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Guide

13 Best Credit Cards For Moms

Best Credit Cards For Moms

NEW MODERN MOM

12/13/24

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Written by:

Barbara Mighdoll

Credit cards are a great way to leverage your money and get rewards on purchases. Who doesn’t love that? With so many options out there, finding the best credit cards for moms can help maximize rewards tailored to your spending habits. As long as you're self-disciplined and living on a budget, credit cards can be a mom’s best friend!

There are plenty of cards that let you earn and save in the areas where you do the most spending. Whether that’s gas, groceries, travel, or kid-related purchases, there’s a card that’ll suit your lifestyle. 

If you’re looking for a credit card that’ll help your family win with money, I’ve got some recommendations for you. I spent some time researching the best credit cards for moms and compiled a list of my top picks. Here are some credit cards to consider for your family:

best credit cards for moms

Best Store Credit Cards for Moms

Amazon Prime Visa

If you’re a mom who uses Amazon regularly for purchases, the Prime Visa from Chase is a great one to have. Of course, you get incredible cashback benefits on Amazon purchases, but you also get bonus cashback on Whole Foods groceries, Chase Travel bookings, dining, gas, and transit costs. Surprisingly, Amazon Prime Visa also delivers several travel perks like no foreign transaction fees, travel insurance, roadside assistance, and more. It has no fee, but you have to be a Prime member. If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, this card just makes sense. 

Pros

  • 5% cashback on Amazon and at Whole Foods
  • 5% cashback on Chase Travel purchase
  • 2% cashback on dining and gas
  • 2% cashback on local transit and rideshares
  • 1% cashback on everything else
  • No annual fee (but you have to have Prime) 
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and Concierge Service perks
  • Travel accident insurance
  • Lost luggage reimbursement
  • Baggage delay insurance 
  • Rental collision damage waiver credit 
  • Roadside assistance service 

Cons

  • Unimpressive sign-on offer 
  • Amazon Prime subscription required 
  • No access to Chase credit card perks 

Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

Another store credit card you should consider is the Costco Anywhere Visa. It’s not my favorite on this list, but it can have value when used correctly! Surprisingly, you get some of the lowest bonuses on actual Costco purchases. They only give users 2% cashback on your Costco hauls, but you get 4% cashback on gas and electric vehicle charging costs. Then, you get 3% on restaurant and travel purchases. So on the surface, it looks like a grocery spending card, when really it’s better if used as a travel card since it has some of the biggest gains on gas of any card out there. 

One of the main drawbacks of this card is the tedious redemption process. You have to go into Costco and head to the membership desk to get a physical certificate to use at checkout. This puts big limits on how and when you can spend your cashback. 

Pros

  • 4% cashback on gas and electric vehicle charging purchases 
  • 3% cashback at restaurants
  • 3% cashback on many travel purchases
  • 2% cashback on all Costco purchases
  • 1% cashback on everything else
  • Purchase protection 
  • Access to Citi Entertainment experiences 

Cons

  • No sign-up bonus 
  • Can only redeem points in-store via a certificate 
  • Requires Costco membership 
  • Lower rewards on actual Costco purchases 
  • Few perks outside of cashback

Target REDcard

The Target REDcard is another popular store card that has awesome value. The 5% savings on every Target purchase alone is HUGE, but there are plenty of other perks like 2% cashback on gas and restaurants and free 2-day shipping. 

The only criticism I have is that the credit card and debit cards basically have the same benefits. The only difference is you can only use the Target RED debit card at Target, but you can use the credit card elsewhere. So if you have questionable credit or don’t want to open another credit card, you can get similar perks with just the debit card. 

Pros

  • 5% off on every Target purchase 
  • 5% off on in-store Starbucks
  • 5% off same-day delivery 
  • 2% cashback on dining and gas
  • 1% on everything else
  • Access to RedCard Exclusive offers and items 
  • Free 2-day shipping 
  • Additional return time 
  • No annual fee 
  • Loyalty benefits 
  • Usually decent sign-on offer for a store credit card

Cons

  • No sign-on APR offer 
  • 5% cashback doesn’t apply to prescriptions and most giver cards 
  • Not many gains over the debit option
  • Few perks outside of cashback

Disney Premier Visa Card

This one could have gone in the top travel card category, too! It’s only a card you should think about getting if you spend a lot of time at Disney resorts or make a lot of other Disney purchases. It does have an annual fee, but it’s low. 

Like the REDcard, it also has a debit card with similar benefits. However, some key features of the Disney Premier Visa people like are high rewards on Disney-related purchases as well as gas, groceries, and dining. These high rewards can be redeemed for Disney purchases, airline credits, and movie theaters only, which is somewhat limiting. However, if you love Disney, you’ll get your money’s worth!

Pros

  • 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on DisneyPlus.com
  • 5% in Disney Rewards Dollars on Hulu and ESPNPlus
  • 2% in Disney Rewards on gas, groceries, and dining
  • 2% in Disney Rewards at U.S. Disney locations and retailers
  • 1% on everything else
  • No interest for 6 months
  • No interest in Disney trips
  • Good sign-on offer
  • 10% off select merchandise at U.S. Disney resorts
  • 10% off select merchandise at shopDiseny.com 
  • 10% off select dining at U.S. Disney resorts
  • Credit for Disney, Hulu, and ESPN streaming package 
  • Some discounts on Disney cruise purchases 
  • Exclusive photo opportunities at U.S. Disney resorts 
  • Lots of redemption options (everything from movie theater tickets to cruises) 

Cons

  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • Disney Rewards Dollars can really only be spent on Disney
  • Complicated renewal process
  • Lots of limitations, exclusions, and blackout dates
best credit cards for moms who travel

Best Credit Cards for Moms Who Travel 

American Express Business Platinum Card

If you’re a mom with a business, the Business Platinum Card from American Express is one of the best credit cards out there! I love all the travel perks and the high rewards opportunities on regular travel and business purchases. Specifically, you get lots of benefits on hotel stays and airlines, including lounge access. Plus, it even offers cruise credits. 

The big downsides are the high annual fee of $695 and the fact you need a business to qualify. To really make the card worthwhile, you have to make pretty regular business and travel purchases to gain value. I wouldn’t recommend this card to every business owner, but if you have a medium-sized business and you love to travel, it’s definitely one to consider! 

Pros

  • 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels
  • 2x points on rental cars
  • 1.5x points on business purchases of $5,000 or more 
  • 1x on everything else 
  • Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
  • Airport lounge access
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance
  • Extended purchase warranty 
  • Credits for Adobe and Dell purchases 
  • Around $600 in Fine Hotels and Resorts credits 
  • Up to $360 in Indeed hiring credits
  • Up to $300 in onboard cruise credits
  • Up to $100 in The Hotel Collection credits
  • Up to $200 in credits for airline fees
  • Up to $189 in CLEAR airport security membership credits
  • Up to $120 in cellphone credits
  • Delta SkyClub membership  
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • High annual fee of $695
  • Unimpressive sign-on offer
  • No flexible or adaptable payment plans  
  • Need a business to qualify 
  • Need a medium-sized business to get value
  • Travel-focused perks that may not apply to every mom
  • No sign-on APR offer

Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card

The Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards card has literally saved us thousands. It’s one of the best travel cards for moms because it has a low annual fee of $69, but has lots of benefits! You get points on almost every travel purchase and the card includes plenty of travel perks like 2 free checked bags, travel insurance, and 25% cashback on in-flight purchases. Of course, you do have to be loyal to Southwest to reap all the benefits, but they're our favorite airline, anyway! 

Pros

  • 2x points on all Southwest purchases, partnered hotels, partnered rental car companies, partnered streaming services, internet, cable, phone, and public transit/ride-shares
  • 1x points on everything else 
  • 3,000 anniversary bonus points cover most of the annual fee
  • The first 2 checked bags are free
  • 2 early bird check-ins per year 
  • Lost luggage reimbursement 
  • Baggage delay insurance 
  • 25% cashback on certain in-flight purchases
  • No fees
  • No flight changes
  • Purchase protection 

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer upgrades
  • No extra earnings for certain spending categories (like groceries or gas) 
  • 3% foreign transaction fee 

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is another low-fee travel card that traveling families will love! You earn benefits on every transaction, but users will earn big bonuses on travel purchases through Chase. This one also includes no foreign transaction fees, which is great for moms like me who love international travel. What I don’t like is the unimpressive welcome offer that’s inaccessible unless you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months.    

Pros

  • 5x points on travel purchased through the Chase network 
  • 5x points on Lyft
  • 3x points on dining 
  • 3x points on streaming and online grocery
  • 2x points on other travel 
  • 1x points on everything else
  • 25% points value redemption boost on Chase travel 
  • No foreign transaction fees 
  • Anniversary bonus 
  • $50 of credits can be used for an annual fee
  • Travel Insurance
  • Trip delay reimbursement
  • Baggage delay insurance
  • Extra credits toward some rideshares and delivery options

Cons

  • Unimpressive sign-up bonus 
  • No sign-up APR benefits 

American Express Gold Card

The American Express Gold Card has a good mix of travel perks and everyday benefits. The high annual fee of $250 is a turnoff for a lot of customers, but you do get significant points from dining, grocery stores, and airfare. So, if you spend a lot in those categories, you could easily make up that high annual fee. You’ll also appreciate the complimentary hotel upgrades, flexible payment plans, and adaptable credit limits. 

Pros

  • 4x points on restaurants, UberEats, and grocery stores
  • 3x points on flights booked with airlines or American Express
  • 1x points on all other purchases
  • Annual statement credit credits worth up to $340 
  • Complimentary hotel upgrades
  • Baggage insurance
  • No preset credit limit, it adapts to your purchases and payment history
  • Up to $120 in annual dining credits 
  • Up to $120 in annual Uber credits
  • Up to $100 in experience credits for The Hotel Collections
  • Unique payment plans
  • Included ShopRunner membership

Cons

  • Super high $250 annual fee 
  • Can only use points on flights booked directly through airlines or American Express
  • Unimpressive welcome offer with a high minimum purchase requirement 
  • No lounge access
  • No trip cancellations 
  • Dining credits can only be used at 6 restaurants 
best everyday credit cards for moms

Best Everyday Credit Cards for Moms

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

If you want a card that’s stellar for everyday use, this Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express is one of the best. The Blue Cash card gives you 6% cashback on groceries, which is the highest I’ve seen! It also gives you 3% cashback on gas and other transit costs. 

With a great sign-on offer, it feels like the Blue Cash Preferred Card is perfect for moms. However, you do need to consider where you buy groceries, because the 6% cashback does not apply to wholesale stores, superstores, or online grocers. That means no Costco, Target, Walmart, or Amazon, which is a big bummer on an otherwise fantastic rewards card!

Pros

  • 6% cashback on groceries 
  • 3% cashback on gas stations
  • 3% cashback on rideshares, taxis, parking, and other transit costs 
  • 1% cashback on everything else 
  • Great sign-on bonus 
  • No interest in the first-year 
  • No fees for the first year
  • Low annual fees 
  • Up to $84 in Disney Bundle streaming credits 
  • Up to $120 in Equinox+ fitness credits
  • Flexible payment plans 
  • Access to American Express Experiences events and tickets
  • Included ShopRunner account 
  • Car rental loss and damage insurance
  • Extended warranty and return protections

Cons

  • 2.7% foreign transaction fee 
  • Grocery cashback caps out at $6,000 in spending
  • Grocery cashback doesn’t include wholesale clubs, superstores, or online grocery stores. (So, not Costco, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Target, Amazon)

Discover it Cashback Credit Card

If you’ve never had a credit card before, the Discover it Cashback card is a great one to start with. It’s versatile for all lifestyles because it has rotating bonus categories that give you 5% cashback on related purchases. In some quarters it could be gas and travel and in other quarters it may be groceries and dining. So, no matter how you spend, you can take advantage of the high cashback opportunities. 

The Discover it Cashback card also has one of the best sign-on offers on this list. They’ll match all the cashback you earn in the first 12 months and there is 0 APR for the first 15 months!

Pros

  • 5% cashback on rotating bonus categories
  • 1% on everything else 
  • Great sign-on offer 
  • No interest for 15 months 
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • No fee for first late payment 
  • No penalty APR
  • Great customer service 
  • Free FICO score access
  • Free credit monitoring services and alerts 
  • Freeze it options 
  • No fraud liability for unauthorized purchase 

Cons

  • Rotating bonus categories can be hard to keep up with 
  • Few perks outside of cashback

Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card

Chase Freedom Flex is a credit card that offers a variety of benefits. They do rotating bonus categories like Discover it, but you also get bonus cashback on Lyft, restaurant purchases, and pharmacy costs. Chase Freedom Flex delivers additional value by providing free purchase protection, extended warranties, fraud monitoring, rental car collision damage waivers, travel insurance, and more. It’s the perfect mix of perks for any mom!

Pros

  • 5% cashback on rotating bonus categories
  • 5% cashback on Lyft
  • 3% cashback on dining
  • 3% cashback on pharmacy 
  • 1% cashback on everything else 
  • Great sign-on bonus 
  • No interest for 15 months
  • No annual fee
  • No fraud liability for unauthorized purchase 
  • Purchase protection
  • Extended warranties
  • Credit score and identity restoration plans
  • Fraud monitoring 
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver 
  • Trip cancelation/interruption insurance
  • Travel and emergency assistance services
  • Cell phone protection plan

Cons

  • Rotating bonus categories can be hard to keep track of 
  • Cashback limits on each bonus 

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Some of the cards on this list have great rewards, but they’re complicated. Keeping track of rotating bonus enrollment and cashback caps isn’t for everyone . . . especially a busy mom with hundreds of other things to do. The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is straightforward with a 2% flat cashback rate on all purchases. That’s a really high rate for a flat-rate rewards card and they sprinkle in a few other perks and a great sign-on bonus to make the deal even better. It’s not the card that’ll give you the highest value possible, but it’s nice and simple, making it a great credit card for families.  

Pros

  • 2% cashback on all purchases 
  • No annual fee
  • No interest for the first 15 months 
  • Cellphone protection plan 
  • My Wells Fargo Deals reward perks
  • Auto rental collision damage waiver coverage 
  • Visa Signature perks

Cons

  • 3% annual foreign transaction fee
  • Not a lot of bonus credits or cashback opportunities 
  • Limited redemption on travel 

Citi Double Cash Card

The Citi Double Cash Card also has a simple 2% flat cashback rate that makes it a good card to consider. Aside from the flat rate, you receive anniversary points that you can redeem as cashback or use on Amazon and PayPal. This card also has no fee and offers flexible payment options. The only downside is that it doesn’t offer many perks aside from cashback, but, again, it’s a straightforward card that’s easy to manage. 

Pros

  • 2% cashback on most purchases
  • “ThankYou points” you can redeem for cashback or Amazon and PayPal purchases 
  • No interest for 18 months 
  • No annual fee
  • Access to Citi Entertainment experiences 
  • Flexible payment options 

Cons

  • No sign-on offer
  • 3% foreign transaction fees
  • Not a lot of bonus credits or cashback opportunities 
  • Few perks outside of cashback

Citi Custom Cash Card

The Citi Custom Cash Card is similar to the Double Cash Card, but the cashback works a little differently, and has more earning potential if used right! At the end of each billing cycle, Citi gives you 5% cashback on your top spending category. So, if you spent the most on gas that month, that’s where your cashback goes! If you can track spending and be strategic about that offer, you can get high cashback rewards in almost any category! The only downside is they do put caps on spending, but that makes sense in this structure. 

Pros

  • 5% cashback on your top spending category (up to $500)
  • Great sign-on offer
  • No interest for the first 15 months 
  • No annual fee
  • World Elite Mastercard benefits
    • 3 months of DoorDash DashPass and $5 off first order
    • $5 Lyft credits after 3 rides each month
    • Included ShopRunner membership
  • Anniversary benefits 

Cons

  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • Limit on cashback
  • Spending tracking is tedious
  • Few perks outside of cashback

Credit cards can help you maximize your spending!

Whether budgeting for a new baby or budgeting for a new chapter of travel with your family, credit cards can help you be smart about spending and reap real rewards on your purchases and habits. I hope this list of cards helped you find one that fits your family best. Don’t forget to head to the blog for more mom tips and hacks!

Author

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