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.
February 12, 2025: If you frequently shop at CVS, you can easily get 3% cash back or more by using the right credit card. Here are the best credit cards to use at CVS.
Overview: The best cards for shopping at CVS in 2025
 Chase Freedom Unlimited® Annual fee: annual_fees | Rewards at CVS: 3% cash back on drugstore purchases. Essential protections: Extended Warranty Protection, Purchase Protection. |
 Chase Freedom Flex® Annual fee: $0 | Rewards at CVS: 3% cash back on drugstore purchases. Essential protections: Extended Warranty Protection, Purchase Protection. |
 Citi Custom Cash® Card Annual fee: annual_fees | Rewards at CVS: 5% on the first $500 spent in your top eligible category each statement cycle. Eligible categories include drugstores. Essential protections: Extended Warranty. |
 Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card Annual fee: annual_fees | Rewards at CVS: Up to 3% on on drug store/pharmacy purchases. (Up to 5.25% with Preferred Rewards with Platinum Honors.) Essential protections: Extended Warranty |
 U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card Annual fee: $400 | Rewards at CVS: 3% cash back or 4.5% travel rewards when you use mobile wallet to pay. Essential protections: Extended Warranty, Return Protection, Purchase Protection. This card is no longer available to new cardmembers. All information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
What to consider: Finding the best credit card for your CVS spending
What you buy at CVS may vary widely. You could use CVS as an emergency-only convenience store, picking up Band Aids or milk in a pinch—or it could be your primary grocery store, where you buy most of your household consumables, and the easiest place to buy small electronics.
If CVS doesn’t represent a significant amount of your spending, you probably want a card that earns good cash back at CVS, but it also usable outside the chain. On our list, we’ve included cards that earn more than what you’ll earn on a 2% cash back everywhere credit card that are also usable outside of CVS.
But if you spend a lot at CVS, you might prefer to get maximum cash back. Depending on how much you spend at the retailer, you might run into rewards caps, so we included both cards that offer maximum cash back (with a cap) and cards that offer great cash back with no caps.
Finally, consider the value of extended warranty, return protection, and purchase protection. You’re probably not going to be buying a new laptop from CVS, but you might buy an electric toothbrush, a wireless mouse, or a phone charger. Having these consumer benefits can be a nice-to-have for these purchases.
Editor’s pick: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the few credit cards with no annual fee that offers 3% cash back rewards at drug stores, so naturally it’s one of our top picks for the best cards to use at CVS.
The card is also a great pick for your card to use “everywhere else” for its 1.5% cash back rewards. Sure, that’s not 2% cash back rewards that you can get with some other cards, but the fact that the Freedom Unlimited includes an extended warranty benefit and purchase protection means you don’t have to juggle a dozen cards to have the benefits you need when you need them.
Who it’s best for: Most people who occasionally shop at CVS. You’ll enjoy 3% cash back at CVS (and other drugstores) and have a card that can be used as your “everywhere else” card with no annual fee.
Sign up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® at a glance
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great card to have as your “default” card to use everywhere and its 3% cash back rewards at drugstores, including CVS, are a nice perk.
Sign-up bonus
Online affiliate offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Direct and referral offer: As of February 14, 2025, referral links and Chase.com are showing the following offer: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Learn more and apply for the referral offer.
All information about direct and referral offers on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The $200 after $500 offer is probably the better offer, but you’ll earn more points with the “extra 1.5%” offer if you spend more than about $13,333 on the card in your first year.
Rewards
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
- 5% on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
- 3% on dining at restaurants, including eligible takeout and delivery services.
- 3% drugstore purchases.
- 1.5% on other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back, but earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Ultimate Rewards® can be combined across cards you hold. If you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards card, you can transfer your points to Chase’s transfer partners or use your points for increased value when you book travel through Chase Travel℠. For more about using Ultimate Rewards, check out our guide on the Ultimate Rewards program.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance.
- Auto Rental Coverage.
- Roadside Assistance.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- 6 months of complimentary access to DashPass.
Subject to auto-renewal at the current monthly rate. Activate by December 31, 2027.
Read more about the Chase Freedom Unlimited card in our card overview.
Chase Freedom Flex®
Who it’s best for: Rewards maximizers who enjoy chasing after 5% rotating category rewards. You’ll always get 3% cash back at drugstores like CVS, plus additional rewards on dining, but the card only earns 1% cash back on general purchases.
Sign up bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Learn how to apply.
Chase Freedom Flex® at a glance
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars.
All information about the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Chase Freedom Flex® offers 5% rewards on up to $1,500 in purchases in rotating categories each quarter when you activate.
Sign-up bonus
The Chase Freedom Flex offers different sign-up bonuses based on the channel you’re applying through
Best bonus online: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Learn how to apply.
The Freedom Flex sometimes offers a better welcome bonus in-branch. We’ll publish any in-branch offers we find in our coverage of the best Chase Freedom Flex sign-up bonuses.
These bonuses are marketed as cash back, but earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Rewards
- 5% in quarterly rotating categories
on up to $1,500 in total combined purchases each quarter when you activate. - 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 5% on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
- 3% on dining, including eligible takeout and delivery services.
- 3% on drugstore purchases.
- 1% on other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back, but earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Ultimate Rewards® can be combined across cards you hold. If you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards card, you can transfer your points to Chase’s transfer partners or use your points for increased value when you book travel through Chase Travel℠. For more about using Ultimate Rewards, check out our guide on the Ultimate Rewards program.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Purchase Protection.
- Extended Warranty Protection.
- Cell Phone Protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance.
- Auto Rental Coverage.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- 6 months of complimentary DashPass.
Requires enrollment and is subject to auto-renewal. Activate by Dec 31, 2027.
Learn more about the Chase Freedom Flex® and its signature perk: 5% rewards in rotating quarterly categories.
Citi Custom Cash® Card
Who it’s best for: People collecting ThankYou Points® or who want maximum cash back at CVS. While Citi will only let you have one Custom Cash card directly, it is possible to get multiple Custom Cash cards through product conversions.
Sign up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
Citi Custom Cash® Card at a glance
Annual fee: annual_fees
All information about the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
If you use the card mostly at drugstores, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card can get you 5% cash back on up to $500 spent each statement cycle.
Welcome offer
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
This bonus is marketed as cash back, but earned as ThankYou® Points.
Rewards
- 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle on up to $500 spent.
- 5% on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back, but earned as Citi ThankYou® points.
5% eligible categories
5% eligible categories include:
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
- Grocery stores
- Select travel
- Select transit
- Select streaming services
- Drugstores
- Home improvement stores
- Fitness clubs
- Live entertainment
Benefits
- Extended warranty
Learn more about the Citi Custom Cash® in our card overview.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Who it’s best for: If you have $100k+ in combined balances in Bank of America deposit and Merrill investment accounts and spend a lot at drugstores, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card can offer you the most rewards. Thanks to the Preferred Rewards program, you can earn up to a 1.75x credit card reward multiplier, which turns the card’s 3% rewards category into a 5.25% cash back category. Select drugstores as your category and you’ll earn 5.25% cash back at CVS.
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card at a glance
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
All information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers up to 3% cash back rewards in a category you choose—and up to 5.25% cash back if you’re a Preferred Rewards member with Platinum or higher status.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as cash back rewards.
Rewards
- 3% in the category of your choice.
- 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs.
- 1% on all other purchases.
You’ll earn 3% and 2% rewards on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each calendar quarter in the 3% and 2% bonus categories. Earn 1% cash back on these purchases thereafter.
Rewards are earned as cash back. If you have Bank of America Preferred Rewards, you’ll receive additional rewards based on your rewards multiplier of up to 1.75. Your rewards multiplier is based on your relationship with Bank of America and Merrill.
3% choice categories
Choose one of the following categories to earn 3% cash back:
- Gas and EV charging stations.
- Online shopping, including cable, internet, phone plans, and streaming.
- Dining.
- Travel.
- Drug stores and pharmacies.
- Home improvement and furnishings.
You can change your choice category once each calendar month. You’ll earn 3% and 2% rewards on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each calendar quarter in the 3% and 2% bonus categories. Earn 1% cash back on these purchases thereafter.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Extended Warranty Protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.
- Roadside Dispatch.
Learn more: Read more about the Preferred Rewards program or check out our review of the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards.
All information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
Who it’s best for: If you already have the card—it isn’t currently available to new cardmembers—you’ll enjoy 3% cash back or 4.5% travel rewards when you use the Altitude Reserve with your mobile wallet’s tap-to-pay feature in-store
A word of caution: The card’s terms explicitly exclude gift cards from the mobile wallet rewards. Missing out on some rewards may not be the end of the world, but what the terms don’t tell you is that U.S. Bank will likely shut down your account if you use the card with mobile wallet on a purchase that includes gift cards. (The author had the unfortunate experience of getting his card shut down when he used his card to pay for a Best Buy gift card.)
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card at a glance
Annual fee: $400
Foreign transaction fee: None.
All information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® card offers some of the best rewards—equivalent to 3% cash back or 4.5% travel rewards—at CVS and anywhere else you use mobile wallet to pay.
Sign-up bonus
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® card is no longer available to new cardmembers.
Rewards
- 5x points on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
- 3x points on mobile wallet spending with Apple Pay®, Google Wallet, and Samsung Pay.
- 3x points on eligible travel purchases.
- 1x points on all other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Altitude Rewards points.
Altitude Rewards points can be redeemed for cash back at 1 cent per point or used to book travel through the Altitude Rewards center at 1.5 cents per point. You can also redeem your points against travel purchases through Real Time Rewards at 1.5 cents per point.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Extended warranty protection.
- Purchase security.
- Return protection.
- Personal identity theft protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Auto rental collision damage waiver.
- Lost luggage reimbursement.
- Travel accident insurance.
- Emergency evacuation and transportation.
- Trip cancellation/interruption coverage.
- Trip delay reimbursement.
- Travel and emergency assistance services.
Travel benefits
- Airport lounge access. Complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership with 8 free visits annually.
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry statement credit.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- $325 annual statement credit for eligible travel and dining purchases.
- Free Shipt membership until 12/31/24 with enrollment. After free membership expires, you are automatically enrolled in an annual Shipt membership at then-current prices until you cancel.
Learn more about this card in our overview of the U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® card.
Our perspective: The cards we use for CVS
There was a short while when I used my Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for CVS (and other drugstore) purchases, but I quickly realized that the card was much more valuable to me as a general online shopping card. (I don’t buy that much at CVS.)
Nowadays, I use my Chase Freedom Flex® for all of my CVS purchases. (I don’t current have a Chase Freedom Unlimited®, but I consider that card an equivalently good choice.) I earn 3% cash back rewards without thinking about it and I’m happy with that.
Bottom line: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is best for most
We expect that most people won’t spend enough at CVS to get an additional credit card solely for rewards at CVS. Rather, most will pick from among credit cards that they currently hold, or that make sense in the context of their other spending. If that sounds the Chase Freedom Unlimited® will offer you a great rate of cash back on a card with no annual fee that is useful for a wide swath of your everyday spending.
Frequently asked questions
Does CVS have its own credit card?
No. CVS does not have a store-branded credit card.
Can you use a credit card for prescriptions?
Yes, CVS accepts credit cards for all in-store purchases, including prescriptions.
Can I use a credit card and get reimbursed from my HSA?
In most cases, you should be able to charge your qualified medical expenses to your credit card and be reimbursed from your HSA. It may be easier to charge your pharmacy expenses to your HSA’s debit card, but you likely won’t earn rewards doing this.
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.
