6 Best Credit Cards for Everyday Use [2024]: Turn Your Expenses into Rewards

You don’t have to be a world traveler or big spender to reap credit card rewards. Some of the best rewards credit cards are those you keep in your wallet for everyday use, because they reward you for spending you’re going to do anyway.

Having a great everyday rewards card is how I’ve gotten valuable cash back, gift cards, and free travel over the years. Each of the cards included in this roundup offers lucrative rewards that don’t require much effort on your part because the rewards programs are so straightforward.

Cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® and the Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express are two of our top choices, but all of the cards on our list give you great benefits. Let’s dive into the specifics of these great everyday use

The 6 best credit cards for daily use

• Chase Freedom Unlimited^®
• Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express
• Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express
• Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
  

Compare the best cards for daily use

Credit card	Excellent for	Recommended credit score	Annual fee
Chase Freedom Unlimited® 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	High rewards for travel and dining	Excellent, Good	$0
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Elevated rewards on gas and groceries	Excellent, Good	$0
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express 5.0 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Big spenders at grocery stores	Excellent, Good	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card 4.4 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Customizable rewards	Excellent, Good	$0
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Earning flexible miles	Excellent, Good	$95
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Entertainment and food rewards	Excellent, Good	$0

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is great for someone looking for easy cash back on common everyday categories without rotating categories to keep track of. This is one of my go-to rewards cards because it always gives me significant rewards, not just on travel.

With up to 6.5% cash back and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases outside of bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers solid earning potential. That’s why we consider it one of the best cash back credit cards.

You can also benefit from additional perks, such as purchase protection and extended warranty protection for eligible items you buy using the Chase Freedom Unlimited. The best part is that it has a $0 annual fee.

If all of this sounds good but you don’t mind paying an annual fee to do better on travel, consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card instead. This card offers similar benefits and perks as the Freedom Unlimited, but your point value goes up by 25% when redeemed on Chase Travel. This card has a $95 annual fee.

Apply now or find out more in ourChase Freedom Unlimited^® review.

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express is a respectable no-annual-fee card for someone who wants to earn cash back and redeem it for money.

Even though the top earning rate of 3% cash back on U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year on purchases in each category, then 1%) isn’t unlimited, this card offers a lot of ongoing value. In fact, we estimate it provides up to $1,019 in value in the first year and $819 in the second, according to our FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model. Since some rewards cards only reward you on a single spending area, it’s helpful that three everyday spending categories — gas, groceries, and online retail purchases in the U.S. — qualify for the higher rate.

Learn how to apply or find out more in our Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express review.

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

If your spending is a bit more diversified across various categories, you may want to consider the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express.

The caveat to this card is that it comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, $95 per year thereafter. But while no-annual-fee credit cards can be easier to justify getting, the math on this card’s fee is easy. If you spend $500 a month or $6,000 a year at U.S. supermarkets, you’ll earn $360 in cash back from this card. My family would easily meet this and more than make up for the annual fee.

Learn how to apply or find out more in our Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express review.

Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

The Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is a great daily driver because of its flexible categories and earning potential, which you can enjoy with a $0 annual fee.

You can automatically earn 2% cash back on eligible grocery purchases, but you can customize another everyday purchase category to earn 3% and even change it monthly. Most eligible categories could easily be considered daily use. They include online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores and pharmacies, gas and EV charging, and home improvement/furnishings. It’s rare that a card earns elevated rewards on online shopping.

Since you can change your 3% category up to once a month, you’ll be able to plan out your purchases ahead of time to maximize your cashback potential. But between your 3% cash back category and 2% cash back category, you’re capped at $2,500 in purchases each quarter before you go back to earning 1% cash back. So it can take a little strategizing.

Apply now or find out more in our Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card review.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If you want to earn valuable miles on all your purchases, the Capital One Venture Rewards is a great everyday card for travel rewards.

While you might not use just any travel card daily, the fact that you earn an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day makes it more straightforward to use than many alternatives. Flat-rate rewards like this are ideal for people who only travel a couple of times a year, while a travel rewards card with higher rates but more bonus categories to keep track of might be more appealing to frequent travelers.

When it’s time to use your rewards, you have a lot of flexibility. You can redeem miles for free flights and book hotel stays, rental cars, rideshare services, and more. This card is also one of only two we’ve included on this list without foreign transaction fees.

Find out more in our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

If you like the Capital One Venture Rewards card but don’t want to pay an annual fee, consider the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card. This card rewards you in cash back that you can redeem for travel and a host of other purchases, as well as cash or statement credits.

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card offers a nice 3% cash back on grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services. Many households spend more on groceries than any other category, so this is likely to be a card you reach for at least weekly.

Learn more in our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

Cards that didn’t make our list

These are a couple of other top everyday-use credit cards that didn’t quite make the cut, but they might still work well depending on your spending habits.

Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi

We’ve kept this on our list of “alternates” because you have to be a Costco member to qualify. However, if you’re paying for a Costco membership to save on everyday purchases anyway, having the Costco Anywhere Visa offers you elevated rewards, particularly on gas purchases.

This card is a terrific option since there’s no annual fee and rewards are valuable, but only if you shop at Costco and already pay for membership.

Rewards: Earn 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter; 3% on restaurants and eligible travel purchases; 2% on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com; and 1% on all other purchases.

Learn more in our Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi review.

Citi Double Cash^® Card

The Citi Double Cash Card is an excellent all-around rewards card due to its simple rewards system. You can earn up to 2% on all purchases (1% when you buy, and 1% when you pay for your purchases). This isn’t as high as some of the cards included above, but if you prefer to avoid rotating categories, this might be a good alternative. We also recommend this one if you need motivation to pay your credit card bills on time.

Rewards: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; 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.

Learn more in our Citi Double Cash^® Card review.

How to choose the best credit cards for daily use

The best credit card for daily use is one that will earn you high rewards on your day-to-day purchases. Whether it be filling up your car, grabbing a quick cup of coffee, or buying materials for a home project, everyone needs a card they can turn to that will reward them regardless of the purchase.

Here are some essential factors to consider:

• Type of rewards: Consider whether you want to earn cashback or miles and how it affects your redemption options. Do you want cashback rewards to put money back into your monthly budget? Or is redeeming travel rewards to help fund your next vacation more appealing?
• Ease of rewards redemption: With any rewards card, it’s crucial that you can not only maximize earning but redeem your points or cash easily. Some reward programs are more complicated than others. For example, the Bank of America Custom Cash Rewards card is pretty limited in redemptions (statement credits or deposits into your account). But Capital One Venture Rewards has quite a few additional redemption options from Amazon and PayPal purchases to travel bookings to gift cards. They’re all valuable, but if you don’t feel like learning the ins and outs, stick to a card with a simpler redemption program.
• Annual fee: Some credit cards charge annual fees, which isn't on its own a negative aspect. But you should make sure that you get enough benefits from the card when you pay for an annual fee. You can do some simple math. Look through the perks of the cards you’re considering and determine their value.
• Welcome offers: Many rewards cards boost your earnings soon after account opening through welcome offers that you can earn through certain qualifying activities, (usually reaching a minimum spend amount). Your goal is to choose a card for everyday use that has an attainable welcome bonus (if you have to spend more than your budget allows, you won’t receive any bonus cash or points).
• Your other credit cards: You may hold multiple credit cards, which can be a smart way to stack your rewards. You may have one card intended for travel purchases with your favorite rewards program, but you want to add a solid card for everyday spending. Look for any gaps in your current credit card benefits to find your next card.

FAQs

Bottom line

Credit cards for everyday use offer rewards on purchases everyone needs to make on a regular basis. The rewards cards included here offer cash or points back on grocery, gas, dining, and other common purchases.

Be sure to consider your preferred type of rewards and redemptions and which of your daily spending categories you’re already well covered for. You can choose a flat-rate rewards card or one with an elevated rate for specific expenses. All of the ones we’ve chosen for this list offer ongoing value, competitive earn rates, and flexible redemptions.

Unlimited Cash Back

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

4.7

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

Apply Now

Current Offer

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• High base rewards rate of 1.5%
• $0 annual fee
• Valuable welcome bonus for new cardholders
• Intro APR offers for purchases and balance transfers

Drawbacks

• Has a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• No bonus categories for gas or groceries

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC