best credit card for shopping in 2023
ards For OBest Credit Cnline Shopping Of March 2023
If you’re reading this article, that means you’re online. And if you’re like millions of others online, it’s likely you’ve made a purchase from a website. When it comes to online shopping, the sky’s the limit to what you can buy with just a few clicks. If online shopping is a regular part of your routine, it makes sense to have a credit card that earns you a percentage back on your spending.
Forbes Advisor analyzed the details to curate a list of the best credit cards for online shopping. Here are our top picks.
Best Credit Cards For Online Shopping
BEST OVERALL
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card *
Up to 5% Reward Rate
Earn 5% Back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; Earn 2% Back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores; Earn 1%Read More
BEST FOR CASH BACK
Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card *
Up to 2.5% Reward Rate
Those eligible for Tier 1 Rewards earn 2.5% cashback on the first $10,000 of qualifying eligible purchases per billing cycleRead More
BEST FOR AMAZON WITHOUT PRIME
Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card *
Up to 3% Reward Rate
Earn 3% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; Earn 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores; Earn 1%Read More
BEST FOR ROTATING REWARDS CATEGORIES
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Up to 5% Reward Rate
Earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly on up to $1,500 when enrolled, 5% on travel purchased throughRead More
BEST FOR CASH BACK PLUS 0% APR
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Unlimited 2% Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
BEST FOR BUSINESSES
Amazon Business Prime American Express Card *
Up to 5% Reward Rate
Earn 5% Back or 90 Days Terms on eligible U.S. purchases at Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com and Whole Foods MarketRead More
BEST FOR CASH BACK TOWARDS YOUR INVESTMENT ACCOUNTS
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card *
2% Reward Rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every eligible net purchase when you direct deposit your rewards into your eligible FidelityRead More
BEST FOR BANK OF AMERICA/MERRILL CUSTOMERS
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Choose your 3% category
Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500Read More
BEST STORE CARD
Target RedCard™ Credit Card *
5% Reward Rate
5% discount on nearly all Target purchases
Here’s Our Summary of the Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
Methodology
Forbes Advisor analyzed dozens of credit cards to find top picks for online shopping for a wide variety of consumers. Characteristics taken into consideration while evaluating cards included rewards rate, reward redemption options, free or expedited shipping benefits and other perks that come with owning a particular card.
To learn more about our rating and review methodology and editorial process, check out our guide on How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards.
Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping
What Is a Shopping Credit Card?
Credit cards in general are used to pay for purchases, including when you shop for goods and services. Some credit cards offer specific benefits related to the act of shopping like elevated rewards or purchase protections. If you typically do a lot of shopping in stores or online, it may make sense to have a credit card that offers benefits specific to your shopping needs.
How to Use a Credit Card for Shopping
Using a credit card for shopping works just like using a credit card for any other type of purchase you make. Ideally, you’ll use a card that earns rewards on your purchases and also comes with purchase protection and/or extended warranty coverage.
How to Use a Credit Card for Online Shopping
When shopping online, using a credit card instead of a debit card can be a smart idea. That’s because credit cards typically come with better fraud protections and other safeguards to protect you from swindlers. When you see a charge you don’t recognize on your credit card statement, you can dispute the charges. Although you can generally do the same with a debit card, that money will remain gone from your linked bank account until the issue is resolved and found in your favor,
How to Stay Safe When Shopping Online
Ideally, any online shopping you do will be limited to sites you know and trust. Entering your credit card information to an unknown online store to make a purchase may add unnecessary risks to your account security. But even the biggest retailers have had security breaches and you may want to consider identity theft protection for your credit cards and other sensitive financial information.
Most credit cards will provide some fraud identity coverage where you won’t be liable for charges to your account that you didn’t make. Enrolling in a credit monitoring service and/or purchasing identity theft insurance may help provide greater peace of mind when shopping online.
Noteworthy Credit Card Features for Online Shopping
Virtual Credit Card Numbers
If you have concerns about your credit card account number being compromised when shopping online, consider using a virtual credit card number to make your purchase. Many card issuers allow you to generate a virtual card number from your existing credit card account to use for a one-time purchase. This can make it harder for thieves to gain access to your real credit card number.
Access to Online Shopping Portals
One way to potentially rack up additional points on your purchases is to use your credit card issuer’s shopping portal. When you click through one of these shopping portal links, you can earn cash back or extra points in addition to what you may already earn through your credit card. Chase, Citibank and other major card issuers all have shopping portals you can use to score extra earnings on your online purchases.
Credit Card Freeze
If your card has been compromised, you should immediately do a credit lock. A freeze puts an immediate pause on your account so no one can make any additional charges. This can buy you time if you think your card is lost or stolen and prevent any additional fraudulent activity from taking place on your card.
You should also enact a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus so that no new lines of credit can be opened in your name by thieves. You can do so by contacting each of the credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion and Equifax online or via their customer service departments.
How to Pick a Credit Card for Online Shopping
Get the most out of your online shopping by picking a credit card with the right combination of rewards and cardholder perks. Consider these tips as you compare cards and decide which one might work best.
- Look for a card that earns bonus rewards on online shopping. Some credit cards offer a flat rewards rate on every purchase while others offer elevated bonus categories which can specifically include online shopping and/or other areas where you tend to spend the most.
- Look for a card that offers a shipping benefit. For instance, Visa Signature and Infinite cardholders can enroll in Shipt for free upon registration.
- Seek a card with consumer protections and cardholder benefits. Many cards offer benefits like auto rental coverage, baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, purchase protection and extended warranties. These perks won’t cost you anything extra.
- Be aware of any credit card fees. Although some credit cards with elevated perks and premium rewards may charge an annual fee, there are plenty of cards available with modest or no annual fees.
- Make sure you have zero fraud liability. The majority of credit cards come with zero fraud liability. This is a huge benefit since you won’t have to pay the bill if someone uses your credit card number to make fraudulent purchases in-person or online.
Maximizing Rewards for Shopping Online
Using a cash-back credit card that offers elevated rewards, especially for online shopping is one great way to get the most for your money. Using credit card issuer portals as noted above is another. One additional way to maximize your online shopping savings is to use cash-back portals like Rakuten, Cashback Monitor and Be Frugal. These sites work like the issuers’ sites in that you click through them to shop at the retailer of your choice to earn varying amounts of cash back on your purchases.
Changes in Online Shopping Behavior During the Pandemic
An Oct. 18, 2021 report by McKinsey and Company found that online shopping increased 30% over pre-pandemic levels. This dovetails with the report’s findings that nearly 80% of consumers have changed their shopping habits to use new ways of acquiring goods and almost 40% of respondents say they’re using new methods to shop including curbside pickup and delivery apps.
As more and more people shift their shopping to include online spending, issuers are likely to take notice and adjust their credit card offerings to reflect the increased demand.
Bottom Line
Online shopping is increasingly a part of everyday consumer spending. Using the right payment method and other techniques when you shop online can potentially help you save money and provide added protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.
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