Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
July 12, 2024: Chase has released a new limited-time bonus on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card card. We’ve updated our list to reflect this.
If you want to get a new credit card and earn the largest cash bonus possible, you’re in the right place. The welcome bonuses featured on this page can earn you up to $500 or more of cash back when you get a new credit card and meet minimum spending.
While some cards on this list earn points, every card on this list either offers a cash back bonus directly or awards points that can easily be redeemed for cash back.
Here are the best cash back bonuses for new credit cards that we have found.
The best cash back signup bonuses at a glance
All of these welcome offers earn more than $500 cash back or the equivalent after paying the first year’s annual fee (if any). More on each of these cards is below.
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card: Huge cash back bonus on a 2% credit card.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: One of the biggest bonuses available, plus premium travel redemptions.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
The Ultimate Rewards® points you earn can be redeemed for 1 cent of cash back each.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Best bonus on a card with no annual fee.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
This card is marketed as a cash back card, but earns Ultimate Rewards®. You can either redeem your points for cash or use them for travel redemptions.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Excellent bonus on a card with no annual fee and rewards everywhere.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
This card is marketed as a cash back card, but earns Ultimate Rewards®. You can either redeem your points for cash or use them for travel redemptions.
Annual fee: annual_fees
U.S. Bank Altitude Connect Visa Signature: Good value bonus through September.
Welcome offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points. Just spend $2,000 in the first 120 days. That’s a $500 value redeemable toward merchandise, gift cards, cash back, travel and more.
Annual fee: $95 ($0 intro annual fee first year). Annual fee changes to $0 on September 9, 2024.
Be sure to earn and redeem your bonus points before September 9, 2024. After that date, the points become worth only 0.8 cents each toward cash back redemptions. Read about upcoming changes to this card.
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: The best ThankYou® Points welcome bonus.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
The Citi ThankYou® Points you earn can be redeemed for 1 cent of cash back each.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Large bonus on a card offering premium travel redemptions.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
The Ultimate Rewards® points you earn can be redeemed for 1 cent of cash back each.
A better offer may be available in-branch. See our dedicated article on the Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome bonus for details.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Our methodology: How do we select the best cash back welcome bonuses?
If you’re looking for the best cash back credit card sign-up bonus, you’re probably wanting at least $500 of cash back when you open a new card. And our list of the best cash back welcome bonuses reflects that. The cards on this list all meet the following criteria:
- The cards earn at least $500 of cash back or points which can be redeemed for at least $500 worth of cash.
- The cash value of the bonus is at least $500 greater than the first year annual fee. (e.g. a card with a $95 annual fee on this list has a cash back welcome bonus of at least $595.)
- All cards earn at least an effective 5% cash back on the spending required for the welcome bonus.
What about annual fees? Some of the cards on our list have annual fees. If you consider just the value of the welcome bonus, minus the annual fee, you’ll often come up with values of less than $500 cash back for these cards. But many of the cards that carry an annual fee offer an ongoing value proposition beyond the welcome bonus that for many makes the annual fee worthwhile.
Why aren’t there any Amex cards on the list? American Express Membership Rewards® can provide great value—if you transfer them to partners and redeem them through loyalty programs. However, with only a few exceptions, Membership Rewards points can only be redeemed for 0.8 cents of cash back each, making them a poor option if you are wanting a cash back bonus.
What about airline or hotel cards? Airline and hotel cards can be a great way to earn points or get valuable benefits when traveling, but points generally can’t be redeemed for cash back. Our list focuses on cash back welcome bonuses.
The exact order of the list is made at the discretion of our editors, but generally takes into account the net cash back you earn after the annual fee, limited-time offers, and the effective cash back earning rates of the bonuses.
More on each of the cards with the best cash back welcome bonuses
Of course, a new cardmembers sign-up bonus isn’t the only reason to pick up a new card. Most of the cards on this list offer great ongoing value if you’re the right type of customer. Here’s a bit more on each of these cards to help you decide if the cards are right for you.
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card: The best card for large small business purchases
The Ink Business Premier® Credit Card is most rewarding for small business owners who frequently charge large ($5,000 or larger) purchases to their card. The card comes with Chase extended warranty and one of the most generous cell phone protection plans available on a card. And the card’s trip delay insurance will protect both you and your employees from additional expenses incurred from overnight travel delays.
Get this card if you are a small business owner who makes more than 8 or more purchases of $5,000 or more each year. At that point, you’ll offset the card’s annual fee and be earning one of the best rates of cash back you can get on a small business credit card.
Ink Business Premier® Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
A huge cash back bonus on one of the small business cards for cash back.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
Purchase protection.
Extended warranty protection.
Cell phone protection.
Baggage delay insurance.
Primary auto rental collision damage waiver insurance when renting for business.
Rewards:
2.5% cash back on large purchases of $5,000 or more.
2% cash back on other business purchases.
Rewards are earned as cash back.
Learn more:
Find the best Chase small business card for you in our comparison of the Ink credit cards.
Chase Ink Business Preferred®: A great choice for small business owners who travel
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card offers small business owners rewards on business category purchases like travel, shipping, internet services, and advertising, plus essential protections like extended warranty and primary auto rental collision damage waiver insurance when renting for work. The card carries an annual fee of $95.
The card earns three points per dollar on the first $150,000 in combined purchases in its bonus categories, which include:
- Shipping purchases
- Internet, cable and phone services
- Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines
- Travel
Purchases beyond $150,000 in these categories and all other purchases earn one point per dollar. Rewards are earned as Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to one of Chase’s 15 travel transfer partners.
The Ink Business Preferred comes with a robust set of travel and insurance benefits which, while not as generous as the Chase Sapphire Preferred, do cover the essentials. The card includes primary auto rental collision damage waiver when renting for business, baggage delay protection, and trip delay reimbursement as well as purchase protection and extended warranty protection
Learn more in our review of the Chase Ink Business Preferred® card.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
This the largest Chase Ultimate Rewards® welcome bonus available on a single card. The card is a great choice for small business owners who travel.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
Trip cancellation/trip interruption insurance.
Cell phone protection.
Roadside dispatch.
Purchase protection.
Auto rental collision damage waiver.
Extended warranty protection.
Transfers to travel partners.
Redeem points for 25% more value through Chase Travel℠.
Rewards:
3x on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases each year
– Travel.
– Internet, cable and phone services.
– Shipping
– Advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines
1x on other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Learn more:
Learn more about Chase Ultimate Rewards® or find the best Ultimate Rewards welcome bonuses.
Chase Ink Business Cash: Up to 5% rewards in business categories
Learn more in our review of the Chase Ink Business Cash® card.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited®: Unlimited 1.5% cash back for small business
Learn more in our review of the Chase Ink Business Unlimited® card.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
One of the best welcome bonuses available on a card with no annual fee.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
Primary auto rental collision damage waiver when renting for business.
Baggage delay insurance.
Lost luggage reimbursement.
Travel accident insurance.
Travel and emergency assistance services.
Roadside dispatch.
Purchase protection.
Extended warranty protection.
Rewards:
5% on Lyft rides through March 2025.
1.5% on all other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back but earned as Ultimate Rewards® points.
Learn more:
Learn more about this card in our guide to the Ink Business Unlimited.
Read more about how to use Ultimate Rewards® points in our complete guide.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®: Premium travel card with travel insurance benefits
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of Chase’s flagship rewards cards. It offers elevated rewards in useful categories like travel, online grocery, dining, and select streaming services and best-in-class travel insurance protections. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® carries an annual fee of $95.
The card offers rewards of three points per dollar in several categories, including online grocery, select streaming providers, and dining. When you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠, you’ll earn five points per dollar. All other travel earns two points per dollar. Finally, the card also offers increased rewards for Lyft rides (5x) and Peloton purchases.
The Sapphire Preferred features travel insurance benefits like primary rental car insurance, baggage delay insurance and trip delay reimbursement coverage, making it an excellent choice to use for booking travel. Most importantly, the card offers transfers to Chase’s useful suite of travel partners, plus 25% increased value for your rewards when you redeem them for travel through Chase Travel℠.
Learn more in our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
Business-as-usual welcome bonus. A larger bonus offer ended online on 6/13. You may be able to get a larger offer in-branch.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
Premium travel insurance benefits.
Transfers to Ultimate Rewards® travel partners.
Extended warranty.
Purchase protection.
Rewards:
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
3x on dining, including eligible takeout and delivery services.
3x on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs).
3x on select streaming services.
1x on other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Learn more:
Read our review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
Learn more about Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
See the best Ultimate Rewards welcome bonuses.
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: Rewards card with transfer partners
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a core card of the Ultimate Citi ThankYou Points Wallet. It offers generous rewards on travel spending, dining and grocery stores. While the Strata Premier offers great rewards, it lacks many of the travel insurance protections common among travel credit cards. The Citi Strata Premier card carries an annual fee of $95.
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offers a long list of 3x bonus categories, including hotels purchases, air travel, restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations. You’ll also earn 10 total points per dollar spent on hotels, car rentals, and attractions, excluding air travel, booked through the Citi TravelSM portal. The card earns 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases. Points are earned as ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for cash back or transferred to travel partners for additional value.
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is notably light on the travel benefits that you might expect from a premium travel credit card; it does not include essentials like trip delay protection, auto rental collision damage waiver, or extended warranty benefits. The card does include $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more when you book through thankyou.com.
Annual fee: $95
This is a direct bank link. All information about the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card sign-up bonus
bonus_miles_full
The limited-time welcome bonus is a good bonus for a card in this annual fee range.
More about this card
Benefit highlights:
$100 annual hotel benefit.
Trip delay protection.
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance.
Lost and damaged luggage protection.
MasterRental car rental insurance.
Rewards:
10x on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com
3x on air travel.
3x on other hotel purchases.
3x at restaurants.
3x at supermarkets.
3x at gas stations and EV charging stations.
1x on all other purchases.
Rewards are earned as ThankYou® Points.
Learn more:
Learn more about the Strata Premier in our review of the card.
See our overview of the ThankYou Rewards program.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card: A card that is dropping its annual fee later this year
Learn more in our review of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card.
How do credit card welcome bonuses work?
Credit card issuers offer welcome bonuses an incentive for new credit card customers. New cardmember bonuses are most common on premium cards that carry an annual fee. You may hear new card bonuses referred to as sign-up bonuses, welcome offers, or welcome bonuses.
Most welcome offers require a certain amount of spending within a set period to earn the bonus. Very few welcome bonuses will give you the incentive simply for applying and being approved for the card. To earn your bonus, you must spend the require amount by the bonus deadline. Some welcome bonuses offer two-part bonuses with separate incentive amounts and spending thresholds.
Usually you’ll earn points or cash back as a new cardmember welcome bonus in addition to the points you’ll earn from using your card, but pay attention to the wording of the bonus promotion—sometimes issuers will count the base points you would earn anyway in the welcome bonus amount.
Additional pointers on applying for cards at each bank
Banks have various application rules, limits on the numbers of cards you can have. Here are some additional notes on applying for cards at the banks mentioned on this page.
A few notes on applying for Chase cards
- 5/24 rule. Chase generally won’t approve you if your credit report is showing 5 or more new credit card accounts opened in the last 24 months. This rule is knows as the 5/24 rule. If you’re unsure if you are “under 5/24” you should check your 5/24 status before applying for a Chase card. Note that recently this rule seems to have softened, especially for Ink cards. See our coverage about Chase 5/24 for more.
- Only one Sapphire-branded card. You can only hold one Chase Sapphire-branded card at a time. This means you can have either a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or a Chase Sapphire Reserve®, but not both.
- You can get a welcome bonus on a Chase card, even if you’ve had the card previously. How often you can earn a welcome bonus on a Chase card varies by card family.
- Most cards allow you to earn a welcome bonus if it has been at least 24 months since your last received a welcome bonus on the same card.
- Chase Sapphire-branded cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can only earn a welcome bonus once every 48 months. (We published a separate article to help you determine if you can get a Sapphire welcome bonus.)
- Marriott cards have their own special rules.
- Chase will match an increased bonus. If you apply for a Chase card and the bank offers a higher bonus within 90 days, you can send Chase a secure message or call them to have your welcome offer matched.
- In-branch offers are sometimes better. Chase sometimes has better credit card welcome offers in-branch than it will publish on its own website or through affiliate networks. Check all channels to make sure you’re getting the best bonus.
- Chase business cards do not report to personal credit reports and do not impact your 5/24 status as long as they are current.
A few notes on applying for Citi credit cards
- Citi has limits on the number of applications you can submit. You can only apply for one personal card every eight days and no more than two cards every rolling 65 days. Business cards are subject to the same eight-day limitation, but you can apply for no more than one business card every 95 days.
- You can get a new customer welcome bonus on Citi cards multiple times, but Citi has rules on how often you can earn a welcome bonus.
- ThankYou Point welcome offers are typically not available if you’ve received a new account bonus on the same card in the past 48 months.
- Welcome bonuses on AAdvantage cards are only available if you have not received a welcome bonus for the same card within the past 48 months.
- There is no limit to the number of Citi cards you can hold.
- You can check your application status on the Citi website or by calling 1-866-606-2787.
A few notes on applying for U.S. Bank credit cards
- U.S. Bank does not limit the number of cards you can hold.
- With most U.S. Bank credit cards, you can get the welcome bonus if you’ve had the card before.
- U.S. Bank does not report small business cards to the consumer credit bureaus. This can be helpful if you are trying to stay under 5/24 for Chase applications.
- You can check your application status by calling U.S. Bank at 1-800-947-1444.
Frequently asked questions
Are the points on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card worth more when redeemed toward travel?
Yes. The points on the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card are worth 1.25 cents each when redeemed toward travel through Chase Travel℠, but this list only considers the cash back value of these points, which is 1 cent per point.
Why aren’t there any American Express cards on this list?
American Express Membership Rewards are a great travel currency if you’re willing to play the points game, hunt for rare award flights, and learn how to use the program’s travel transfer partners. If you want to see how many hoops you have to jump through to get cash back out of your Amex points, look at our article on how to get cash back out of your Amex points.
The Capital One Venture and Venture X cards offer a large welcome bonus. Why are they not on this list?
Capital One Venture miles can only be redeemed for cash back at 0.5 cents each, which makes the 75,000 point bonus offered on these cards worth only $375. And that’s before taking these cards’ annual fees into account.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
