U.S. Bank Cash+ Card: cash back in categories you choose

What makes a credit card worth applying for? A long list of perks isn’t always the answer. What matters more is how well a card’s rewards match the way you actually spend.

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That’s the idea behind the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, a no-annual-fee card that lets you choose your own bonus categories every quarter. It pays 5% cash back in two categories you pick, 2% in one everyday category and 1% on everything else. Below, we explain how it works, what it costs and who it suits.

How the Cash+ categories work

Each quarter, you choose and activate three categories:

• Two 5% categories, from a list that includes fast food, home utilities, TV, internet and streaming, cell phone providers, department stores, electronics stores, sporting goods, furniture stores, movie theaters, ground transportation, gyms and fitness centers, and select clothing stores
• One 2% everyday category: grocery stores and grocery delivery, restaurants, or gas stations and EV charging stations

The 5% rate applies to your first $2,000 in combined purchases in your two 5% categories each quarter, then drops to 1%. There’s no limit on the 2% and 1% earnings. You also earn 5% on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the U.S. Bank Travel Center.

Two details are easy to miss. If you don’t choose your categories in a given quarter, all purchases earn just 1%. And grocery and gas purchases at discount stores and supercenters, such as Target and Walmart, and at wholesale clubs earn only 1%. Category options can also change from quarter to quarter.

Welcome bonus and intro APR

For a limited time, new cardholders can earn a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 90 days. The bonus isn’t available to current or previous U.S. Bank Cash Rewards account holders.

The card also has a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles. The same rate applies to balance transfers made within 60 days of opening the account, with a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum). You can’t transfer balances from other U.S. Bank accounts.

Pros of the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

• No annual fee
• 5% cash back in two categories you choose, on up to $2,000 each quarter
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles
• You can see if you’re pre-approved without affecting your credit

Cons of the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

• You have to choose and activate categories every quarter, or you earn only 1%
• The $2,000 quarterly cap limits how much you can earn at 5%
• Discount stores, supercenters and wholesale clubs don’t count toward grocery and gas bonuses
• Foreign transaction fees make it a poor choice abroad

U.S. Bank Cash+® rates and fees

• Annual fee: $0
• Welcome bonus: $200 after $1,000 in eligible purchases in the first 90 days
• Intro APR: 0% on purchases for 15 billing cycles, and on balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening
• APR after the intro period: 17.74% to 27.99% variable in recent offers
• Balance transfer fee: 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum)
• Foreign transaction fee: 2% on foreign transactions in U.S. dollars and 3% on transactions in a foreign currency

If you pay more than the minimum, U.S. Bank applies the extra amount to the balance with the highest APR first.

Terms checked in September 2026. U.S. Bank says it may change APRs, fees and other terms, so confirm the current offer on its official website before you apply.

About U.S. Bank

The card is issued by U.S. Bank National Association, part of U.S. Bancorp, one of the largest banks in the United States, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. You don’t need a U.S. Bank checking account or any existing relationship with the bank to get the card or redeem its rewards.

Redeeming your cash back

You can redeem cash back at any time through the Rewards Center, online or in the U.S. Bank Mobile App, as a statement credit, a deposit into a U.S. Bank checking or savings account or a rewards card. Statement credits and deposits give you the maximum value. Other options, such as gift cards, may be worth less. Cash rewards expire 36 months after the billing cycle in which you earned them, so redeem regularly.

The app also gives you access to cash-back deals, personalized offers from merchants based on your past spending.

Our take on the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Cash+ card rewards people who spend regularly in its 5% categories, such as utilities, streaming or cell phone bills, and who don’t mind picking categories every quarter. For the right spending pattern, it can earn much more than a flat-rate card, and the 15-cycle intro APR adds value for a planned purchase or balance transfer.

If you’d rather not track categories, or most of your spending doesn’t fit the 5% list, a flat-rate cash back card will be simpler and may earn about the same. And since the standard APR is high, it works best if you pay your balance in full once the intro period ends.

U.S. Bank says its credit cards are generally for people with good to excellent credit. You can check if you’re pre-approved on its website without affecting your credit.

In the next article, we walk through how to apply for the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card.

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