Technology

The Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping of 2022

The Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping of 2022

Contents

This post contains links to products from our advertisers, and we may be compensated when you click on these links. Our recommendations and advice are ours alone, and have not been reviewed by any issuers listed. Terms apply to offers listed on this page. Read our editorial standards.

Unlike groceries, dining, and travel, online shopping isn’t a common bonus category on rewards credit cards. But that doesn’t mean you can’t earn more than 1 point or mile per dollar you spend, or more than 1% cash back, when you buy things online.

By picking the right card — and by taking advantage of online shopping portals and other deals like Amex Offers** — you can rake in the rewards on these purchases. 

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Best for 2% cash rewards on everything: Wells Fargo Active Cash Card


Regular APR


16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent


Regular APR


16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent

Pros

  • Good welcome bonus for a $0 annual fee card
  • Straightforward 2% cash rewards on purchases with no categories to track
  • Strong benefits including cell phone protection, Visa Signature perks, and a 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (then 16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable APR)

Cons

  • If you’ve opened a Wells Fargo card in the past 15 months, you may not be eligible for the bonus or intro APR offer
  • Foreign transaction fees

Read Our Review
Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing right

More Information

  • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
  • Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
  • 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5
  • $0 annual fee
  • No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open
  • Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world’s most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge
  • Get up to $600 protection on your cell phone (subject to $25 deductible) against covered damage or theft when you pay your monthly cellular telephone bill with your Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
  • Select “Apply Now” to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions

Best for 2% cash back with a long intro APR: Citi Double Cash Card


Regular APR


15.49% – 25.49% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent


Regular APR


15.49% – 25.49% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Simple earning structure without confusing bonus categories

Cons

  • Some cards earn higher rates of cash back on rotating categories
  • No sign-up bonus
  • While it offers a 0% introductory APR for 18 months, that’s only on balance transfers, not purchases, so you can’t use it to fund a major expense without interest. After those 18 months, it’s a 15.49% – 25.49% (Variable) APR.

Read Our Review
Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing right

More Information

  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
  • To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 15.49% – 25.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
  • The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 15.49% – 25.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.

Best for Amazon and Whole Foods purchases: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card


Regular APR


15.74% – 23.74% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


N/A


Regular APR


15.74% – 23.74% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


N/A

Pros

  • 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods is hard to beat
  • Earns 2% cash back on other popular categories (restaurants, gas stations, drugstores)
  • No annual fee (though you have to be an Amazon Prime member)

Cons

  • Other cards offer higher cash-back rates on non-Amazon purchases

Read Our Review
Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing right

More Information

  • 5% Back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership*
  • 2% Back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores
  • 1% Back on all other purchases
  • No annual credit card fee
  • No foreign transaction fees


Regular APR


16.74% (Variable)


Recommended Credit Score


Excellent


Regular APR


16.74% (Variable)


Recommended Credit Score


Excellent

More Information

  • Discover one of Citi’s best cash back rewards cards designed exclusively for Costco members
  • 4% cash back on eligible gas for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter
  • 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases
  • 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
  • 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and enjoy no foreign transaction fees on purchases
  • Receive an annual credit card reward certificate, which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses, including Puerto Rico
  • The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 16.74%. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.

Best for choosing your own bonus category: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards


Regular APR


14.74% – 24.74% variable


Recommended Credit Score


N/A


Regular APR


14.74% – 24.74% variable


Recommended Credit Score


N/A

More Information

  • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 on purchases within 90 days of account opening
  • Earn 3% back in a category of your choosing among gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings, 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs and 1% back on other purchases; bonus rewards in 3% and 2% categories are capped on the first $2,500 spent each quarter, after which you’ll earn 1%
  • No annual fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, statement credits, or a transfer to eligible Bank of America or Merrill accounts

Best for PayPal: Discover it Cash Back


Regular APR


13.49% – 24.49% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent


Regular APR


13.49% – 24.49% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent

Pros

  • From July 1 to September 30, 2022, you can earn 5% cash back at restaurants and PayPal on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%
  • Discover will match your cash back at the end of your first account year
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Cap on how much bonus cash back you can earn each quarter
  • If the quarterly categories aren’t convenient for you, you can earn more cash back with a different card

Read Our Review
Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing right

More Information

  • Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
  • New! Discover helps remove your personal information from select people-search websites. Activate by mobile app for free.
  • Redeem cash back in any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
  • New Intro APR: Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 13.49% to 24.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Click “Apply Now” to see terms and conditions.

Best for office supplies: Chase Ink Cash


Regular APR


13.99% – 19.99% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent


Regular APR


13.99% – 19.99% Variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent

Pros

  • Broad 5% and 2% cash-back categories (you can earn bonus cash back at office supply stores and at gas stations and restaurants)
  • Intro APR offer for purchases
  • No annual fee
  • You can pair this card with a card that earns Ultimate Rewards to redeem your cash back for travel

Cons

  • Annual cap on bonus categories

Read Our Review
Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing right

More Information

  • Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
  • 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
  • Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
  • With Fraud Protection your card transactions will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring
  • With Zero Liability you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information
  • No Annual Fee
  • Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases

Best for purchase protection: Amex Gold


Regular APR


17.49%-24.49% variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent


Regular APR


17.49%-24.49% variable


Recommended Credit Score


Good to Excellent

More Information

  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® Points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
  • Updated $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
  • Terms Apply.
  • See Rates & Fees

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (jump to Wells Fargo Active Cash card details »)

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a terrific choice if you don’t want to fuss with bonus categories or limits. Cardholders earn 2% cash rewards on all purchases with no caps, and the card comes with a decent welcome bonus offer as well: $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

New cardholders also qualify for a 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (then a 16.49%, 21.49%, or 26.49% Variable), which can be useful for those who are making large purchases they can’t pay off right away. This card doesn’t charge an annual fee.

Review: Wells Fargo Active Cash card review

Citi® Double Cash Card (jump to Citi Double Cash card details »)

The Citi Double Cash earns 2% cash back on everything you buy: 1% cash back (1 point per dollar) when you make a purchase, and another 1% back (1 point per dollar) when you pay your bill.

There’s no welcome bonus, but new cardholders receive a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, followed by a 15.49% – 25.49% Variable APR. This is handy if you have high-interest credit card balances you want to consolidate and pay off over time.

Since there are no bonus categories to keep track of with this card, you can earn 2% back on your online purchases, no matter where you’re shopping. The card has no annual fee, either.

Review: Citi Double Cash card review

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card (jump to Amazon credit card details »)

If you want a card that offers bonus rewards on Amazon purchases, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is a solid choice. It offers a welcome bonus of $200 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval, and cardholders earn 5% back on Amazon and Whole Foods purchases (with a Prime Membership and your card is loaded to your eligible Amazon account; otherwise earn 3% back on these purchases), 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.

There’s no annual fee for Amazon Prime members, and because it’s a Visa Signature card, it offers substantial benefits including extended warranty, purchase protection, and car rental insurance.

Review: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature credit card review

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi (jump to Costco Visa card details »)

For Costco members who shop with the big-box retailer online, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi could be another smart choice. It earns 2% cash back on all Costco.com and Costco purchases, in addition to 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on eligible gas purchases each year (then 1%), 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases, and 1% back on everything else.

The card has no annual fee, but you need a paid Costco membership.

Review: Costco Anywhere Visa credit card review

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card (jump to Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card details »)

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card is another no-annual-fee card, and it’s the rare one that includes online shopping as a bonus category. You can earn 3% cash back on a category of your choice (options include online shopping as well as gas, dining, travel, drugstores, and home improvement/furnishings) and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs on up to $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1% back).

If you’re looking to maximize your online shopping purchases with the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card, your best bet would be to only use it for online shopping and put grocery store and wholesale club purchases on another card.

Review: Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card review

Discover it® Cash Back (jump to Discover it Cash Back card details »)

The Discover it® Cash Back is a great pick if you want to earn a high rate of cash back and don’t mind putting in a little bit of extra effort. It offers a generous 5% cash back in popular rotating quarterly bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending (then 1%). You’ll also earn 1% back everywhere else (from July 1 to September 30, 2022, you can earn 5% cash back at restaurants and PayPal on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%).

For Q3 2022 (July to September), this card is particularly lucrative for online shoppers because PayPal is a bonus category. Most popular online merchants accept PayPal as a payment method, so this bonus is easy to maximize. This no-annual-fee card also offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, followed by a 13.49% – 24.49% Variable APR.

Review: Discover it Cash Back card review

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (jump to Chase Ink Cash card details »)

If you’re a freelancer or a small business owner, the Ink Business Cash card is a great option for earning cash back on office supplies. You’ll earn 5% back (5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each year (then 1% back).

You’ll also earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each year (then 1% back). This card has no annual fee, and if you also have a Chase Ultimate Rewards travel card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can move over rewards from the Ink Business Cash card and unlock more redemption options.

Review: Ink Business Cash card review

American Express® Gold Card
(jump to Amex Gold card details »)

Especially if you’re making a large purchase, you’ll want to pay attention to what kind of purchase protection your credit card offers. The American Express® Gold Card has one of the most generous policies, offering up to $10,000 in coverage per occurrence (up to $500 for natural disasters) and up to $50,000 in coverage per year for stolen or damaged items.

The Amex Gold Card also adds up to one additional year to eligible US manufacturer’s warranties of five years or less.

Review: American Express Gold card review

Whenever you shop online, it’s worth taking a few extra seconds to go through a shopping portal, since you can earn a ton of bonus rewards or cash back by clicking through one of these sites.

Airlines and credit card issuers, along with a handful of hotel brands, operate shopping portals that award you bonus loyalty points in their respective programs when you click through from the portal to a retailer’s website. For example, if you’re a United flyer, you can click through the airline’s MileagePlus Shopping site to earn bonus miles with Bed Bath & Beyond, Sephora, Staples, and dozens of other online shops.

Online shopping portal bonuses change all the time, and not every portal partners with the same retailers. To see your best options for earning rewards, search for the retailer on Cashback Monitor or Evreward. Both of these sites show you all your different shopping portal options for earning points, miles, or cash back.

Once you’ve decided which shopping portal you want to use, make sure you’re logged into your associated loyalty program account, then find the retailer in the portal and click through. This is an easy way to maximize credit card purchases that would otherwise only earn you 1 point per dollar or 1% cash back.

Don’t forget about Amex Offers and cash-back deals through Chase 

If you have an American Express card or a Chase card, you could be able to save extra money on your online purchases through Amex Offers and Chase Offers, respectively.

Amex Offers** are limited-time deals available to cardholders, letting you earn cash back or bonus Membership Rewards points when you make purchases with popular retailers. The offers are targeted, meaning not every cardholder will see the same deals in their account, and you need to make your purchase with the Amex card tied to a given deal in order to be eligible for cash back or bonus points.

Chase Offers work similarly; if you have a Chase card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, log into your account and see what offers are available. Click on any offers you want to use to add them to your account, then use the corresponding Chase card to complete your purchase. Currently, Chase Offers are limited to cash back — for instance, 10% back at Starbucks or Office Depot. 

Share this post

Similar Posts