The Best Credit Cards for Gas and Groceries
The best credit card for gas and groceries with cash-back and the lowest fee is the one that fits your financial lifestyle as it relates to everyday spending on such items. However, identifying the one that works best for you is challenging when sorting through the massive number of available cards, intro offers, and detailed specifics one at a time.
To help, we’ve assembled this list of the best available credit cards to help you make an informed decision about which to choose.
To compile our review, we evaluated more than a dozen of the top contenders claiming to be the best credit card for gas and groceries. We dove deep into each one’s specifics, categorized the data down to manageable details, and ranked them accordingly.
- A BBB Accredited Loan Company
- $0 Annual Fees
- Reward Checking Accounts
- Earn $200 Bonus
- Apply for Free with No Impact on Credit
- Excellent Customer Reviews
- Table of Contents
- Unlimited Cash Back
- No Annual Fees
- No Late Fees
- Offers $200 Bonus
- A+ BBB Rated
- 20.49% – 29.24% APR
- No annual fee
- Earn 1.5%–3% on travel, dining and medicine
- 10,000+customer reviews (rated 4.8 out of 5)
- Deposit cash-back instantly into your bank
- 19.24% – 29.99% Variable APR
- 0% Intro APR for 12 months
- $95 annual fee after first year
- 6% cash-back on groceries
- 3% cash-back on gas
- 6% cash-back on select streaming services
- 19.24% – 29.24% APR
- 0% APR for 15 months
- $0 annual fee
- 5% cash-back on the highest monthly spending category
- Best for Good to Exceptional credit score above 670
- 21.24% – 29.24% APR
- $95 annual fee
- 60,000 bonus points intro offer worth $600
- 3x ThankYou® points rewards on select purchases
- 1x ThankYou® points rewards on other purchases
- $100 annual hotel discounts
- 17.24% – 28.24% APR
- 15 months 0% APR
- $0 annual fee
- Cash-back matching after the first year
- 5% cash-back on featured spending categories each quarter
- No foreign transaction fees
Best Credit Card for Gas and Groceries Comparisons
| Card | APR | Trusted Company Reviews Rating | Annual Fee | Maximum Grocery and Gas Rewards | Cash-Back Intro Offer |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | 20.49% – 29.24% | 9.8 | $0 | 5x | $200 |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred® | 19.24% – 29.99% (Variable) | 9.3 | $95 | 6x | 0% interest |
| Citi Custom Cash® | 19.24% – 29.24% | 8.7 | $0 | 5x | $200 |
| Citi Premier® | 21.24% – 29.24% | 8.1 | $95 | 3x | $600 |
| Discover it Cash Back® | 17.24% – 28.24% | 7.8 | $0 | 5x | 0% interest |
What is a Gas and Grocery Card?
A gas and grocery credit card isn’t necessarily a separate card you can use only for those items. The best credit card for gas and groceries is the one that earns you the most rewards points on everyday spending on things like gas, groceries, entertainment, and other miscellaneous expenses. You won’t find the words gas and groceries emblazoned on the card. Instead, the card’s benefits will be in the details.
The best credit card for gas and groceries features benefits important to consumers who spend a significant portion of their monthly budget on basic needs, like gas, groceries, and sometimes entertainment, transit, and travel. Gas and grocery cards make spending, earning points, and redeeming those points for valuable returns simple.
Features of the Best Credit Card for Gas and Groceries
The best credit card for gas and groceries is the one that fits your spending lifestyle and budget best. Features of these types of credit cards include a high potential for earning rewards on everyday items. These cards also make it easy to redeem the rewards you earn for cash-back or other incentives that put money back in your pocket one way or another.
While some gas and grocery cards carry higher rewards on either gas, groceries, or even another spending category, like travel, all of them in our review provide a generous helping of rewards for typical daily spending, whether or not other benefits of card ownership exist.
Some common features of high-quality gas and grocery cards include the following items.
- Low interest rates
- High reward returns of 1.5% or higher
- Additional rewards for other spending category purchase
- Ease and usefulness of rewards redemptions
- Low or manageable interest rates
- Robust and useful introductory offers that are attainable if spending money to receive them is necessary
- Low introductory APR on balance transfers and purchases
How We Chose the Best Cards for Gas and Groceries
When choosing the best credit card for gas and groceries and the runner-up contenders, we examined a multitude of factors that impact the usefulness of the cards themselves and the rewards associated with each one.
The factors with the most significance in our review were interest rates, reward amounts and limitations, annual fees, additional perks outside of gas and grocery reward benefits, customer and expert review ratings, and introductory offer details—including benefits, easy use, and intro durations.
How to Choose the Best Credit Card for Gas and Groceries for You
Determining which gas and grocery card is best to carry for you comes down to how you spend and which rewards matter most to you. Look for the following features when choosing your gas and grocery card.
- High rewards earning potential, generally above 1% cash-back or an equivalent
- Easy access to reward redemption
- Rewards that are available for the items you purchase and the vendors you shop at most often
- A low or manageable annual fee and interest rate
- Approval requirements that meet your financial and credit score standing
- A strong and achievable introductory offer—Although this should a secondary reason for choosing a credit card that you intend to keep long-term
- Other benefits, such as travel, entertainment, or other rewards categories if desired
What’s the Best Credit Card for Gas and Groceries?
Our choice for the best credit card for gas and groceries is the Chase Freedom Unlimted® card. After evaluating numerous credit cards in the category, the Unlimited® proved to feature the best rewards for the largest number of consumers.
Additionally, we like the no annual fee aspect of the card as well as the $200 introductory bonus that’s relatively easy to achieve by spending $500 on eligible purchases within the first three months to attain.
However, our choice of the best credit card for gas and groceries may not be the one that suits your needs best. We encourage you to check out the details of each selection below to learn more about what rewards and spending strategies best fit your lifestyle and budget.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 9.8
About the Card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card is a rewards card featuring 1.5% cash-back at gas and grocery stores after an introductory period of 5% rewards for the same purposes. After the introductory period, the card continues supplying benefits in the form of 5% cash-back for travel purchases and 3% cash-back for drug store, dining, and take-out service purchases. The card also features a $200 cash-back offer after spending $500 in the first three months.
Features and Benefits
- APR 20.49% – 29.24%
- 0% APR for 15 months
- No annual fee
- $200 cash-back for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- Complimentary service vendor bonuses
- 5% cash-back at gas and grocery stores for the first 12 months or $12k
- 1.5% cash-back at gas and grocery stores after the intro offer
- 5% cash-back on travel purchases
- 3% cash-back on drugstore, dining, and take-out services
- Robust mobile app
- Free VantageScore 3.0 credit score access
- Intro balance transfer fees of $5 or 3% of each transfer
- Balance transfer fees of $5 or 5% after the intro offer
- 3% foreign transaction fees
- $10 or 5% cash advance fee
- Cash advance interest rate equals 29.99%
- Late payment fees of up to $40
- Best for Good to Exceptional credit score above 700
Why We Chose Chase Freedom Unlimited®
While other cards on our list offer higher reward returns than the Chase Freedom Unlimited card, its additional benefits and long-term usefulness power sets it above the rest according to our metrics. We chose the card for its $0 annual fee, robust rewards on everyday purchases, generous travel and drugstore purchase rewards, and the fact that the card is simple to use and rewards are easy to redeem in the customer’s chosen method.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all qualified purchases
- $200 cash-back for spending $500 in the first 3 months
- Potential for high reward returns, especially during the first year
- No annual fee
- Long, 15-month 0% intro APR
Cons
- A 700+ credit score is necessary for approval
- 5% gas and groceries rewards limited to first 12 months or $12k
- 3% foreign transaction fees
| Rewards | 1.5% on everyday spending, 3% on dining and drugstore purchases, 5% on travel spending |
| Intro Offer | $200 cash-back / 0% APR for 15 months / 5% on gas, groceries, and travel for 12 months |
| Rewards Redemption | Redeem points for cash-back statement credits or direct deposit, Amazon shopping credits, gift cards, or travel rewards |
| APR | 20.49% – 29.24% |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Credit Score Requirements | 700+ |
Other Credit Card Products From Chase
- Sapphire Preferred
- Freedom Flex
- Freedom Rise
- Slate Edge
- Sapphire Reserve
- Southwest Rapid Rewards, Rapid Reward Priority, and Rapid Rewards Premier
- Ink Business
- Ink Business Premier
- United Business, United Explorer, United Quest, United Gateway
- United Club Infinte
- Prime Visa
- Amazon Visa
- Many More
Amex Blue Cash Preferred®
Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Amex Blue Cash Preferred®: 9.3
About the Card
The Blue Cash Preferred credit card from American Express provides excellent points rewards that consumers can cash in for cash-back and other benefits. Also included for new applicants is a $250 bonus for early eligible spending. The Amex card offers up to 6% rewards on everyday spending on gas, groceries, transit services, streaming, and more. Current Amex cards are upgradable to the Blue Cash Preferred to take advantage of a potential $150 bonus and additional benefits.
Features and Benefits
- Variable APR 19.24% – 29.99%
- 0% Intro APR for 12 months
- $95 annual fee after 12 months $0 intro offer
- 0% APR for 12 months on balance transfers
- 2.7% foreign transaction fees apply
- 6% cash-back on groceries
- 3% cash-back on gas
- 6% cash-back on select streaming services
- 3% cash-back on local transportation services
- 1% cash-back on all other purchases
- Cash-back points redeemable for statement credits
- Instant card number access for approved applications
- Monthly $10 statement credit for Equinox+ enrollment
- Send & Split® Venmo and PayPal access
- Robust mobile app
- Balance transfer fees of 3% after intro offer
- $10 or 5% cash advance fee
- Best for Good to Exceptional credit score above 700
- Cash advance APR of 29.99%
Why We Chose Amex Blue Cash Preferred®
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred credit card offers the highest returns on grocery purchases in our review and solid returns on gas purchases. We chose this card primarily for those reasons. However, the Blue Cash Preferred card also rewards other daily spending with 3% cash-back on transit services and 1% on almost everything else. We like the $250 cash-back bonus, but the $3,000 spending requirement in six months to attain it may be steep for some consumers.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- $250 cash-back offer after $3,000 of eligible spending in the first 6 months
- $150 cash-back upgrade offer after $1,000 of eligible spending in first 6 months
- High cash-back returns on groceries, gas, streaming, and more
- No additional annual fee for additional cardholders
- Monthly $7 statement credit for select streaming service purchases
- Amex Early Access for select events
Cons
- A 700+ credit score is necessary for most approvals
- $95 annual fee after intro offer
- $6,000 supermarket spending rewards limit
- 2.7% foreign transaction fees
| Rewards | 6% cash-back on groceries, 3% cash back on gas, 6% cash back on select streaming services, 3% cash-back on local transportation services, 1% cash back on all other purchases |
| Intro Offer | $250 cash back after $3,000 eligible spending in the first six months or $150 cash-back for spending $1,000 in the first six months for card upgrades from another Amex card |
| Rewards Redemption | Transferable Amex points are redeemable for gift cards, travel rewards, shopping rewards, statement credits, or charitable donations |
| APR | 19.24% – 29.99% (variable) |
| Annual Fee | $95 after intro offer |
| Credit Score Requirements | 700+ |
Other Credit Card Products From American Express
- Delta SkyMiles, Sky Miles Platinum, SkyMiles Reserve Business
- Hilton Honors Surpass
- Platinum
- Business Platinum
- Business Gold
- Blue Business Cash
- Blue Business Plus
- Plum
- Business Green Rewards
- Hilton Honors Business
- Marriot Bonvoy Business
- Amazon Business
- Many More
Citi Custom Cash®
Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Citi Custom Cash®: 8.7
About the Card
The Citi Custom Cash credit card is best for consumers looking for solid cash-back rewards without a bunch of hassle or an annual fee. The card provides up to $25 monthly or $300 per year in 5% rewards plus unlimited rewards earnings at 1% on all other qualified purchases.
While those limitations make the card somewhat less lucrative than others on our list, the Custom Cash card can be a good tool for casual cardholders who just want a few dollars back in their pocket for things they normally buy.
Features and Benefits
- APR 19.24% – 29.24%
- 0% APR for 15 months
- No annual fee
- 5% cash-back on the highest monthly spending category
- 5% cash-back applies to the first $500 spent in the top category
- 1% cash-back rewards on all other qualified purchases
- Balance transfer fees of $5 or 5% of each transfer
- $200 cash-back after $1,500 spending in the first six months
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- $10 or 5% cash advance fee
- Cash advance interest rate equals 29.99%
- Late payment fees up to $41
- Highest spend category automatically determined
- Best for Good to Exceptional credit score above 670
Why We Chose Citi Custom Cash®
We chose the Citi Custom cash mainly for its ease of use when maximizing reward earnings. The card automatically identifies the highest earning potential each month for cardholders, so there’s no guessing which spending category will reap the best benefits. While the total available rewards at the highest earning potential are lower than others, the card is still worthwhile, especially considering its lack of an annual fee.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Your best cash-back option chosen for you
- No annual fee
- Long, 15-month 0% interest intro APR
- Broad 1% cash-back categories
- Cash-back or several other reward redemption options
Cons
- 3% foreign transaction fees
- Can’t choose your highest spending category
- 5% cash-back limited to $25 per month
| Rewards | 5% on highest spend category / 1% on all other qualified purchases |
| Sign-On Bonus | $200 after $1,500 spending in first six months |
| Intro Offer | 0% APR for the first 15 months |
| Rewards Redemption | Cash back, gift cards, Amazon.com or PayPal credits, statement credit, check |
| APR | 19.24% – 29.24% |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Credit Score Requirements | 670+ |
Other Credit Card Products From Citi
- Simplicity
- Diamond Preferred
- Double Cash
- AAdvantage
- AAdvantage Platinum Select
- AAdvantage World Elite
- AAdvantage Executive World Elite
- AAdvantage MileUp
- Premier
- Rewards+
- Costco Anywhere
- Costco Anywhere Business
- Many More
Citi Premier®
Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Citi Premier®: 8.1
About the Card
The Citi Premier credit card is one of two Citi entries on our list. The highly-rated travel rewards card just happens to offer excellent gas and grocery purchasing benefits in addition to several other perks. The card offers 3% points earnings on purchases made in daily spending categories like gas and groceries while also proving lucrative for rewards earnings on airline tickets and hotels.
Features and Benefits
- APR 21.24% – 29.24%
- $95 annual fee
- 60,000 bonus points intro offer worth $600
- 3x ThankYou® points rewards on select purchases
- 1x ThankYou® points rewards on other purchases
- $5 or 5% balance transfer fee
- $100 annual hotel discounts available
- Robust mobile app
- Transferrable rewards points
- No introductory balance transfer offers
- Balance transfer fees of 5% after intro offer
- No foreign transaction fees
- $10 or 5% cash advance fee
- Cash advance APR equals 29.99%
- Best for Good to Exceptional credit score above 700
Why We Chose Citi Premier®
We chose the Citi Premier card as excellent for gas and grocery spending rewards despite its primary intention to reward travelers for things like hotel stays and airline tickets. By offering great travel rewards and benefits as well as rewarding everyday spending, the card proves itself a well-rounded financial tool.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 60,000 bonus points after spending $4k in first 3 months
- High returns on gas, groceries, travel, and more
- Annual hotel stay benefit
- No foreign transaction fees
- Transferable points
Cons
- A 700+ credit score is necessary for most approvals
- $95 annual fee with no intro offer
- Relatively high low-end interest rate
| Rewards | 3x points for gas, groceries, restaurants, airlines, and hotels / 1x points on other qualified purchases / $100 annual hotel discount when spending $500 |
| Intro Offer | 60,000 bonus points intro offer worth $600 after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months |
| Rewards Redemption | Transferable ThankYou® points redeemable for gift cards, travel rewards, Amazon, Best Buy, cash back, or statement credit |
| APR | 21.24% – 29.24% |
| Annual Fee | $95 |
| Credit Score Requirements | 700+ |
Other Credit Card Products From Citi
- Simplicity
- Diamond Preferred
- Double Cash
- AAdvantage
- AAdvantage Platinum Select
- AAdvantage World Elite
- AAdvantage Executive World Elite
- AAdvantage MileUp
- Custom Cash
- Rewards+
- Costco Anywhere
- Costco Anywhere Business
- Many More
Discover it Cash Back®
Trusted Company Reviews Rating Score for Discover it Cash Back®: 7.8
About the Card
The Discover it Cash Back card takes its spot among our top choices for the best gas and grocery credit cards by offering a high rewards rate for quarterly designated category spending. However, despite the apparent limitations that fact could cause, Discover provides 2% reward returns on all other qualified purchases, including for purchases over the $1,500 spending cap in the quarterly selections.
Features and Benefits
- APR 17.24% – 28.24%
- 0% APR for 15 months
- No annual fee
- Cash-back matching after the first year
- 5% cash-back on quarterly-featured spending categories
- 5% cash-back rewards up to $1,500 quarterly spending maximum
- 1% cash-back rewards on all other qualified purchases
- Free FICO credit score access
- Intro balance transfer fees of 3% of each transfer
- Balance transfer fees of 5% after intro offer
- No foreign transaction fees
- $10 or 5% cash advance fee
- Cash advance interest rate equals 29.99%
- Late payment fees of up to $41 after the first occurrence
- Best for Good to Exceptional credit score above 700
- Points rewards as Cashback Bonus®
- Discover® Identity alerts available
Why We Chose Discover it Cash Back®
The Discover it Cash Back card makes our list despite consumers’ need to pay attention to quarterly spending category changes to earn the maximum rewards benefits. The card’s 2% returns on everything else helped it make our list simply for that convenience. The $0 annual fee and unlimited cash-back matching program for first-year spending didn’t hurt its chances either.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Pre-approval won’t affect your credit score
- Unlimited cash-back matching after the first year
- No annual fee
- Long, 15-month 0% intro APR
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free identity fraud alerts are available
Cons
- A 700+ credit score is required for approval
- 5% rewards are limited to quarterly categories
- 5% rewards are limited to the first $1,500 spent per quarter
| Rewards | 5% cash-back on quarterly-selected categories up to $1,500 spending limit / 1% on all other qualified purchases |
| Sign-On Bonus | Unlimited cash-back matching after the first year |
| Intro Offer | 3% introductory balance transfer fee |
| Rewards Redemption | Cashback Bonus points used for statement credit or against minimum payment, eCertificate, gift cards, Amazon or PayPal credits, or charity donation |
| APR | 17.24% – 28.24% |
| Annual Fee | 0% |
| Credit Score Requirements | 700+ |
Other Credit Card Products From Discover
- Student Cash Back
- Secured
- Travel
- Gas & Restaurants
- Student Gas & Restaurants
- Student Chrome
- Miles
- Chrome Gas & Restaurant
- NHL
- Balance Transfer
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most common questions surrounding the best credit cards for gas and groceries.
What credit card should I get for gas and groceries?
The best credit card for gas and groceries for you is the one that best fits your spending habits and rewards those habits with useful benefits, such as cash-back, low interest rates, ease of use, and other reward benefits that fit your lifestyle if desired.
Are gas cards worth it?
Retail credit cards specifically for gas purchases at particular vendors can contain useful benefits. The difference between them and a regular credit card with high-quality rewards on gas purchases is usually a matter of convenience. A regular card with gas-purchase benefits is also usable for other purchases, whereas a gas-specific credit card likely won’t be available for purchases at other vendors. However, obtaining a gas card sometimes carries lower credit score requirements for approval and can be useful for building credit.
What are the best credit cards to get?
The best credit cards to get are the ones that reward you for purchasing items that you already normally buy. Balance the earnable rewards and ease of use against the cost of owning the card to help you decide which is best for you.
Is Mastercard a credit card?
Mastercard is the brand name of a payment network. A payment network manages payments, balances, card benefits, and a host of other details. Payment network cards are distributed by various banks and financial institutions in the form of credit or debit cards, depending on the account they represent.
What is the best credit card for beginners?
The definition of a credit card beginner covers a wide range of financial and lifestyle variables. Student credit cards, secured credit cards, or credit cards with low credit score requirements for approval are generally good for beginners to build their credit score and borrowing profiles.
Are credit card cash-back rewards taxable or tax exempt?
Credit card cash-back rewards are generally not taxable. The IRS views them as discounts on your purchases rather than income. Most of the time, you don’t need to report cash-back rewards on your federal income tax return in the United States.
However, there are exceptions:
- If you receive a sign-up bonus or an opening incentive for a new credit card, these rewards may be taxable. The credit card issuer may issue a Form 1099-MISC or a similar tax form for these rewards.
- Business expenses: If you use a credit card for business expenses and earn cash back rewards, different tax rules may apply, especially for self-employed individuals. In some cases, you may need to report and potentially deduct these rewards as part of your business expenses.
- Rare cases: In unique circumstances, the IRS may consider certain cash back rewards as taxable income, but this is uncommon.
For precise information on the tax treatment of credit card cash back rewards, consult a tax professional or refer to the IRS guidelines, as tax laws can change and vary by jurisdiction.