CardRewardsEditorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: May 2026.
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Pay Friends — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
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
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns the top spot for Pay Friends purchases at 3.7¢ per dollar — a $395 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Pay Friends purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Capital One
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Pay Friends — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
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
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns the top spot for Pay Friends purchases at 3.7¢ per dollar — a $395 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Pay Friends purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Capital One
Ranked by effective value per dollar at Pay Friends — including welcome offer math, redemption value, and annual fee.
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
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns the top spot for Pay Friends purchases at 3.7¢ per dollar — a $395 annual fee, factoring in welcome offers and ongoing rewards. We ranked every card in our database against Pay Friends purchases using the same scoring engine that powers our search. The list below orders cards by net value to you, not by what pays the biggest affiliate commission. Cards 4–10 are still solid picks; they just trade off some of the headline value for fewer fees, broader networks, or simpler redemptions.
Capital One
Usbank
Amex
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 3.7¢ per dollar at Pay Friends, the highest in our database. The $395 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Shopping Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® CardUsbank | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $895 | $1,224.50 | amex |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards SecuredBank Of America | 3x points | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit CardBank Of America | 3x Bank Of America Points | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Verizon Visa CardSynchrony | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
Other brands in Software where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Usbank
Amex
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 3.7¢ per dollar at Pay Friends, the highest in our database. The $395 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Shopping Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® CardUsbank | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $895 | $1,224.50 | amex |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards SecuredBank Of America | 3x points | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit CardBank Of America | 3x Bank Of America Points | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Verizon Visa CardSynchrony | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
Other brands in Software where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →Usbank
Amex
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 3.7¢ per dollar at Pay Friends, the highest in our database. The $395 annual fee pays for itself once you're spending at least the equivalent each year. It's the right pick if you want maximum value on this category and don't mind paying for a premium card.
All 10 cards ranked by effective value per dollar.
| Card | Shopping Rate | Effective Value | Annual Fee | Fee Offset | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 2x Venture Miles | 3.7¢/$ | $395 | $315 | visa |
| U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® CardUsbank | 5% cash back | 2.5¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| The Platinum Card from American ExpressAmex | 1x Membership Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $895 | $1,224.50 | amex |
| Citi Strata Elite℠ CardCiti | 1.5x ThankYou Points | 2.3¢/$ | $595 | $762.50 | mastercard |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards SecuredBank Of America | 3x points | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | — | visa |
| Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One | 1.25x Venture Miles | 2.3¢/$ | $0 | — | mastercard |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit CardBank Of America | 3x Bank Of America Points | 2.4¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Verizon Visa CardSynchrony | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
| Chase Sapphire ReserveChase | 1x Ultimate Rewards | 1.8¢/$ | $795 | $968 | visa |
| U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature CardUsbank | 2% cash back | 2.0¢/$ | $0 | $8 | visa |
Other brands in Software where the top picks above also earn well.
Want to filter by spend amount, network, or fee preference?
Open in full search with filters →