February 14, 2025: Several credit cards offer easy new cardmember incentives that let you earn $200+ cash rewards, while spending $1,000 or less.
Here’s our list of the easiest credit card welcome bonuses currently available.
The best easy credit card welcome offers
 Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Annual fee: $0 | Sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $300 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Learn how to apply. This is the best easy welcome bonus, but for an ongoing card, we’d probably pick the Chase Freedom Unlimited® instead for 1.5% cash back, plus bonuses in select categories. All information about the Capital One Quicksilver Rewards card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
 Chase Freedom Unlimited® Annual fee: annual_fees | Referral sign-up bonus bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Learn how to apply. This isn’t the only bonus available on this card, but it is the easiest to earn. See our coverage of the best Freedom Unlimited bonuses for more. |
 Chase Freedom Flex® Annual fee: $0 | 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. The Chase Freedom Flex® offers rotating category rewards and is a great addition to an Ultimate Rewards® wallet. All information about the Chase Freedom Flex® has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
 Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Annual fee: $0 | Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Learn how to apply. A card offering 2% cash back and one of the best 2% cash back cards. All information about the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
 Wells Fargo Autograph® Card Annual fee: $0 | Sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months. Learn how to apply. A no-annual-fee points card offering 3x points in a number of useful bonus categories. Points can be redeemed for 1 cent of cash back each. All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
 Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card Annual fee: annual_fees | Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. Earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, but this can be boosted to up to 2.62% with Bank of America Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors status. All information about the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
 Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card Annual fee: annual_fees | Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. One of the best cards for online purchases and warehouse purchases like Costco. All information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
 U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card Annual fee: $0 | Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. Learn how to apply. Offers a unique set of 5% eligible categories. All information about the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com. |
Editor’s picks: The cards we find most useful
All of the bonuses on this list are great easy cash back welcome bonuses. In our recent update to this list, we dropped several cards that require you to jump through additional hoops (like opening an additional checking account) to get cash back value out of the bonus.
On an ongoing basis, the cards we like best are the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, and Wells Fargo Autograph® Card. Each of these cards offer great ongoing rewards and is generally pretty useful for most people.
Of course, if you have $100,000 of assets you can move to Bank of America to get Preferred Rewards status, then consider the Bank of America cards for ongoing use.
Capital One Quicksilver Rewards card
The Capital One Quicksilver Rewards card is a good choice if you want decent rewards everywhere with no foreign transaction fees. The card has a relatively good set of benefits, including a two-year extended warranty benefit, ID theft protection, and price protection.
Just be aware that the benefits we cover below are based on the most premium Capital One Quicksilver card. Other versions of the card offer lesser benefits and don’t offer a welcome bonus.
Sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $300 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
Learn how to apply.
Capital One Quicksilver Rewards card at a glance
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: None
All information about the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
A 1.5% cash back everywhere card with a relatively strong set of benefits, for a no-annual-fee card.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $300 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
Learn how to apply..
This bonus is earned as cash bonus.
Rewards
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 1.5% on every other purchase.
Rewards are earned as cash back, but can be converted to Capital One Miles if you have a card that earns miles.
Benefits
Capital One offers several variants of the Quicksilver Rewards card. These benefits are specific to the Quicksilver Rewards card, designed for consumers with excellent credit. If you are issued a different version of this card, you may have different benefits.
Consumer insurance benefits
- Purchase Assurance.
- Price Protection.
- Extended Warranty.
- Mastercard ID Theft Protection™.
- Identity Fraud Expense Reimbursement.
Travel insurance benefits
- Travel Assistance Services
- MasterRental Coverage.
- Worldwide Automatic Travel Accident Insurance.
- Baggage Delay Insurance.
- Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.
- Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- 50% off Handcrafted Beverages at the Capital One Cafe.
- Capital One Entertainment.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the card you should use for your general purchases if you’re collecting Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. While it won’t earn you the most cash back rewards on your general spending—a 2% cash back card is a better bet for that—it does offer additional rewards in bonus categories like drugstores and dining.
Referral sign-up bonus bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
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 an excellent choice for a use-anywhere card, thanks to its 1.5% cash back rewards and extended warranty benefit.
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.
Chase Freedom Flex®
The Chase Freedom Flex® probably shouldn’t be the only card in your wallet—it pairs best alongside other rewards cards that earn good cash back on every purchase. But if you enjoy the game of maximizing rewards, you might enjoy figuring out how to maximize the card’s 5% rotating quarterly category bonuses.
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.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can be a great option for a 2% cash back everywhere credit card, especially if you value having a cell phone protection benefit with a low deductible. The card wouldn’t be our pick for a use-everywhere card however, due to its disappointing lack of an extended warranty benefit.
Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Learn how to apply.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card at a glance
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: 3% of each transaction converted to U.S. dollars.
All information about the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers unlimited 2% cash back with no annual fee, with a limited set of benefits that includes cellular telephone protection.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as additional cash rewards.
Rewards
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Rewards are earned as cash back, but can be transferred to an Autograph Journey℠ card, where they become transferrable points.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Cellular telephone protection.
$600 of coverage, subject to a $25 deductible
Travel insurance benefits
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
Secondary coverage within the U.S. - Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.
- Roadside Dispatch®.
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers 3x points on a wide array of useful spending categories: Restaurants, travel, gas, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. If you spend money in these categories, adding the card to your wallet can increase the rewards you earn on your spending.
Sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
Learn how to apply.
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card at a glance
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: None
All information about the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Wells Fargo Autograph® Card offers 3x points in several useful categories, but a limited selection of consumer insurance benefits.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months.
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as Wells Fargo Autograph points.
Rewards
- 3x at restaurants—dining in, taker-out, catering, delivery, and more.
- 3x on travel—airfare, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more.
- 3x at gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations.
- 3x on transit—subways, ride shares, parking, tolls, and more.
- 3x on popular streaming services.
- 3x on phone plans—cell phone and landline providers.
- 1x on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as Wells Fargo Autograph points, which can be redeemed for travel or cash back.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Cellular Telephone Protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.
- Roadside Dispatch.
Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card
The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card is a relatively-forgettable cash back rewards card. Among other no-annual-fee cards with 1.5% cash back rewards, the Unlimited Rewards’ benefits are…unimpressive.
But the card becomes much more interesting if you have Bank of America Preferred Rewards status at the Platinum Honors level or higher. If you do, you’ll get a 1.5x rewards multiplier, which turns the card into a 2.62% everywhere cash back card.
Sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card at a glance
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
All information about the Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card offers 1.5% cash back rewards everywhere, with a very limited set of benefits. The card probably isn’t worth considering, unless you have Bank of America Preferred Rewards with Platinum Honors or higher status.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as cash rewards, which will be added to your cash rewards balance.
Rewards
Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Up to 2.62% cash back if you have Bank of America Preferred Rewards with Platinum Honors or higher status.
Rewards are earned as cash back.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Extended Warranty Protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.
- Roadside Dispatch.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is most useful if you use it for purchases in the 3% category you select. On its own, the card’s 2% rewards at grocery stores and wholesale clubs aren’t terribly exciting.
Like the Unlimited Cash Rewards card, the Customized Cash becomes more useful if you have Bank of America Preferred Rewards status at the Platinum Honors level or higher. Getting the 1.5x rewards multiplier turns the card’s 3% category into a 5.25% category and the 2% rewards at grocery stores and wholesale clubs into 3.5%.
Sign-up bonus: 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.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card isn’t a terribly compelling card to use on your everyday spending. A 2% cash back card can get you better rewards and benefits more of the time.
But you might be able to use the card to increase the total rewards you earn if you frequently spend in one of the card’s 5% bonus categories. The card offers several unique categories that you won’t find on other cards, like home utilities, sporting goods stores, furniture stores, and movie theaters.
Sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Learn how to apply.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card at a glance
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: 3% of each foreign transaction
All information about the U.S Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers 5% cash back on up to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter in two categories you choose, plus additional cash back in one everyday category, with no annual fee.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as cash back credited to your rewards balance.
Rewards
- 5% cash back in two categories you choose each quarter
on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases.
Eligible categories include fast food; home utilities; TV, internet, and streaming; department stores; cell phone providers; electronic stores; sporting good stores; gyms/fitness centers; ground transportation; movie theaters; furniture stores; and select clothing stores. - 2% cash back on one everyday category you choose each quarter
Eligible categories include grocery stores and gas stations and EV charging stations. - 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as cash back and can be redeemed for full value as a statement credit, or a direct deposit into your U.S. Bank checking or savings account.
Benefits
The U.S Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card offers a very limited set of benefits.
Travel insurance benefits
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.
- Roadside Dispatch.
Bottom line: It’s easy to earn a $200+ bonus
With the best easy cash back welcome bonuses, it’s simple to earn a bonus of $200 or more with a new credit card, even if you don’t put much spending on credit cards.
