What is 5% cash back?
When a rewards program or credit card is offering 5% cash back, it means that for every $1 you spend you will earn 5 cents ($0.05) in the form of cash back.
How do you calculate 5% cash back?
You can calculate 5% cash back multiplying 0.05 by the amount you plan on spending. If you were to spend $1,000, you would calculate 5% back by doing $1,000 x 0.05 which would equal $50.
5% cash back calculator
Use the 5% Cash Back Calculator to calculate 5% cash back based on the value entered.
Total Cash Back: | $5.00 |
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5% quarterly rotating credit cards
There are two credit cards that feature 5% cash back categories that rotate on a quarterly basis. Those cards are the Chase Freedom Flex® and Discover it® card.
Cash back earned on these cards are capped at $1,500 in combined spend between rotating categories each quarter and once that cap is hit, you'll earn 1% back for the remainder of the quarter.
Personally, I recommend having both of these cards since it gives you the ability to maximize your rewards when a meaningful 5% cash back category is presented to you. They also have no annual fee so there's really no downside to having them.
5% cash back credit cards
There are a good handful of credit cards that offer 5% cash back or more in specific categories. Which cards are best will depend on how much you spend.
Here are a few of our favorite credit cards that can earn you 5% cash back or more in a specific category:
- Citi Custom Cash Card - Earn 5% back on your top eligible spend category on up to $500 per month (then 1%). No annual fee.
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express - Earn 6% cash back on the first $6,000 in annual U.S. supermarket purchases (then 1%). Also earns high returns on gas station, streaming services, and transit.
Calculator: Which card will earn you the most cash back?
Input your monthly and yearly spend amounts into the tool below to find out which credit cards will earn you the most cash back on your spending.
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Results
These estimates are to help guide you towards making the best decision when it comes to picking up a rewards credit card. They should be used for illustrative purposes only.
FAQs
How much is 5 percent cash back?
5% cash back is 5 cents back on the dollar. So for every $1 spent, you would get 5 cents back.
What is 5% cash back on $100?
5% cash back on a $100 purchase would would earn you $5 back.
How much cash back can I earn at 5% cash back?
It depends on how much you spend. You can use the 5% Cash Back Calculator on this page to calculate total cash back based on your spend.
Which credit cards offer 5% cash back?
There are several credit cards that offer 5% cash back in select categories including the Citi Custom Cash Card, Chase Freedom Flex® Card, and Discover it® Card.
How do I know what's the best credit card for my spend?
You can use the Credit Card Finder Tool to get a list of the best credit cards based on your spend across categories.