U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card Review 2024
Updated March 28, 2024 at 9:43 am
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The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers 5% cash back in two categories that you select (on up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter, then 1%). If you have the time to curate your spending categories, you can save big on recurring expenses with the Cash+ card.
Our Methodology Understanding the value of cash back is simple, but valuing airline miles or points redeemable for travel requires digging a bit deeper. At Newsweek, we’ve developed a common language to talk about the value of points and miles: our valuations.
Our valuations translate points into dollars and cents in a way that reflects reality. They are based on actual data across a balance of accessible redemption options, not just the aspirational first and business class redemptions that require a PhD in miles and points to book. The upshot is that our valuations help you understand the actual value you can easily get from your miles and points.
After you apply online and spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening
Expert take: The U.S. Bank Cash+ card is one of the few cash back cards that lets you earn rewards on monthly bills like utilities and streaming, offering a plump 5% back on two categories of your choice. A respectable 2% back on gas, groceries or restaurants ups the appeal as an everyday spending card, but you’ll need to plan and activate rewards categories first.
Pros
- Customizable rewards
- No annual fee
- Earn cash back on monthly bills
Cons
- $25 minimum cash back redemption
- Spending cap on 5% bonus rewards
- Bonus earnings require activation
Vault’s Viewpoint on the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
Earning 5% cash back can ease the sting of monthly expenses. The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is one of the most rewarding cards for utilities and streaming, two categories that don’t often see earnings bonuses from other card issuers.
With its customizable rewards, you can choose which two of 12 bonus categories you’d like to earn an extra 5% (up to $2,000 in spending quarterly). Plus, you can also pick one of three bonus categories (gas, restaurants or groceries) to earn an unlimited extra 2%.
The catch with these boosted rewards is that you’ll need to plan your spending ahead of time and activate your chosen bonus categories. All other purchases earn a flat 1% cash back, which isn’t as competitive as some flat-rate cash back cards. If you don’t mind doing a little work up front to manage your rewards categories, then it’s worth taking a closer look at the U.S. Bank Cash+.
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card Highlights
- Annual fee: $0
- Welcome bonus: $200 rewards bonus after you apply online and spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening
Earning Rewards With the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card offers heightened cash back rewards on two categories of your choosing, plus additional cash back on travel and everyday spending. Here are the details:
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose. Eligible categories include:
- Fast food
- TV, internet and streaming
- Cellphone
- Home utilities
- Department stores
- Electronics stores
- Sporting goods stores
- Movie theaters
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Furniture stores
- Ground transportation
- Select clothing stores
- 5% back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center
- 2% back on one everyday category. Everyday categories include:
- Grocery stores and grocery delivery
- Restaurants
- Gas stations and EV charging stations
- 1% back on all other purchases
Redeeming Rewards
Rewards can be redeemed for cash back as a statement credit or deposit to an eligible U.S. Bank account or as a U.S. Bank Rewards Card (with a $25 minimum). Be sure to redeem your cash back rewards, as cash back rewards earned on the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card expire 36 months after you earn them.
Rates and Fees
The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card features an intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers, plus the option to finance purchases through U.S.ExtendPay® for a fee. Here are the rates and fees of the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card:
- Annual fee: $0
- Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers (made within 60 days from account opening)
- Variable APR: 19.74% to 29.74%
- Balance transfer fee: 3% (minimum $5)
- U.S. Bank ExtendPay® fee: Up to 1.6% of the original principal amount
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%
- Late payment fee: Up to $41
- Penalty APR: None
- Cash advance fee: 5% (minimum $10)
- Cash advance APR: 29.99% variable
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card Benefits
Although it’s issued as a Visa Signature card, it’s not clear if the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card offers advertised benefits beyond its cash back. If you choose to use the Cash+ Visa Signature card for purchases, you may miss out on benefits like extended warranty and purchase protection.
The card’s lack of benefits extends to travel insurance commonly provided by Visa Signature cards. Although the Cash+ offers rewards on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center, you won’t get travel insurance protections like you would with other travel credit cards.
Who Is the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card Best For?
For the right household, the Cash+ card is one of the best cash back credit cards to have. Depending on the size of your household and the price of utilities in your area, it could be simple to maximize your 5% categories each month. Ideally, you’ll meet the $2,000 spending cap each quarter, which is the maximum you can spend to earn 5% cash back. That works out to about $666 each month across the Cash+ boosted rewards categories.
For many households, especially those with larger families or bigger homes, it won’t be too difficult to meet the spending cap if you use the card to pay, say, a family cell phone plan and monthly utility bills.
You also have the option to switch up your categories, so if you have a big furniture or computer purchase planned, you’ll be able to activate a new category next quarter to capture those 5% earnings.
To get the best use of the Cash+ card, you’ll need to be willing to put the time in to track your spending, activate the best categories ahead of time, and maximize your 5% rewards.
Who Should Consider an Alternative to the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card?
If you’re a busy cardholder who wants a one-and-done, flat-rate cash back card, you may not want the fuss of a card with variable rewards categories. Other cards offer a flat 1.5% or 2% cash back on every purchase, and you won’t need to monitor your categories, optimize your spending or activate anything quarter to quarter. It’s worth doing some back-of-the-napkin math to see if you might earn more overall rewards with a flat-rate rewards card.
You might also consider an alternative if you don’t spend a lot in the 5% or 2% bonus categories. If you spend a lot on sporting events and travel, for example, instead of streaming and fast food, you might not earn enough in the boosted categories to justify the addition to your wallet.
Finally, there are many other top travel credit cards to consider. Although you will earn 5% on travel booked through the U.S. Bank travel center, anyone looking for luxury travel benefits such as airport lounge access, travel credits, or trip insurance would be better served by another card.
How Does the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card Stack Up to Its Competitors?
You may be considering the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature card for its heightened cash back rewards in select categories of your choice or because you want to keep your banking relationship with U.S. Bank. Here’s how the U.S. Bank Cash+ stacks up against similar cards.
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠
If you like the idea of earning 5% cash back on spending in bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Flex is probably on your radar. The Freedom Flex offers 5% cash back on activated, rotating bonus categories (up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter, then 1%).
While you don’t get to select your bonus categories with the Chase Freedom Flex, the card tends to offer cash back categories with broad appeal that are easy to maximize. Bonus categories commonly offered by the Freedom Flex include grocery stores, gas stations, Amazon.com, PayPal and more.
In addition to its rotating bonus categories, with the Chase Freedom Flex, you earn 5% cash back on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel, 3% back on dining and drug store purchases and 1% back everywhere else. Your purchases can be covered by purchase protection and extended warranty protection, and you even get cellphone protection when you use your card to pay your monthly cellphone bill.
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card vs. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is another offering from U.S. Bank that provides boosted rewards categories, no annual fee, and an introductory rate. The Altitude Go offers 0% APR for 12 billing cycles, then a regular variable rate of 18.24% to 29.24%.
The intro 0% APR is for 15 billing cycles with the Cash+ card, then a regular variable rate of 19.49% to 29.74% applies. Both cards also allow you to earn 2% on groceries and 1% back on all other purchases.
But unlike the Cash+ card, the Altitude Go earns points, not cash back. Point redemptions include cash, travel, merchandise and gift cards. The Altitude Go also doesn’t require you to activate or change rewards categories. Depending on your typical monthly spending, the Altitude Go also may be a better fit in terms of rewards earnings.
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great example of a powerhouse flat-rate rewards card, offering an unlimited 2% cash back on purchases. Like the Cash+ card from U.S. Bank, the Wells Fargo Active Cash also offers no annual fee and a generous intro APR offer on both purchases and balance transfers. And also like the U.S. Bank Cash+, the Active Cash card offers a welcome bonus of $200—but you’ll need to spend just $500 in the first three months, not $1,000, to claim it.
The Active Cash card doesn’t require you to activate categories, and its flat 2% rewards rate beats the everyday 1% cash back of the Cash+ card, even though it falls short of 5% cash back on some categories.
Is the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card Worth It?
The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature is unlikely to be the only card in your wallet, if only because of the discipline you’ll need to stay on top of activating your chosen categories every quarter. While the 5% rewards is appealing, especially on recurring expenses you’d be paying anyway, you’re limited to just two categories and your spending is capped at $2,000 quarterly. And while earning 2% on one additional everyday category could be a nice bonus, everything else only earns 1% cash back.
*Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card?
The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card is a cash back rewards card that offers 5% cash back on two categories you choose (on up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases you make each quarter, then 1%). The card also offers 2% cash back on an additional “everyday” category and 1% cash back elsewhere.
Is It Hard To Get a Visa Signature Card?
Many banks offer Visa Signature credit cards, and approval standards vary by bank. Most banks require a good to excellent credit score to be approved for a Visa Signature card.
What Is the Easiest U.S. Bank Credit Card To Get Approved For?
U.S. Bank offers a handful of secured cards for consumers who cannot get approved for an unsecured card. Generally, cards with rewards are harder to get approved for. U.S. Bank’s secured card that doesn’t offer rewards is the U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Card, meaning it’s likely the easiest U.S. Bank card to get approved for.
Newsweek writer Aaron Hurd contributed to this post.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. We may earn a commission from partner links on Newsweek, but commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
