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If you are an active or former member of the military, or an eligible family member, you can earn a generous cash back rate on everyday purchases with the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card.
Cardholders earn 5% cash back on your first $3,000 in gas and military base purchases annually on these categories combined. Earn 2% on your first $3,000 on supermarket purchases per year. Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Additionally, the card offers a $0 annual fee and a very reasonable ongoing APR.
We highlight the pros and cons of the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card, and show how it compares to similar cash back credit cards and cards designed for military members.
*Terms apply
Intro Purchase APR
N/A
Regular Purchase APR
11.90% - 25.90% Variable
Intro BT APR
N/A
Regular BT APR
11.90% - 25.90% Variable
Annual Fee
$0
Cash Advance Fee
3% on balance transfers and cash advances
Foreign Transaction Fee
None
Balance Transfer Fee
3% on balance transfers and cash advances
Cash back rewards
The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card offers cash back rewards in popular, everyday spending categories. Cardholders earn 5% cash back on your first $3,000 in gas and military base purchases annually on these categories combined. Earn 2% on your first $3,000 on supermarket purchases per year. Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Rewards can be redeemed for cash that can either be applied as a credit to your account or deposited into your USAA checking or savings account.
Reasonable ongoing APR
If you need to carry a balance on your card from month to month, you have the opportunity to qualify for a low ongoing APR on purchases with the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card. The card has an APR of 11.90% - 25.90% variable.
Annual fee
The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card charges a $0 annual fee.
Cap on the higher earning rate
While cardholders can earn a generous cash back rate with the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card, know that the accelerated rewards rate on gas and military base purchases is capped at $3,000 in combined purchases each year. Similarly, the rate on supermarket purchases is capped at $3,000 per year.
Still, if you max out each of the spending caps, you have the potential to earn more than $200 cash back each year on those purchases alone.
No welcome offer
Rewards credit cards typically offer a bonus when you open the account and spend a certain amount within a specified time period.
For example, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express lets cardholders earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card, however, does not provide a welcome offer.
No intro APR
The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card does not offer an intro APR on purchases or balance transfers. So if you plan to carry a balance on your card month over month, or if you want to transfer high interest debt from another card, you will be subject to interest charges at an APR of 11.90% - 25.90% variable.
Eligibility requirements to apply
To apply for the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card, you must first become a USAA member. The following individuals are eligible for membership:
If you want the opportunity to earn an even higher cash back rate in everyday categories from a card that also offers a welcome offer and intro APR on purchases, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a great alternative.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express members 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply.
Plus, cardholders earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Cash back is received in the form of Rewards Dollars, which can be redeemed as statement credits.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has an intro APR of 0% on purchases for 12 months. After that, a regular APR of 16.24%-26.24% variable applies.
Unlike the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card, there are no military or credit union membership requirements to apply for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
That said, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express does come with a $95 annual fee. However, if you’re an eligible active duty service member, American Express will waive its annual membership fee upon request.
To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Wells Fargo Reflect® Card | Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card |
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Read Review |
Apply Now on American Express's secure site
Terms Apply
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Apply Now on Wells Fargo's secure site
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Read Review |
Welcome Offer | |||
None | Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. | N/A | No bonus |
Rewards Rate | |||
Earn 5% cash back on your first $3,000 in gas and military base purchases annually on these categories combined. Earn 2% on your first $3,000 on supermarket purchases per year. Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. | 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more), 1% Cash Back on other purchases. Terms apply. | None | No rewards |
Annual Fee | |||
$0 | $95 | $0 | $0 |
Intro Purchase APR | |||
N/A | 0% on purchases for 12 months | 0% intro APR up to 21 months from account opening | N/A |
Regular APR | |||
11.90% - 25.90% Variable | 16.24%-26.24% Variable | 15.24% - 27.24% variable APR | 6.74% to 18.00% (variable) |
Regular Balance Transfer Rate | |||
11.90% - 25.90% Variable | N/A | 15.24% - 27.24% variable APR | 6.74% to 18.00% (variable) |
Recommended Credit | |||
Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good | Excellent/Good/Fair |
Card Details | |||
USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Wells Fargo Reflect® Card | Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card |
The information related to the Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
The USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card is a great option for current or former military members (and eligible family members) who are in the market for a $0 annual fee card with a generous cash back rate on gas, military base purchases and groceries.
But if you want to earn a higher cash back rate at U.S. supermarkets, as well as cash back on U.S. streaming subscriptions, U.S. gas station purchases and transit, or if you want to finance a large purchase without incurring interest charges for a year, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a better option.
To see rates & fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please click here.
The information related to the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.