Writer: Ashley Fricker
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Ashley Fricker
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The best credit cards for groceries can offer some serious perks when compared with paying in just plain old cash. And with cash back, air miles, or other card benefits stacked on top of buy-one-get-one deals, store coupons, and other promotions, grocery shopping can feel downright rewarding.
Often, the best cards are reserved for those with good to excellent credit, but even with a lower credit score, you can take advantage of a card that will reward you for buying groceries. Whether you want to earn cash back, rewards points, miles, or are a student needing to stock your dorm fridge — we look at all the best grocery store credit cards to help make a necessary trip more advantageous.
Cash Back | Rewards | Air Miles | 0% Intro APR | Students | Bad Credit | Fair Credit | No Credit
Best “Cash Back” Cards for Groceries
Sometimes a card has a fixed cash back rate; sometimes it can be more if groceries are a rotating category. Either way, it’s money back in your pocket if you are using it at the grocery store. Instead of leaving money on the table, find the grocery cash back credit card that is right for you.
Try a card with a fixed amount of cash back if you want to see a steady stream over time. If you like the idea of rotating categories with the potential for even more savings, there are also some excellent options available. Don’t miss out on extra money because you aren’t using the right card. Below are our top picks for earning cash back.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.4.9
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Best “Rewards” Cards for Groceries
If you’re the type of person who likes to use rewards to splurge on something big for yourself or your family, you might be on the lookout for the best grocery rewards credit card.
Some credit cards will give you points for every purchase, and those points can add up over time to net you an otherwise large purchase (maybe a new flat-screen TV for the living room) for little or nothing. Shop around to make sure you are getting the most points possible for your grocery store purchase. Here are some of the best cards for earning rewards.
This card is currently not available.3. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Best “Air Miles” Cards for Groceries
Some prefer to keep their head in the clouds when looking for a rewarding credit card. That’s because they are focused on air miles. Every credit card differs when it comes to how many miles you can earn per dollar you spend, and some even offer bonus miles for signing up.
If you have your heart set on that trip to Jamaica or are just looking to book a free flight to a family reunion, an air miles credit card might be best for you. Make sure to look at the APR on the air miles card you choose, as well as the annual fee. Some offer great introductory APRs, some offer no fees, some even offer both. Below are some of the best air miles cards out there.
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Best “0% Intro APR” Cards for Groceries
If you plan on carrying a balance for a period of time after opening your account, a card with 0% introductory APR may be the best choice. These cards allow you to pay no interest for a set amount of time — sometimes up to 15 months — so you can get what you need now and wait until later to pay it off.
Make sure that the APR is reasonable for you after the 0% introductory offer expires so that you don’t find yourself struggling to pay the monthly finance charges. Check out the cards below if you are interested in 0% introductory APR.
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser. Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.4.8
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Best “Student” Cards for Groceries
Students need to make the most of their trip to the grocery store, often choosing a mix of value and quantity designed to get them through the week. Some credit cards cater specifically to the needs of today’s student by offering cash back, no annual fee, or even welcome bonuses.
These cards often take into account the fact that a student probably hasn’t been able to build a lot of credit yet, often having lower thresholds of credit scores than what’s needed to acquire them. Check out our top choices for student credit cards below.
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- 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. So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
- Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- No credit score required to apply.
- 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. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 17.24% - 26.24% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
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10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
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17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR
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$0
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Fair/New to Credit
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- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
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Regular APR
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Annual Fee
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Credit Needed
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|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
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N/A
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19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
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$0
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Average, Fair, Limited
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Best “Bad Credit” Cards for Groceries (Sub 580 Credit Score)
Even if you don’t have the best credit, you can get a card that gives you rewards for using it at the grocery store. Some even offer cash back specifically on grocery purchases. Using a credit card for a weekly necessity, then paying off the balance is also a great way to help build the credit score needed to qualify for a card with even better rewards in the future.
The right card can help you get your credit back on track while still giving you something in return in the meantime. If you have bad credit, these cards may be right for you.
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+ See More Cards for Bad Credit
Best “Fair Credit” Cards for Groceries (580-669 Credit Score)
When you have fair credit, you are looking for two things: the best card you can get and a card that can help you get into the “excellent” credit category. The perfect card would offer you some type of perk (cash back, points, etc.) while having a reasonable APR so that you don’t end up unable to pay the minimum amount down the road.
Sometimes these cards will have an annual fee, but sometimes they can offset that with a good introductory APR offer. Make sure to look at all aspects of the card before selecting the right one for you. With fair credit, one of the following cards could be the best choice for you.
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*See Program Terms for important information about the cash back rewards program.
** Prequalify means that you authorize us to make a soft inquiry into your credit history (that will not affect your credit) to create an offer. If you accept an offer a hard inquiry will be made. Final approval is not guaranteed if you do not meet all applicable criteria (including adequate proof of ability to repay). Income verification through access to your bank account information may be required.
† Your credit score will be available in your online account starting 60 days after your account is opened. (Registration required.) The free VantageScore 4.0 credit score provided by TransUnion® is for educational purposes only. This score may not be used by The Bank of Missouri (the issuer of this card) or other creditors to make credit decisions.
+ See More Cards for Fair Credit
Best “No Credit” Cards for Groceries (No Credit Score)
Sometimes, we need to start building credit so that we can get into the game. When this is the case, it really helps to do research because some cards are not as great as they might seem on first glance.
The good news, though, is that some of the best credit cards for those with no credit also include rewards like cash back, points, miles or other great perks. They can make the transition into the world of credit cards less scary, and maybe a little more lucrative for you. Below are some of the top cards you can get with no credit.
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+ See More Cards for No Credit
Get More at the Grocery Store
We all want our money to go further, and whether we are clipping coupons or taking advantage of buy-one-get-one-free promotions, we are aware of the savings out there. A credit card that gives you something back can be an additional staple of savings, no matter your credit standing.
Whether it’s cash back, rewards, or just help in building credit, your weekly trip to the grocery store can do more for you. Armed with the best grocery credit card options, you should be able to pick the best one and start cashing in while you’re checking out.
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Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
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