The best 2% cash-back credit cards 

While we love earning travel rewards here at TPG, there's also some real value in using a cash-back credit card to earn cold, hard cash back in your pocket. There are several cards that will give you a solid 2% cash back on every single purchase you make — with hardly any effort.

With these fixed 2% cash-back credit cards, there's no need to pay attention to category bonuses, activate an increased earning rate, or even select a category of your choice. The cash back is yours, regardless of the purchase you make. It's truly as simple as it looks.

Best of all, these cards have no — or extremely high — caps to the amount of cash back you can earn.

Overview of the best 2% cash-back credit cards

Here are six of our top picks for the best 2% cash-back cards.

• Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees)
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (rates and fees)
• Synchrony Premier World Mastercard
• The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
• Capital One Spark Cash Plus
• U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature® Card

The information for the U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The best 2% cash-back credit cards

Citi Double Cash Card

Those searching for a simple cash-back card with no bonus categories to track will love the Citi Double Cash.

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.

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Why we like it: The Citi Double Cash Card is one of the simplest and most valuable credit cards available. With 2% cash back — 1% when you make a purchase, plus 1% when you pay that purchase off — your rewards are very simple every time you swipe it.

Best of all, if at a future time, you decide that you'd prefer to redeem your cash-back rewards for travel instead, you'll have that opportunity as well — if you pair this card with a premium Citi ThankYou product, such as the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card (see rates and fees).

While this card has a $0 annual fee, the card doesn't offer many perks in the way of purchase or travel protection. It's also not an ideal card for international travel due to its 3% foreign transaction fee.

To learn more, read our full review of the Citi Double Cash.

Apply here: Citi Double Cash Card

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

If cellphone protection is a benefit you want from your wallet, consider the Wells Fargo Active Cash.

Annual fee: $0 (rates and fees)

Welcome offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months.

Why we like it: The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is one of the few unlimited 2% cash rewards cards with no annual fee that also comes with a welcome bonus. With this card, you'll earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months.

Additionally, the card offers cellular telephone protection that covers against theft or damage as long as you pay for your entire bill with the card. With this benefit, you'll be covered up to $600 per claim (with a $25 deductible), though you are capped at two claims per 12-month period.

You can redeem your cash rewards for gift cards, a statement credit, and a deposit to a qualifying Wells Fargo checking account or mortgage. There's no cap on the amount of cash rewards you can receive.

To learn more, read our full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash.

Apply here: Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard

If you don't care whether your cash-back card comes from a major issuer, consider the solid Synchrony Premier World Mastercard.

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: None

Why we like it: While the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard isn't often discussed, it's a top choice for earning cash back. You'll earn 2% cash back on every purchase you make — with no caps — applied as a statement credit automatically.

Even though the card doesn't offer a welcome bonus, cardmembers will get some lucrative benefits despite the card coming with no annual fee. Since the card is a World Mastercard, you'll receive perks like Lyft credits, Hello Fresh credits and a complimentary three-month DoorDash DashPass membership.

To learn more, read our full review of the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard.

Apply here: Synchrony Premier World Mastercard

American Express Blue Business Cash Card

Small businesses looking for a cash-back card should consider the American Express Blue Business Cash.

Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees)

Welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in your first three months of account opening.

Why we like it: A business credit card that offers 2% cash back is the American Express Blue Business Cash Card. This card is also extremely straightforward, but your increased earnings are capped at $50,000 per calendar year (you'll then receive 1% back on your purchases).

Redeeming your cash back is incredibly easy, as you'll receive the money earned automatically as a monthly statement credit. If you have a small business that spends less than the cap threshold annually, this may be a preferred card due to the $0 annual fee.

To learn more, read our full review of the Blue Business Cash.

Apply here: American Express Blue Business Cash Card

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Small businesses that spend a lot each year should consider the Capital One Spark Cash Plus.

Annual fee: $150 (see rates and fees)

Welcome offer: Earn a $2,000 cash bonus after spending $30,000 in the first three months. Plus, earn an additional $2,000 bonus for every $500,000 spent in the first year.

Why we like it: If you have a decent amount of spending coming up and are looking for a small-business card, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus may be the right option for you. While earning 2% cash back on all purchases is one reason to get the card, the current welcome bonus makes it even more enticing.

This is a huge offer to jump-start your company's cash reserves, but it does have a high spending requirement to unlock the bonus.

While the card may initially be appealing due to its large welcome bonus, you'll want to make sure the continuous benefits outweigh the $150 annual fee (see rates and fees) in subsequent years.

Benefits include no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), roadside assistance, extended warranty protection, and free employee cards (see rates and fees). Additionally, you can get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000.

To learn more, read our full review of the Spark Cash Plus.

Apply here: Capital One Spark Cash Plus

U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card

If you're a loyal U.S. Bank customer, check out the U.S. Bank Smartly Visa.

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: No welcome offer

Why we like it: The new U.S. Bank Smartly Visa Signature Card earns up to 4% cash back on all purchases. The card earns a simple 2% cash back on all purchases and up to an additional 2% cash back when you also have a U.S. Bank Smartly® Savings account.

Based on your savings account balance, you can earn anywhere from 2.5% cash back to 4% cash back with the U.S. Bank Smartly card.

If you have a large amount of money with U.S. Bank, this card is definitely worth considering.

Honorable mentions

In addition to the list above, there are a few other credit cards that will also earn you 2% cash back. However, they are not as simple. From being required to join a credit union to being an iPhone user, there are more caveats to these cards, so they won't work for the masses.

If you're looking for another option, though, these cards will also earn you 2% back with a little bit of effort:

• Apple Card*
• The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card*
• SoFi Credit Card*
• Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card*
• PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card*

Still, one of the best things about a cash-back card is its simplicity, so consider whether the extra steps these cards require will be worth it for you in the long run.

*The information for all the cards listed in this section has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: The pros and cons of cash-back credit cards

Bottom line

If you want simplicity in your life, a 2% cash-back credit card may be the answer.

While other credit cards offer more rewards on specific category purchases, they may require you to juggle multiple cards in your wallet at once while being on top of which card to use for every single purchase you make. Knowing you'll always receive 2% cash back may be an easier and more appealing option for you.

Related: How to choose a cash-back card

For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, click here.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.