Last updated on February 23rd, 2023
It’s back-to-school time, and that means shopping for supplies, clothes, books, and more. There are plenty of rewards credit cards designed to help parents save as they deck their kids out in the latest technology and threads. Here are our choices for the best back-to-school shopping rewards credit cards of 2022:
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At A Glance
 Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card |
Earn 5% cash back on purchases at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market locations | Learn More |
 Discover it® Cash Back |
Earn up to 5% cash back in rotating categories | Learn More |
 Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer |
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases | Learn More |
 Discover it® Secured Credit Card |
2% cash back at restaurants or gas stations on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus 1% cash back on all other credit card purchases | Learn More |
 My Best Buy Visa Card |
Get special financing on select Best Buy purchases or 5% back | Learn More |
 Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card |
Earn 5% back at Walmart.com including Grocery Pickup and Delivery, 2% back at Walmart stores and at Walmart and Murphy USA Fuel Stations, and more | Learn More |
 Target RedCard™ Mastercard |
Get 5% off at Target and Target.com, earn 2% on dining and gas purchases, and 1% on all other purchases | Learn More |
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
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5% back at Amazon.com & Whole Foods Market with Prime Membership
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2% back at restaurants, gas, stations, and drugstores
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1% back on all other purchases
☆ Quick Application
☆ Your Deposit Is Your Credit Line
☆ Build Credit & Earn Rewards
☆ Get Your FICO® Score Free Each Month
If you love shopping with Amazon and have an Amazon Prime membership, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature is a no-brainer. The card, from Chase, offers an impressive 5% cash back on purchases at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market locations. Purchases at gas stations, drugstores, and restaurants earn 2% cash back – but that 5% with Amazon is what makes it such a tremendous back-to-school shopping credit card.
The major drawback with the card, however, is the requirement of an Amazon Prime membership. That membership has a yearly cost of approximately $119, which is essentially a backdoor annual fee. If you don’t shop enough with Amazon, or prefer to avoid a Prime membership, one of the other options below may be better suited for you.
Related Article: New Secured Amazon Credit Builder and Amazon Prime Credit Builder Store Card
Discover It Cash Back
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5% cash back in rotating categories each quarter
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1% cash back on all other purchases
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Discover matches all of the cash back earned by the cardholder at the end of the first year automatically
☆ Unlimited Cash Back
☆ Cash Back Rewards Never Expire
☆ Use Rewards at Amazon Checkout
☆ No Annual Fee
Don’t want to pay an annual fee but still want to earn bonus cash back on Amazon purchases? The Discover It Cash Back card is one of the best all-around cash back credit cards on the market today.
Beyond no annual fee, the Discover It offers 5% cash back on revolving categories (the Chase Freedom is another card that does this). For the third quarter of 2022, those categories are restaurants and PayPal. PayPal offers seamless online payments with a vast selection of online retailers, including Amazon.com.
The great thing about PayPal purchases earning 5% back (on the first $1,500 in spending) is that you can use the Discover Card to purchase supplies, no matter what your preferred retailer is.
While the Q3 bonus categories end in September, the savings with the Discover It extends long past the start of the school year. Discover’s 5% cash back calendar provides 5% savings on Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Target.com in Q4, meaning the savings on school supplies, food, clothing, and holiday presents, extend throughout the rest of 2022.
Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
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Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases
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0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months.
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There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.
☆ Earn Cash Back At a Flat Rate
☆ Redeem Rewards with Flexibility
☆ Citi® Perks and Protections
☆ No Annual Fee
Want a no-fuss back-to-school shopping credit card? Consider the Citi Double Cash Card. Instead of bonus categories and rolling calendars, the Double Cash Card earns 2% cash back on all purchases, no matter where you make them.
The double cash back with the Citi Double Cash Card works out as an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases, plus another 1% back that is earned when you pay your statement. The card has no annual fee and a straightforward redemption process through Citi’s online rewards portal (in $25 increments).
Related Article: Citi Introduces New Citi Double Cash Card Redemption Option
My Best Buy Visa Card
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5% back in rewards
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3X points on gas, groceries, and furniture stores
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2X points on dining purchases
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1X points on all other purchases
☆ Flexible Financing Options
☆ Limited-Time Bonus Categories
☆ No Annual Fee
If it’s back-to-school season, some new electronics may be in order. Consider using a credit card like the My Best Buy Visa Card for your electronics purchase needs. Cardholders have the option to get up to 5% back in rewards or flexible financing on qualifying purchases.
In addition, customers will also earn 3% back in rewards on gas purchases, as well as 2% back for dining and groceries, and 1% back in rewards on all other purchases. With the My Best Buy Visa Card, you have an easy, fast, and secure way to finance a new laptop for school, or maybe a new pair of headphones for the long-hour study sessions.
From time to time, the card will also feature opportunities to earn extra rewards for your purchases. Every couple of months, cardholders can benefit from limited-time bonus categories to earn rewards at a more rapid pace. Enjoy the benefits and features that come with the My Best Buy Visa Card – all for no annual fee.
Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card
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5% back at Walmart.com
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2% back at Walmart stores and at Walmart and Murphy USA gas stations
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2% back at restaurants and travel
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1% back everywhere else Mastercard® is accepted
☆ Unlimited Cash Back
☆ Capital One® Mobile App
☆ Introductory Cash Back Offer
☆ No Annual Fee
At Walmart, the savings are always rolling. Especially during back-to-school season. Stretch the Walmart savings by using the Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card. As a cardholder, you can earn up to 5% cash back on your purchases, with no annual fee.
If you’re already a frequent shopper at the Walmart online shop, the 5% cash back reward is a benefit you’ll appreciate. The card earns 5% cash back on purchases made at Walmart.com, including pickup and delivery services. In addition, get 2% cash back in-store and at Walmart fuel stations, restaurants, and travel. Cardholders can also earn 1% cash back everywhere else Mastercard® is accepted.
Although the card benefits are an excellent way to get rewarded for back-to-school shopping, it can serve much use for year-round purchases. If you prefer a more simple approach to credit cards for everyday purchases, consider a card like the Citi Simplicity® Card or the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card.
Target RedCard™ Mastercard
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5% discount at Target & Target.com
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2% back on dining and gas
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1% back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted
☆ Free 2-day Shipping
☆ More Return Time
☆ Exclusive Offers
☆ No Annual Fee
Another place to get your back-to-school shopping started is Target. With that said, the Target RedCard™ Mastercard could be a convenient choice for all your school needs. In conjunction with affordable Target back-to-school deals, the Target RedCard™ Mastercard can grant cardholders additional savings when it’s used to make purchases.
The Target RedCard™ Mastercard earns saves customers 5% cash back when they shop at Target online and in-stores. The 5% discount is accompanied by rewards of up to 2% on purchases. Credit cardholders can earn 2% rewards on dining and gas purchases, as well as 1% rewards everywhere else Mastercard is accepted. And there is no annual fee which means less money coming out of your wallets.
Other card benefits include:
- Free 2-day shipping
- Exclusive special items and offers
- Additional 30 days for returns and exchanges
Honorable Mentions
Here are a few more credit cards that only just missed out on our top honors for best back-to-school shopping credit cards of 2022:
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Earn cash back rewards on purchases in common categories, including 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in annual purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores, and 1% on all other purchases.
PayPal Extras Mastercard®
This cobranded retail card earns 2X points every time you press the checkout button with PayPal or eBay. It also accrues 3X points on dining and gas for a boost to your daily expenses, and 1X point on all other purchases.
Back-to-School Shopping Credit Cards for Poor/Low Credit
A bad credit score might appear to disqualify you from an excellent back-to-school shopping credit card, but you’d be wrong. There are very good credit card options for people with bad credit, with one secured credit card, in particular, that stands out.
The Assent Platinum Secured Mastercard is one of the best secured credit cards for those planning on making several purchases. The card, issued through Synovus Bank, is unique in that it offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for six months.
Building credit and enjoying no interest on purchases is an excellent recipe for those who want to combine back-to-school shopping with repairing their credit score. Of course, the Assent does require a security deposit, but the six months of 0% intro APR allows users to boost their credit score, get their back-to-school supplies, and offset the costs – all in one!
Discover It Secured
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2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations
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1% cash back on all other purchases
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2X cash back with Cashback Match
☆ No Credit Score Required
☆ Refundable Security Deposit
☆ View Your FICO Score For Free
☆ No Annual Fee
The Discover It Secured Card is a secured version of the Discover It chrome Card. The Chrome earns 2% back on gas and dining purchases and 1% back on all other purchases. Discover also offers the same Cashback Match as other Discover products, meaning cardholders get their cash back totals matched after year one – dollar for dollar.
The Discover It Secured doesn’t offer the same 5% back on PayPal or Amazon purchases as the Discover It Cash Back, but 1% back on back-to-school shopping is impressive – especially for a secured credit card.
Related Article: Are There Secured Credit Cards with 0% APR?
Conclusion
Back-to-school shopping can be overwhelming – and this fact is especially true amid a global pandemic. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent credit cards that can help you save money when doing your back-to-school shopping, be it online or in-store.
Related Article: The Best Dining Credit Cards for Foodies of 2022
