Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Top picks for JCPenney from our scoring engine.
Rankings are generated by our algorithm based on earn rates, point valuations, fees, and benefits — not paid placement. We don't accept compensation to rank cards higher. How we rank
Ranked by earn rate and redemption value, statement credits minus annual fees (weighted against a typical $30,000/year in total card spend), shopping portal bonuses when we recognize the merchant, matched benefits and promotional earn boosts, co-brand fit for this brand. The ¢ per dollar column is the reward rate at JCPenney. Order can differ from that column because ranking adds the adjustments above.
Bilt Palladium Card earns the top spot for JCPenney purchases at 4.4¢ per dollar on all other — a $495 annual fee. We ranked every card in our database against JCPenney purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. See the note above the list for what drives order versus the ¢ per dollar column. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some headline earn rate for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Cardless
Capital One
Citi
Bilt Palladium Card earns 4.4¢ per dollar on all other when you shop at JCPenney, the highest marginal rate in our list for this brand. At 4.4¢ per dollar, rewards cover the $495 fee after about $11,250 a year in JCPenney spending. To come out ahead of Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (2.3¢), you'd need about $23,710 a year here. It's the right pick if you want maximum earn rate on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
Side-by-side view of the ranked picks.
| Card | Jcpenney Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilt Palladium CardCardless | 2x Bilt Rewards | 4.4¢/$ | $495 | $300 | mastercard |
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.4¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.5¢/$ | $895 | $1,397 | amex |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Wells Fargo Active Cash CardWells Fargo | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| One Key+ CardWells Fargo | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $99 | — | mastercard |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred CardChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $95 | $134 | visa |
| SoFi Credit CardSofi | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
Other brands in Apparel & Accessories where the top picks above also earn well.
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