The best 5 credit cards for online shopping

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Online shopping has become a way of life for many people. The convenience of buying what you want and need from the comfort of your home is hard to beat.

Using a credit card to shop online offers a secure way to make purchases — and you can often earn rewards in the process. The best credit cards for online shopping come with elevated rewards for online purchases and consumer benefits, like extended warranties or purchase protection.

Here’s a look at five top credit cards designed for avid online shoppers.

Best credit cards for online shopping

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best for everyday shopping
• Prime Visa: Best for Amazon Prime members
• U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card: Best for major retailers
• Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for rotating categories
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for straightforward rewards

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best for everyday shopping

• Who it’s best for: Those looking for cash back on all purchases, not just with certain online retailers or rotating categories. 
• Rewards: You’ll earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year in each category, then 1%). You’ll earn 1% back on other purchases.
• Annual fee: $0. See rates and fees.

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express earns above-average cash back on U.S. online retail purchases. Remember that there's a spending limit on bonus cash back in these categories.

The card comes with protection against accidental damage and theft on eligible purchases. You can also earn a nice welcome bonus with a relatively low spending requirement.

You can redeem your cash back as a statement credit or gift card. If maximizing cash back on everyday purchases is your goal, the Blue Cash Everyday Card can’t be beaten.

Prime Visa: Best for Amazon Prime members

• Who it’s best for: Prime members who do a significant amount of shopping on Amazon.
• Rewards: You’ll earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases. You’ll also earn 2% back at restaurants and gas stations, 2% back on local transit and commuting, and 1% back on all other purchases.
• Annual fee: $0

For Amazon Prime members, few cards offer the benefits you'll receive with the Prime Visa. It offers high bonus rates at Amazon.com and Whole Foods, as well as other common spending categories like groceries and gas. This makes it one of the best cards for groceries as well as online shopping.

It's also a good card for travelers, with no foreign transaction fees and many travel protections. The Prime Visa card has no annual fee, but you need an Amazon Prime membership to qualify for the card.

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card: Best for major retailers

• Who it’s best for: Shoppers who want to earn bonus rewards on the retailers they use the most.
• Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose (then 1% back). You’ll also get 5% back on prepaid air, hotel, and car reservations through the Rewards Center, 2% back on one choice everyday category, and 1% back on all other purchases.
• Annual fee: $0

To maximize spending with top retailers, consider the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card. The card earns high cash back rates each quarter with two retailers you choose. Retailers include Amazon.com, Apple, Best Buy, Kohl's, Target, Walmart, and more.

There are hoops to jump through to earn bonus cash back with this. Spending caps each quarter limit how much you can earn in bonus categories. Also, you must activate bonus categories and choose two retailers each quarter to earn the higher rates.

Other key perks include extended warranty protection and purchase protection.

Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for rotating categories

• Who it’s best for: Shoppers who spend across different stores.
• Rewards: You’ll earn 5% back on quarterly bonus categories (up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter when you activate, then 1%) and 5% cash back on travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll also earn 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases.
• Annual fee: $0

Sometimes, you don’t know exactly where you’ll be doing your online shopping in the coming months. In that case, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a great catch-all card with 5% cash back bonus categories that change quarterly.

Bonus categories have included Target, grocery stores, Amazon, gas stations, and wholesale clubs. Rotating categories means you can take advantage of seasonal deals and get the opportunity to earn 5% back.

Other benefits include extended warranty protection and purchase protection.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for simple rewards

• Who it’s best for: Shoppers who want to earn rewards without worrying about tracking spending or rotating categories.
• Rewards: Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
• Annual fee: $0

For simple, straightforward cash rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a strong contender. No matter where you shop, you get unlimited 2% cash rewards on eligible purchases.

The Active Cash card doesn’t include many other benefits, but it does come with cell phone protection and a lengthy 0% APR offer (which makes it a solid balance transfer card).

How to pick an online shopping credit card

It’s essential to choose a card that best matches your shopping preferences and habits.

If you shop with one particular retailer like Amazon, opt for their co-branded card. If you spread your purchases around, consider a flat-rate cash back card instead.

It’s important to compare annual fees, too. While many solid online shopping credit cards don’t charge an annual fee, some may. Make sure any fees justify higher earn rates or perks you’ll actually use.

The right card also depends on how you prefer to redeem rewards. Some only allow statement credits, while others allow you to redeem cash back or points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, and more. Determine how you plan to use earnings over time when weighing your options.

How to make the most of your online shopping credit card

After you get a credit card for online shopping, make sure you make the most of it. You can do this by:

• Tailoring your spending: Shop at retailers where you earn the most rewards, as long as they offer comparable prices.
• Setting reminders: If your card requires you to activate rewards each month or quarter, set calendar reminders so you don't miss your window to earn bonus rewards.
• Spending normally: Use your card for purchases you would normally make anyway. Avoid spending just to earn more rewards, as this may lead to debt.
• Paying your bill on time: Make sure you pay your bill on time each month. Payment history is one of the biggest factors in credit scores, and late or missed payments can cause your score to drop.
• Paying your balance in full: Try to pay your entire balance each statement period, when possible, to avoid costly interest charges.

How we rated the best cards for online shopping

To determine the best credit cards for online shopping, we carefully evaluated a wide range of factors, including the card's sign-up bonus, rewards earning rates on purchases, added perks and benefits, annual fees, and overall value for consumers.

Our team analyzed numerous credit card offers and selected the top contenders based on these key criteria. The options on this list represent the best value, rewards, and benefits available.

Here are some of the key factors we considered:

• Rewards: Rewards are the primary reason many people use credit cards, as they allow you to earn valuable points, miles, or cash back on your everyday spending.
• Redemption flexibility: What good are rewards if they're a hassle to redeem? Flexible redemption options allow you to use your rewards in the way that best suits you, whether that's offsetting your bill with statement credits or booking a dream vacation.
• Benefits: Credit card benefits can provide significant value and make your life easier, from saving you money on checked bags to providing peace of mind with travel insurance.
• Annual fee: The annual fee is a key factor because it's a recurring cost that can eat into your rewards earnings. It's important to make sure you're getting enough value from the card to justify the fee.
• Welcome bonus: A lucrative welcome bonus can give your rewards a massive head start, especially in the first year, making it a great way to kickstart your earnings.
• Rates & other fees: High interest rates and fees can quickly negate the value of any rewards you earn, so it's important to understand these costs and how to avoid them.

The bottom line

A top-notch credit card can make everyday online purchases more rewarding. With the right card choice, you can earn rewards every time you click “buy.”

The best card for online shopping often aligns best with your spending habits and offers additional consumer benefits and protections.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.