Best credit cards for paying monthly bills

Paying monthly bills using a credit card can not only be convenient, it can be profitable because you’ll probably be able to earn rewards like miles, points or cash back. Plus, there are some credit cards that offer superlative benefits like cellphone insurance, giving you extra protection for choosing to pay with plastic.

Consumers can also set up to pay certain bills automatically using a credit card, to ensure a due date isn’t missed. If you use a rewards card or cash back card and pay your entire balance in full each month, the incentives earned can be a huge bonus. For those already wondering what the best credit card for paying bills is – check out our favorite choices.

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card: Best for utilities and cellphone providers

Why we picked it: Offering some of the highest cash back rates among flexible bonus category cards, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card gives cardholders the convenience of earning 5% cash back on their first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories they choose. Among the categories, you can pick utilities, cellphone providers, streaming services and more. Just pay your monthly bills with this card and score high cash back benefits.

You can also earn 2% cash back on one everyday category, including gas stations and EV charging stations, grocery stores or restaurants. All on all other eligible purchases, you’ll earn 1% cash back.

Pros

• No annual fee
• $200 rewards bonus if apply online and spend $1,000 in 120 days
• 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked with the U.S. Bank Rewards Travel Center
• 0% intro APR on new purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles (18.24%-28.24% variable thereafter)

Cons

• Limited redemption options
• May change two 5% cash back categories only once a quarter

Who should apply: Families with high utility and cellphone bills will like this card. Those driving electric cars and charging frequently at charging stations will also appreciate this card. The card’s flexible bonus categories also suit anyone with irregular spending; for example, your utility bills might be high only during the winter months.

Who should skip: If your monthly spending is regularly focused on fixed categories, you’ll find the flexible categories unnecessary. And unless you mainly redeem your cash back rewards as cash or statement credits, you’re probably not a good fit for this card.

Chase Freedom Flex: Best for cellphone payments

Why we picked it: Though the Chase Freedom Flex doesn’t earn cash back rewards on cellphone bills, it does provide cellphone protection if you pay your monthly bill with the card. The card’s cellphone protection covers up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year against theft or damage for phones on your monthly cellphone bill. You may file a maximum of two claims in a 12-month period.

In terms of rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex is an excellent cash back credit card. It gives you 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories (up to $1,500 per quarter) on categories you must activate, 5% cash back on Lyft purchases (through March 2025), 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase, 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases and 1% on general purchases.

Pros

• $200 if you spend $500 in first three months
• No annual fee
• Transfer points to a premium Chase travel card
• Flexible redemption options

Cons

• $1,500 spending cap on rotating categories
• Must activate categories before earning 5% cash back

Who should apply: If you love pairing cards to maximize travel points, the Chase Freedom Flex won’t let you down.

Who should skip: If you think you’ll forget to activate categories once a quarter, you should skip. Anyone who’d prefer to earn rewards directly on their monthly bills instead of  protection, should skip as well.

Citi Double Cash Card: Best for paying all monthly bills together

Why we picked it: The Citi Double Cash® Card offers a terrific cash back benefit, allowing cardholders to earn up to 2% cash back on all purchases – 1% when you spend and another 1% as you pay off your purchases.

While the cash-back rate on this card may not be as lucrative for certain bonus categories, cardholders who prefer to keep payments streamlined with the same card could benefit from enjoying a consistent flat-rate award on every purchase. Paying all your monthly bills together is a smart way to rack up cash to boost your monthly budget.

Pros

• No annual fee
• No category restrictions
• Flexible redemption options
• Transfer cash back to Citi ThankYou points ($1 to 100 ThankYou points)

Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fee
• Awards expire if card inactive for more than 12 months

Who should apply: Minimalists who like to put all of their spending on one or two cards should apply.

Who should skip: If you’re a card optimizer looking for an option specifically to charge your monthly bills and nothing else, you might find the up to 2% cash back too low for the effort.

Ink Business Cash Credit Card: Best for business expenses

Why we picked it: The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card should be a go-to card for business owners who want to earn more while they pay business expenses. It offers 5% cash back at office supply stores plus internet, cable and phone services (on the first $25,000 in combined purchases per year). In addition, cardholders enjoy 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on the first $25,000 in combined purchases per year) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

For business owners to earn even more, all Ink products offer employee cards at no additional cost, so authorized users can earn on those purchases. This is an efficient way for business owners to earn more rewards on their employees’ spending.

Pros

• No annual fee
• $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months
• Transfer points to qualifying Ultimate Rewards cards
• 0% intro APR on new purchases for 12 months (16.24% to 22.24% variable thereafter)

Cons

• $25,000 purchase limit on bonus categories

Who should apply: Business owners with small office spaces should apply. Also, cardholders who travel for work might love this card.

Who should skip: Business owners that spend well over $25,000 in the bonus categories should skip. If you and your employees tend to travel domestically or dine with clients, you should find a business credit card with higher cash back in those categories.

Comparing the best credit cards for paying bills

How do you choose a card with so many options at their disposal? Sometimes seeing all the cards compare directly in a table helps:

How to choose the best credit card for paying bills

Before committing to one, or two, cards on this list, consider the following aspects when narrowing down the choices.

• What is your highest monthly bill? Of course, it’d be ideal to receive rewards on all your monthly bills, but that’s nearly impossible to achieve. You should narrow down your highest monthly bills to one to two categories and choose a credit card that gives rewards on those categories.
• Is this an additional card? If you’re the type that likes to have multiple cards, each with their own purpose, applying for a credit card with specific categories – like the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature card – will suit you fine. New cardholders who only want one card should go for a more general card like the Citi Double Cash or Chase Freedom Flex.
• Do you care about a spending cap? Big spenders who find spending caps a hindrance should, of course, opt for cards that don’t have caps. If you’re a modest spender who finds it easy to keep your charges under the spending cap, a card like the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card or the Ink Business Cash Credit Card should work well for you.

Bottom line

Bills come in like clockwork every month. Smart cardholders can plan and earn cash, points and other perks by paying bills with rewards credit cards.

Paying as many bills with reward cards as possible can rake in rewards, but be sure to pay balances in full – so hefty interest on these credit cards doesn’t negate your rewards. Research, planning and setting up online payment options can go a long way toward earning rewards just for paying bills.