll earn 10x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on air travel and other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets, gas and EV charging stations. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- This card awards triple points for purchases at supermarkets, making it a great card for earning rewards on groceries.
- You can think of the bonus as covering at least six years of annual fees if you redeem for gift cards through thankyou.com. And that's without considering the other rewards you can earn with regular use.
- You can earn bonus rewards in multiple everyday categories, so it's easier to rack up the points.
CONS
- This card has an annual fee that might get expensive if you don't earn the bonus or rewards.
- The ThankYou® Points program isn't as well-known as some other travel rewards currency programs out there, but it can still be worthwhile for certain travelers.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 78.1 | 84.5 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 7.6 | 8.3 |
Customer Service | 7.9 | 8.5 |
Website/App Usability | 7.9 | 8.5 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.2 | 8.6 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.0 | 8.5 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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The Bonus: There’s not a traditional bonus offered for new cardholders, however, we consider the opportunity to improve your credit to be an invaluable bonus of sorts. Plus, there’s also the opportunity to increase your line of credit in as little as six months, which is a nice added perk.
The Rewards: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
The Annual Fee: AnnualFees
Credit Score Needed: CreditScoreNeeded
PROS:
- We like things nice and simple. This card offers a flat 1.5% cash-back rate on every purchase. No caps, no categories, no expiration.
- There are no foreign transaction fees charged with this card.
- Quicksilverone offers several perks beyond the cash-back rewards.
CONS:
- The 1.5% flat cash-back rate is only fair. Many other cards offer a higher base rate or offer specialty categories with significantly higher cash back rates. This is a good offer though for people with fair credit scores.
- The annual fee is modest, but still, it's something to consider.
Current Scores | Past Scores | |
---|---|---|
Overall Score | 82.9 | 82.8 |
Rewards Program Satisfaction | 8.2 | 8.2 |
Customer Service | 8.1 | 8.5 |
Website/App Usability | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Likelihood of Continuing to Use | 8.7 | 8.6 |
Recommend to a Friend/Colleague | 8.4 | 8.1 |
*Scores above reflect the results of surveys with actual cardholders. Full methodology below.
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How do grocery rewards work?
All grocery rewards credit cards automatically reward users for their purchases, but how they do that can vary by card. For instance, some rewards cards offer flat rate cash back for every purchase, regardless of whether you’re shopping at a grocery store or somewhere else. Others offer extra rewards for purchases at supermarkets. The best credit cards for groceries offer as much as 6% cash back when you shop at eligible stores.
This cash back accumulates in your account and then can be redeemed as a statement credit, for merchandise or gift cards, or as a direct payment. A few cards offer miles or points instead of cash back which can be redeemed for travel, merchandise or experiences.
Does Walmart do cash back on credit cards?
Walmart and Target typically are not considered grocery stores by credit card issuers. Some companies, such as American Express and Capital One, specifically state on their websites that superstores are excluded from grocery rewards. However, you may need to read the fine print or contact customer services to confirm whether this is the case for other issuers. If you shop primarily at one of these big box stores, the best card for groceries in your case may be an all-purpose cash-back card that offers the same rewards for all purchases, regardless of where you shop. Learn more in our article, “Which credit cards earn cash back at Walmart and Target.”
How to save on grocery bill
Grocery shopping is unavoidable, so maximize your spending with rewards credit cards. Look for cards offering bonus rewards at supermarkets and combine them with coupons and savings apps. Pay your balance in full each month to avoid negating rewards with interest charges.
Consider your preferred grocery stores and choose a card that aligns with your shopping habits. Utilize the card with the highest rewards for each purchase. Determine your preferred reward type (cash back, travel, etc.) and choose a card that aligns with your goals. If pursuing a signup bonus, meet the spending requirement within the introductory period.
Are there grocery credit cards with no annual fee?
Yes, there are several excellent grocery credit cards with no annual fee, many of which are featured above.
Jennifer Doss is a credit card analyst and the executive editor of CardRatings.com. She has worked as both a print and online journalist and has over a decade of experience in the media industry. Her published work has covered a broad range of topics, from finance and technology to travel and dining. Through extensive travel experiences and her personal interest...Read more
Survey Methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents’ scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to “How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?” was double weighted. “Current Scores” reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); “Past Scores” reflect scores from the 2022 survey.
Ranking Methodology: CardRatings experts review the fine print, details, perks, rewards and features of hundreds of cards and compare them side-by-side with similar cards. A card that makes an excellent balance transfer card may not make a great cash-back rewards card even though it offers those rewards. While the Best of the Year list is announced annually, that list – and all other “best of” lists on CardRatings – are regularly reviewed and updated as issuers change the terms and features of each card often.
To see the rates and fees for the cards featured in this post, please visit the following links: CardName: See Rates and Fees; CardName: See Rates and Fees
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Disclaimer:
The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
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