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U.S. Bank Cash+ review: the 5% categories are yours to pick

Most 5% cards hand you the categories. This one lets you choose two every quarter from a set list, which is why it pays on spending other cards ignore.

CTBy the Credairy teamUpdated August 30, 2026
✓Edited by the Credairy team

We are not a bank and we do not approve applications. Every rate and fee here comes from the issuer and was checked on August 30, 2026.

✓

The verdict

The best card here for someone with narrow, predictable spending. If a big share of your money goes to utilities, streaming or home bills, this is the only card on our list that will pay 5% on it. The price of that control is a quarterly enrollment you cannot forget.Jump to:The full review
Official Website Takes you to usbank.com. Rates and fees as published by the issuer.
U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature
Regular APR17.74% to 27.99% variable APRissuer terms, checked Aug 30, 2026
Rewards rate5% on two chosen categories, 5% on prepaid travel in the Rewards Center, 2% on one everyday category, 1% elsewhere
Credit lineSet at approval
Intro APR0% intro APR for the first 15 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers
Who can applyGood to excellent credit
How to applyOnline at usbank.com, or at a branch

Rates and fees in detail

  • No annual fee.
  • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles, then 17.74% to 27.99% variable.
  • Balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer, minimum $5, and the intro rate applies to transfers made within 60 days of opening.
  • See the full terms on U.S. Bank's page.

More details

  • The 5% rate covers the first $2,000 in combined purchases across your two chosen categories each quarter, then 1%.
  • You also pick one everyday category for 2%, such as gas and EV charging, grocery stores or restaurants.
  • You must enroll each quarter. Without enrollment, every purchase earns no more than 1%.
  • The current welcome offer on the issuer's page is $200 after $1,000 in eligible purchases within 90 days.
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Pros and cons

What works

  • You choose the 5% categories instead of taking what you are given

  • $2,000 quarterly cap, higher than most rotating-category cards

  • No annual fee

  • 15 billing cycles of 0% intro APR

What does not

  • Enrollment every quarter, or everything drops to 1%

  • Category options are a fixed list and can change

  • Merchant coding decides what qualifies, and the bank does not control it

  • Rewards structure takes work to explain to yourself

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The full review

The pitch is control. Instead of hoping the issuer picks a category you spend in, you look at your own bills and point 5% at them. Utilities, home internet, streaming and similar categories rarely appear on other cards' bonus calendars, and that is where this card earns its place in a wallet.

The mechanics are strict. Two categories at 5%, capped at $2,000 combined per quarter, one everyday category at 2%, and everything else at 1%. Enrollment is per quarter and takes a few business days to take effect, so choosing early matters.

The 15 billing cycles of 0% intro APR make it a reasonable card to open for a planned purchase, which is unusual for a card whose main appeal is rewards.

» MORE: The rotating-category alternative

» MORE: The no-thinking flat-rate alternative

The basics

Annual fee: $0

Welcome bonus: $200 after $1,000 in eligible purchases within 90 days

Regular APR: 17.74% to 27.99% variable

Quarterly 5% cap: $2,000 in combined purchases

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How it compares

U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature
Official Website
Regular APR17.74% to 27.99% variable APR checked Aug 30, 2026
Credit lineSet at approval
Rewards rate5% on two categories you choose
Who can applyGood to excellent credit
Chase Freedom Flex
Official Website
Regular APR18.24% to 27.74% variable APR checked Aug 30, 2026
Credit lineSet at approval
Rewards rateUp to 5% on rotating categories
Who can applyGood to excellent credit
Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards
Official Website
Regular APR17.49% to 27.49% variable APR checked Aug 30, 2026
Credit lineSet at approval
Rewards rate2% first year, then 1.5%
Who can applyGood to excellent credit

Issuer terms as published, checked Aug 30, 2026.

Compare before you applySee every card we cover side by side, with the rates and fees each issuer publishes.
See all cards

Common questions

What happens if I forget to enroll?
Every eligible purchase that quarter earns no more than 1%. Enrollment does not carry over automatically from one quarter to the next.
Can I change my categories?
You choose again each quarter. Selections take a few business days to activate, so pick early in the quarter to cover more spending.
Does the 5% apply to everything in the category?
It depends on how the merchant is classified by the card networks, which the bank does not control. That is why some purchases that feel like a category do not qualify.

About the author

CT

Credairy team

We compare credit cards using the terms issuers publish, and we say plainly when a card only works for a narrow kind of spender.