Earn as much as 5% back when you spend from the likes of American Express, Chase and Barclaycard.
You can earn cashback or rewards via both debit and credit cards. In most instances the best option is the one that pays the best rate.
If you’re worried about managing a credit card it makes sense to use a debit card more. However, credit cards do have extra perks like added consumer protection or for deposits when hiring a car.
Cashback can be spent as you wish, while rewards normally need to be transferred into vouchers and spent at specific retailers.
We’ve outlined the best options so you can earn as you spend.
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Best cashback debit cards
The highest ongoing rate on debit cards is via the PayPal+ scheme, where there’s 1% up for grabs at home and abroad. It’s easy to use and there are ways to increase the value of the points you earn.
Trading 212 offers a lower rate of 0.5% but it’s often boosted to a higher 1.5% if you auto-invest. You’ll also earn the cashback on overseas spending. It has a cap of £15 a month.
| PayPal+ |
| 1% cashback |
| Boosted to 1.5% if reach Gold or Black tiers |
| No fee |
| Fee-free abroad and earn cashback |
| > PayPal+ card review |
| Trading 212 |
| 0.5% cashback |
| Boosted to 1.5% if you auto-invest until 28 Feb 2026 |
| Max £15 cashback a month |
| Cashback payable daily |
| £5 for physical card |
| Fee-free abroad and earn cashback |
| > Trading 212 card review |
| > Customer reviews of T212 on Smart Money People |
Other cards
Chase offers 1% back on groceries and some travel costs, though you’re capped at £15 a month in cashback.
We’ve not listed cards which offer money back from time to time on a changing list of retailers. This includes Monzo, Halifax and Santander. These are worth a look but are really just pot luck as to whether something is available when you want to buy something.
Occasionally there’ll be a short lived cashback offer on other cards, and we list them on our banking deals page.
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Best cashback and reward credit cards
There are different types of cashback credit card, so we’ve split this section into:
- Best American Express cashback cards
- Best Visa or Mastercard cashback cards
- Best supermarket or retailer cashback cards
- Best airline rewards cards
Andy’s cashback credit card rules
A really important rule if you are using a cashback credit card.
Always pay off the balance in full every month
There’s no point using a cashback credit card if you’re going to get charged interest on your purchase. So make sure you set up a Direct Debit to clear the full balance.
If you can’t afford to do that, then a credit card probably isn’t your best option except for emergencies. I’ve written more about clearing credit card debts, so do read that.
It’s also worth doing an eligibility check before you apply if you can. This gives you a sense of whether you’ll be accepted, though not a guarantee.
Read more about these credit card rules.
Best American Express cashback and reward credit cards
The three Amex credit cards I’d look at for everyday earning are the Cashback, Nectar or Preferred Rewards Gold card.
| Amex Cashback | Amex Nectar | Amex Preferred Rewards Gold |
| 0.75% on first £10,000 a year then 1.25% | 2 Nectar points per £1 (equivalent to 1%) | 1 point per £1 (equivalent to 0.5%) Bonus points for every £5,000 spend (boosts equivalent rate to up to 0.75%) |
| 5% welcome bonus (up to £150) in first three months | 20,000 welcome bonus if you spend £2,000 in two months (worth £100) | 20,000 standard welcome bonus if you spend £3,000 in two three months (worth £10) Often boosted to up to 40,000 points (£175) |
| Cashback payable at end of year | Points redeemable instantly | Points redeemable instantly |
| £25 a year fee | Free in first year £30 a year afterwards | Free in first year £195 a year afterwards |
| Also £10 back at Deliveroo each month, 4 free Priority Passes | ||
| Bonus £25 via referral (typical) | Bonus £20 via referral (typical) | Bonus £70 via referral (typical) |
| > Amex Gold credit card review | ||
| > Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People |
| > Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card | > Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card | > Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card |
Our analysis
The highest paying of all credit and debit cards without restrictions is the American Express Nectar, which earns you the equivalent of 1% back. Of course you are earning Nectar points, but as long as you sometimes shop at Sainsbury’s or Argos that shouldn’t be an issue. It’s free in the first year.
If you want pure cash, then go for the American Express Cashback card. You will pay £25 a year for this, but you can wipe that out in the first year by applying via a referral link You’ll be earning 0.75% on spending up to £10,000, and then a higher 1.25% if you go beyond this. This resets every 12 months.
There is a free but lower paying (at 0.5% on first £10,000, then 1%) version called American Express Everyday Cashback. However you must spend at least £3,000 a year to get any cashback on that.
Alternatively you could look at the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold credit card. You’ll only earn one Amex point (worth 0.5% if you swap it to a gift card), though it’s boosted for every £2,500 you spend above £5,000, pushing potential earnings to 0.75%. This card is initially free, but very expensive from the second year onwards, so it’s certainly only for one year. I’d also wait for when the welcome bonus is increased.
Other Amex cards
The focus of this guide is ongoing earning from spending, whether as cashback or Amex Reward points, however we’ve a longer guide to all American Express cards, their features and their welcome bonuses, including the Platinum card.
Extra Amex offers
Check out this article with details of boosted referral bonuses and other extra offers with your American Express card.
Best Visa and Mastercard cashback and reward credit cards
If you want a back up credit card that’s not American Express, then the following are worth a look. They’re also all fee-free for spending overseas, which is something the Amex cards don’t offer.
| Lloyds Ultra | Barclaycard Rewards | Santander Edge | NatWest Travel Reward |
| 1% for first year, 0.25% after | 0.25% | 1% | 1% on UK travel spending (including trains, planes, car rentals, hotels, buses & more) 0.1% elsewhere |
| Max £10 cashback a month | |||
| Cashback paid each January | Cashback paid monthly | Cashback paid monthly | Cashback paid after 35 days |
| No fee | No fee | £4 monthly fee | No fee |
| Fee-free abroad | Fee-free abroad | Fee-free abroad | Fee-free abroad |
| Visa | Visa | Mastercard | Mastercard |
| > Lloyds Ultra credit card review | > Santander Edge credit card review | ||
| > Customer reviews of Barclaycard credit cards over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of Santander credit cards over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of NatWest credit cards over on Smart Money People | |
| > Check eligibility for the Barclaycard Rewards credit card | > Check eligibility for a Santander credit card | > Check eligibility for a NatWest credit card |
Our analysis
The new Lloyds Ultra card is a top paying 1% card for 12 months, and then a lower but hard to beat 0.25% afterwards for a non-Amex card. It’s also fee free to use abroad.
Alternatively, the Barclaycard Rewards pays a solid 0.25% cashback on spending at home or abroad, and is fee free.
The Santander Edge credit card can pay more at 1%, though since there’s a £4 monthly fee and you’re capped at £10, you’ll only earn a maximum of 0.6% back. Spend less or more than £1,000 and that effective rate drops.
I’ve included the NatWest Travel Reward credit card, but it’s only advantage over other cards is you can earn 1% back on holiday planning at home, such as hotels and flights – though you’d get the same with the Amex Nectar as long as the retailer accepts it.
Other cards
- NatWest Reward: 1% at supermarkets, 0.25% elsewhere (£24 annual fee unless a NatWest customer) Also available from RBS
- Virgin Money Everyday Cashback: 0.25% capped at £15 a month. Fee-free abroad
Featured switching deal
Customer rating
4/5
- Switch bonus£180
- Offer endsUnknown
- FSCS Protected? Yes
- Switch bonus requirements Switch using the Current Account Switch Service and close your old account within 60 days of starting the switch
- Deposit requirements Deposit £1,500 in the first 60 days from opening the account
- Direct debits transferred over Set up two Direct Debits before or after the switch from a selected list of household bills
- Existing customers? Can't have held any Santander current account on 1 January 2025
- Restrictions Can't have received a switching bonus from Santander already, offer limited to once per person
- Eligible accounts Open a new or hold an existing Everyday, Edge, Edge Up or Edge Explorer current account
Best supermarket and retailer specific cashback and reward credit cards
These cards will earn you a decent rate at core UK retailers and supermarkets like Amazon and John Lewis. You’ll also earn on spending elsewhere, but those rates can usually be beaten by other cards listed above.
| Amazon Barclaycard Rewards | John Lewis Partnership | M&S Bank Rewards |
| 1% at Amazon (2% on big sales) 0.5% elsewhere for the first 12 months, then 0.25% | 5 points per £4 spent at John Lewis or Waitrose (equivalent of 1.25%) 1 point per £10 spent elsewhere (equivalent of 0.1%) | 1 points per £1 at M&S (equivalent of 1%) 1 points per £5 at elsewhere (equivalent of 0.2%) |
| £20 welcome credit (sometimes boosted) | Regular welcome offers | Regular welcome offers |
| Max £15 cashback a month | ||
| Redeem credit in multiples of £5 | Redeem vouchers in multiples of £5 | Vouchers paid quarterly |
| No fee | No fee | No fee |
| > Amazon Barclaycard Rewards review | ||
| > Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of John Lewis credit cards over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of M&S Bank over on Smart Money People |
| > Check your eligibility for an Amazon credit card | > Check your eligibility for a John Lewis credit card | > Check your eligibility for a Marks and Spencer Bank credit card |
Other cards
- Asda Money: 0.75% back at Asda, 0.2% elsewhere
Best airline reward credit cards
Fee-free versions of the following cards are available, though you’ll earn far fewer points all round.
| British Airways American Express Premium Plus | Barclaycard Avios Plus | Virgin Atlantic Reward+ |
| 1.5 Avios per £1 spent | 1.5 Avios per £1 spent | 1.5 point per £1 spent |
| 30,000 bonus welcome Avios if you spend £3,000 in three months Often boosted to 60,000 points | 25,000 bonus welcome Avios if you spend £3,000 in three months | 18,000 bonus points with first spend |
| Spend £15,000 to get a companion voucher | Spend £10,000 to get a cabin upgrade voucher | Spend £10,000 to get a companion or cabin upgrade voucher |
| £300 a year | £20 a month | £160 a year |
| > Barclaycard Avios review | ||
| > Customer reviews of Amex over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of Barclaycard credit cards over on Smart Money People | > Customer reviews of Virgin Money cards over on Smart Money People |
| > Check your eligibility for an American Express credit card | > Check your eligibility for a Barclaycard credit card | > Check your eligibility for a Virgin Money credit card |
Our analysis
As well as earning points as you spend, the draw with these cards are welcome offers and 2-4-1 vouchers. However the latter can require huge amounts of spending – and then even more to get enough points to use alongside the vouchers, especially on non-economy seats.
Unless you are going to be spending a lot, or want to save long term for a dream trip, I prefer using cashback card and having the flexibility to shop around for deals on flights.
You can also earn points on some American Express cards, such as the Nectar, Reward, Gold and Platinum that can covert to many different airline schemes.
Check out my list of the best credit card offers and promotions
