The best credit cards for groceries: Get 6% cash back or up to 5x transferable points (2024)

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The best credit cards for groceries can earn you a ton of cash back or points one of your largest recurring expenses.

Which grocery credit card is best for you will depend on how much you spend on groceries, and whether you prefer to earn points or cash back. In this article, we cover the best credit cards to use your for your grocery shopping so that you can find the best card for you.

Expert recommendations: The best grocery rewards credit cards for most people

Most people interested in a credit card for grocery store rewards will want cash back. Here’s what we recommend.

The best for most people: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is the best card if most of your grocery store purchases are at U.S. supermarkets.

It earns a the highest rate of cash back rewards at U.S. supermarkets of any card we’re aware of, plus generous bonus rewards in a few other categories:

• 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%.)
• 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit.

If you subscribe to Disney Plus, the card almost pays for itself through its $84 credit for U.S. subscriptions to The Disney Bundle (awarded as a $7 monthly credit) and the card offers a robust trifecta of consumer insurance protections: Amex extended warranty, Amex return protection, and Amex purchase protection which provide free coverage for the things your buy.

The best for most shoppers at specific stores:

If you always buy your groceries at a warehouse club, a big-box retailer like Target, or specific grocery stores, a card that offers rewards specific to your preferred store may be better. Here’s what we recommend:

• Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods: The 5% cash back you’ll get with the Prime Visa at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods can’t be beat. You need a Prime membership to get this card, but you likely have this if you’re shopping for groceries here.
• Costco: The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card will get you 3% cash back or 4.5% toward travel if you use mobile wallet to check out at Costco warehouses. See our coverage of the best cards for Costco.
• Target: Get the Target Circle™ Mastercard for 5% cash back on your grocery purchases. But use another one of the best cards for Target when you want to take advantage of an extended warranty benefit.

The best grocery rewards credit cards for cash back

Here are the cards that earn the most cash back on grocery store purchases. If you prefer to earn transferable points or hotel and airline points, we have additional lists for those cards.

Highest rate of cash back: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Annual fee: annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)

Card overview.

6% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.

Welcome offer

bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.

Rewards

• 6% on groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
  on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%.
• 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• 3% on gas at U.S. gas stations.
• 3% on transit, including taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, busses, and more.
• 1% on other purchases.

Rewards are earned as cash back reward dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.

Benefits

Consumer insurance benefits

• Purchase protection. Covers eligible purchases against theft or accidental damage up to $1,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 per account per calendar year. Exclusions and terms apply.
• Return protection. Covers eligible purchases up to $300 per item and $1,000 per account per calendar year if the seller of an item won’t take it back within 90 days from the date of purchase. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Terms and restrictions apply.
• Extended warranty. Provides up to one year of coverage equivalent to the manufacturer’s original warranty on eligible items with warranties of 5 years or less. Coverage limited to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per account per calendar year. Terms and restrictions apply.

Travel insurance benefits

• Car rental loss and damage insurance.
• Global assist hotline.

Partner benefits and statement credits

• $84 Disney Bundle Credit. Receive $7 back monthly after spending $9.99+ each month on an eligible auto-renewing U.S. subscription to the Disney Bundle. Enrollment required.
• Amex Offers. Receive statement credits or extra rewards with targeted offers from select merchants. Enrollment required.

Highest rate of cash back with no annual fee: AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card

Annual fee: $0

Up to 5% cash back on grocery store purchases. After earning $500 of cash back across certain bonus categories, earnings drop to 1% for the rest of the calendar year. See the Rewards tab for details.

Welcome offer

Receive a $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on your card in the first 90 days of account opening. Learn how to apply.
All information about the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.

Rewards

After earning $500 cash back in the following categories in a calendar year, you will earn 1% cash back in these categories for the remainder of the calendar year:

• 5% on grocery store purchases.
• 3% at gas stations.
• 3% at wholesale clubs.

These categories are not subject to reward caps:

• 3% on electric vehicle charging.
• 3% on pharmacy purchases.
• 3% on AAA purchases.
• 1% on other purchases.

Rewards are earned as cash back.

Benefits

As a Visa Signature® card, the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card is likely to include several useful benefits, but we have been unable to independently verify the benefits offered on this card.

Best for flexible categories: Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

Annual fee: annual_fees

Card overview.

5% cash back in your highest eligible category on up to $500 of spending each month. Eligible categories include grocery stores.

Welcome offer

bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
All information about the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.

Rewards

• 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle on up to $500 spent.
  Eligible categories include: Restaurants, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Select Travel, Select Transit, Select Streaming Services, Drugstores, Home Improvement Stores, Fitness Clubs and Live Entertainment.
• 5% on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
• 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Rewards are marketed as cash back, but earned as Citi ThankYou® points.

Benefits

The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers no notable benefits beyond its rewards.

Highest uncapped cash back at grocery stores: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Annual fee: annual_fees

3% cash back at grocery stores, with no caps on the amount of bonus cash back you can earn.

Welcome offer

bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
All information about the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.

Rewards

• 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
• 3% on dining, including restaurants, cafes, bars, lounges, fast-food chains and bakeries.
• 3% on entertainment, including theaters, sports promoters (professional and semi-professional live events), theatrical promoters, amusem*nt parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, record stores, pool halls and bowling alleys.
• 3% on popular streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.
• 3% at grocery stores. Excludes superstores like Walmart and Target.
• 1% on other purchases.

Rewards are earned as cash back, but can be transferred to other Capital One cards that earn Venture Rewards.

Benefits

Consumer insurance benefits

• Extended warranty

Travel insurance benefits

• Travel accident insurance

Partner benefits and statement credits

• 50% off handcrafted beverages at any Capital One Cafe nationwide.

Best for U.S. supermarkets and online shopping: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Annual fee: annual_fees (See Rates and Fees)

Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%. Also, earn 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%.

Welcome offer

Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus receive 10% back, up to $150, as a statement credit on purchases at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Learn how to apply for this Resy exclusive offer.
All information about the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.

Rewards

• 3% on groceries at U.S. supermarkets
  on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%.
• 3% on U.S. online retail purchases
  on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%.
• 3% on gas at U.S. gas stations
  on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%.
• 1% on other purchases.

Rewards are earned as cash back.

Benefits

Consumer insurance benefits

• Purchase protection. Covers eligible purchases against theft or accidental damage up to $1,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 per account per calendar year. Exclusions and terms apply.

Travel insurance benefits

• Car rental loss and damage insurance.
• Global assist hotline.

Partner benefits and statement credits

• $84 Disney Bundle Credit. Receive $7 back monthly after spending $9.99+ each month on an eligible auto-renewing U.S. subscription to the Disney Bundle. Enrollment required.
• $180 Home Chef Credit. Receive up to $15 per month in statement credits when you purchase an auto-renewing U.S. subscription for Home Chef meal kits.
• Amex Offers. Receive statement credits or extra rewards with targeted offers from select merchants. Enrollment required.

Best for Target: Target Circle™ Mastercard

Annual fee: $0

Get a 5% discount on most items you buy at Target, including groceries.

Welcome offer

Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase over $50 when approved for credit or debit Target Circle Card. Learn how to apply.
All information about the Target Circle™ Mastercard has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.

Rewards

• 5% discount every day at Target and Target.com
  certain purchases, such as prescriptions, some gift cards, taxes, and alcohol purchases in some states are not eligible for a discount.
• 2% on dining.
• 2% on gas.
• 1% on other purchases.

Rewards on non-Target purchases are earned as a Target gift card. The 5% discount on Target purchases is an at-purchase discount that will be reflected on your receipt when you use your card.

Benefits

Target benefits

• Free 2-day shipping on Target.com. Does not apply to orders delivered by Shipt.
• Target Circle Card exclusives and offers. Offers vary by cardholder. Not every exclusive offer will be available to every cardholder.
• More return time. Get an extra 30 days for returns and exchanges at Target.

Best for Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods: Prime Visa

Annual fee: annual_fees

Card overview.

5% cash back at Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and Amazon.com.

Welcome offer

bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.

Rewards

• 5% on Amazon.com.
• 5% on Amazon Fresh online or in-store.
• 5% at Whole Foods Market.
• 5% on Chase Travel℠ purchases.
• 2% at gas stations.
• 2% at restaurants.
• 2% on local transit and commuting, including rideshare.
• 1% on other purchases.

Rewards are earned as cash back.

Benefits

Consumer insurance benefits

• Extended warranty protection.
• Purchase protection.

Travel insurance benefits

• Auto rental collision damage waiver.
• Baggage delay insurance.
• Lost luggage reimbursem*nt.
• Travel accident insurance.
• Travel and emergency assistance.

My take on grocery rewards credit cards

When it comes to selecting a card to use at grocery stores, the only thing that matters for most people is the amount of the reward or discount you get on your groceries. You’re not going to need to make a return protection claim on tomatoes, there’s no warranty on milk, and travel benefits are largely irrelevant. So that’s what we’ve focused our list on: rewards.

For most people buying groceries at traditional grocery stores, picking up the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express and/or the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card will be the easiest path to maximizing grocery store rewards.

• If your monthly grocery bill is under $500, pick up one of these cards and just use it for groceries.
• If your monthly grocery bill is over $500 and under $1,000, use the Custom Cash for the first $500 of grocery store purchases each month, and the Blue Cash Preferred for the rest.
• If your monthly grocery bill is greater than $1,000 consider adding the Capital One SavorOne card to the mix.

Personally, grocery store spending is one of the easiest categories to earn extra rewards on because it’s a type of purchase that you’re going to consistently make.

My grocery credit card cash back strategy

If you spend a lot on groceries, you might want to carry multiple grocery store credit cards. The best cards for groceries often have caps on the amount of rewards you can earn. Plus, rotating category cards only offer grocery rewards during certain times of the year. Here’s how I use my grocery store credit cards.

Keep in mind that your grocery card strategy may be different due to your spending patterns. For example, if you buy groceries at Target or Whole Foods, you’ll almost certainly want the Target Red Card or the Prime Visa in the picture.

Here’s how I use my credit cards for grocery store purchases.

My grocery store credit card strategy summarized

Generally, I allocate my grocery store spending to credit cards that offer 5% cash back rewards or more on a time-limited basis first. Then, I use up grocery store category rewards that have annual limits. Then I go to my Citi Custom Cash and my everyday cash back card.

Use rotating category cards for groceries first.

I hold the trifecta of rotating category cards, so half the year, I can get 5% cash back on groceries through a bonus category on one of these cards. Since rotating categories are time-limited and dollar-limited offers, I usually have these cards at the top of my wallet for grocery store spending.

Put the next $6,000 of groceries on my Blue Cash Preferred® Card.

If I don’t have a rotating category card I can use, the next card I’ll pull out of my wallet is my Blue Cash Preferred® Card. I can spend up to $6,000 at U.S. supermarkets and get 6% rewards, but the limit on that category resets annually. I’ll continue to use my Blue Cash Preferred® Card until I’ve spent $6,000 on groceries.

Use my Citi Custom Cash Card

I like to reserve my Citi Custom Cash℠ Card for other categories like dining, home improvement store purchases, and live entertainment. But if I’ve maxed out the bonus category on my Blue Cash Preferred®, I’ll switch up to $500 of grocery store spending to the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card to earn 5% rewards.

Use a 2% card as a last resort

Finally, I’ll use a 2% cash back credit card if none of the above options are available.

Frequently asked questions

American Express disclosures

• For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
• For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees
• For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please visit this link: See Rates and Fees

Amex Basic Purchase Protection benefit disclosure: When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited to up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Amex Premium Purchase Protection benefit disclosure: Purchase Protection is an embedded benefit of your Card Membership and requires no enrollment. It can help protect Covered Purchases made on your Eligible Card when they’re accidentally damaged, stolen, or lost, for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date. The coverage is limited to up to $10,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Coverage Limits Apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Amex Extended Warranty benefit disclosure: When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

Amex Return Protection benefit disclosure: With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.

Amex Basic Trip Delay Insurance benefit disclosure: Up to $300 per Covered Trip that is delayed for more than 12 hours; and 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.