Best credit cards for grocery shopping of July 2024

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If you're looking to stretch your grocery budget, you might want to consider a credit card that earns extra rewards on groceries. Having a card dedicated to making the most of your supermarket spending makes sense because it's one of those unavoidable expenses. The best grocery rewards cards offer up to 6% cash back at supermarkets, and others earn valuable travel rewards.

CNBC Select dug into each card's perks and drawbacks to find the best grocery store rewards cards based on your spending habits (see our methodology for more information on how we choose the best cards).

Who's this for? The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is ideal if you want to earn cash back. It offers the highest cash-back rate at U.S. supermarkets at 6% (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). That's up to $360 each year just on eligible supermarket purchases.

Standout benefits: This card is not only rewarding for groceries. It also earns 6% cash back on select streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Terms apply.

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Who's this for? The American Express® Gold Card is a perfect fit if you're a foodie who wants to earn transferable travel rewards because of its lucrative bonus categories.

Standout benefits: If you take full advantage of the Amex Gold Card's benefits, you can easily justify its $250 annual fee (see rates and fees). It offers up to $120 in dining statement credits annually (up to $10 back a month for eligible purchases; enrollment required) and up to $120 in Uber Cash every year (up to $10 a month).

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Who's this for? If you like to order groceries online and want to earn travel rewards, then the Chase Sapphire Preferred may be for you. It earns 3X points on online grocery purchases and you can transfer those points to 14 travel partners.

Standout benefits: With your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, your Ultimate Rewards points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase Travel^SM. You may be able to receive even more value by transferring your points to Chase's hotel and airline partners, such as United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, World of Hyatt and more.

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Who's this for? If you find yourself primarily grocery shopping at Whole Foods or Amazon.com, then you should consider the Prime Visa. Cardholders earn an amazingly high 5% back on those purchases, which is hard to beat.

Standout benefits: This card is also a decent choice for unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare). You can redeem your points for Amazon purchases, travel booked through Chase Travel^SM, cash or gift cards.

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Who's this for? The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a good choice for shoppers who want big rewards and prefer banking with a credit union.

Standout benefits: The card also earned a spot on our list of best credit cards for gas rewards thanks to its 5X points on gas and EV charging. This is a smart choice for cardholders who want to maximize their rewards on all sorts of spending.

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Who's this for? The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is ideal if you don't want to pay an annual fee (see rates and fees). It earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).

Standout benefits: Beyond cash back, the card offers a low intro APR of 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months from the date of account opening (then, 19.24% - 29.99% variable APR; there's a balance transfer fee that's either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater). Balance transfers must be made within 60 days of account opening (see rates and fees).

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Who's this for? The Chase Freedom Flex® has a robust welcome bonus that can help you save on groceries. You can earn a $150 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

Standout benefits: The Freedom Flex offers 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers. After that, a variable 20.49% - 29.24% APR applies. For transfers you make within the first 60 days of opening the account, the intro balance transfer fee is 3% of the amount of each transfer ($5 minimum). The standard balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount of each transfer ($5 minimum).

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Who's this for? The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is a great fit if you're a Costco member because there's no additional fee (outside of paying for your membership) and you'll earn at least 2% cash back on all Costco spending.

Standout benefits: The Costco Anywhere Visa Card isn't just great for Costco purchases, but it also makes sense as a gas credit card and can even find space in your wallet for dining. It earns 4% cash back on the first $7,000 you spend each year on gas and EV charging (then 1% cash back) and 3% cash back at restaurants.

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The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is versatile because it earns cash back rewards on useful categories outside of supermarkets.

Rewards

• 6% back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarket, (then 1%)
• 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
• 3% back on transit
• 3% back at U.S. gas stations
• 1% back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn $250 back after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months of account opening.

Annual fee

$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

With this card, you can save money in other ways besides earning cash back. This card has ongoing statement credit offers for Equinox and Disney. You can receive up to $84 back each year in Disney bundle credit ($7 statement credit a month after spending $9.99+, enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.). Plus, you can take advantage of Amex Offers to earn statement credits or additional cash back at select retailers.

You'll also receive *return protection, rental car insurance, extended warranty coverage and purchase protection.

*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.

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The American Express Gold Card is one of the most rewarding cards to have if you want to earn Amex Membership Rewards points.

Rewards

• 4X points per dollar spent at restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.)
• 4X points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
• 3X points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
• 1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership.

Annual fee

$250 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

The American Express Membership Rewards points you earn with this card are flexible and valuable. You can redeem them for gift cards, statement credits and travel you book through the Amex Travel Portal. To unlock greater value, you can transfer Membership Rewards points to a variety of airline or hotel partners, including Delta SkyMiles, JetBlue TrueBlue, Emirate Skywards, ANA Mileage Club and more.

In addition to rewards, you can receive up to $240 in annual statement credits. This includes up to $120 in dining statement credits every year (up to $10 a month, enrollment required) at Grubhub (and Seamless), The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Plus, receive up to $120 in Uber Cash every year (up to $10 per month).

This card also has no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) and several insurance benefits. Rental car bookings are covered by secondary loss and damage insurance and you'll also receive *trip delay insurance and baggage insurance on travel you pay for with your Amex Gold Card. Eligible items are covered by this card's extended warranty and purchase protections.

*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card.Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a popular travel card with almost everything you could want, including an excellent welcome bonus, great travel insurance and an extremely valuable rewards program.

Rewards

• 5X points per dollar on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
• 5X points per dollar on Lyft rides through Mar. 31, 2025
• 3X points per dollar on dining
• 3X points per dollar on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)
• 3X points per dollar on select streaming services
• 2X points per dollar on all other travel purchases
• 1X points per dollar on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Annual fee

$95

Notable perks

The card has a $95 annual fee but the benefits help to offset that cost. For starters, you'll receive a 10% anniversary points boost every year based on your spending for the previous year. There's also an annual hotel credit worth up to $50 when you book hotels through Chase Travel^SM.

You'll also appreciate the peace of mind and additional savings from this card's built-in insurance benefits. When you book travel with the card, you'll have access to primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, trip delay reimbursement and baggage insurance. Eligible items can also qualify for purchase and extended warranty protections.

When it comes to redemptions, you can keep it simple by redeeming Chase points for cash back, gift cards and other options at a rate of one cent per point. Alternatively, your points are worth 25% more when you use them to pay for travel through Chase Travel^SM. On top of that, this card unlocks access to all of Chase's travel partners and you can convert Chase points to airline or hotel rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

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The Prime Visa is exceptionally rewarding for all sorts of Amazon purchases, but it's only available to you if you have an Amazon Prime membership. ($139 for an annual membership and $14.99 for a monthly membership) but is especially rewarding for Amazon purchases. If you're not a member, you can get the Amazon Visa, which offers 3% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods.

Rewards

• 5% cash back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods
• 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM
• 2% cash back at gas stations
• 2% cash back at restaurants
• 2% cash back on local transit
• 1% back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Receive an instant $200 Amazon gift card upon approval.

Annual fee

$0, but an Amazon Prime membership is required

Notable perks

This card has no foreign transaction fees and a variety of useful shopping and travel insurance perks, including:

• Purchase protection
• Extended warranty protection
• Baggage delay insurance
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Travel accident insurance
• Rental car coverage (secondary in the U.S.)

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The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a no annual fee card available exclusively to PenFed Credit Union members. Anyone can join, but it takes a few extra steps. You need to open a savings account with a $5 deposit.

Rewards

• 5X points on gas and EV charging stations
• 3X points on supermarket purchases
• 3X points at restaurants
• 3X points on TV, radio, cable and streaming services
• 1X point on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 15,000 points when you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days from account opening.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

As a new card member, you can take advantage of an intro 0% APR on balance transfers for 12 months. Once the intro APR expires, a variable 17.99% APR applies. There is a balance transfer fee of 3% per transaction. The card has no foreign transaction fees and a handful of other benefits such as cell phone protection, travel accident insurance and Visa concierge access.

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The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a no-annual-fee card (see rates and fees) that earns cash-back rewards at generous rates.

Rewards

• 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1% cash. back
• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% cash back
• 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% cash back
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first six months.

Annual fee

$0 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

This card's intro 0% APR offer could be more valuable than the rewards for some people. You'll receive the intro 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months from the date of account opening. After the intro APR ends, a variable 19.24% to 29.99% APR applies. If you want to transfer a balance, there's a balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transfer with a $5 minimum. Balance transfers must be made within 60 days of account opening to qualify for the intro APR (see rates and fees).

The Blue Cash Everyday also has useful statement credit offers. You can receive up to $84 back per year for Disney Bundle subscriptions ($7 back per month with a $9.99+ purchase; enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal). You can also save on meal kit delivery with Home Chef, every year you can receive up to $180 back (Up to $15 back per month; enrollment required; subject to auto-renewal).

You'll also receive *purchase protection and rental car insurance (secondary).

*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.

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The Chase Freedom Flex® has no annual fee and is one of the best options for rotating bonus categories.

Rewards

• 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in rotating quarterly categories
• 5% back on travel purchases through Chase Travel^SM
• 5% back on Lyft rides (through Mar. 31, 2025)
• 3% back on dining
• 3% back at drugstores
• 1% back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn a $100 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. You'll also earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target® and Walmart®) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

Beyond rewards, you can take advantage of a competitive no-interest intro period for the first 15 months from account opening on new purchases and balance transfers (after that the APR is 20.49% - 29.24% variable). There's an intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, it's either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

You'll also get cell phone insurance, rental car insurance (secondary in the U.S.), trip cancelation/interruption insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty coverage.

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The Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is useful for loyal Costco shoppers since wholesale clubs often do not qualify for grocery spending bonus categories on other cards.

Rewards

• 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging (for the first $7,000 per year, then 1% cash back)
• 3% cash back at restaurants
• 3% cash back on eligible travel
• 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$0, but it does require a Costco membership

Notable perks

While this is a cash-back card, how you receive your rewards differs from most other rewards cards. Instead of being able to redeem rewards as you earn them, you'll receive a credit card reward certificate after your Feb. billing statement. You'll have until Dec. 31 of the year the reward certificate is issued to redeem it at Costco and it can only be used for a single transaction.

Outside of the cash back you earn with this card, it also has no foreign transaction fees.

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Picking the best grocery credit card for your spending depends a lot on how you prefer to shop. Are you someone who grocery shops in-person or do you buy online and have your groceries delivered?

If it’s the latter, you’ll probably be best off with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which offers 3X points on online grocery purchases, or the Prime Visa, which offers 5% cash back at Amazon.com, plus grocery delivery services through Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods.

If you like to visit the supermarket, do you have a preference for which store you go to? Grocery rewards credit cards usually exclude wholesale clubs such as Costco and BJ’s and big box stores like Target and Walmart. If these are your go-to places, you may be better off applying for their store credit cards.

To help you choose a generic grocery credit card, look at the reward rates and associated costs. While the best grocery rewards cards offer up to 6% cash back at supermarkets, many come with annual fees. The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has no annual fee (see rates and fees), making it a smart choice if you’re cash-strapped and every dollar counts.

The main types of grocery credit cards are cash-back cards and rewards credit cards.

Cash back cards are straightforward and offer cash rewards or points that can be redeemed for cash and cash-like rewards. These cards can be generous and simple, but you're always earning a fixed value.

There are several different types of rewards credit cards including airline cards, hotel cards, store cards and travel cards. Co-branded cards (i.e. airline, hotel and store cards) typically offer perks and rewards you can redeem with that specific company. These cards can be valuable for your grocery spending, but your redemption options tend to be more limited.

With a travel credit card that earns flexible rewards, you may be able to earn lots of points for your grocery expenses and redeem those points for outsized value. Transferrable travel rewards allow you to convert your points into airline miles or hotel points, but you're not tied to using one loyalty program. Instead, these cards allow you to cherry-pick the best programs for your needs, which can dramatically increase the value of your redemptions.

It makes sense to have a credit card that is extra rewarding for grocery store or supermarket purchases because buying food is a need, not a want. However, cards that are especially rewarding for groceries may not be ideal for other types of purchases such as travel, dining or entertainment. So if you have a grocery credit card, you may want to carry an additional card so you can maximize the rewards you earn on every purchase.

Pros

• Earn rewards on the money you're already spending
• You can often redeem rewards for travel and other non-grocery purchases, which can boost the value you receive
• Many grocery cards have no annual fee

Cons

• Could earn fewer rewards on other purchases
• You may have limited redemption options

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best grocery credit cards.

To determine which cards offer the best value for grocery purchases, CNBC Select analyzed credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.  

We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR and balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back). 
 
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of a point or mile varies based on what they can be redeemed for, we also considered things like transferability and the ability to redeem for cash-back. 

When choosing the best grocery credit cards the rewards rates for grocery store or supermarket purchases are factored more heavily.

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For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, please click here.

Information about the Amazon credit cards has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication; if you purchase something through Select links, we may earn a commission.