5 Rewards Cards That Let You Pick Your Own Bonus Categories
KEY POINTS
- Cards that let you pick your own bonus categories make it easy to optimize your rewards.
- A lot of these cards will have caps on how many rewards you can earn at the higher rate.
- Select and/or activate your categories each month or quarter as necessary.
The hardest part of maximizing your credit card rewards is finding the perfect card for each purchase category. Many cards offer overlapping bonus categories -- every card seems to have a dining category these days -- which can make it hard to find fits for your unique needs.
That's why I absolutely love credit cards that let me choose my own categories. You can find several cards that offer a variety of categories to choose from, letting you create a bespoke rewards experience. Here are a few great examples.
1. U.S. Bank Cash+
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
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Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases billing cycles, and after that 19.49% - 29.74% (Variable).
Purchases: 0%, 15 billing cycles on purchases
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 billing cycles
Regular APR
19.49% - 29.74% (Variable)
Rewards 5% cash back back on up to $2,000 of quarterly spending in two categories of choice and for travel booked directly in U.S. Bank's Rewards Travel Center, unlimited 2% back in one "everyday" category of choice, 1% back on other purchases
1% - 5% back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
$200
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You get the power to choose not one, but two bonus 5% cash back categories every quarter with this U.S. Bank card. Plus, you get 5% on travel spending when you book through U.S. Bank. No annual fee, a generous welcome bonus, and 15 billing cycles of 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers round out the perks on this card.
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- Sign-up bonus
- Bonus categories of your choosing
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR offer
- Lackluster 5% back categories
- Cash back redemption minimum
- Foreign transaction fee
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- $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
- 2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations and EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 19.49% - 29.74%
- No Annual Fee
- Terms and conditions apply.
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is one of my favorite cash back rewards cards thanks to its highly customizable -- and very rewarding -- 5% bonus categories. You get to choose not one, but two 5% cash back bonus categories from a list that includes:
- Cellphone providers
- Department stores
- Electronics stores
- Fast food
- Furniture stores
- Ground transportation
- Gyms/Fitness centers
- Home utilities
- Movie theaters
- Select clothing stores
- Sporting goods stores
- TV, internet, and streaming services
You can see a lot of less-common categories here that can easily adapt to nearly any rewards strategy. Even better, you'll activate your categories every quarter, giving you the chance to choose new ones if your needs change.
Keep in mind that you're capped at $2,000 in combined category purchases each year for the 5% cash back. (After that, you earn 1%.) But the 2% category, which you also get to pick, is unlimited.
2. Citi Custom Cash Card
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR |
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Citi Custom Cash® Card
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
20,000 ThankYou® Points Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | 1% - 5% cash back 5% cash back in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent), 1% cash back on other purchases. Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
This card doesn't require you to lock in your bonus category. Instead, Citi will automatically figure out your top spending category each month, then apply your 5% cash back to that category. (You're capped at $500 in category purchases per month.)
The list of eligible categories includes a lot of great options -- I use mine at the hardware and home improvement store -- so you can fill those vital gaps in your rewards strategy.
3. Amex Business Gold Card
Choose your own adventure cards aren't limited to consumers. The American Express Business Gold Card is a small business card that offers 4x Membership Rewards points per $1 on your top two spending categories each billing cycle. (Terms apply.) The eligible categories include:
- Purchases at US media providers for advertising in select media (online, TV, and radio)
- U.S. purchases made from electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers
- U.S. purchases at restaurants, including takeout and delivery
- U.S. purchases at gas stations
- Transit purchases including trains, taxicabs, rideshare services, ferries, tolls, parking, buses, and subways
- Monthly wireless telephone service charges made directly from a wireless telephone service provider in the U.S.
You'll earn 4X points per $1 on the first $150,000 in combined bonus category purchases each calendar year (then you earn 1x). The card also comes with a variety of credits and perks to help offset its admittedly steep $375 annual fee (terms apply, see rates and fees). And of course, you're earning Membership Rewards points, which are my favorite travel rewards.
4. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR |
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Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
$200 cash back $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening | 1% - 3% cash back 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% at at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases, 1% on all other purchases. |
Intro: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 19.24% - 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
This card may not have the high rates of some of the other picks on this list, but it has some broad bonus categories to choose from for both the 3% and 2% cash back options. (I mean, who can't use 3% back on their online shopping purchases?)
Plus, you get to choose a new category every month if you want. Just note that you're capped at $2,500 in combined 2% and 3% bonus category purchases per quarter.
5. Venmo Credit Card
The Venmo Credit Card is surprisingly versatile for a cobranded card, giving you 3% cash back in your top spend category and 2% back in your next-highest spending category each statement period. The categories are quite broad and include:
- Bills and utilities
- Dining and nightlife
- Entertainment
- Gas
- Grocery
- Health and beauty
- Transportation
- Travel
Perhaps the most intriguing part is that this is the only card on the list that won't cap your bonus rewards. You can earn 3% on your top spend category purchases with no limit on how much you can earn. Not bad for a card with no annual fee.
Finding your perfect card fit
A good rewards strategy should cover all of your major purchases, which can be hard when it doesn't fit neatly into a popular category. These cards offer tons of room for customization, so you can create your perfect rewards team.
Alert: our top-rated cash back card now has 0% intro APR until 2025
This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a lengthy 0% intro APR period, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee! Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
Our Research Expert
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For rates and fees for the American Express Business Gold Card, click here
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