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- Several online banks and banking platforms have accounts with cash-back debit cards.
- Depending on the place, you may earn between 1% to 15% cash back on debit card purchases.
- The accounts may have limits on how much you can earn per month or year, or on what qualifies as an eligible purchase.
Introduction to cash-back debit cards
Cash-back debit cards are like cash-back credit cards, in that you can earn extra money off of your everyday purchases with them. But you might prefer a cash-back debit card over a credit card if can't pay off your entire credit card bill each month, or if you struggle with impulse spending.
no monthly service fee
None
$0
- Earn up to 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in purchases per month (See website for details)
- No monthly service fee
- Over 60,000 in-network ATMs
- Get paid early with direct deposit through Early Pay
- Enroll in free overdraft protection
- Debit card can only be used in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean
- Only 1 branch location
- Earn 1% cash back on up on up to $3,000 per month in eligible debit card purchases (See website for details)
- 100% US-based customer service available 24/7
- No opening deposit or minimum account balance
- No monthly maintenance fees
- Over 60,000 in-network ATMs
- FDIC insured
Best debit cards that offer cash back in 2024
- Discover® Cashback Debit Account
- Axos CashBack Checking Account
- Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus
- LendingClub Rewards Checking Account
- ONE account
- Venmo
- Dave Spending Account
- Primis Perks Checking
- Salem Five Direct eOne Checking
- Varo Bank Account
- Quontic Cash Rewards Checking Account
Compare the top cash-back debit cards
Below, you'll find the best cash-back debit cards of 2024 available nationwide. Several of these accounts are also some of the best rewards checking accounts.
Discover Cashback Debit Account
no monthly service fee
None
$0
- Earn up to 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in purchases per month (See website for details)
- No monthly service fee
- Over 60,000 in-network ATMs
- Get paid early with direct deposit through Early Pay
- Enroll in free overdraft protection
- Debit card can only be used in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean
- Only 1 branch location
- Earn 1% cash back on up on up to $3,000 per month in eligible debit card purchases (See website for details)
- 100% US-based customer service available 24/7
- No opening deposit or minimum account balance
- No monthly maintenance fees
- Over 60,000 in-network ATMs
- FDIC insured
With the Discover Cashback Debit Account, you can get 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in eligible debit card purchases monthly (see website for details).
Certain types of debit card transactions aren't eligible for cash-back rewards though. For example, if you buy a money order or make a loan payment, you won't be able to get cash back for the purchase. You also can't get cash-back rewards for peer-to-peer payments (like Apple Pay Cash) or a purchase made using a payment app (like Venmo or PayPal).
Axos CashBack Checking
no monthly service fee
None
$50
- No monthly maintenance fees
- Unlimited domestic ATM fee reimbursements
- Earn up to 1.00% cash back on qualifying purchases
- Unlimited check writing
- Free overdraft protection is available
- $50 minimum opening deposit
- $25 overdraft fee
- Cashback limit of $2,000 per month
- Earn 1% cash back on qualifying debit purchases when you keep an average daily collected balance of $1,500 or more
- Earn 0.50% cash back on qualifying debit card purchases when you’re average daily collected balance is under $1,500
- Eligible for up to $2,000 in cash back per month
- Member FDIC
Axos CashBack Checking allows you to earn up to 1% cash back on signature-based debit card transactions.
To get 1% cash back on qualifying debit card purchases, you'll have to maintain an average daily balance of $1,500 or more in your checking account. Otherwise, you'll earn 0.50% cash back on eligible purchases. The maximum amount of cash back you can earn on signature-based transactions each month is $2,000.
Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus
no monthly service fee
None
$0
- No minimum balance requirements
- No monthly service fees
- No overdraft fees
- Can earn 2% cashback on everyday expenses (up to $500 per year) and 1% on any other debit card charges
- No overdraft protection
Upgrade is a good option if you're looking for free checking, cash back on debit card purchases, and competitive high-yield savings account interest rates — but you'll have to meet certain requirements to get the best perks.
Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus- To maintain an active qualifying Rewards Checking Plus Account and obtain rewards like loan discounts, you must receive direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more each month
Upgrade Rewards Checking Plus offers up to 2% cash back on everyday debit card purchases at convenience stores, gas stations, monthly subscription services, restaurants, and utility and phone providers.
To earn 2% on everyday purchases and 1% cash back on all purchases, your checking account must receive direct deposits of $1,000 or more each month. The 2% cash-back perk is limited to $500 in cash-back rewards per year. After the $500 limit, you'll get 1% cash back on debit card purchases for the rest of the year.
If you do not receive direct deposits of $1,000 or more each month, you'll earn 1% cash back on everyday debit card purchases and 0.50% cash back on other types of debit card purchases.
You won't be able to earn cash-back rewards on gift card purchases, loan payments, money orders, ATM transactions, wire transfers, or payments made through digital wallets or payment apps.
LendingClub Rewards Checking
no monthly service fee
0.00% to 0.15%
$25 to open, $1,000 to earn interest and 1% cash back on purchases
Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases if you maintain a qualifying balance. Earn 0.15% APY if you have an account balance of $100,000 or higher.
- Earn 1% cash back on credit purchases if you have at a $1,000 balance on your account
- Earn interest on your checking account
- No monthly service fee
- Receive your paycheck 2 days early
- Unlimited refunds on out-of-network ATM fees
- Overdraft protection is available that lets you link to another account
- $25 minimum opening deposit
- Must have $100,000 in your account to earn the highest APY
- $25 non-sufficient funds charge
- $5 daily overdraft fee after the 5th straight day of a negative balance
- Interest compounds monthly, not daily
LendingClub has a solid rewards checking account; it lets you earn 1% cash back on qualified debit card purchases if you have $1,000 in your account.
LendingClub Rewards Checking Account- Online banking institution with 1 branch in Boston, Massachusetts
- Earn 1% cash back on all credit purchases if you have at least $1,000 in your account
- Earn 0.00% APY if you have an account balance of $0.00 to $2,4999.99
- Earn 0.10% APY if you have an account balance of $2,500 to $99,999.99
- Earn 0.15% APY if you have an account balance of $100,000 or higher
- Access to over 325,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the NYCE, SUM and MoneyPass ATM networks
- Interest compounded monthly, paid monthly
- Member FDIC
With LendingClub Rewards Checking, you can earn an unlimited 1% cash back on qualifying signature-based debit card purchases.
To be eligible for the cash-back feature, your checking account must have a daily balance of $1,000 or more.
You won't be able to use the checking account for any purchases that are returned or are considered cash equivalents (like gift cards or prepaid debit cards).
ONE Account
no monthly service fee
up to 4.35%
$0
3% cash back on Walmart purchases
- No minimum opening deposit
- No monthly service fees
- Earn a solid APY on your savings pocket and automatic savings pocket
- Free overdraft protection for up to $200 if you meet certain requirements
- No fee for using an out-of-network ATM if you have direct deposits set up
- Receive paychecks sooner with early direct deposits
- Only earn interest on up to a certain balance
- $3.00 out-of-network ATM fee if you do not have direct deposits set up
- Doesn't reimburse any fees charged by out-of-network ATM providers
ONE could be a good fit if you are comfortable with keeping your money all in one account. The ONE account pays a competitive interest rate on savings balances up to $250,000 and it's on par with the savings rates of our best high-yield savings account guide.
ONE account- If you receive $500 or more of eligible direct deposits in the previous month or have a total daily account balance of $5,000 or more for at least 3 consecutive months, you'll be eligible to earn 3% cash back on Walmart purchases (up to $50 annually)
- Free access to 55,000 Allpoint ATMs in the US
- The ONE Account acts as a hybrid checking/savings account
- Set up a Savings Pocket and earn up to 4.35% APY on balances up to $250,000 by either receiving at least $500 in eligible direct deposits each month or having a total daily account balance of $5,000 or more
- Round up debit card purchases to the nearest dollar, and the money goes into Auto-Save Pocket; earn 4.35% APY on your Auto-Save Pocket
- All other Savings balances will earn 1.00% APY
- Overdraft protection for up to $200; To qualify, you must first receive at least $500 in direct deposits for at least 31 days
- Deposits are FDIC insured through Coastal Community Bank
The ONE Account lets you earn 3% cash back of up to $50 per year at Walmart locations or on Walmart.com.
To earn cash back, you'll need to receive direct deposits of $500 or more each month or have a total account balance of $5,000 or more.
Gift card purchases and prepaid cards are not eligible for cash-back rewards. You also won't get cash back at Sam's Club or any restaurants or vendors that are inside Walmart locations.
Venmo Account
no monthly service fee
None
$0
- Pay and receive money from family and friends
- Set up direct deposits to your Venmo balance
- Receive direct deposits up to 2 days early
- Set up mobile check deposits into your Venmo balance
- Money from direct deposits and check deposits is FDIC insured
- Get a Venmo debit card
- Get a Venmo credit card
- Earn cash back on certain purchases with your debit or credit card
- Buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Bitcoin Cash through the app
- No monthly service fees
- No fee for transferring money from your Venmo balance to a bank account
- 1% fee (min. $5) for depositing government or payroll checks
- 5% fee (min. $5) for depositing non-government and non-payroll checks
- 1.9% plus $0.10 if you're a seller and receive a payment
- Cash back depends on the promotions available
- $400 daily withdrawal limit from ATMs with your debit card
- $2.50 out-of-network ATM fee
- 3% fee for sending money to people using your credit card
- 1.75% fee ($0.25 to $25) 1.5% for transferring money from your Venmo balance to a bank account using the "instant" option
- Fee for purchasing or selling cryptocurrency
- No interest earned on your balance
Venmo is a good tool for quickly transferring money between family and friends. The debit card, credit card, and direct deposits can be useful, but you don't have to use all of the features to qualify to send and receive money.
Venmo- Send and receive money electronically
- Money transferred to you within the app is not FDIC insured; money you deposit into your Venmo balance using direct or check deposits is FDIC insured
- Earn cash back with your debit or credit card, depending on current promotions from companies
- Use your debit card with the MoneyPass ATM network for free; pay $2.50 to withdraw funds from Mastercard, Cirrus, or PULSE ATMs
- Cryptocurrency purchase/selling fee: $0.50 for amounts between $1.00 and $24.99; 2.3% of your purchase or sale amount if it's between $25 and $100; 2.0% of your purchase or sale amount if it's between $100 and $200; 1.8% of your purchase or sale amount if it's between $200 and $1,000; 1.5% of your purchase or sale amount if it's over $1,000
Venmo technically isn't a bank or banking platform, it's a mobile payment app. However, you can get a Venmo debit card that links to your Venmo account.
The Venmo debit card allows you to earn up to 5% cash back at select retailers. You can find cash-back offers on the Venmo app.
Dave Spending Account
The Dave Debit Mastercard offers up to 15% cash back at select retailers. When you open a Dave Spending Account, the debit card will automatically be mailed to you. Cash-back offers from participating retailers can be found on the Dave mobile app through Dave Rewards.
Primis Perks Checking
no monthly service fee
None
$1
- Earn $0.50 cash back on debit card purchases
- Low minimum opening deposit
- No monthly service fees
- No overdraft fees
- Free cashier's checks
- Free stop payments
- Early direct deposit
- Refunds out-of-network ATM fees
- Limited ATM network
- Account not available at a Primis branch
Primis Bank pays some of the best high-yield savings account and high-yield checking account rates. It also has a strong cash-back checking account. Its CD rates are fairly low.
Primis Perks Checking- 38 branches in Maryland and Virginia
- Over 30 Primis ATMs near Primis branches
- Open the Primis Perks Checking account from anywhere in the US
- Primis Perks Checking is only available online
- Can overdraw from your account and Primis won't charge you a fee
- Member FDIC
Primis Perks Checking has a cash-back debit card. You can get $0.50 back on all debit card transactions except ATM transactions.
Salem Five Direct eOne Checking
no monthly service fee
0.01%
$10
- $10 opening deposit
- No monthly service fees
- No out-of-network ATM fees
- Earn cash back on your debit card purchases
- Get up to $15 in out-of-network ATM reimbursements each month
- Overdraft protection available
- $25 overdraft fee
- $3 overdraft transfer fee
- Can't open if you have a savings or checking account opened at a Salem 5 branch
- Access to over 55,000 fee-free ATMs through the Allpoint Network
- Earn 0.01% APY on daily account balances under $1 million
- If you have a daily balance over $1 million, your money may be transferred to another bank account, which pays 0.10% APY
- Get $0.05 for each debit card purchase; Cash back rewards will be deposited into your account at the end of each month
- Can't open if you have a savings or checking account opened at a Salem 5 branch
- Overdraft protection that links your checking account to a savings account or apply for a line of credit
- Interest compounded and deposited monthly
- FDIC insured
Salem Five Direct eOne Checking lets you earn $0.05 back on all signature-based debit card purchases.
Varo Bank Account
no monthly service fee
None
$0
- No minimum opening deposit
- No monthly service fees
- No foreign transaction fees
- Get your paycheck up to 2 days early
- No overdraft fees
- Earn cash-back rewards
- No physical branch locations
- $3 out-of-network ATM fee
- No joint accounts
- Only way to deposit cash is to visit a Green Dot location and pay a fee
Varo is a good option if you're comfortable with online banking, especially if you're searching for checking and savings accounts that do not use ChexSystems to review your past banking history or do a credit check. The Varo Savings Account also lets you earn a solid interest rate that's much higher than what many traditional and high-yield savings accounts pay — it may be worth considering if you plan to set up direct deposits and meet certain balance requirements. Many of the best high-yield savings accounts let you earn a high rate without meeting specific criteria, though.
Varo Bank Account- Access to 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs in the US, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada, UK, and Australia
- Earn up to 6% cash back at select retailers; see current cash back offers in the Varo app
- When you receive $5 in cash back, the money is automatically deposited into your account
- If you overdraw by more than $50, there will be no fee — your transaction will just be denied
- FDIC insured
Varo lets you earn up to 6% cash back on debit card purchases at select retailers (up to $50 in cash-back earnings per month). Each time you reach $5 in cash-back earnings, the money will be deposited into the Varo Bank Account. You can find participating retailers on the Varo mobile app.
Quontic Cash Rewards Checking Account
no monthly service fee
None
$100
- High cash-back rewards
- No monthly service fees
- No out-of-network ATM fees
- $100 minimum opening deposit
- $35 overdraft fee
- Doesn't reimburse any fees charged by out-of-network ATM providers
Quontic pays high interest rates overall, but be sure you're eligible to earn the best rates on its high-yield interest checking and money market accounts.
Quontic Cash Rewards Checking- Over 90,000 free ATMs
- 1% cash back on all eligible debit card purchases
- There's a rewards limit of up to $50 per statement cycle
- FDIC insured
Quontic Rewards Checking offers 1% cash back on eligible debit card purchases (up to $50 in cash-back rewards per statement cycle).
The following types of purchases aren't eligible for cash-back rewards: cash over portions of sale transactions, peer-to-peer payments, loan payments, purchases through payment apps, or ATM-based transactions.
What are cash-back debit cards?
How cash-back debit cards work
Cash-back debit cards can work in several ways, but generally, you'll earn some amount of cash back after making purchases with the debit card. There's frequently some sort of limit on what types of purchases you can earn cash-back on; some cards might limit what brands you can buy to earn cash-back, and some might only give cash-back on certain types of purchases, such as buying gas. Some might require you to select what you want to earn cash-back from in your mobile banking app.
The cash can be delivered to you in various ways, as well; it might be put in your checking account automatically, or you might be able to redeem your cash for gift cards or rewards.
You might consider a cash-back debit card if you're looking for a way to get some money back from your purchases. Some banks and online banking platforms, such as online banks and apps that offer banking services, offer accounts with high-reward cash-back debit cards, which allow you to earn a percentage of cash back from certain types of debit card purchases.
Differences from credit cards
The primary difference between cash-back debit cards and cash-back credit cards is the pool of money that the cards pull from. Credit cards are lines of credit; each time you use one, you're borrowing money from the credit card lender that you're expected to pay back. If you don't, you'll have to pay interest on what you've borrowed. The average credit card interest rate is extremely high, so you'll want to pay your balance off each month to avoid paying extra.
In comparison, debit cards generally pull money from a checking account, although there are prepaid debit cards that work differently. Since it's pulling from your money, you aren't at risk of going into debt by making debit card purchases. But you also won't be able to make debit card purchases if you don't have any money in your checking account.
How to choose the best cash-back debit card
Consider your spending habits
When deciding how to get a debit card with cash-back options you'll regularly use, consider what you generally buy with your debit card. Do you use your debit card primarily for grocery purchases? Do you use your debit card mostly for online shopping? Make sure to find a card that will reward you for the purchases you make most often.
Research rewards structures
Look into how you'll receive your cash back before you commit to a card. For example, If you don't want to have to redeem your cash back for gift cards or other types of rewards, look for a card that puts your cash directly into your checking account.
Fees and Requirements
Many cash-back debit cards come with fees. Look for a free checking account that has a cash-back debit card with no fees to make sure you aren't paying more in monthly fees than you're earning back.
Additionally, make sure that the requirements the debit card puts on how you earn cash back aren't too strict. If you can only buy from specific brands, and you never buy from those brands, you'll be missing out on the core features of your card.
Cash-back debit card FAQs
Yes, cash-back debit cards are generally safe. They're usually linked to your checking accounts, which are federally insured bank accounts.
No. Debit cards don't report to credit bureaus, so they won't impact your credit score directly. However, using debit cards instead of credit cards can help you avoid credit card debt, so using debit cards could help your credit score indirectly that way.
Redemption steps differ between cash-back debit cards. Some debit cards will direct deposit the money into your checking account, and some will let you redeem your cash back for gift cards, among other methods.
Yes, some banks offer checking accounts for teens that come with cash-back debit cards. These accounts can also be useful for people who want to get a cash-back debit card for students.
Cash-back debit cards may come with fees and reward caps. They might offer lower rewards rates than cash-back credit cards.
