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Best credit cards for holiday shopping in 2021 – CNET [CNET]
This 2021 holiday season you can use the power of credit cards to maximize your holiday spending — and harness extras like purchase protection. All of our picks for the best credit card for holiday shopping have no annual fees, and many feature solid 0% introductory APR periods, competitive welcome bonuses and credit card rewards programs.
Best for online shopping
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases)
- Earn automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases)
- Earn unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Our Take
The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card* will earn you the most cash back if you do the majority of your shopping online this holiday season. “Online shopping” is one of the categories you can choose for the card’s 3% cash-back rewards rate. Note that you need to proactively select this rewards category on Bank of America’s app or website. You’ll also earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined quarterly purchases on 3% and 2% categories, then 1%), and a 1% cash-back rewards rate on all other purchases, encompassing any other incidental holiday costs.
The introductory bonus rewards of $200 online cash rewards (after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days after account opening) and 0% introductory APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and on any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (13.99% to 23.99% variable APR thereafter) also make this cash rewards card competitive with our other picks.
Best for purchase protection
- 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services and on drugstore purchases.
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Our Take
The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card offers purchase protection against damage or theft of items within 120 days of purchase — issuing refunds for up to $500 per claim at a cap of $50,000 per account. It’s like insurance on your holiday gifts. This card also offers some of the best amenities of the other cards: a low-spend intro bonus and 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases (14.99% to 24.74% variable APR thereafter). And with no annual fee, you can maintain these purchase-protection benefits and rewards year-round. In doing so, cardholders can reap the benefits of the generous rewards rates for nonholiday categories (like grocery stores and drugstores) offered by this card.
Best for Walmart shoppers and PayPal users
- 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target® or Walmart® purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services and on drugstore purchases.
- 1% on all other purchases.
Our Take
The Chase Freedom Flex offers a 5% cash-back rate on a rotating quarterly category: For fourth quarter 2021, that category is Walmart purchases and purchases made through PayPal. You can enjoy this benefit on up to a combined $1,500 in quarterly purchases (then 1%). You must manually activate this bonus reward category through your account, but the other reward rates for other categories will be applied automatically. This card only offers a blanket 1% cash-back rate, compared to its cousin the Chase Freedom Unlimited at a blanket 1.5% cash-back rate, but it does also offer purchase protection.
Best for fair credit
- Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments.
- 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away.
Our Take
With the Petal 2 Visa credit card, issued by WebBank, Member FDIC, you can breathe this holiday season even if you have just fair or limited credit. This card comes with a credit limit between $300 and $10,000, based on creditworthiness. Unlike many credit cards for those with limited credit, it doesn’t have to be secured with cash up front, and it does offer cash-back rewards. In fact, you can earn up to 1.5% cash back across the board on eligible purchases (1% when you make a purchase, and up to 1.5% when you make 12 on-time monthly payments), and a massive 2-10% cash back at select merchants.
With no annual fee, you can keep this card open and continue using it beyond the holidays to help build your credit. This card even offers features to help you control your finances better, such as being able to set a budget and freeze your account.
FAQs
How can I use a credit card to save money while holiday shopping?
Taking advantage of credit card introductory offers, bonus points, and rewards programs are among the best ways to earn while you spend and get the most for your money. Especially when you use a card with no annual fee and pay off your balance each month.
Will prices be more expensive this year?
Supply chain shortages may affect prices and inventories this holiday season. To best avoid the effects of these shortages, do your shopping early and plan your budget ahead of time to make sure you don’t spend more than you can afford due to price increases. If you’re looking to make specific purchases, compare prices at different vendors online to make sure you get the best deals and to make sure items are in stock.
Should I close my credit card after the holidays?
In general, no. Even if you’re opening a credit card specifically for holiday shopping, keeping the account open can help add resiliency to your credit report — the number of open accounts and age of open accounts both factor into your credit score.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles — with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different — and the designated function of a card.
For cash-back credit cards, for example, key factors include the annual fee, the “welcome bonus” and the cash-back rate (or rates, if they differ by spending category). For rewards and miles cards, we calculate and weigh the net monetary value of a card’s respective perks. And with balance transfer credit cards, we analyze specs such as the duration of the introductory 0% APR period and the balance transfer fee, while acknowledging secondary factors such as the standard APR and the length of time you have to make a balance transfer after you open the account.
*All information about the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
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