Best Credit Cards for Paying Your Cell Phone Bill [2024]

We recommend paying your monthly cell phone bill with a credit card to earn valuable rewards or access additional benefits. We recommend considering cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, U.S. Bank Visa^® Platinum Card, and The Platinum Card^® from American Express. These cards offer cellphone protection, among other perks.

Other cards, like the U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Card for consumers or the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card for small business owners, can offer valuable rewards potential.

Key takeaways

• We recommend the Chase Freedom Flex℠ because it helps you protect your phone when you pay cell phone bills using this card. You also have the potential to earn elevated rewards on these bills.
• For personal credit card use, we also like the U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Card and Citi Double Cash^® Card since they have the potential to earn higher rewards on cell phone bill spending.
• For business owners, we recommend the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card for the elevated rewards it earns on cell phone bills, or the Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card for the cell phone protection it offers in addition to its elevated rewards.

9 of the best credit cards for paying your cell phone bill

1. Chase Freedom Flex℠
2. U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Card
3. U.S. Bank Visa^® Platinum Card
4. Citi Double Cash^® Card
5. Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card
6. Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card
7. Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card
8. The Platinum Card^® from American Express
9. The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

Card name	Cell phone benefits	Rewards rate	Annual fee
Chase Freedom Flex℠  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.	Cell phone protection, potential for bonus rewards	5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card  4.5 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.	Bonus rewards	5% cash back on two categories you choose (up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter) and on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center; 2% cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations/EV charging stations, grocery stores, or restaurants; and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases	$0
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum 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.	Cell phone protection	None	$0
Citi Double Cash® Card  4.8 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.	Bonus rewards	2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24	$0
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card  4.8 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.	Bonus rewards	5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card  4.8 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.	Cell phone protection, bonus rewards	3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases	$95
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card  4.8 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.	Cell phone protection1	3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and 1X miles for all other eligible purchases	$650 (Terms apply)
The Platinum 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.	Cell phone protection1	5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases	$695 (Terms apply)
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express  4.8 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.	Cell phone protection1, wireless credit	5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases	$695 (Terms apply)

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Cell phone benefits: The Freedom Flex rotating spending categories have previously included cell phone services, which means you could earn bonus cash back on your cell phone bill if that category comes back into rotation.

In addition, this credit card offers cell phone protection against theft or damages of cell phones on a bill that’s paid for with this card. You can get up to $800 per claim and up to $1,000 per year, with a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period. There’s also a $50 deductible per claim.

Why we like it: With the Chase Freedom Flex, you can earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

You can also earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases. This card has a $0 annual fee.

What we don’t like: Cardholders have to pay 3% foreign transaction fees.

For more details, check out our Chase Freedom Flex review.

U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Card

Cell phone benefits: The U.S. Bank Cash+ offers you the opportunity to earn bonus rewards when you pay your phone bill. Since you get to earn 5% cash back on two categories you choose (up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter), it’s possible to select cell phone providers as one of your choices.

Why we like it: The U.S. Bank Cash+ has a $0 annual fee, so there’s no annual cost to offset. The earning rates include 5% cash back on two categories you choose (up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter) and on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center; 2% cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations/EV charging stations, grocery stores, or restaurants; and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

With the welcome offer, you can earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening

This card doesn’t have many additional benefits, but it could make sense if you want to transfer a balance from a card with a high interest rate. Cardholders enjoy a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 billing cycles (then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)).

What we don’t like: You have to pay foreign transaction fees on applicable purchases.

For more details, check out our U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature review.

U.S. Bank Visa^® Platinum Card

Cell phone benefits: The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum also offers cell phone protection when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with this card. You can receive up to $600 per claim for covered damage or theft, with a $25 deductible. You may file up to two claims (with a maximum benefit of $1,200) per 12-month period.

Why we like it: The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum isn’t a rewards credit card, so don’t expect any earning potential or a welcome bonus. However, it does have a $0 annual fee and made our list of the best balance transfer cards available for its intro APR offers:

• Intro APR on purchases: 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 billing cycles from account opening (then 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable))
• Intro APR on balance transfers: 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 billing cycles (then 18.74% - 29.74% (Variable))

What we don’t like: You can’t earn rewards with the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum.

For more details, check out our U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card review.

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Cell phone benefits: The Citi Double Cash doesn’t have a specific cell phone benefit, such as earning bonus rewards for paying your cell phone bill or receiving cell phone protection. But it could make sense to pay your cell phone bill with this card since it earns unlimited cashback rewards on all purchases.

If you don’t have a card with specific cell phone benefits, the Citi Double Cash could be a good alternative.

Why we like it: The Citi Double Cash has a $0 annual fee. In addition, you can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. This earning rate on this cash back credit card makes it easy to earn valuable rewards across a broad range of categories.

You also get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months (then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)).

What we don’t like: You have to pay 3% foreign transaction fees on applicable purchases.

For more details, check out our Citi Double Cash Card review.

Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card

Cell phone benefits: The Ink Business Cash can be an excellent option for earning bonus rewards on your monthly cell phone bill. You can earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year.

Why we like it: Small business owners can use the Ink Business Cash Card to get 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year; 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year; and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

In addition to earning rewards, you also have the opportunity to earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. This card has a $0 annual fee.

What we don’t like: You have to pay foreign transaction fees (3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars) on applicable purchases.

Apply now or for more details, check out our Ink Business Cash Credit Card review.

Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card

Cell phone benefits: Similar to the Ink Business Cash, the Ink Business Preferred also offers bonus rewards if you use it to pay your cell phone bill. Specifically, you can earn 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year.

This card also offers cell phone protection against theft or damage. When you pay your cell phone bill with your card, you can get up to $1,000 per claim on a covered phone, with a maximum of three claims in a 12-month period. There’s a $100 deductible per claim.

Why we like it: The Ink Business Preferred offers 3X points on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year; and 1X points per $1 on all other purchases.

You can also earn 100k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

This business credit card has a $95 annual fee, but it can easily be offset by the sign-up bonus, earning potential, and other benefits. One helpful benefit includes receiving an automatic 25% bonus on your points when you use them for travel redemptions through the Chase travel portal.

What we don’t like: You have to pay a $95 annual fee as a cardmember.

Apply now or for more details, check out our Ink Business Preferred review.

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

Cell phone benefits: The Amex Delta Reserve offers cell phone protection for phones on a bill that’s paid for with this card.¹ You get up to $800 per claim for covered theft or damages, with a $50 deductible. You can make up to two claims per 12-month period.

Why we like it: The Amex Delta Reserve offers 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and 1X miles for all other eligible purchases.

You can also earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.

Additionally, this card offers complimentary Delta Sky Club and Centurion Lounge access. Cardholders also receive their first checked bag free, complimentary seat upgrades, and a fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry — you can receive $100 Global Entry statement credit every four years or up to $85 TSA PreCheck statement credit every 4.5 years.

What we don’t like: There’s a $650 annual fee (terms apply).

For more details, check out our Delta Reserve Credit Card review.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Cell phone benefits: The Amex Platinum comes with cell phone protection for phones on a bill that’s paid for with this card.¹ These phones are covered for damage and theft for up to $800 per claim with a $50 deductible. You can have up to two claims per 12-month period.

Why we like it: The Amex Platinum has a $695 annual fee (terms apply), but you can earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases on your new card in the first 6 months.

And you can earn 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

In addition, this premium travel card provides a variety of annual credits and other benefits, such as Priority Pass membership and complimentary elite hotel statuses. Select benefits require enrollment.

What we don’t like: Cardmembers have to pay a $695 annual fee (terms apply).

For more details, check out our American Express Platinum review.

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

Cell phone benefits: The Amex Business Platinum offers cell phone protection for phones on a bill that’s paid for with this card.¹ These phones are covered against damage and theft for up to $800 per claim, with a $50 deductible. You can have a maximum of two claims per 12-month period.

You can also receive up to $120 in annual telephone wireless services credit. This credit is divided by month, so you can receive up to $10 in credit each month for paying your phone bill. Select benefits require enrollment.

Why we like it: As a new cardmember, you can earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

You can also earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

Other benefits include various perks and rewards, complimentary hotel elite statuses, and a 35% return on your points when booking eligible award flights. Select benefits require enrollment.

What we don’t like: You have to pay a $695 membership fee (terms apply) each year.

For more details, check out our American Express Business Platinum review.

How to choose the best credit card to pay your cell phone bill

Consider the following five factors when choosing the best card for paying your cell phone bill.

1. Cell phone benefits

The two main types of cell phone benefits include:

1. Cell phone protection: This typically covers eligible cell phones against damage or theft. There’s often a deductible and a limit to how much coverage you can receive. Most card issuers require you to pay your monthly cell phone bill with your applicable card to receive this benefit.
2. Cell phone rewards: Some cards provide you with bonus rewards for paying your cell phone bill with your card.

2. Earning potential

Rewards cards provide cash back, points, or miles for making eligible purchases. Different cards also provide different rewards rates, or how you earn rewards.

A flat rewards rate makes sense if you want a straightforward card. For example, earning 2X miles on everything would be a simple, no-fuss rate.

Bonus categories make sense if you want to maximize your earning potential. For example, you might want a card that earns 5X points on cell phone services if you want to earn a lot of rewards on your phone bill.

3. Credit requirements

Most of the best credit cards require at least a good credit score to qualify. In some cases, you might need an excellent credit score. A good credit score is at least a 670 FICO score.

4. Other perks and benefits

Depending on your personal finance goals and preferences, you might want a credit card that provides specific benefits. For instance, airport lounge access could be nice if you travel a lot. Or you might want free employee cards if you run a small business.

It’s important to consider the available benefits on different products as you compare different cards.

5. Fees

As long as you plan to use your card responsibly and make on-time payments, you likely only need to look out for annual fees and foreign transaction fees.

An annual fee is the cost of membership with certain cards. Not all cards have annual fees. It makes sense to consider cards with and without annual fees to see what might work best for you.

A foreign transaction fee can be charged on any foreign purchase you make. This could get expensive if you frequently travel abroad or make purchases from foreign companies. Fortunately, most travel credit cards don’t have foreign transaction fees.

FAQ

Best credit cards for cell phone bills: bottom line

Paying your cell phone bill with a credit card can unlock valuable rewards and benefits. We recommend credit cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠, U.S. Bank Visa^® Platinum Card, and The Platinum Card^® from American Express to receive cell phone protection.

You can elevate your rewards potential from cell phone bill payments using the U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Card or Citi Double Cash^® Card.

We also recommend the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card and Ink Business Preferred^® Credit Card for business owners since they can provide elevated rewards. Consider these options to maximize your rewards or explore more credit card options in our list of the best credit cards.

Methodology

To choose the best credit cards for paying your cell phone bill, we identified rewards credit cards and compared features like annual fees, rewards rates, and cell phone protection benefits or bonus rewards. We did not include all possible options.

Seriously Powerful Cashback Card

Chase Freedom Flex℠

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 Flex℠

Compare Credit Cards

Current Offer

Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Up to 5% cash back on spending
• Perks from Lyft, DoorDash, and more

Drawbacks

• Has foreign transaction fee

Card Details

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Intro purchase 0% APR offer: 0% for 15 months then 20.49%-29.24% Variable
• Intro balance transfer 0% APR offer: 0% for 15 months then 20.49%-29.24% Variable