Rating: 5 Stars
Bottom Line:
High Category Cash Back up to Great Quarterly Maximum
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Card Details
| Regular APR: | 15.49 – 24.99% (Variable) |
| Intro APR (Purchases): | None |
| Intro APR (Balance transfers): | 0% for 12 billing cycles for transfers in first 60 days |
| Rewards Rate: | 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases each quarter on two categories you choose 2% cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases |
| Credit Needed: | (670 – 850) Good/Excellent |
| Annual Fee: | None |
| Card Brand: | Visa |
*See online credit card application for details on the terms and conditions.
Offer Highlights
- Click APPLY NOW to apply online
- 5% cash back on two categories you choose
- Earn a $150 bonus after you apply online and spend $500 in eligible net purchases within the first 90 days of account opening
- 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles
- No annual fee
Is U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature worth it?
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature is a solid card for people who like to choose and get rotating cash back categories. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases each quarter on two categories you choose.
If you spend over $2000 per month in the 5% categories, you will be better off with a flat rate unlimited cash back card like Citi Double Cash, which earns unlimited 2% cash back. This is because after you hit the $2,000 quarterly limit, you earn only 1% cash back.
That said, the quarterly bonus of $2,000 is $500 higher than other 5% rotating category cards, such as Discover it Cash Back, Discover it Student Cash Back, NHL Discover it, or Chase Freedom, but there is one drawback to U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature. U.S. Bank chooses the categories that are available to you, so even though you choose two categories each category, they may not be as valuable as you’d like. Take for instance gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants: each of these everyday categories is not available to choose because they automatically fall in the 2% category. Two of the most popular 5% cash back category cards, Discover it Cash Back and Chase Freedom both have a grocery store quarter and a gas station quarter. Discover also offers a restaurants quarter.
Consumers also reported that some categories they liked were removed from U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature; for example, the category for bookstores, which included Amazon, the category for car rentals, and the category for charities are no longer available. It’s important to also note that if you don’t pick categories for a quarter, you get 1% cash back. And you cannot pick or change a category five or fewer days before the quarter begins, so if you anticipate a change in your spending right before the deadline, it may be too late.
It’s not accurate to say U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature will not be valuable to you; especially if you’re a U.S. Bank customer, you can get your cash back deposited directly into your bank account.
Additionally, it’s only fair to say there are some challenges with cash back categories that are common to all rotating cash back cards, such as merchant classification problems; for example, in the case of U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature, a consumer reported not getting cash back on a furniture purchase, one of the 5% category options on U.S. Bank’s website, because it was classified as home furnishings and therefore missing out on cash back.
The U.S. Bank website shows over 2500, 5 star, written reviews just on this card, so it is well loved by both U.S. Bank and non-U.S. Bank customers. If you are looking to earn 5% cash back and have some level of autonomy in how you earn your rewards each quarter, U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature is a great card for you.
Pros
- Visa Signature benefits
- 5% cash back on two categories you choose
- Earn a $150 bonus after you apply online and spend $500 in eligible net purchases within the first 90 days
- No annual fee
Cons
- Category reward system is not simple
Why 5 Stars?
Regular APR
4 Stars
Intro APR
5 Stars
Fees
4 Stars
Perks
5 Stars
Overall
5 Stars
Fees
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 2% |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater |
| Cash Advance Fee | Either 4% of the amount of each advance or $10 minimum, whichever is greater |
| Penalty APR | None |
Benefits
| $0 Fraud Liability |
| Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver |
| Baggage Delay Reimbursement |
| Concierge Service |
| Emergency Card Replacement |
| Emergency Cash Disbursement |
| Extended Warranty Protection |
| Lost Luggage Reimbursement |
| Travel Accident Insurance |
| Price Protection |
| Purchase Protection |
| Return Protection |
| Roadside Dispatch |
| Travel and Emergency Assistance |
| Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Reimbursement |
| Trip Delay Reimbursement |
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by the issuer. Any opinion, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author?s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer.
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