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The 5 best credit cards to use for streaming services: Binge-watching rewards
With Obi-Wan and Moon Knight on Disney+, the Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon and the latest season of Barry coming to HBO Max, and the new season of Stranger Things headed to Netflix, it might feel like your bank account is hemorrhaging cash just to keep up with your favorite content.
Luckily, there are a number of credit cards on the market today that can help staunch the cash flow by offering rewards for all of your streaming services. One subscription on its own might not seem like much, but if you have Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, it can add up. So why not earn a little back for binge-watching your favorite shows?
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%)
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions
- 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases
The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express has one of, if not the, highest rewards rate for streaming services. For a $95 annual fee ($0 intro annual fee for the first year), cardholders can earn 6% cashback for eligible U.S. streaming services.
While the annual fee might seem intimidating, the card's high cashback rate effectively pays for itself. Spend as little as $1,600 on groceries alone in a year to get $96 back, covering the fee without even taking the other bonus categories into account.
Pros:
- Strong rewards
- Good benefits
- Intro 0% APR offer
Cons:
- $6,000 spending cap for U.S. supermarket rewards (then 1%)
- ongoing $95 annual fee
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with eligible Prime membership*
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores*
- 1% back on all other purchases*
- 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with eligible Prime membership*
- 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores*
- 1% back on all other purchases*
If Amazon Prime Video is your go-to streaming service, this card will give you 5% cashback for the subscription, and for all of your Amazon and Whole Foods purchases. It also comes with an excellent selection of Visa Signature benefits to protect your purchases and yourself while traveling.
In addition to having the largest selection of online goods to choose from, Amazon offers Prime Video members an impressive collection of streaming content. If you already have an Amazon Prime membership ($139 per year) and no rewards card, there really isn't any reason to not get the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card.
For non-Prime members, there's the Amazon Visa Signature Card. It earns 3% cashback instead of 5% but doesn't require cardholders to be Prime members.
Pros:
- Strong rewards
- Visa Signature benefits
- $100 Amazon gift card upon approval
- Metal card
Cons:
- Amazon Prime membership required
- 5% cashback rewards for Prime Video streaming only
The Amazon Prime Visa Signature Card
Also: Best streaming devices: Your top media player options
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
- 2% cash back on your choice on one everyday category, like Gas Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
- 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.
- 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
- 2% cash back on your choice on one everyday category, like Gas Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
With the US Bank Cash+, cardholders get their choice of two 5% cashback categories (on the first $2,000 spent in combined eligible purchases each quarter) to earn in. As you might have guessed, one of the options available is TV, internet, and streaming services. Unfortunately, Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max are ineligible to earn rewards for.
The other choices for bonus categories include home utilities, fast food, department stores, electronic stores, cell phone providers, and movie theaters, among others. So it offers cardholders an impressive degree of flexibility without asking for an annual fee. It even features an easy-to-reach welcome bonus.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- Flexible rewards program
- Visa Signature benefits
- 0% intro APR offer
Cons:
- $2,000 combined purchases spending cap for 5% cashback categories
- Can only redeem cashback in $25 increments
- Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max are excluded
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- Earn 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- Earn 1% on all other purchases
If you're looking for an inexpensive way to earn some cashback for your streaming needs, look no further than the SavorOne. The 3% cashback it offers for streaming is one of the best rates available for a no annual fee card. However, Prime Video, audiobook services, and fitness programing subscriptions aren't eligible to earn rewards for.
It also features an intro 0% APR for purchases for 15 months (then 19.24%- 29.24% variable, based on your creditworthiness). So if you have any purchases planned, like a vacation or new appliance, you can charge it to the card and pay it down while the balance accrues no interest.
Pros:
- No annual fee
- 3% cashback for streaming
- Intro 0% APR offer
- Simple to use
Cons:
- Prime Video, audiobook, and fitness programing subscriptions are excluded
The Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Unlike the other cards on this list, the Active Cash doesn't have a streaming services category. However, it earns 2% cashback for every purchase, making it a viable option for binge-watchers. It doesn't have an annual fee and comes with Visa Signature benefits.
Use it for gas, groceries, and streaming services to earn rewards for purchases you're already making. Or, combine it with a card that earns more for those purchases (like the Blue Cash Preferred). Use the other card where it would earn more and the Active Cash for everything else.
Pros:
- 2% cashback for every purchase
- No annual fee
- Intro 0% APR offer
- Visa Signature benefits
Cons:
- Foreign transaction fee
The Wells Fargo Active Cash Visa Signature Card
Also: Best video streaming service
What is the best credit card to use for streaming services?
The Blue Cash Preferred is our top choice
The Blue Cash Preferred is going to be your best bet. Not only does it offer the highest rate for U.S. streaming services and U.S. supermarkets, but it also provides good rewards for U.S. gas stations and transit.
It does carry an annual fee after the first year, but the card is so rewarding consumers will likely hardly notice. By spending as little as $1,600 on groceries per year, cardholders will get back $96 which is enough to cover the fee.
The average person likely spends much more than that on groceries annually, and if you take into consideration the card's other bonus categories, cardholders can expect to earn an even higher return on their spending.
How did we choose these credit cards for streaming services?
We looked at several factors when choosing which cards to include among the best choices for streaming services. We considered rewards rate, spending limits, annual fees, spending categories, eligible subscriptions, intro APR offers, available benefits and more.
From the myriad of cards available today, the ones represented above are among the most rewarding options for streaming services. In addition, they can be used for purchases other than streaming too, providing consumers with a good opportunity to earn a nice return on their spending.
Are all streaming services eligible to earn rewards?
No. Certain cards, like the US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature and the Capital One SavorOne, have some limitations.
The US Bank card doesn't offer rewards for Amazon Prime Video or HBO Max. The SavorOne card doesn't offer rewards for Prime Video, audiobook, and fitness programing subscriptions.
The other cards on the list, however, cover all of the major services and a few lesser-known ones. These include Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, Pandora, Spotify, and Apple Music, among others.
Should you get a credit card just to earn streaming rewards?
No. Streaming spending likely only makes up a small portion of your monthly expenditures. Therefore, consumers should consider all facets of a credit card before choosing.
The cards above are the best for earning streaming rewards, but they are also great for a variety of other reasons too:
- The Blue Cash Preferred offers such a high rewards rate for groceries and gas that it pretty much pays for itself. It also earns on transit and has a generous intro on purchase APR to help consumers avoid interest charges.
- The Amazon Prime Visa Signature offers consumers useful shopping protections and good rewards for Amazon purchases.
- The US Bank Cash+ offers cardholders an inexpensive way to control what purchases they'd like to earn the most rewards for with no annual fee, with a generous intro APR offer.
- The SavorOne has an impressive rewards rate for a no annual fee card, is simple to use, and features a generous intro APR for purchases and balance transfers.
- The Active Cash card earns rewards for every purchase while providing strong Visa Signature benefits and a generous intro APR for purchases and balance transfers.
Are there any alternative credit cards worth considering?
If none of the cards above sound enticing, there are a few more that are worth considering for your streaming needs. Take a look:
- Citi® Double Cash Card: Like the Wells Fargo Active Cash, the Double Cash earns 2x points for every dollar. You'll get 1x point when the purchase is made, and 1x when it's paid off. There's no annual fee and it has a long intro APR for balance transfers, but it doesn't offer as many perks as the Active Cash card.
- Chase Freedom Flex℠: The Freedom Flex would be a good alternative to the US Bank Cash+ card. It has no annual fee and features 5% cashback categories (up to $1,500 spent in total combined purchases each quarter) that rotate quarterly, plus static 5% and 3% cashback categories. It covers a ton of ground, provides good benefits, and the rotating reward category for April to June is Amazon purchases and select streaming services.