The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Friday, March 29, 2024

2 Methods: How to Get Cash from a Credit Card (Feb. 2024)

How To Get Cash From A Credit Card
Ashley Fricker

Written by: Ashley Fricker

Ashley Fricker
Ashley Fricker

Ashley Fricker has more than a decade of experience as a finance contributor and editor, and has specialized in the credit card industry since 2015. Her credit card commentary is featured on national media outlets that include CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, and Reader's Digest, among many others. She has worked closely with the world’s largest banks and financial institutions, up-and-coming fintech companies, and press and news outlets to curate comprehensive content and media. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in multimedia journalism from Florida Atlantic University.

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Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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If you’re looking for information on how to get cash from a credit card, you’ve come to the right place. There are a couple of different ways this can be done and we’ll cover both in the article below.

In a world where you can use a credit card to pay everyone, from your favorite babysitter to the artist on the street, it’s a rare event when you need to fork over actual cash for something.

Rare, but not unheard of — like when you need $50 cash to keep your mis-parked car from being towed, and you need it now. But even when you need cash in hand, your credit card can be a valuable tool.

Indeed, when people speak of getting cash from a credit card, there are two methods to which they’re usually referring: pulling cash from an ATM, for when you need cash now, or getting cash back rewards, which act as a rebate on everything you buy.

Cash Advance | Cash Back Rewards

Method 1: Get a Cash Advance from a Credit Card

Although most things in life can be paid with a swipe or a tap, cash has yet to go completely out of style. When you need emergency cash but don’t have enough in your bank account to cover the situation, you may be able to use your credit card to pull cash out of an ATM.

Called a credit card cash advance, this service can be handy — but it isn’t free. Cash advances not only come with transaction fees for each advance, but also tend to charge higher APRs than other transactions.

That said, a cash advance can be the lesser of evils in some cases, particularly when used as an alternative to a more expensive short-term cash advance loan or a payday loan.

How it Works

Before attempting to withdraw money, you should first check your credit card agreement or online account to verify that your card is eligible for a cash advance and to find out your card’s cash advance limit. That limit will likely be much smaller than your actual credit line.

Once you know if, and how much, you can get from an advance, you’ll need to decide how you want to obtain your funds. The most common way to get money from a credit card is to set up a cash advance PIN so you can use your card to withdraw money from an ATM.

Credit Card Issuer Customer Service Contact Numbers

Most issuers will allow you to set up your cash advance PIN online, although you may have to contact your card’s customer service line in some cases.

Once you’ve set up a cash advance PIN, you can use your credit card at any eligible ATM the same way you would use a debit card (though the money isn’t coming from your bank account, it’s being charged to your credit card as a cash advance transaction).

If you don’t want to set up a PIN, some credit card issuers may allow you to simply present your credit card and photo ID at a local branded bank branch to receive a cash advance.

Credit card convenience checks are also a common way to perform a cash advance. Convenience checks are paper checks mailed to you by your credit card issuer that can be used like any check to make a payment via your credit card, but the transaction is treated as a cash advance by the credit card.

Best Cards

If you’re looking for a credit card without any cash advance fees, you’re probably going to need to join a credit union. If you want to use a credit card from a major bank to make a cash advance, you’re likely going to pay a fee.

Those cash advance fees tend to range from 3% to 5% of the total transaction amount, which can add up as your advance grows. So, to pick the best card for a cash advance, it’s a good idea to use one with a lower cash advance fee.

At the same time, you’ll also want to look at the cash advance APR, which is often separate from — and several points higher than — the usual purchase APR. Cash advances start accruing interest right away, so a lower APR can help keep costs down.

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$95
Excellent, Good

Although you won’t earn any rewards on cash advances, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a popular choice for everyday travel spending. The card has a relatively low cash advance fee with a reasonable APR on cash advances. Please see the card’s application page for more details.

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.5

OVERALL RATING

  • No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
  • Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
  • Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
  • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
  • Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
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Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
30.74% (Variable)
$0
Average, Fair, Limited

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is available to a wider range of credit scores than other Capital One cards, but offers the same moderately low cash advance fee. The APR will be a little higher, with cash advances charging the same 30.74% (Variable) as new purchases.

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
$0
Good/Excellent

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® provides cardholders with access to a cash advance if they find themselves needing one. Though the fee is on the higher end of the average scale, what makes this card attractive are the reward potentials.

Considerations

The first and most obvious consideration when contemplating a credit card cash advance is the cash advance fee charged by most cards. At 3% to 5% of the total transaction amount, these fees can add up.

Then there’s the fact that cash advances aren’t included in the credit card grace period, meaning interest will start to accumulate as soon as the cash advance transaction hits your account. Given that many cards charge higher APRs for cash advances than other transaction types, those interest fees can get expensive fast.

You should also keep in mind that you may be making a cash advance even if you don’t withdraw cash from an ATM. There are a number of cash equivalent transactions that are typically treated as cash advances by credit cards, including purchases of money orders, traveler’s checks, lottery tickets, and some gift cards.

Finally, cash advance transactions won’t earn any credit card rewards, nor will they count toward the spending requirement for a credit card signup bonus.

Method 2: Get Cash Back Rewards from a Credit Card

The other popular way to get cash from a credit card is to earn it through credit card rewards. Cash back credit cards are available for almost any credit profile — including bad credit — and to complement most spending styles, offering a nearly universal rebate on just about everything.

While it’s most common to see cash back rewards redeemed as a statement credit that can help pay your credit card balance, you can still get physical cash by having your cash back deposited into an eligible bank account or even mailed as a physical check in some cases.

How it Works

In today’s credit card market, you can customize nearly everything about how you earn and redeem your cash back rewards. That’s because there are literally dozens of cash back rewards cards from which to choose, and that competition has been good for cardholders.

Of course, it all starts with obtaining a credit card that earns cash back. There are two main styles of cash back cards, the first of which offers unlimited cash back at a single rate, typically 1.5% to 2% on every purchase.

The second type of cash back card offers a lower unlimited rate on most purchases — generally just 1% — while also offering higher cash back rates for purchases made in specific bonus categories.

Graphic Showing How to Earn Cash Back Credit Card Rewards

Once you have a card, earning cash back is usually just as simple as making purchases with your rewards card. In some cases, you may need to activate your bonus categories to start earning (most often with cards with rotating bonus categories).

Redeeming your cash back will vary by issuer, but can usually be done in a few clicks through your online credit card account. Depending on your credit card issuer, you may need to accumulate a certain amount of cash back — typically $25 worth of rewards — before you can redeem.

Best Cards

Choosing the right cash back credit card for your spending style will usually come down to determining where you make most of your purchases. If you spend a lot in popular merchant categories, such as gas stations, grocery stores, or restaurants, then you can likely benefit from a card that offers bonus rewards for those purchases.

If your spending doesn’t happen to match up with the popular bonus categories, however, you’re likely better off finding a credit card that offers a high unlimited rate on everything to maximize your cash back earnings.

Discover it® Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

The Discover it® Cash Back is a popular choice for its quarterly rotating cash back bonus categories. The bonus category must be activated each quarter, and bonus rewards are subject to a spending cap. Discover boasts the best customer service in the industry, so you can rest assured you’ll be in good hands if you ever need help with your account.

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★
4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
  • Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
  • No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
$0
Good/Excellent

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a tiered cash back rewards card with no annual fee. There’s no minimum cash back threshold to redeem your rewards.

Discover it® Secured Credit Card Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★
4.0

OVERALL RATING

  • No credit score required to apply.
  • No Annual Fee, earn cash back, and build your credit history.
  • Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
  • Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
  • Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
28.24% Variable APR
$0
New/Rebuilding

The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a good choice for those with no/limited or poor credit who want to earn rewards. Qualified applicants can open an account with a minimum deposit, and the account will be automatically reviewed for eligibility to upgrade to an unsecured account after a set period of time.

Considerations

Perhaps the most important consideration when thinking about getting a cash back rewards credit card is whether you can use the card responsibly.

For example, charging more than you can repay just to earn rewards is usually a losing proposition. The cash back rewards you earn will rarely outpace the interest fees charged when you carry a balance from month to month.

The card’s annual fee is also an important thing to consider. As the rewards rate for a credit card rises, so, too, does its annual fee in most cases. While there are certainly times when paying an annual fee is well worth it for the highest rewards rate, that’s not always the case.

Another consideration is that cash back rewards are often not the most valuable type of credit card rewards.

Flexible points and travel miles can often provide a higher rate of return when redeemed wisely, making it important for those interest in maximizing rewards to consider the potential opportunity cost of using a cash back card.

Cash is King

In an economy where it’s getting rarer and rarer to make a transaction in cash, the push toward becoming an entirely cashless society is getting stronger. But despite growing efforts to bring down the reigning monarch, Cash is still King of many realms.

That prevalence doesn’t seem to phase most credit cards, however. Not only can your trusty credit card be used to get quick cash in an emergency, but the cash back rewards most can earn are lining the pockets of millions of cardholders.

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