Best Catch All Credit Cards for Everyday Expenses

If you're looking for a catch-all credit card to cover everyday expenses, consider the Citi Double Cash Card. This card offers 2% cash back on all purchases, with 1% back when you buy and 1% back when you pay your bill.

The Citi Double Cash Card also has no rotating categories or spending limits, making it a great option for everyday expenses. You can earn cash back on anything from groceries to gas to entertainment.

Another great feature of the Citi Double Cash Card is its lack of annual fee. This means you can use the card without worrying about extra costs eating into your rewards earnings.

The best catch all credit cards are those that offer rewards and benefits that can be used in a variety of situations.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great option, offering 1.5% cash back on all purchases up to $20,000 spent in the first year, worth up to $300 cash back. It also has a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.

Another great choice is the Citi Double Cash Card, which earns 2% cash back on everything, with 1% earned when you buy and 1% when you pay. This card is great for everyday purchases and has no annual fee.

The TD Double Up Credit Card is also worth considering, especially if you live within TD Bank's regional footprint. It offers cell phone protection, purchase security, extended warranty protection, and lost luggage reimbursement, all with no annual fee.

If you're looking for a card with great benefits, the TD Double Up Credit Card may be the way to go. However, it's only available for online applications nationally, which may limit its accessibility.

Here are some key features of the top catch all credit cards:

The U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card is a high-end option for those with significant assets. It earns 4% cash back on every purchase when you have $100,000 or more in eligible deposit and investment accounts with U.S. Bank.

This card offers a unique benefit for those who bank with U.S. Bank. If you have a U.S. Bank Smartly Savings account and hold a significant amount of deposits with U.S. Bank, you can earn up to an additional 2% cash back.

Here's a breakdown of the rewards tiers:

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a serious player in the high-end credit card game. It has a $550 annual fee, but it's offset by a $300 travel credit.

This card is ideal for frequent travelers who want to maximize their rewards. With strong multipliers, you can earn more points on your purchases.

One of the standout features of the Chase Sapphire Reserve is Priority Pass, which gives you access to airport lounges worldwide. This is a game-changer for anyone who values comfort and relaxation during layovers.

The card also offers travel insurances, which can provide peace of mind when booking expensive trips.

The Platinum Card from American Express is a high-end option that's worth considering, especially if you're willing to spend big and want to offset the cost with credits. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of account opening.

The card's annual fee is a hefty $695, but you get up to $1,574 in credits that help offset this cost, making it a more manageable expense for those who can take advantage of its benefits.

If you're a frequent traveler, you'll appreciate the card's lounge access, travel protections, and access to programs like Fine Hotels & Resorts. These perks can make a significant difference in your travel experience, especially if you're someone who values luxury and convenience.

The Platinum Card from American Express is great for people who can take advantage of its credits and benefits, which can help offset the high annual fee.

The U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card is a high-end option that offers impressive cash back rewards. It earns 2% cash back on every purchase, but the real kicker is for customers who hold over $100,000 of assets with U.S. Bank.

This card becomes really interesting when you have a large amount of money on deposit or in investment accounts with U.S. Bank. With eligible deposit and investment balances of $100,000 or more, the card earns 4% cash back.

The card's rewards structure is tiered, with different levels of cash back based on your qualifying balance. Here's a breakdown of the rewards:

The U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card does not advertise any significant benefits beyond its cash back rewards, so if you're looking for additional perks, this card might not be the best choice.

The Bread American Express card is a high-end option that offers unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. This is a significant reward rate, especially considering there are no reward caps, opt-ins, or categories to worry about.

One of the standout features of this card is its Amex Offers, which can provide targeted rebates at places you already shop. These offers can be quite valuable, and when combined with the unlimited 2% cash back, it's a powerful combination.

The card also comes with Amex Purchase Protection, which adds an extra layer of security to your purchases. This is a great feature to have, especially if you're a frequent online shopper.

There is no annual fee for this card, making it a great option for those who want to earn rewards without incurring additional costs.

No Annual Fee Options are a great place to start when looking for a catch-all credit card. You can earn 2% unlimited cash back without paying a single penny in annual fees.

The Citi Double Cash Card offers extended warranty coverage on top of its 2% cash back rewards. This means you get extra protection for your purchases.

For those who want more benefits without paying a fee, the TD Double Up Credit Card is a great option. It offers unlimited 2% cash back, plus great consumer insurance benefits.

If you're looking for a card with access to Amex offers, the Bread Cashback American Express Credit Card is a good choice. It also offers unlimited 2% cash back with no annual fee.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card provides cell phone protection, which is a valuable benefit for many users.

Here are some of the best no annual fee options:

If you're new to credit cards, earning a sign-up bonus can be a great way to get started with rewards. For example, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on the card within the first 3 months of account opening.

Another option is the Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card, which earns a $750 bonus cash back after $6,000 in spend within the first 3 months of account opening. This is a significant reward for businesses with high expenses.

To maximize your rewards, consider a card that offers flexible redemption options, such as the Ink Business Cash Credit Card. This card offers a $350 bonus when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.

The Ink Business Cash Credit Card is a great option for those who spend a lot at office supply stores or on internet, cable, and phone services. It offers a $350 bonus when you spend $3,000 in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 in the first six months.

This card has a $0 annual fee, making it a very attractive option for those who want to earn rewards without paying extra. The flexibility of Ultimate Reward points makes it one of the best earner cards out there.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Program is a great option for travelers. You can earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.

This program offers a competitive rewards structure, with 2x miles on everything except hotels, rental cars, and flights booked through Capital One Travel, which earn 4x miles.

The Capital One Quicksilver Rewards credit card is a straightforward option for earning cash back. You'll earn 1.5% cash back on all your purchases, which is a simple and effective way to earn rewards.

To get started, you'll need to spend $500 on the card within the first 3 months of account opening, and you'll receive a $200 cash bonus. This is a great opportunity to earn a significant amount of cash back right from the start.

One of the benefits of this card is its simplicity, making it a good option for those who don't want to deal with complicated rewards programs.

The SoFi credit card is a great option for earning rewards. It offers unlimited 2% back on all purchases.

You can also earn a $50 sign-up bonus, which is a nice incentive to try out the card. I've been using it as my general spend card for the past 4 years.

One of the best features of the SoFi credit card is that it has no fees. You won't have to worry about foreign transaction fees or any other charges.

The card also has a soft credit pull to qualify, which means it won't affect your credit score. Unlimited 3% cash back on the SoFi travel portal is another perk.

The sign-up bonus is a great way to earn rewards on your first purchase. You can earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card within the first 3 months of account opening.

Some sign-up bonuses are marketed as cash back, but earned as points, like the Citi ThankYou Points. This can be a bit confusing, but it's still a great way to earn rewards.

The Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card offers a $750 bonus cash back after $6,000 in spend within the first 3 months of account opening. This is a significant bonus that can help offset the costs of your business expenses.

No annual fee options like the Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express offer sign-up bonuses in the form of points. You can earn 15,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months.

It's worth noting that some sign-up bonuses are tied to specific spending requirements, so be sure to check the terms and conditions before applying.

Rewards are a crucial aspect of credit cards, and understanding how they work can help you maximize your earnings. You can earn rewards in the form of cash back, points, or miles.

The Citi Double Cash Card, for example, offers 2% unlimited cash back, with 1% earned when you buy and 1% as you pay. This card also earns rewards as ThankYou Points.

Having a 2% cash back card in your wallet can be a game-changer, as it sets a baseline for earning rewards. With few exceptions, having access to 2% cash back means you should never earn just 1 point per dollar.

Some credit cards offer more than just 2% cash back, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, which offers 1.25 cents per point (CPP) when redeeming points on the Chase Travel Portal. This means that 1.5x points can be worth 1.875% in value.

Other cards, like the Citi Double Cash Card, earn rewards as ThankYou Points, which can be redeemed for cash back or other rewards. The Citi Double Cash Card also offers extended warranty coverage, making it a great option for those who want extra protection.

Here are some of the best 2% no-annual-fee credit cards:

When choosing a catch-all credit card, consider using a 1.5% "catch-all" card for your setup.

Many people use a separate card for their everyday purchases, especially if they also have a Chase setup, which can complement the Chase Freedom Flex and Sapphire card.

If you want a baseline rewards card with no restrictions, look for cards that earn 2% everywhere with no caps, regardless of your spending amount.

To earn cash back rewards without any hoops to jump through, consider a card with no requirement to use Apple Pay or mobile wallet.

You can earn 2% rewards with a card that doesn't have any restrictions, unlike some cards that advertise 2% rewards but require specific usage.

When selecting a 2% credit card, it's essential to consider the criteria that make a card truly valuable. We looked for cards that earn 2% cash back rewards with no restrictions on where you can earn rewards or how much you can earn.

To qualify, a card must earn cash back rewards or points that can be redeemed for cash. This means that some cards advertising 2% rewards or 2x rewards are excluded if they don't allow for cash redemption.

We also prioritize cards with no annual fee, ensuring that you won't be charged extra for using the card. This eliminates cards that might seem appealing at first but ultimately cost you money in the long run.

One key consideration is the lack of requirements to use specific payment methods, like Apple Pay or mobile wallets. This means that cards like the Apple Card, which earns 2% rewards but only if you use Apple Pay, don't meet our criteria.

To summarize, our top picks for 2% credit cards must meet the following criteria:

The key to a successful credit card strategy is to have a clear plan in place. To maximize your rewards, consider using a "catch-all" card for everyday purchases that don't fall into a specific category.

You can use a 1.5% "catch-all" card for your setup. This can be a great way to rack up rewards on your regular expenses. Many people find that this approach helps them stay organized and take advantage of the best rewards offers.

If you decide to run a Chase setup, you can complement it with the Chase Freedom Flex and the Sapphire card you choose. This can help you maximize your rewards and make the most of your credit card benefits.

Sometimes, getting less than 2% cash back on a purchase can be a good idea. This is especially true when you're considering the benefits of return protection and travel protections offered by some credit cards.

For instance, if you're buying clothing online with a final sale item, a return protection benefit can be a lifesaver. You can get a great deal on the item, and if it doesn't work out, you can return it with minimal hassle.

Some credit cards offer less rewards, but with great travel protections. If you're delayed overnight due to weather, having your credit card pay for your hotel is a huge advantage.

Here are some examples of when getting less than 2% cash back makes sense: