U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card Review: Pick 5% Cash Back Categories

Do you have one of those rotating 5% cash back credit cards? U.S. Bank has a credit card that matches that rate of return each quarter but puts you in the driver’s seat, to a degree, on how you earn the rewards.

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card lets you choose the 5% cash back spending categories for your card each quarter.

This level of customization is nice, but does that make it the best cash back card for your wallet?

In this article, Team Clark will take a deeper dive into the U.S. Bank offering and compare it to its top competitors in the category.

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Table of Contents

• What Is the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card?
• Card Specs and Perks
• U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card vs. Rotating 5% Cash Back Cards
• Final Thoughts

Team Clark has spent time evaluating the credit card market in several categories including the best cash back credit cards. We’ve compared the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card to the best cards in this segment of the market. And we’ve determined that it’s a viable choice — thanks to its bonus cash back categories and the fact that it doesn’t have an annual fee.

As you’re deciding whether this card is a fit for you, please use this review in conjunction with Clark Howard’s 7 Rules for Using Credit Cards.

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What Is the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card?

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is a no-annual-fee credit card that allows customers to customize their rewards path. Each quarter cardmembers are presented with a menu of options for picking two 5% cash back categories for the first $2,000 in purchases and 2% cash back on one everyday category. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.

The card, which is similar to popular rotating cash back cards like the Discover it and Chase Freedom Flex, also carries a 12-month introductory APR period for balance transfers.

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U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card: Specs and Perks

Let’s take a look at the fine print to examine some of the card’s perks and drawbacks.

Cash Back Rewards

This rewards program is built on consumer choice, so the path to earning optimal cash back will be different for each cardholder.

Here’s how it works:

1. 5% Cash Back: Each quarter, you are able to select two spending categories. These can be things like internet streaming, department stores and home utilities. The combined spending on the two categories you choose is capped at the first $2,000 in purchases for the 5% reward. After that, you’ll earn 1% on spending in those categories.
2. 2% Cash Back: In addition to your 5% categories, U.S. Bank also will give you 2% cash back on one everyday category. The options for this will be different from the 5% options and include gas stations/EV charging stations, grocery stores and restaurants. There is no spending limit at this reward level.
3. 1% Cash Back: All purchases made outside of the three categories you’ve selected for that particular quarter will qualify for a base 1% cash back reward.

Here’s a look at a “sample menu” of cash back category choices for a single quarter:

It’s important to remember that these bonus categories can change from quarter to quarter and that you must opt in each quarter to select your bonus categories. If you don’t, all purchases will earn 1% cash back.

Cash Back Redemption

Here are a few things you’ll want to note about this card’s redemption protocols:

• You can redeem your cash back rewards as one of the following: a statement credit, a deposit made to a U.S. Bank savings, checking or money market account or a U.S. Bank Rewards Card.
• Redemptions can be made at any time, but the minimum cash back redemption to get a U.S. Bank Rewards Card is $20.
• Rewards expire 36 months after the billing cycle in which they are accumulated.
• You will immediately lose unused cash back rewards if your account is closed.

Other Cardholder Benefits

• Welcome Bonus: This card carries an easy-to-achieve $200 welcome bonus that requires only $1,000 in spending during the first 120 days of card membership.
• Introductory APR Period: The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers 0% for 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers. Afterward, the variable APR will be 18.99% – 28.99%, based on creditworthiness. 
  

Cardholder Fees

Here’s a quick look at some of the fees you may encounter with the U.S. Bank Cash+ Card:

• Annual Fee: None.
• Balance Transfer Fee: 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater
• Cash Advance Fee: 4% of the amount of each advance with a $10 minimum.
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2% of the transaction if completed in U.S. dollars, 3% if completed in foreign currency.
• Late Payment Fee: Up to $40.

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U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card vs. Rotating 5% Cash Back Cards

If you are considering the U.S. Bank Cash+ card for its quarterly 5% cash back categories, it stands to reason that you also may be considering one of the rotating 5% cash back cards.

The most popular of those are the Discover it Cash Back and the Chase Freedom Flex.

These cards differ from the U.S. Bank card in that they don’t let you pick categories for the 5% bonus. Instead, they release a calendar many months in advance that lays out exactly what the bonus categories will be each quarter for the next calendar year.

But for a card to qualify as one you want to own, you should consider more than just the cash back rewards schedule. There are other factors.

Let’s take a look at them with this side-by-side comparison:

Card Characteristic	U.S. Bank Cash+	Discover it Cash Back	Chase Freedom Flex
Annual Fee	None	None	None
Welcome Bonus	$200 on $1,000 spending	"Cash Back Match" for all Year 1 spending	$200 on $750 spending
Intro APR Offer for New Purchases	None	Yes	Yes
Intro APR Offer for Balance Transfers	Yes	None	None
5% Categories	You choose 2 from a list each quarter	Scheduled quarterly in advance	Scheduled quarterly in advance
Spending Cap on 5% Categories	$2,000 per quarter	$1,500 per quarter	up to $500 per billing cycle
Additional Bonus Categories	2% on one everyday category per quarter	None	3% on restaurants and drug stores
Standard Cash Back Rate	1%	1%	1%
Cell Phone Protection	No	No	Yes, $800 per claim
Foreign Transaction Fee	2-3% (based on currency used)	None	3%

The Big Takeaways

Here are some things to consider coming out of that comparison:

• As you may have noticed, in addition to allowing you to choose the 5% categories, the U.S. Bank Cash+ card also has a $2,000 spending cap, while the other two limit it to $1,500. If you spend to the maximum in the 5% category each quarter, that difference could net you an additional $100 in cash back rewards each year.
• The Chase Freedom Flex doesn’t have the flashy Year 1 match nor the ability to choose your categories, but it does have the best non-5% cash back program. At 3% cash back on restaurant and drugstore spending, as well as 5% on select travel purchased through Chase, you could definitely use this card for more than just a 5% category spender.
• If cell phone protection is important to you, note that Chase is the only one of the three to offer it.
• If you travel a lot, it may be important to you that the Discover card is the only one of the three that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

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Final Thoughts

Are you considering adding the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card to your wallet? Let’s review some of the major pros and cons of the card before you make your final decision:

Pros	Cons
Choice of two 5% cash back spending categories each quarter	You must opt in to get your cash back bonuses each quarter, or you’ll get only 1% on all transactions
Easy-to-achieve $200 welcome bonus	Bonus categories can change from quarter to quarter, limiting the predictability of rewards
Introductory APR period on balance transfers	Only 1% cash back on everyday purchases

Bottom Line: If you’re the kind of person who likes to carry several cash back credit cards to maximize your rewards, the Cash+ card could be an option for you.

With your ability to choose your 5% categories each quarter, you could strategically combine this U.S. Bank card with others, such as the Discover it and Chase Freedom Flex, to get access to 5% cash back in several spending categories simultaneously.

Clark is a fan of cards that guarantee 2% cash back on all purchases for the simplicity of their rewards structures. So you may want to consider the Citi Double Cash or PayPal Cashback Mastercard before diving into this rotating cash back strategy.

The U.S. Bank Cash+ card offers enough cash back potential to make it an add to your wallet, but it may not be the best choice as your everyday spender.