Best gas credit cards rewards of July 2021

PROS:

• This card has a stunningly lucrative rewards program that offers at least 1.5% cash back on every purchase and as much as 5% cash back on some of your purchases. That's tough to beat.
• There is an easily attainable $200 welcome bonus. Just spend $500 in qualified purchases within the first three months of opening an account.
• New cardholders receive an intro 0% APR for purchases for 15 months (then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable).

CONS:

• There are a bunch of categories to keep up with if you want to maximize your rewards earning. Great for top rewards, not so great if you're just looking for something simple. That said, earning at least 1.5% cash back on every purchase certainly isn't bad.
• The $200 welcome bonus is relatively easy to earn, but it's not as lucrative as offers from other cards.
• There is a foreign transaction fee on this card, which is a drawback for anyone who travels internationally or makes purchases in a foreign currency regularly.

Read our full Chase Freedom Unlimited® review.

PROS:

• This card offers a whopping 6% cash back on 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. You can also earn unlimited 3% cash back on transit and gas purchases at U.S. gas stations.
• There is a nice introductory offer of 0% APR on all purchases for the first 12 months after card activation. After that, the rate is 13.99% - 23.99% Variable, based on your creditworthiness.
• The welcome bonus is attractive and can be earned with even moderate spending.

CONS:

• There is an annual fee to consider. If you don't plan to use the card regularly, it may be hard to offset this.
• This isn't the best card to travel abroad with as it charges a fee on foreign transactions.

Read our full Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express review.

PROS:

• You can receive a $100 in hotel savings every year on a single stay of more than $500. That more than offsets your annual fee and
• Many everyday-type purchases earn three points per $1 spent, making this card an excellent choice for regular use.
• You'll save money when using this card while abroad as it doesn't charge foreign transaction fees.

CONS:

• While there are a lot of everyday categories in which to earn top rewards, this rewards card doesn't always offer the best value when you redeem your rewards. There are is no extra value for redeeming through the proprietary portal, for instance, and the travel partners aren't really the most popular ones out there.
• Keep in mind that there is an annual fee to consider; it's reasonable, but it isn't worth it if you aren't going to more than offset it with your rewards and features. The annual hotel bonus, discussed in the above Pros, would more than do it if you can take advantage of that.

Read our full Citi Premier® Card review.

PROS:

• At 18 months the intro 0% APR period for balance transfers is one of the better offers on the market.
• A $0 annual fee is always a good place to start a relationship with any card.
• Citi® Double Cash Card offers a delightfully simple 2% cash on all purchases. You get 1% when you make the purchase and another 1% when you pay for them.

CONS:

• This card offers neither a signup bonus nor an introductory interest rate for purchases.
• To qualify for the bonus cash-back rewards, you need to make at least the minimum payment, on time each month. We actually like this as it encourages good credit card habits, but if you can't make your payments on time you'll want to keep it in mind.

Read our full Citi^® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer review.

PROS:

• Take advantage of an intro 0% APR for 12 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro period, the APR becomes 14.99% - 23.99%* Variable.
• Look at those rewards on everyday purchases! Perhaps the best part is that there aren't spending caps on even the highest rewards categories. That means the sky's the limit for rewards you can earn.
• Feel free to take this card on your next trip abroad – there are no foreign transaction fees to worry about.
• There's no annual fee to consider, plus the annual $15 statement credit for select streaming services means this card kind of pays you to carry it.

CONS:

• The rewards for your gas station purchases are solid, but it's about the only "travel" type category that earns accelerated rewards. This card is really designed for the person who wants big earning on the things they purchase every day rather than the big trips they take a few times a year.
• There is a nice 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles on transfers made in the first 60 days, but there's also a balance transfer fee to consider: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.

Read our full U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card review.

PROS:

• When it comes to cash back rewards on gas purchases, very few cards can match the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card. You earn five points (5%) on every dollar spent on gas at the pump (fuel for airplanes and boats and made in store via attendant earn one point per dollar spent). For what it's worth, you also earn 5x points on purchases at electric vehicle charging stations.
• This card has a has a good ongoing interest rate, from 13.49% to 17.99% Variable APR, depending on credit worthiness.
• On top of everything else, PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® has no annual fee

CONS:

• The welcome bonus is not something that will generate much excitement. You can earn a modest 15,000 points after you spend $1,500 in the first three months of account opening.
• Access to this card is not easy. You need an excellent credit rating to be approved.

Read our full PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card review.

PROS:

• We like things nice and simple. This card offers a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase. No caps, no categories, no expiration.
• There are no foreign transaction fees to worry about, so feel free to take this card along when you travel abroad or just use it when making online purchases in foreign currency from the comfort of your own home.
• Using the card responsibly could qualify you for a higher credit limit in as little as six months; plus, responsible use will help improve your credit score so you can work toward achieving a number in the good/excellent range.

CONS:

• There's no welcome bonus offer on this card; that's not unusual for a card available to people with fair/average credit, but it could still be disappointing.
• The annual fee isn't high, but it's there and something to consider. Rewards cards for people in the fair/average credit score range aren't easy to come by, though, so the annual fee could very well be worth it.

Read our full review of the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.

PROS:

• When it comes to rewards, cards available to those with bad or no credit aren't commonly going to offer them. This one, however, offers you 2% cash back on gas station and restaurant purchases up to $1,000 spent quarterly in combined purchases (then, 1%).
• As unusual as rewards are on cards for low/no credit, welcome bonus offers are even more rare. Once again, this Discover card rises to the occasion. Discover will match all the cash back a new cardholder earns during their first year as a cardholder.
• With responsible use, this card can help you build or rebuild your credit score.

CONS:

• To establish your line of credit, you need to make a minimum $200 security deposit. That's a healthy chunk of money to come up with up front. If that's going to be a problem, there are other secured cards out there that offer lower security deposit opportunities.
• Discover cards are becoming more widely accepted all the time, but they still lack the reach of a Visa or Mastercard. It's just something to think about, but may not be an issue at all depending on where you normally make purchases.

Read our full review of Discover it® Secured Credit Card.

PROS:

• No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and no foreign transaction fees.
• You earn a robust 4% cash back on all gas purchases up to $7,000 in a calendar year.
• You also earn 3% cash back on restaurant and travel related purchases and 2% on purchases at Costco and Costco.com.

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.

Read our full Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi review.

PROS:

• Student cards aren't necessarily known for great welcome bonus opportunities, but this one has it. Matching cash back for new cardholders is what sets Discover cards apart. The card will match, dollar for dollar, all the cash back you've earned during the first year you have the card.
• Get rewarded for keeping your grades up with a $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher (for up to five years).
• Another unusual student card feature: an intro 0% APR on purchases for six months (then, 12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR)

CONS:

• The $1,000 combined quarterly spending cap on the 2% cash back category of dining and gas isn't terribly high. If you tend to spend more in those categories, another card might be a better choice.
• While their reach is growing, Discover cards are still not as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard cards. This is especially true outside of the United States.

Read our full review of Discover it® Student chrome.

PROS:

• This card offers a beautifully simple cash-back rewards program. You earn 2% cash back on your first $50,000 in eligible spending each year, then 1% on everything after that.
• A very nice intro 0% APR on purchases for 12 months, then 13.24% - 19.24% Variable. No interest for a year can have a big impact on your business' bottom line.
• Enjoy free car rental loss and damage insurance. If you and your employees rent cars frequently for business, you know how valuable this perk is.
• It should also be noted that this card offers "expanded buying power." This gives you the ability to spend beyond your credit limit. This is not an unlimited feature but if you have a major expense or an unforeseen emergency expense comes up, this could come in very handy.

CONS:

• Getting approved for this card is not a slam dunk. You need good to excellent credit for approval.
• The is a fee on all foreign transactions or transactions in foreign currency. It's less than some cards but can still take a bite out your bottom line if you do a lot of traveling overseas for business.

Read our full American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card review.