Grocery is the category where the annual-fee-versus-earn-rate trade-off is sharpest. A 6% supermarket card with a $95 fee only beats a clean 3% no-fee card above a spend threshold — and we do that break-even math instead of quoting the headline. Watch the fine print: 'U.S. supermarkets' excludes warehouse clubs and Walmart on most cards, and the top rates usually carry an annual spend cap.
How we ranked this list
Ranked by ClearValue Score. Grocery earn rates are valued at conservative benchmarks net of caps, and annual-fee cards must clear their fee at realistic grocery spend before they out-rank a $0-fee alternative. Category exclusions (warehouse clubs, superstores) are surfaced, not buried.
0% on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR
19.49% – 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 3%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Family households that want 3% at U.S. supermarkets, gas, and online retail with no annual fee — the $0 AF sibling to the Blue Cash Preferred for households that won't hit the preferred card's grocery cap.
Trade-offs
Households spending $5,000+/yr on groceries (the Preferred's 6% catches up to the AF fast) and travelers (2.7% foreign-transaction fee).
The catch
Each 3% category is capped at $6,000/yr separately. Most households never test the cap — but if you do, your effective rate drops to 1% past $6k in any single category.
Closed to new applicants — Citi stopped taking Custom Cash applications on 2026-05-28
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers (must complete within 4 months of account opening)
Ongoing APR
17.49% – 27.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater
Pros
Closed to new applicants — Citi stopped taking Custom Cash applications on 2026-05-28. Existing cardholders deciding whether to keep it: moderate spenders who concentrate buying in one category each month — groceries, gas, dining, or streaming — and want an automatic 5% without activating anything.
Trade-offs
New applicants — the card isn't open for new applications; Citi now points signups to Citi Double Cash. Among existing cardholders: high-volume spenders in a single category (the 5% is capped at $500 of spend per billing cycle, so $25/month is the ceiling on the bonus) and international travelers — the 3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor abroad card.
The catch
Citi stopped taking new Custom Cash applications on 2026-05-28; this review is for existing cardholders. The 5% only applies to your single highest eligible category each cycle, up to $500 of spend. Above that cap, or across your other categories, you're earning 1%. It rewards concentrated, moderate spending — not broad or heavy spending.
Citi ThankYou Points builders who want a broad 3X earn across supermarkets, select transit and gas/EV charging, and a se
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR
18.49% – 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Balance transfer fee
3% (min $5) within first 4 months, then 5% (min $5)
Pros
Citi ThankYou Points builders who want a broad 3X earn across supermarkets, select transit and gas/EV charging, and a self-select category (fitness, streaming, entertainment, beauty, or pet stores) plus 2X dining — all at a $0 annual fee. It's the July-2025 successor to the Citi Rewards+.
Trade-offs
International travelers (3% foreign transaction fee) and anyone who wants a simple flat rate — the value depends on your spend landing in the 3X buckets, and the self-select category needs occasional attention.
The catch
The 3X categories are broad but not universal, and the self-select bonus is only useful if you pick the category matching your spend. Outside those buckets it's a 1X card. It also carries a 3% FX fee, so keep it stateside.
Navy Federal members who spend heavily on groceries and dining and want the widest category coverage among Navy Federal'
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
14.15% – 18.00% variable
Pros
Navy Federal members who spend heavily on groceries and dining and want the widest category coverage among Navy Federal's low-APR cards — 3 points per $1 at supermarkets, restaurants, transit, and gas stations, 1x elsewhere, at a 14.15%–18.00% variable APR with no annual fee.
Trade-offs
Non-members and anyone who wants flat, no-management cash back — this is a multi-category points card, and American Express acceptance is occasionally narrower than Visa or Mastercard at some merchants.
The catch
The 3x across four everyday categories is genuinely broad, but points require active redemption and the 14.15% APR floor matches the cashRewards card rather than beating the Platinum's 10.24%. Best when your grocery and dining spend is heavy enough to out-earn a lower-rate no-rewards card.
0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months
Ongoing APR
19.49% – 28.49% variable
Foreign transaction fee
2.7%
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 3%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Family households that spend $3,000+ a year at U.S. supermarkets and $1,200+ on streaming. The 6% on groceries (up to $6,000/yr) and 6% on streaming is industry-best cashback if you actually use both.
Trade-offs
Low-grocery households (the $95 AF doesn't pencil out under ~$1,600/yr in supermarket spend) and anyone with a Costco-heavy grocery routine — Costco doesn't count as a supermarket.
The catch
The 6% grocery is capped at $6,000 of spend per calendar year, then drops to 1%. A family that hits the cap by August is earning $360 at 6% + 1% on everything after — track the cap or set up a backup grocery card for Q4.
Frequent travelers who route bookings through Citi's travel portal (cititravel
Key specs
Annual fee
$95
Ongoing APR
20.24% – 28.24% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%, whichever is greater
Late payment fee
Up to $41
Pros
Frequent travelers who route bookings through Citi's travel portal (cititravel.com) for the 10x rate, and who spend heavily across the broad 3x buckets — restaurants, supermarkets, gas/EV charging, air travel, and hotels booked directly. ThankYou Points transfer to airline and hotel partners.
Trade-offs
Anyone unwilling to book through cititravel.com to unlock the 10x tier, and lighter spenders who'd earn a similar 3x/1x structure on the no-fee Citi Strata without paying the $95 AF.
The catch
The headline 10x rate is portal-locked — book a hotel directly with the property, which most loyalty members do to protect elite status and price guarantees, and you drop to 3x. The $100 annual hotel credit needs a $500+ portal stay to trigger, another portal-lock most cardholders won't clear.
Occasional Hilton guests who want complimentary Silver status and category earning (7x Hilton, 5x U
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
19.49% – 28.49% variable (Pay Over Time)
Foreign transaction fee
None
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Occasional Hilton guests who want complimentary Silver status and category earning (7x Hilton, 5x U.S. restaurants/supermarkets/gas) without paying an annual fee — the free entry point into the Hilton Honors ecosystem.
Trade-offs
Frequent Hilton guests (8+ nights/yr) who'd clear more value from the Surpass's Gold status and free-night certificate, and travelers who'd rather hold a general-purpose flat-rate or transfer-partner card.
The catch
Silver status is the weakest tier in Hilton's program — a 20% points bonus and a free fifth night on four-night award stays, not room upgrades or lounge access. Don't confuse 'complimentary status' with meaningful elite perks; it's a modest floor, not a ceiling.
Drivers who don't shop a warehouse club and want the highest consistent gas reward available on a no-annual-fee card — 5
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers made within the first 60 days (not offered on purchases)
Ongoing APR
17.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
3%
Pros
Drivers who don't shop a warehouse club and want the highest consistent gas reward available on a no-annual-fee card — 5 points per $1 at any gas station, plus 3 points per $1 at supermarkets. PenFed membership is open to everyone; you just join at penfed.org before applying.
Trade-offs
People whose spend is mostly outside gas and groceries — the base rate is only 1 point per $1 — and anyone who won't engage with the rewards portal to redeem points well.
The catch
5x on gas at any station (not just a specific brand) is the standout, but points are worth the most through PenFed's travel/gift-card redemptions, and the low 1x base rate means this is a category card, not an everyday earner. The card also carries no 0% intro APR — its 12-month 0% offer applies to balance transfers only, not new purchases.
Existing Rewards+ Student cardholders keeping the card for the round-up feature that rounds every purchase up to the nea
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
18.24% – 27.74% variable (existing cardholders only — closed to new applicants since April 2025)
Balance transfer fee
3% (min $5) within 4 months of account opening, then 5% (min $5)
Pros
Existing Rewards+ Student cardholders keeping the card for the round-up feature that rounds every purchase up to the nearest 10 ThankYou Points, plus 2X at supermarkets and gas (up to $6,000/yr, then 1X). Citi closed Rewards+ Student to new applicants in April 2025, so this review exists for current holders and this-card-vs-that comparisons — nobody can newly apply for it today.
Trade-offs
Anyone trying to open this card new — it isn't obtainable. Among existing holders: students who dine out a lot (the Savor Student and Discover it Student Cash Back reward dining directly) and anyone who travels internationally — a foreign transaction fee applies on purchases abroad.
The catch
This card can't be applied for anymore. Citi closed Rewards+ Student to new applicants in April 2025; existing cardholders keep their terms and can keep using the card, but the application no longer exists. The round-up advantage is real on sub-$10 buys but shrinks on larger purchases. We keep this review live for existing-holder reference, not as an active pick.
First Tech members who carry a balance but want to earn on everyday spending without giving up a below-average APR — 2 p
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
11.75% – 18.00% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
None
Pros
First Tech members who carry a balance but want to earn on everyday spending without giving up a below-average APR — 2 points per $1 on gas, groceries, and household goods, 1x elsewhere, at an 11.75%–18.00% variable APR with no annual fee and no balance transfer fee.
Trade-offs
Applicants who can't meet First Tech membership eligibility and pure rate-minimizers — the First Tech Platinum (10.49%) and Navy Federal Platinum (10.24%) have lower floors if you don't need rewards.
The catch
The 2x rate applies only to merchants transmitting a qualifying gas, grocery, or household-goods merchant code — First Tech's category interpretation, not yours. There's no 0% intro period, so the value is in the combination of a sub-12% floor plus everyday-category points.
Fair-credit applicants (roughly 580-669) who eat out and stream a lot — 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular s
Key specs
Annual fee
$39
Ongoing APR
28.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$0 at the transfer APR; 4% of each transferred balance at a promo APR
Pros
Fair-credit applicants (roughly 580-669) who eat out and stream a lot — 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming, and grocery stores, plus 8% on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 5% on hotels/rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, for a $39 annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.
Trade-offs
Readers with excellent credit — Capital One's own fee-free Savor covers the same 3% dining/entertainment/streaming/grocery ground without the $39 fee — and warehouse-club grocery shoppers, since the 3% rate excludes superstores like Walmart and Target.
The catch
Capital One relaunched SavorOne in October 2024 as the fair-credit entry in the Savor lineup, replacing what used to be a $0-annual-fee card with a $39 one and no welcome bonus. You need roughly $1,300/yr in bonus-category spend just to clear the fee — confirm you clear that before choosing this over the now-fee-free Savor.
Occasional Marriott guests who want complimentary Silver Elite status and 3x on Marriott stays plus 2x on groceries, str
Key specs
Annual fee
$0
Ongoing APR
19.24% – 29.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee
None
Balance transfer fee
$5 or 5%
Late payment fee
Up to $40
Pros
Occasional Marriott guests who want complimentary Silver Elite status and 3x on Marriott stays plus 2x on groceries, streaming, and rideshare — all at a $0 annual fee, the free entry point into the Bonvoy ecosystem.
Trade-offs
Frequent Marriott guests who'd clear more value from Boundless's free-night certificate (worth well over its $95 AF for a 5+-night/yr traveler), and travelers who prefer Hyatt's stronger redemption math.
The catch
Silver Elite is Marriott's lowest tier — no guaranteed late checkout, no room upgrades, no lounge access. It's a real status floor, not a meaningful travel perk on its own; the card's actual value is the 3x/2x earning, not the 'elite status' headline.
Households that spend $3,000+/yr at U.S. supermarkets AND $3,000+/yr at restaurants. The 4x at both, transferable to MR partners at our 1.4 cpp benchmark, is industry-leading for dining + grocery combined.
Trade-offs
Anyone who can't reliably use the $120 in dining credits (Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com — niche, $10/mo activation), the $120 Uber credits ($10/mo), the $100 Resy credit, and the $84 Dunkin' credit. At realistic 50% utilization the $325 AF starts to bite.
The catch
Amex's coupon-book strategy turned this card into a credit-utilization game. The $120 dining + $120 Uber + $100 Resy + $84 Dunkin' credits (~$424/yr stated) are real, but you have to USE them — most cardholders capture 40-60% of stated value. Score on realistic capture, not stated max.
Scored against ClearValue's published methodology ·
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Frequently asked
What's the best card for grocery spend?
Depends on your annual grocery budget and whether you'll pay an annual fee. Amex Blue Cash Preferred earns 6% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000/yr (then 1%) for a $95 annual fee — at the cap that's $360 back, clearing the fee by $265, but the math only works above roughly $1,600/yr of grocery spend. Amex Blue Cash Everyday earns 3% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr) for a $0 annual fee, a cleaner no-math option for lighter grocery spenders.
Does the grocery bonus rate apply at warehouse clubs like Costco or Walmart's grocery section?
Usually not. 'U.S. supermarkets' on Amex Blue Cash Preferred and 'grocery stores' on Capital One SavorOne both exclude warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam's Club) and superstores (Walmart, Target) under standard merchant-category-code rules — those purchases earn the card's base rate instead. Confirm your regular store codes as a standalone supermarket before assuming the bonus applies.
Is a rotating-category card ever better than a dedicated grocery card?
Only in months groceries are your top category. Citi Custom Cash's automatic 5% on your single highest-spend eligible category (up to $500/cycle, no activation) can beat a dedicated grocery card's flat rate in a given month, but it won't consistently out-earn a 6% supermarket card for a household whose grocery spend is reliably its largest category every month.
