Can I Get Cash-back From My Credit Card?

You might be wondering if there’s a way to get cash-back from your credit card. Many credit card companies offer cards that allow you to earn a small percentage back on every purchase you make. These rewards build up over time, putting money back in your pocket via statement credits, checks, or money deposited directly into your bank account.

You can also use your credit card to get cash out in the form of cash advances. Beware though — this comes with additional fees and high APRs.

We’ll explain all the ins and outs of getting cash-back from your credit card, which companies offer cash-back credit cards, and tell you how to avoid getting hit with any surprise fees from cash advances.

Overview

Each time you make a purchase, wouldn’t it be great if you saw a small portion returned to you? Well, good news! That’s what a cash-back credit card does.

Each credit card offers different reward rates and may put limits on how these rewards can be earned and redeemed. Cash-back credit cards come in all shapes and sizes, but some are more hands-off than others. For example, some cards may offer a low flat percentage for spending across all categories. Other cards may offer higher rates of earning in a specific category of spend, such as groceries or restaurants.

It’s very common to see bonus categories rotated each month or quarter, which requires you to stay on top of these changes. You can adjust your spending according to these bonus categories to maximize your earnings.

There are a lot of ways that cash-back rewards can be structured, which we’ll dive into more below.

Who Should Get a Cash-back Credit Card?

A cash-back credit card can be a great introduction to earning rewards from credit cards. You can earn rewards on your regular spending without having to dive too deep into loyalty programs, transfer partners, or worry about dreaded devaluations. You know precisely what you’ll get and can reap the benefits quickly.

There is a wide range of cash-back cards to fit your spending patterns, so you are certain to find a cash-back card for you. This differs from other rewards credit cards.

For example, if you’re not a frequent traveler, you might find it hard to get value or maximize your earning potential using an airline or hotel-specific credit card. In addition, these cards can take quite a bit longer to see benefits from since booking with rewards can take some serious planning!

If the quick turnaround and easy earning potential appeal to you, a cash-back credit card could be a great fit!

Earning Rewards on a Cash-Back Credit Card

Let’s jump into earning rewards on a cash-back card. As we noted, you will get a portion of the money you spend using your credit card returned back to you. Some cards also offer a welcome bonus to entice you even further.

Welcome Offer

Some cards may feature a welcome offer with a minimum spend when you open a new card. For example:

• Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card — Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months.
• Ink Business Premier^® Credit Card — Earn $1,000 cash-back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

There are also many other lucrative offerings for non-business cards that also feature a welcome offer when you meet the minimum spend requirement. For example:

• Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express — Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 6 months.

Some cards offer a tiered system with a welcome offer after several spending/time parameters are met, such as the card below:

• Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One. — $2,000 cash-back once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year.

Hot Tip: For our recommendations, check out our monthly guide to the best credit card welcome bonus offers.

Monthly Spending

Most cash-back credit cards offered rewards in 1 (or a combination) of the following areas:

• Flat-rate Earnings: Some cards offer a flat percentage reward on all eligible purchases. These cards require the least amount of tracking as all eligible spending earns a standard reward such as 1% to 2% cash-back. You might not earn as much as you could with other cards though, especially if the bulk of your spending is geared towards a certain category, such as restaurants, grocery stores, or travel.
• Spending Bonus by Category:  Some cards offer set additional bonuses for specific categories of spending. For example, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card*×Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One. offers 3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target). The downside of these types of cards is that the base level of earning is lower (typically 1%) on all non-bonus category spending.
• Rotating Bonus Categories: Some cards offer a higher percentage back on rotating bonus categories. These bonus categories can change monthly or quarterly. For example, Chase Freedom Unlimited^® offers 5% cash-back on up to $1,500 spending in categories such as grocery stores, gas stations, wholesale clubs, home improvement stores, and more. Similar to tiered spending cards, the downside of these types of cards is that the base level of earning is lower on all non-bonus category spending. In addition, since these bonus categories usually require activation, you’ll need to stay current on all bonus categories to earn the most rewards.

What Is the Best Cash-back Credit Card?

The best cash-back card is one that best aligns with:

1. Your Spending: What do you plan to use your credit card to pay for? Make sure your card rewards you for your spending!
2. Your Time: How much time do you want to spend tracking reward categories? If you don’t mind tracking bonus categories, you can earn more rewards. If you prefer to be more hands-off, a flat rate card will be your best option.

How To Redeem a Cash-Back Bonus

You’ll need to check the specifics for each card, but at a high level, here are the options for redeeming a cash-back award once you’ve earned the rewards.

First, start by logging on to your card issuer’s mobile banking site or app. With most cards, you’ll be able to select your preferred method of redeeming your rewards points. Here are some of the most-common redemption methods:

1. Statement Credit: A statement credit is usually the preferred option, as it is the quickest method of redeeming cash-back rewards. A statement credit works by subtracting the redemption rewards from the total balance due on your credit card bill.
2. Deposit to a Linked Bank Account: This can be a popular option to redeem cash-back rewards, especially if you conduct your online banking with the same company as your credit card issuer. The card issuer will deposit the rewards you’re redeeming in the form of cash to your linked bank account (checking, savings, or other cash accounts).
3. Physical Check: Some issuers will send a check to the address on file. Depending on the terms of the card, this can be done either periodically, once a certain threshold is reached, or upon request. This will be the slowest option, as it may take a while for the check to arrive via mail and then you’ll need to wait for your bank to process it.
4. Gift Cards: While not necessarily cash, many cards have retail partners where you can use your rewards points to get gift cards. The value of converting your rewards to gift cards is typically less than if you get cash, so we don’t usually recommend this option if you have other options available to you.

Bottom Line: There may be minimum thresholds for redeeming your rewards, and these thresholds could even vary depending on the card. For example, one card may allow you to get cash-back in increments of the equivalent of $25 but others may only have a $10 minimum.

Is a Cash-back Card Worth It?

There are a few things to take into consideration to make sure your cash-back credit card is worth it.

1. Usually higher reward rates mean a higher annual fee. To determine if a cash-back credit card is worth it, you’ll need to evaluate each year if the cash you get back exceeds any annual fees incurred, if applicable.
2. In many cases, you’ll need to stay on top of monthly or quarterly bonuses to activate rewards and organize your spending between your cards. If this is the case for you, determine if you’re willing to put in the work to do this.
3. Lastly, always pay off your balance to ensure you don’t get hit with interest or late fees. You don’t want the fact that you’re earning cash-back to be an incentive to spend beyond your ability to repay!

Hot Tip: Put a reminder on your calendar right before your annual fee is scheduled to post to check to see if you got enough value from your cash-back credit cards in the prior year.

Cash-Back vs. Cash Advance

Taking out a cash advance is essentially borrowing cash against your card’s cash advance limit (typically lower than your card’s credit limit). This differs from getting cash-back from a card for your purchases. Cash-back cards generally have no downside if used responsibly and you take into consideration the points we mentioned above.

On the other hand, cash advances involve both paying a fee and incurring interest on amounts withdrawn. To make things worse, your card’s cash advance APR is generally higher than the regular APR. Because of these high costs, cash advances should only be used in emergencies.

Final Thoughts

Cash-back rewards can be a great option for people who don’t want to be limited to earning points or miles. Over time, cash-back rewards can really add up thanks to your daily spending. If you’re willing to put in some work, you can earn even more by taking advantage of bonus categories.

Always make sure that any cash rewards you earn offset any annual fees you’ll be paying. And don’t forget, earning cash-back rewards isn’t the same as getting a cash advance from your card!