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If you haven’t yet found a rewards credit card that fits your spending habits, a customizable rewards card could be the perfect option. Unlike traditional rewards cards that offer preselected categories like travel or dining, these cards let you choose where you want to be rewarded.
CNBC Select rounded up the five best credit cards with customizable rewards so you can compare and find the best fit for your spending.
See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best rewards cards.
5 best credit cards with customizable rewards
Best for no annual fee
Reward options: With the no-annual-fee Citi Strata℠ Card, you can earn 3X ThankYou® Points in an eligible self-select category of your choice from the following options: fitness clubs, select streaming services, live entertainment, cosmetic stores/barber shops/hair salons or pet supply stores.
Other great perks: The Citi Strata comes with a 20,000-point welcome bonus after spending $1,000 in the first three months, and you can save on interest with a low intro APR. The Strata also comes with access to Citi Entertainment®, which helps you get presale tickets and exclusive experiences to some of the year’s most anticipated events.
The Citi Strata℠ Card is a solid rewards credit card that earns in several everyday spending categories, with no annual fee.
- No annual fee
- Customizable earnings category
- Earns transferable rewards
- Has foreign transaction fees
- Fewer built-in benefits
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
Balance transfer fee
There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
Best for 0% APR
(Note, the 6% and 2% cash back rates are on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, then 1% thereafter. After the 3% first-year bonus offer ends, you will earn 3% and 2% cash back on these purchases up to the quarterly maximum.)
Other great perks: The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card has no annual fee, and you can enjoy a low intro APR on purchases and any balance transfers made within 60 days of account opening. Plus, if you’re a soccer fan, the card is currently offering a special FIFA World Cup 2026™ design through July 31, 2026.
- Introductory APR offer
- $200 online cash rewards bonus
- Have a choice of 6 different categories you can change monthly
- 3% foreign transaction fee
- Can’t receive a greater cash-back rate unless you’re a Preferred Rewards member
Information about Bank of America cards has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
Best selection of categories
Reward options: The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card earns 5% cash back on the first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of your choosing (then 1%), plus 2% cash back on one everyday category. The 5% cash back category offers 12 optional categories ranging from furniture stores to TV, internet and streaming. The 2% cash back options are grocery stores and grocery delivery, restaurants and gas and EV stations.
Other great perks: In addition to earning cash back on your chosen categories, the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa also earns 5% back on prepaid travel booked directly in the Travel Center. You can have your rewards redeemed as a statement credit, a rewards card or directly deposited into your U.S. Bank checking or savings account. Using the Rewards Center Shopping Deals with your U.S. Bank Cash+ card can help you earn bonus rewards offers with over 1,100 online merchants.
- Rewarding and versatile quarterly bonus categories
- Generous intro-APR offer
- Quarterly limits on the card’s top bonus spending categories
- No statement credit offers or other ongoing benefits outside of the cash rewards
Best welcome bonus
Reward options: Opting for the Citi Custom Cash® Card means you’ll earn 5% cash back on your top eligible spend category each billing cycle on up to $500 spent (then 1%). Your purchases will be split into 10 categories, with popular options like grocery stores and fitness centers available.
Other great perks: If you’re looking for a welcome bonus with a longer spending timeline, the Citi Custom Cash Card offers $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Cash back comes in the form of 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for cash back as a statement credit, direct deposit or check.
The Citi Custom Cash® Card is an especially simple and rewarding cash-back card because you’ll automatically earn bonus rewards where you spend the most.
- Intro APR applies to purchases and balance transfers
- Easy-to-earn welcome bonus; No annual fee
- Bonus cash-back categories are capped
- Has a foreign transaction fee
Rewards
- Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked on Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2026.
Balance transfer fee
5% of each balance transfer ($5 minimum)
Foreign transaction fee
Best for small businesses
Other great perks: The Amex Business Gold comes with a few statement credits, including up to $155 in credits toward a monthly Walmart+ membership (up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee, subject to auto-renewal) after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Business Gold Card. You can also earn up to $20 in monthly statement credits after using your Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub and office supply stores.
The American Express Business Gold Card maximizes spending with flexible bonus reward categories based on where your business spends the most.
- Earn up to $545 in credits every year for eligible business purchases
- Generous bonus rewards categories with high spending caps
- Earns flexible rewards you can transfer to 20 airline and hotel loyalty programs
- High annual fee
- Statement credit offers are earned on a monthly basis and only apply to specific purchases
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select’s editorial staff.
- Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.*
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.*
- Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.*
- Get up to a $12.95** statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. **Up to $12.95 plus applicable taxes on one membership fee.*
- The Business Gold Card comes in three metal designs: Gold, Rose Gold and White Gold. Make your selection when you apply on Americanexpress.com.
- *Terms Apply
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
Foreign transaction fee
Is it better to get cash back or rewards points?
The two most common types of credit card rewards you’ll come across are cash back and points. While one isn’t necessarily better than the other, they serve different purposes.
Alternatively, credit card points earn an issuer-specific point currency, which can be redeemed for a number of options — from merchandise to, most prominently, travel. The value of points can vary depending on how you redeem them, but a single point is generally worth between 0.5 cents and 2 cents or more. Using points for more complex redemptions (such as transfer partner travel) can often get you tremendous value, while redeeming for merchandise or gift cards may net lower value.
Does picking your rewards earn you more points?
Customizing your credit card rewards can earn you more points in many cases. While your maximum earning potential may be lower depending on the card, your overall earnings can be more consistent; you’re less likely to waste bonus categories on spending you don’t actually do.
For example, instead of using a card that earns 5% cash back on bonus categories that rotate each quarter, a customizable rewards card ensures you’re earning elevated rewards on categories you actually spend in year-round. Alternatively, if your highest spending categories vary from month to month, a customizable rewards card gives you the power to adjust your bonus categories as needed.
All in all, it really comes down to your spending choices, so look for a card with categories that reward you for your habitual purchases.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card list is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards that let you pick your rewards.
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Our methodology
To determine which cards offered the best custom rewards, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 major credit cards issued through FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-insured credit unions that are widely available in the U.S.
We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards, annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks (e.g., ongoing travel or merchant statement credits), cardholder protections (e.g., purchase protection, $0 liability protection and travel insurance), the application process when available (e.g., is there a credit pull or required credit score) and how easy it is to redeem points (e.g., are rewards are tied to a specific brand; if transferable, to how many/which partners, can you redeem for straight cash back). We also limited our consideration to cards that provided a personalized selection process for the rewards, not rotating categories that apply to all card users.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.