If you often shop at retailers like Amazon, Target and Walmart, the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card is designed for you. It offers up to 6% cash back on two retailers of your choice and 3% on a selected everyday category, providing flexibility based on your spending habits. However, to maximize its benefits, you’ll need to manage the bonus categories (which have caps and require quarterly activation) and consider the $95 annual fee after the first year.
U.S. Bank Shopper Review: The Ultimate Cash Back Card for Retailers?
The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card lets you earn 6% cash back at two retailers and 3% on an everyday category of your choice. However, it caps rewards and requires activation. There’s also a $95 annual fee after the first year.
Updated: October 29, 2024
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MoneyGeek’s Take
Moneygeek.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.
- PROS
- High cash back at selected retailers
- Bonus offer for new cardholders
- Cash back on everyday categories
- No annual fee for the first year
- Flexible redemption options
CONS- $95 annual fee after the first year
- Cash back cap on purchases
- Potentially high APR
- Earn 6% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter at two selected retailers, including options like Amazon.com™, Walmart® and Target®.
- Earn a $250 bonus after spending $2,000 within the first 120 days of opening your account.
- Earn 3% cash back on up to $1,500 each quarter in a chosen everyday category, such as wholesale clubs, gas stations, EV charging stations and home utilities.
- Enjoy 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Benefit from 5.5% cash back on prepaid car and hotel reservations made through the Rewards Center.
- Access increased cash back opportunities at over 1,100 online stores via U.S. Bank's Rewards Center Shopping Deals.
- Choose from flexible cash back redemption options, including statement credit, rewards card, merchant gift cards or direct deposit into a U.S. Bank checking or savings account.
- No annual fee for the first year, followed by a $95 annual fee after that.
- Regular APR: 19.74%–29.74% (variable).
U.S. Bank Shopper Card Overview
The U.S. Bank Shopper is designed for families who spend heavily on retail stores and other everyday purchases. With this card, you earn up to 6% cash back on purchases at two selected retailers (including Amazon, Target and Walmart) and 3% cash back on a chosen everyday category (such as gas stations or utilities). However, a $1,500 quarterly cap applies separately for the 6% and 3% categories. All other purchases earn 1.5% cash back.
Few cards offer a 6% cash back rate, and even fewer extend this high reward rate to wholesale clubs. The U.S. Bank Shopper Card provides better cash back than most store credit cards. Since the card allows you to choose which categories get bonus rates, you can customize the card based on your spending habits. If you’re able to maximize the 6% and 3% categories, you could earn up to $540 per year.
Note that the card has a $95 annual fee after the first year. Additionally, you need to activate the categories every quarter to get the bonus rates, which can be cumbersome if you prefer more straightforward rewards.
>>MORE: MoneyGeek's Best Cash Back Credit Cards
Feature | Details |
---|---|
Card Uses | Cash Back |
Annual Fee | $0 for the first year, $95 after that. |
Introductory Offer | Earn $250 bonus after spending $2,000 within the first 120 days of opening your account. |
Introductory APRs | None |
Rewards |
|
Regular APRs | 19.74%–29.74% variable |
Penalty APR | None |
Balance Transfer Fees | Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater. |
Late Fees | Up to $41 |
Foreign Transaction Fee | 3% of each foreign transaction |
Other Perks | Access increased cash back opportunities at over 1,100 online stores via U.S. Bank's Rewards Center Shopping Deals. |
Rewards Program Overview
The U.S. Bank Shopper offers a robust rewards program tailored for consumers who frequently shop at retailers and want to maximize their cash back. You can earn 6% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter at two retailers you choose.
Here are the eligible retailers:
- Ace Hardware
- Apple
- Amazon.com
- Anthropologie
- Bed, Bath, & Beyond
- Best Buy
- Chewy.com
- Crate and Barrel
- Disney
- Home Depot
- Ikea
- Kohl's
- Lowe's
- Lululemon
- Macy's
- Menards
- Nordstrom
- Pottery Barn
- QVC
- Restoration Hardware
- Target
- Walmart
- Wayfair.com
- Williams Sonoma
Additionally, you earn 3% cash back on up to $1,500 each quarter in a chosen everyday category, including options like wholesale clubs, gas stations, EV charging stations or home utilities. You also get 5.5% cash back for rental car and hotel reservations via U.S. Bank's rewards portal. All other purchases earn 1.5% cash back.
Note that you need to activate the retailers and category you choose every quarter before they become eligible for the increased cash back rate. This process may take up to three business days. Meanwhile, you'll earn 1.5% cash back on your purchases.
Cash rewards earned with this card stay active as long as the account remains open. Redemption options are versatile, allowing you to choose from a statement credit, direct deposit into a U.S. Bank account or merchant gift cards.
Why You Might Want to Get This Card
The U.S. Bank Shopper offers hard-to-beat cash back on common spending categories. Moreover, its customizable system lets you adjust the card based on your needs.
Up to 6% Cash Back
The card lets you earn 6% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases each quarter at two selected retailers, including popular options like Amazon, Walmart and Target. Additionally, you can earn 3% cash back on up to $1,500 each quarter in your chosen everyday category, such as wholesale clubs, gas stations, EV charging stations or home utilities.
These high cash back rates can significantly boost your savings at your favorite shopping destinations. It’s one of the few cards that offer high cash back at big box retailers, often surpassing the rates of store cards. Despite the $95 annual fee after the first year, you can still earn up to $445 per year if you maximize the 6% and 3% categories' quarterly spending caps.
Customizable Bonus Categories
With the U.S. Bank Shopper, you can choose the categories that earn the increased cash back rate, allowing you to tailor your rewards to match your spending habits and maximize your earnings.
For instance, you can select a wholesale club for the 6% cash back rate and another retailer based on your current needs. If you're working on a home improvement project, you might choose Home Depot or Ikea. If you're planning to buy a new smartphone, you could opt for Apple or Amazon. Additionally, you can choose an everyday category, such as gas stations or utilities, to benefit from the 3% cash back rate.
Base Cash Back Rate
The card’s base cash back rate is 1.5%, which is higher compared to the 1% that other bonus cards offer. This lets you earn decent cash back on purchases that aren’t covered by the card’s bonus categories.
Sign-Up Bonus
You stand to earn a $250 bonus after spending $2,000 within the first 120 days of opening your account. This sign-up bonus is effectively a 12.5% discount on your purchases.
Why You Might Want a Different Card
You could earn high cash back with the U.S. Bank Shopper, but consider these factors before applying for the card.
Bonus Categories Require Management
To earn the highest cash back rates, you need to select and activate your bonus categories each quarter. The 6% and 3% cash back rates are separately capped at $1,500 per quarter. Overall, this card requires active management to maximize its reward potential. If you’re looking for a card that earns high cash back without activations, consider the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express.
Annual Fee
While the card has no annual fee for the first year, it charges $95 annually after that. This fee can offset some of the cash back you earn, and you might not come out ahead if you don't maximize the bonus categories. If you spend less than $350 monthly in the 6% and 3% categories, your cash back earnings will barely cover the annual fee. If your spending does not justify the card’s annual fee but you still want to earn high cash back on groceries, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is an alternative.
No 0% Intro APR Offer
This card does not offer a 0% intro APR on purchases or balance transfers. If you're looking to finance a large purchase or transfer a balance without accruing interest, you might want to consider cards that offer 0% APR introductory offers for balance transfers.
How the U.S. Bank Shopper Card Compares
We compare the U.S. Bank Shopper with other cash back cards to help you decide if it is a good fit for your needs.
U.S. Bank Shopper vs. Blue Cash Preferred
For the same annual fee, the Blue Cash Preferred Card offers 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year and unlimited 3% cash back on gas stations and transit expenses. You don’t need to activate categories to earn high rewards, but its 6% excludes wholesale clubs like Walmart and Target. This card can be an alternative if you don’t want to deal with category activations. The cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout.
U.S. Bank Shopper vs. SavorOne Cash
The SavorOne Cash Card is a no-annual-fee card that offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment and grocery stores. It also has a 0% intro APR period for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. It’s a simpler alternative to the U.S. Bank Shopper, especially if your spending does not justify the $95 annual fee.
Cards to Pair With the U.S. Bank Shopper Card
Pairing your cash back card with another card offering complementary benefits is a no-brainer, helping you maximize the rewards from your everyday spending. After analyzing the marketplace, we found a card that pairs beautifully with the U.S. Bank Shopper Card.
Pairing With the Citi Custom Cash Card
If you’re looking to get more cash back, you can pair the U.S. Bank Shopper with a card like the Citi Custom Cash. The Citi card offers 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to $500. With this, you can use the Citi Custom Cash for categories not covered by the U.S. Bank Shopper, such as restaurants, streaming and transit. You can then use the U.S. Bank Shopper for categories eligible for the 6% and 3% cash back. This pairing allows you to maximize rewards across a broader range of purchases.
Is the U.S. Bank Shopper Card Right for You?
If you spend a lot at the same stores and they are on the list of retailers for the U.S. Bank Shopper Card, you're in luck. This card offers 6% cash back at two retailers of your choice (from a list of 24 options), but there’s a separate $1,500 spending cap. Additionally, you need to activate your selected retailers and categories each quarter to earn the increased cash back.
The card’s flexibility allows you to tailor the rewards to your spending habits, which can be highly beneficial for those who don’t mind managing their card to get higher rewards. However, it may be too much of a hassle for those who prefer a card they can set and forget. Additionally, the card comes with a $95 annual fee after the first year, which is something to consider if your spending isn’t enough to justify the fee.
Despite these considerations, few cards offer 6% cash back, and even fewer provide high rewards for retailers like Walmart and Target. It can offer significant savings if your spending aligns with the U.S. Bank Shopper’s bonus categories.
If the U.S. Bank Shopper does not work for you, check our list of the best cash back credit cards to help you find one that matches your spending habits and lifestyle.
How We Evaluated the U.S. Bank Shopper Card
We reviewed 60 cards, including the U.S. Bank Shopper Card, focusing on the following criteria to generate our scores:
- Effective Reward Rate (50%): Measures how rewarding the card is based on different reward multipliers. A 5 rating indicates a highly rewarding card.
- Annual Fee (10%): Evaluates the cost of the card. A 5 rating means no annual fee.
- Offer Return on Investment (ROI) (10%): Assesses the return on investment from sign-up bonuses and other offers. A 5 rating indicates a high ROI.
- Intro Purchase (5%): Rates the 0% APR offer on purchases. A 5 rating means a long 0% APR period.
- Recommended Credit (5%): Indicates the credit score range required for approval. A 5 rating means the card is available to almost all credit scores.
- Issuer Satisfaction (5%): Based on J.D. Power issuer satisfaction study. A 5 rating indicates high customer satisfaction.
- Penalties (5%): Rates penalty rates and fees. A 5 rating means no penalty rates or fees.
- Regular APR (5%): Evaluates the card's regular APR. A 5 rating indicates a low APR.
- Foreign Transaction (5%): Rates the foreign transaction fees. A 5 rating means no foreign transaction fees.
By systematically ranking cash back credit cards, we provide comprehensive reviews that help you directly compare offerings to find the best option for your wallet.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- American Express. "Blue Cash Preferred® Card." Accessed October 29, 2024.
- Capital One. "SavorOne Rewards from Capital One." Accessed October 29, 2024.
- Citi. "Citi Custom Cash®." Accessed October 29, 2024.
- U.S. Bank. "U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards Card." Accessed October 29, 2024.
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