Shopping merchants: where each card earns
Browse 39,628 merchants and sub-categories, then see which cards earn the most at each brand.
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
Shopping covers the majority of discretionary spend for most readers — apparel, electronics, home goods, beauty, and groceries are all here. No single card wins everywhere, which is why the strongest setup usually pairs a flat-rate cash-back card for unbonused merchants with a flexible-points card that earns multipliers in your top categories. The picks below rank for shopping in aggregate; drill into a sub-category for category-specific recommendations.
Top 5 cards for Shopping
- 1Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit CardBank of America3% cash back on Online Shopping · no annual fee
- 2AllModern MastercardCiti2x points on Online Shopping · no annual fee
- 3Blue Cash Everyday Card from American ExpressAmerican Express3% cash back on Online Shopping · no annual fee
- 4Birch Lane MastercardCiti2% cash back on Online Shopping · no annual fee
- 5Joss & Main MastercardCiti2x points on Online Shopping · no annual fee
Browse by sub-category
- Animals & Pet Supplies106
- Apparel & Accessories1,030
- Arts & Entertainment0
- Baby & Toddler79
- Business & Industrial0
- Cameras & Optics2
- Electronics279
- Food, Beverages & Tobacco257
- Furniture52
- Hardware38
- Health & Beauty899
- Home & Garden458
- Luggage & Bags9
- Mature0
- Media51
- Office Supplies29
- Religious & Ceremonial0
- Software55
- Sporting Goods174
- Toys & Games47
- Vehicles & Parts34
Top brands across Shopping
How to choose a shopping card
Three questions narrow the field fast. First, where do you shop most? If 60%+ of your spend is at Amazon, Costco, or one specific brand, a co-branded card almost always wins. Second, do you redeem for travel or cash back? Travel-leaning redeemers should look at Chase Sapphire and Amex Gold; cash-back redeemers should weigh Citi Double Cash or Wells Fargo Active Cash. Third, how do you feel about an annual fee? No-fee cards cap your headline rates lower but never charge you to hold them — the right pick if your spend doesn't clear the breakeven math on a fee card.
Frequently asked
- What credit card earns the most on shopping?
- It depends on where you shop. Co-branded cards (Prime Visa for Amazon, Costco Anywhere for Costco, Target Circle for Target) typically win at their own brand. For broad shopping, the Amex Gold (4x at U.S. supermarkets) and Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5% base, with category bonuses) are the most-recommended starting points.
- Are there no-annual-fee cards good for shopping?
- Yes. Wells Fargo Active Cash (2% flat back), Citi Double Cash (2% flat), and Chase Freedom Unlimited (1.5–5% by category) are the three most popular no-fee picks. Pair one with a category-bonus card for the strongest blended return.
- How much can I save by stacking a shopping portal?
- Typical portal payouts are 1–6% on top of credit card rewards, depending on the merchant. Aggressive shoppers who use Rakuten, Capital One Shopping, and Honey strategically can lift their effective rate by 2–4 percentage points across an average shopping basket.
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