Kroger REWARDS World Elite Mastercard^® — Full Review [2025]

Great Card If

• You frequently shop with Kroger and use Kroger Pay.
• You use a mobile wallet platform as your payment method for daily purchases.

Don’t Get If

• You’d easily exceed the $3,000 annual cap on Kroger Pay and Mobile Wallet purchases.
• You rarely shop with Kroger.

Kroger Mastercard: Is It Worth It?

If you frequently shop with Kroger and use Kroger Pay or another mobile wallet platform as your payment method for daily purchases, then the Kroger Mastercard could be an excellent choice, given its 5% cash-back on these transactions with no annual fee. That said, be mindful of the card’s $3,000 annual spending cap for 5% back on these transactions, as that threshold might be too limiting for some.

Kroger Mastercard Top Benefits and Perks

Credit cards with no annual fees aren’t known for offering too many benefits, but the Kroger Mastercard does offer a few to speak of, including:

• Welcome offer: Earn a $100 statement credit when you spend $500 with your card in the first 90 days.
• Boost benefits: Earn 2x Fuel Points and a Free Next-Day Delivery Boost Essential Membership when you are approved for the card and complete your Boost enrollment.
• No annual fee: You don’t have to pay every year to keep this card in your wallet.

Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Cash-back Rewards

In order to optimize the amount of cash-back you earn using your Kroger Mastercard, make it your go-to card for purchases where its bonus categories beat the return of other credit cards in your wallet.

Ideally, this might be its ability to earn 5% back on Kroger Pay nonfuel transactions (on the first $3,000 in purchases each calendar year and 2% on amounts above that) and 5% back on mobile wallet transactions (on the first $3,000 in purchases each calendar year and 1% on amounts above that), along with 2% back on purchases inside Kroger stores.

Once you’re ready to redeem your rewards, log in to your account on the U.S. Bank website or mobile app and select whether you want to redeem your rewards for a store gift card (starting at $25 minimum redemption) or as a statement credit (starting at $10 minimum redemption). You can also enroll in Real-Time Rewards and receive a text to use your earned cash-back as a credit after making a Kroger Family of Companies purchase of at least $10.

Alternative Cards to the Kroger Mastercard

Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express

When it comes to credit cards that are rewarding for grocery purchases, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better credit card than the Amex Blue Cash Preferred card, which earns 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 in purchases per year and 1% thereafter), along with 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions and 3% back on U.S. gas stations and transit (including ride-sharing, parking, etc.).

While the card does charge an annual fee, in addition to its top-notch cash-back rewards, you also receive perks like rental car insurance, return protection, and access to Amex Offers.

Citi Custom Cash^® Card

The Citi Custom Cash card is one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. With it, you earn 5% back (up to $500 each billing cycle) on your largest purchase category, including grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.

If you were to hit the $500 threshold for 5% back rewards each month, you’d earn an additional $300 in cash-back rewards each year with no annual fee.

For the car rental loss and damage insurance benefit of the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

For the return protection benefit of the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.