Fine Print
The Footnote Index
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Every credit card has footnotes. The headline says "5% cash back on travel." The footnote says "on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter, after activation, through the Chase Travel portal only, excluding certain merchant categories." The headline is the ad. The footnote is the product.
This page compiles every significant qualifier, cap, and fine-print restriction on the 15 cards featured in our quiz and card grid. If a card's reward rate comes with a "but," it's documented here.
Cash back cards
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Chase
5% travelApplies only to purchases made through Chase Travel (chase.com/travel or the Chase app). Flights, hotels, rental cars, and activities booked directly with airlines or hotels earn 2x, not 5x. Travel booked through third-party sites like Expedia or Google Flights earns 1.5x.
3% diningIncludes restaurants, takeout, food delivery (DoorDash, Uber Eats), and bars. Does not include grocery stores, convenience stores, or bakeries unless they code as restaurants with the payment network.
3% drugstoresApplies to purchases at pharmacies and drugstores. Does not apply to items purchased at a pharmacy counter inside a grocery store or big-box retailer — the merchant code of the store determines the category, not the item purchased.
0% intro APR15 months on purchases and balance transfers. Balance transfer fee: 3% or $5 minimum within the first 60 days, then 5% or $5 minimum. After the intro period, the variable APR applies (currently ranges from roughly 20-29% depending on creditworthiness).
Citi Custom Cash
Citi
5% auto-categoryApplies to your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, on up to $500 in purchases. After $500, earnings drop to 1%. The categories Citi tracks: restaurants, gas, groceries, select travel, select transit, select streaming, drugstores, home improvement, fitness clubs, and live entertainment.
$500 capThis is per billing cycle, not per month. If your billing cycle spans March 15 to April 14, the $500 limit resets on April 15. Spend over $500 in your top category earns 1%, not 5%.
"Select" categories"Select travel" and "select transit" mean Citi determines which merchant codes qualify. Not every travel or transit purchase will fall into these categories. Check your statement to see how purchases are categorized.
Discover it Cash Back
Discover
5% rotatingQuarterly rotating categories, up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter. You must activate the category each quarter through Discover's website or app — if you don't activate, you earn 1%. After $1,500, earnings drop to 1%.
Cashback MatchDiscover matches all cash back earned in your first 12 months as a cardholder, with no cap. The match is deposited automatically at the end of your first year. This applies to both the 5% category earnings and the 1% base rate — everything is doubled.
AcceptanceDiscover's acceptance network is smaller than Visa and Mastercard in the U.S. and significantly smaller internationally. Some merchants, especially small businesses and overseas vendors, do not accept Discover.
Blue Cash Preferred
American Express
6% groceriesU.S. supermarkets only, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases. After $6,000, the rate drops to 1%. Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's), superstores (Walmart, Target), and online grocery delivery (unless the merchant codes as a supermarket) do not qualify for the 6% rate.
6% streaming"Select U.S. streaming subscriptions" — Amex maintains a list of qualifying services. Major platforms (Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max) typically qualify. Smaller or newer services may not. Amex does not publish a comprehensive list.
$95 annual feeCharged starting in your first year. There is no fee waiver for year one.
BofA Customized Cash Rewards
Bank of America
3% your choiceYou choose one category for 3% earnings: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, or home improvement/furnishings. You can change your category once per calendar month. The 3% and 2% rates apply to the first $2,500 in combined purchases per quarter — after that, everything earns 1%.
$2,500 combined capThis cap covers both the 3% chosen category and the 2% grocery/wholesale category together. It resets quarterly.
Preferred RewardsIf you hold $20,000-$100,000+ in combined Bank of America and Merrill accounts, the earning rates increase by 25-75%. At the top tier (Platinum Honors), the 3% category becomes 5.25% and the 2% grocery rate becomes 3.5%. This is the strongest no-fee card available for BofA banking customers.
Travel cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase
5x travelChase Travel portal only (same restriction as the Freedom Unlimited). Direct airline and hotel bookings earn 2x, not 5x.
$50 hotel creditApplies only to hotel stays booked through Chase Travel. Expires annually — does not roll over. Must be used on a hotel booking (not flights, car rentals, or activities).
Point transfersPoints transfer to partners at 1:1 ratios. Transfer times vary: Chase to Hyatt is typically instant, Chase to United can take 1-2 business days, and international partners may take longer. Transfers are one-way and irreversible.
5/24 ruleSubject to Chase's 5/24 restriction. If you've opened 5 or more new credit card accounts (any issuer) in the last 24 months, your application will be automatically denied. See our 5/24 explainer.
American Express Gold
American Express
4x groceriesU.S. supermarkets only, up to $25,000/year in purchases. Same supermarket-only restriction as the Blue Cash Preferred — Costco, Walmart, and Target do not qualify.
$10/mo diningMonthly dining credit at participating partners (Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Resy restaurants — the partner list changes periodically). Must be used monthly; unused credits do not roll over.
$10/mo UberMonthly Uber Cash credit for Uber Eats or Uber rides. Added automatically to your Uber account when you link the Gold Card. Must be used within the calendar month.
Lifetime ruleAmex's "once per lifetime" welcome bonus restriction applies. If you've ever held an Amex Gold Card and received the welcome bonus, you generally cannot earn it again on a new application.
Prime Visa
Chase
5% AmazonRequires an active Amazon Prime membership ($139/year or $14.99/month). If your Prime membership lapses, the earning rate at Amazon drops to 3%. The 5% rate applies to Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market purchases.
No welcome bonus spendThe $150 Amazon gift card is applied upon approval with no minimum spend — but it's a gift card, not cash back. It can only be used at Amazon.
Last updated: June 14, 2026. We re-verify these terms against issuer card pages periodically. If you spot something that's changed, let us know.