Best Credit Cards for Holiday Shopping
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The holidays tend to be a busy time for credit cards, with many Americans using them to purchase gifts. While some shoppers are looking to leverage cards to earn rewards and cash back for their purchases, others are focused on financing their holiday spending with a 0% intro APR offer.
Whether you fall into the first or second category, here are some of our picks for the best credit cards for holiday shopping:
Top credit cards for holiday shopping
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Our pick for: Maximum flexibility
Card details
Rewards: Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months and 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR.
Why we like it
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a very appealing 2% cash back on all purchases, which is a helpful way to stretch your budget while doing all of your holiday shopping. You don’t need to worry about opting into rotating categories or earning different rewards rates depending on where you shop — you can just focus on your gift selections. The fact that it also comes with a bonus offer and no interest on top makes the card even sweeter.
Drawbacks
The card’s simplicity also comes with a downside: You won’t earn higher rewards in certain categories as you do on other cards. It’s also possible to find a longer no-interest promo period elsewhere (see below).
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Our pick for: Shoppers looking for financing help
Card details
Rewards: None.
Sign-up bonus: None.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 17.49%, 23.99%, or 29.24% Variable APR.
Why we like it
If you’re looking for help financing your holiday purchases over the next year and a half, then this offer is hard to beat. The fact that the intro APR can get extended for an additional three months makes it even more appealing.
Drawbacks
The lack of rewards or sign-up bonus means that after the introductory period is over, this card has little to offer.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Our pick for: Shoppers willing to spend time maximizing their rewards
Card details
Rewards:
5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter. Activation of bonus categories is required. (See the quarterly 5% bonus calendar below.)
5% cash back on travel booked through Chase.
3% cash back on dining, including takeout and delivery services.
3% cash back on drugstore purchases.
For all cardholders, through March 31, 2025, 5% cash back on qualifying Lyft services purchased through the Lyft app.
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Chase Freedom® and Chase Freedom Flex® bonus rewards categories for 2024 | |
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Q1 (Jan. 1-March 31) |
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Q2 (April 1-June 30) |
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Q3 (July 1-Sept. 30) |
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Q4 (Oct. 1-Dec. 31) |
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*Includes bookings made directly with the hotel and prepaid bookings through Chase's travel portal. | |
Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months, and then the ongoing APR of 19.99%-28.74%, Variable APR.
Why we like it
This card comes with so many bonus categories that it’s easy to feel like you're maximizing your cash-back opportunities: In addition to the fixed bonus categories of travel booked through Chase, dining and drugstore purchases, you can also activate rotating bonus categories, such as Walmart and PayPal. During the holiday season, those Q4 picks are especially valuable. The sign-up bonus is also solid and relatively easy to earn, especially during the holiday season.
Drawbacks
The elaborate nature of this card’s 5% categories also requires some work: You have to activate the rotating categories each quarter. And if the options don’t match up with what you’re spending on, then it’s probably not a good fit.
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card
Our pick for: Shoppers who are brand loyalists
Card details
Rewards:
6% cash back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter at two retailers you choose, from a list of 24 (see below for full list).
3% back on your first $1,500 in eligible purchases each quarter in your choice of one everyday category.
1.5% back on all other eligible purchases.
6% back on prepaid car and hotel reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center.
Sign-up bonus: Earn a $250 bonus after you spend $2,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
Annual fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
APR: The ongoing APR is 18.99%-28.99% Variable APR.
Why we like it
The chance to earn 6% back on purchases at a variety of popular retailers — including Apple, Amazon, Target and Walmart, among others — can make this card a great choice for holiday shoppers.
Drawbacks
Maximizing the 6% cash-back benefits of this card requires manually selecting your retailers of choice each quarter and tracking your spending up to the $1,500 cap. That along with the annual fee after the first year means you'll need to do sufficient maintenance, plan purchases ahead of time, and use this card year-round — not just during the holidays — to make the savings outweigh the cost.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Our pick for: Shoppers who plan to spend big at home improvement stores
Card details
Rewards:
5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your highest spend category per billing cycle (from a list of eligible options).
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.49%-28.49% Variable APR
Why we like it
If you’re buying gifts in one of the card’s 10 bonus categories, which spans home improvement stores and restaurants (see the review for a full list), then the card could be a good fit for you this season. Many of the bonus categories also align with everyday spending, including grocery stores, gas stations and drugstores, so it’s also a useful card for everyday spending year-round. It also comes with a generous sign-up bonus.
Drawbacks
The 5% cash-back rate comes with a $500 cap each billing cycle, so you are limited on what you will earn with this card, and that rate applies to only one of the 10 categories.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Our pick for: Shoppers who value convenience
Card details
Rewards: 2% cash back on purchases, including:
1% cash back for every dollar spent.
1% cash back for every dollar paid off.
Sign-up bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, and then the ongoing APR of 18.49%-28.49% Variable APR.
Why we like it
The ease of earning 2% cash back (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay for the purchase) on everything is appealing, especially during the holidays. You don’t have to opt into different bonus categories or even think about when to use the card since it always earns the same rate. Another plus of this card is the intro APR balance transfer offer, but it’s worth noting that for new purchases, the ongoing APR applies.
Drawbacks
With this card, you’ll miss out on the higher rewards rate that other cards earn in bonus categories.
Prime Visa
Our pick for: Shoppers who order most of their gifts from Amazon
Card details
Rewards:
5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market.
2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations.
2% cash back on local transit and commuting (including rideshare).
1% cash back on all other purchases.
Sign-up bonus: Get a $200 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
Annual fee: $0, but you must be an Amazon Prime member. Membership costs $139 annually ($69 a year for students).
APR: The ongoing APR is 19.99%-28.74% Variable APR.
Why we like it
If you’re already an Amazon Prime member and frequent Amazon shopper, then it’s hard to beat the rewards offered through this card. Around the holidays, you might be planning to spend even more than usual at Amazon if the mega-retailer will be your primary source for gifts, making the Prime Visa even more valuable. Another benefit is that you’ll also earn 5% back at Whole Foods, which can be useful if you’re hosting family and friends around the holidays.
Drawbacks
If you aren’t a heavy Amazon shopper, then you’ll find better rewards with other cards that aren’t as Amazon-centric.
» MORE: Full review of the Prime Visa
Target Circle™ Credit Card
Our pick for: Shoppers loyal to Target
Card details
Rewards: 5% discount on all eligible Target purchases.
Other benefits:
Exclusive offers, gifts and early access to promotions.
Free standard shipping (and free two-day shipping on qualifying items).
30 days of extra time to return purchases.
Annual fee: $0.
APR: The ongoing APR is 29.45% Variable.
Why we like it
If you shop a lot at Target and plan to buy a lot of your gifts there, then the Target Circle™ Credit Card is for you: Not only can you enjoy the ongoing 5% discount, but you also get other perks like extra time to make returns, which is especially useful around the holidays. You may also receive a 10% discount awarded every cardholder anniversary when you sign up for Target marketing emails.
Drawbacks
This card is useful only at Target, so if you plan to spread out your holiday purchases to a wider array of stores, you’ll need a different card. Also, the card lacks any true intro APR promotions, so if you’re looking for financing help, you’ll want to turn elsewhere.
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