Great Card If
- You want a card that rewards you for the purchases you spend the most on.
- You want to choose your cards’ bonus categories.
Don’t Get If
- You want a travel rewards-focused card.
- You want a card without an annual fee.
U.S. Bank Shopper Rewards Card: Is It Worth It?
The U.S. Bank Shopper Rewards card might be one of the best cash-back credit cards you have never heard of.
For starters, the card earns 6% back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter with 2 retailers you choose, including popular retailers like Apple, Amazon.com, Target, Walmart, and more. Plus, you earn 3% back on your first $1,500 in purchases on your choice of 1 everyday category, like wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, and bills and utilities.
That’s not all, though. Cardholders earn 5.5% back on hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center and an uncapped 1.5% back on all other purchases.
Depending on which retailer you choose as your top 6% back category, the cash-back rate you earn on these purchases could exceed that from the retailers’ own co-branded credit card.
U.S. Bank Shopper Rewards Card Top Benefits and Perks
By far, the top benefit of the U.S. Bank Shopper Rewards card is the ability to earn 6% back on 2 retailers you choose, up to $1,500 in combined eligible purchases per quarter. Eligible retailers include:
- Lowe’s
- Lululemon
- Macy’s
- Menards
- Nordstrom
- Pottery Barn
- QVC
- Restoration Hardware
- Target
- Walmart
- Wayfair.com
- Williams Sonoma
If you meet the $1,500 quarterly threshold, you will earn an extra $90 in cash-back and up to $360 in cash-back per year. Additionally, earning 6% back on these purchases can exceed the cash-back rate you’d get with some of these merchants’ own credit cards, like the Prime Visa for Amazon or the Target Circle™ Card, with which you can earn up to 5% back.
Better yet, you can change your 6% back retailers each quarter. For instance, you could select Home Depot and Lowe’s for one quarter when going through a home remodel and then Apple and Amazon during the quarter that you do your holiday shopping.
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Cash-Back Rewards
By far, the best way to earn as much cash-back as possible with your U.S. Bank Shopper Rewards card is to use it for as many of your daily purchases as possible. This includes being strategic about which 2 retailers you choose to receive 6% back with each quarter and which everyday purchase you choose as your 3% back category.
Don’t forget that you also earn 5.5% back on hotels and car rentals booked through the U.S. Bank travel portal, along with 1.5% back on all other purchases you make using the card. You also have access to the U.S. Bank Rewards Center Shopping Deals, where you can earn additional cash-back with over 1,100 select merchants.
Once you’re ready to redeem your cash-back rewards, you can do so as a statement credit, a rewards card, a merchant gift card, or directly deposited into your U.S. Bank checking or savings account.
Alternative Card to the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Card
As far as cash-back rewards cards go, the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card is highly worth considering thanks to its 3% back on purchases at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, 3% back on purchases at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 in purchases each year, and 3% back on purchases on online retail purchases on up to $6,000 in purchases each year. After reaching the threshold for each category, you earn 1% back.
If your household meets or exceeds these $6,000 thresholds at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and on online retail purchases, you could be earning $540 in annual cash-back by using the Amex Blue Cash Everyday card.
Plus, the card offers a $7 monthly statement credit toward the Disney Bundle and a $15 monthly statement credit toward Home Chef subscriptions upon enrollment — 2 very impressive features on a $0-annual-fee card (rates & fees).
The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card is another great option for those who want to choose their own bonus categories, as you can choose to earn 3% back on gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement and furnishings. That’s in addition to 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter.
Better yet, if you have status in the Bank of America Preferred Rewards program, you can boost these cash-back rates by up to 75%, allowing you to earn up to 5.25% back on your top purchases category, 3.5% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1.75% back on all other purchases, with a $0 annual fee.
