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Fortune
Fortune
Jessica Ulrich

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card: Major cash back at your favorite stores and no annual fee the first year

Photo of the US Bank Shopper Cash Rewards card over a yellow background with blue abstract shapes. (Credit: Photo illustration by Fortune; Original photo by US Bank)

Why we like this card: The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card offers up to 6% cash back on the first $1,500 combined spend at two stores of your choosing each quarter. You’ll also get generous cash back in other categories. 

In addition to its lucrative rewards, this card has no annual fee for the first year ($95 each year thereafter), and you can earn a $250 welcome offer after spending $2,000 in the first four months of card opening.  

Pros

  • Up to 6% back at two participating retailers you choose
  • Minimum 1.5% cash back on all net purchases
  • Generous $250 welcome offer

Cons

  • Some reward caps apply
  • $95 annual fee after the first year
  • Rotating categories require quarterly upkeep

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card: Overview

APR

  • Intro: N/A
  • Purchase: 19.74%–29.74% variable
  • Balance transfer: 19.74%–29.74% (variable); 3% fee for amounts transferred or $5, whichever is greater
  • Cash advance: 29.99% (variable); 5% of amount taken out or $10, whichever is greater
  • Penalty: N/A

Annual fee: $0 in the first year, $95 after that

Foreign transaction fee: 3% 

Late payment fee: Up to $41

Returned payment fee: Up to $41

Convenience check cash advance fee: 3% of amount taken out or $5, whichever is greater 

U.S. Bank ExtendPay fee: Up to 1.6% of original principal balance

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card offers a flexible rewards structure that lets you earn big cash back at your favorite retailers in an eligible spending category of your choosing, as well as flat-rate rewards on all other purchases. If you shop at specific stores frequently but want to avoid multiple retail credit cards, this card could be a great alternative. It’s also useful if you frequently spend in qualifying categories, as doing so could help you maximize your cash back.  

Additionally, cardholders can benefit from the U.S. Bank ExtendPay plan, which can help make eligible large purchases easier to manage. With this plan, you can pay off eligible purchases over time without incurring hefty interest charges on your balance. While a 1.6% monthly fee on your original principal balance stillapplies, this plan can be valuable if you have a big expense.   

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card: Rewards

This card offers the convenience of flat-rate cashback earnings plus lucrative rewards in quarterly rotating categories you select. While you’ll need to choose your rotating categories every three months to maximize your cash back, the high earning rates you’ll get with this card likely make it worth the effort. As a cardmember, you’ll earn:

  • Up to 6% on your first $1,500 spent quarterly with two participating retailers of your choice
  • 5.5% on prepaid hotel reservations and car rentals made through the U.S. Bank Travel Rewards Center
  • 3% cash back on the first $1,500 you spend each quarter in an eligible category you choose
  • 1.5% back on everything else

Though a spending cap applies and its retailer list may change, at the time of publication U.S. Bank allows you to earn up to 6% back at the following stores each quarter:

  • Ace Hardware
  • Amazon
  • Apple
  • 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

These spending categories also qualify for 3% cash back each quarter:

  • Wholesale clubs
  • Gas and EV charging stations
  • Bills and utilities

As with other credit cards, certain charges don’t earn rewards, including cash advances, interest charges, foreign transaction fees, balance transfers, and more. 

Does the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card offer a new customer bonus?

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card offers a welcome bonus of $250 that you can earn after spending $2,000 within four months of card membership. 

How to redeem U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card rewards

You can redeem cash back earned with your U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card in a few different ways, and your rewards don’t expire as long as your account is open. 

  • Statement credit: Use your cash back to offset the cost of future credit card purchases and keep a little extra cash in your pocket.
  • Deposit to an eligible account: Deposit your rewards balance to an eligible U.S. Bank savings, checking, or money market account.
  • Rewards card: Redeem your cash back for a U.S. Bank Rewards Card, a prepaid card you can use to spend anywhere Visa cards are accepted. You’ll need a minimum of $25 in rewards for this option.
  • Merchant gift card: Alternatively, you can redeem your cash back earnings for a gift card to an eligible retailer. 

Additional benefits

You won’t get many additional benefits beyond cash back with the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, though these perks are available.

  • ExtendPay plan: U.S. Bank offers an optional ExtendPay plan that can help you pay off eligible expenses over $100 across several months. A monthly fee of 1.6% of your original principal balance applies, though you won’t be charged interest on qualifying purchases.
  • Rewards Center Shopping Deals: You can earn additional cash back at over 1,100 stores by taking advantage of exclusive shopping deals in the U.S. Bank Rewards Center.   

Is the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card right for you?

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card is a solid choice for those who want to earn generous cash back. But to maximize your rewards, you’ll need to manually choose retailers and spending categories each quarter. Those who prefer to be less hands-on would likely benefit from a flat-rate rewards card instead. 

If you’re fine with regularly choosing categories, an earnings rate of up to 6% on your first $1,500 combined spend each quarter is impressive. It’s also higher than what you’d see with many branded retailer cards, so you could earn even more cash back on qualifying purchases than you might with an Amazon or Walmart credit card, for example. 

Credit cards similar to the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card offers high rewards rates and no annual fee for the first year. After that, you’ll pay a $95 annual fee. Depending on your spending habits and preferences, another card may be a better choice. 

Citi Custom Cash vs. U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card

Those who prefer a card with no annual fee might appreciate the Citi Custom Cash® Card. Like the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, this card offers a welcome bonus and big rewards in certain spending categories. Citi Custom Cash cardholders can earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening (this bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back). While the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card’s welcome offer is slightly higher, the Citi card offers a longer timeframe for cardmembers to earn their bonus. 

You need to choose your preferred retailers and spending categories with the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card, but you don’t need to do so with the Citi Custom Cash. Instead, this card automatically rewards you with 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent (then 1% cash back thereafter). Cardholders earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Its simplified reward structure could appeal to some.   

Chase Freedom Flex vs. U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ could also be a good choice if you prefer a card with no annual fee. With this card, you can earn a $200 welcome offer after spending $500 in the first 90 days of card membership. The spending threshold to earn the bonus is much lower than you’d get with the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card.

Chase Freedom Flex℠ cardmembers can earn up to 5% cash back in rotating spending categories selected by Chase each quarter, but while you don’t select them as you would with the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card you are still required to manually activate your rewards each quarter. As a Freedom Flex card member, you’ll also get 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, 3% cash back on dining (including restaurants, takeout and eligible delivery services) and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. 

Overall, this card could be a better choice than the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card if your spending aligns with Chase’s quarterly rewards calendar and you want the option to redeem your cash back for travel.

Frequently asked questions

Is the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card worth it?

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card could be worth it if you want full control to use your card for purchases in the rotating categories you select quarterly. Doing so could help maximize your cash back. 

What credit score do you need for the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card?

You’ll likely need good or excellent credit to get approved for the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card.

What is the annual fee for the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card?

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card has no annual fee for the first year, and a $95 annual fee after that. 


Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.

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