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6 Best Credit Cards to Use on Black Friday & Cyber Monday



The end-of-year shopping season is upon us. Black Friday and Cyber Monday – North America’s two biggest retail holidays – are nigh. There’s just one item of business before you finalize your holiday gift list: making sure you have a suitably festive spending aid.

If you have good credit and you’re confident in your ability to use revolving credit responsibly, a wealth of holiday-friendly credit cards awaits you. But choose carefully. The optimal choice for you this season depends on where, how, and on what you plan to spend your money.

So do your homework to learn more about the best credit cards to use for holiday gift shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and how to get the most out of whichever card you wind up choosing.

Best Credit Cards to Use on Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Happily, choosing the right credit card to kick off the retail festivities isn’t brain surgery. These are widely regarded as the best credit cards to use on Black Friday and Cyber Monday – and throughout the holiday shopping season.

1. Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Unlimited 5% Cash Back on Purchases Made at Amazon and Whole Foods; Unlimited 2% Cash Back at Drugstores

Amazon Prime Rewards Credit Card

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The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is the default credit card for Amazon Prime members seeking rare holiday deals on America’s largest e-commerce site. With unlimited 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods Market purchases, this card is perfect for Cyber Monday shopping – and the snacks you’ll need to fuel your shopping spree.

Unlimited 2% cash back at restaurants, drugstores, and gas stations boosts your spending ahead of the big day, padding your rewards balance just in time to redeem for even deeper discounts on holiday gift purchases.

  • Sign-Up Bonus. For a limited time, get a $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval.
  • Earning Rewards. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on eligible purchases at Amazon and Whole Foods Market. Earn unlimited 2% cash back on eligible purchases at restaurants, drugstores, and gas stations. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
  • Redeeming Rewards. Redeem in any amount for credits against Amazon purchases – reducing your net Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending if you’re able to get a head start on your holiday spending. Other redemption options include general cash back via statement credit or direct deposit and gift cards.
  • Introductory APR. None.
  • Key Fees. There is no annual fee other than the separate fee for Amazon Prime membership. If you cancel your Prime membership or allow it to lapse, you’ll lose your 5% cash-back benefit.
  • Other Perks. This card comes with some valuable Visa Signature shopping benefits, including extended warranty coverage for one additional year on items with eligible warranties of three years or less and purchase protection against damage or theft for 120 days from the date of purchase – up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Both benefits are invaluable for protecting major Black Friday and Cyber Monday purchases, especially during the busiest time of year for doorstep package thieves. Other notable Visa Signature benefits include complimentary loss and damage coverage on rental cars paid in full with the card and basic travel insurance coverage.

See our Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.

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2. Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card

Unlimited 3% Cash Back on Purchases Made at Amazon and Whole Foods; Unlimited 2% Cash Back at Drugstores

Amazon Prime Rewards Credit Card

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The Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card isn’t quite as generous as the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card. Indeed, when your Prime membership lapses, your Prime Rewards Visa simply turns into an Amazon Rewards Visa, shaving 2% off your Amazon and Whole Foods Market cash-back earnings.

Still, unlimited 3% cash back on Amazon purchases is an attractive rate of return on spending. If you rarely shop at Amazon outside the holiday rush and don’t need Prime membership, the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature card is probably enough for you.

  • Sign-Up Bonus. For a limited time, get a $100 Amazon gift card instantly upon approval.
  • Earning Rewards. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on eligible purchases at Amazon and Whole Foods Market. Earn unlimited 2% cash back on eligible purchases at restaurants, drugstores, and gas stations. All other eligible purchases earn unlimited 1% cash back.
  • Redeeming Rewards. The ideal way to redeem is for credits against Amazon purchases at checkout. Otherwise, redeem for statement credits, direct deposits to your bank account, or gift cards. You can redeem in any amount.
  • Introductory APR. None.
  • Key Fees. There’s no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.
  • Other Perks. This card has the same Visa Signature benefits as the Amazon Prime version: extended warranty coverage, purchase protection subject to limitations, and rental car coverage.

See our Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.

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3. Citi® Double Cash Card

Up to 2% Cash Back on Eligible Purchases When You Pay Your Balance in Full; 0% APR on Balance Transfers for 18 Months From Account Opening

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Not sure where you’re going to shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year? Opt for a general-purpose cash-back credit card like the Citi® Double Cash Card, which earns unlimited 2% cash back on all eligible purchases when you pay your statement in full each month. It’s an ideal card for shoppers guided by their love for the deal, not any particular brand.

  • Sign-Up Bonus. None
  • Earning Rewards. Earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases made with your card, plus another 1% cash back on payments against your statement balance – as long as you pay at least the required minimum. When you pay your balance in full each month, that’s a 2% rate of return.
  • Redeeming Rewards. Redeem for statement credits, paper checks, bank account deposits, or gift cards, subject to a $25 minimum redemption threshold.
  • Introductory APR. Get 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months from account opening. Then, regular variable APR applies.
  • Key Fees. There is no annual fee. Foreign transactions cost 3% of the transaction amount.
  • Other Perks. Enjoy preferred access to exclusive deals at thousands of ticketed events each year, including presales and sold-out shows, through Citi Entertainment.

See our Citi Double Cash Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.

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4. Apple Card

2% Back on Purchases Made With Apple Pay

Apple Credit Card

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The Apple Card earns up to 3% cash back on eligible Apple purchases – including those at Apple.com and brick-and-mortar Apple locations – and 2% back on all purchases made with Apple Pay.

The former is great news for gift-givers eager to please the Apple lovers in their lives. The latter is great for pretty much everyone else, given Apple Pay’s growing market penetration. And cash back automatically redeems as a statement credit the same day it’s earned, eliminating worries you’ll forget to cash out.

  • Sign-Up Bonus. There’s currently no sign-up bonus. Check back here often for the latest promotions.
  • Earning Rewards. Earn 3% cash back on all purchases made with Apple – including at Apple stores and on Apple.com – and on purchases from select vendors using Apple Card with Apple Pay. Earn 2% cash back on all other eligible purchases made with Apple Card with Apple Pay. All purchases made without Apple Pay earn 1% cash back.
  • Redeeming Rewards. Cash back is automatically redeemed as a statement credit to your Apple Card account daily.
  • Introductory APR. None.
  • Key Fees. There are no annual fees and no additional card fees.
  • Other Perks. Apple Card comes with nifty security features like geo-location for all transactions and a host of tools designed to help you better understand your spending and pay less interest.

See our Apple Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.

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5. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

1.5% Cash Back on Eligible Purchases; 0% APR on Purchases for 15 Months From Account Opening

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The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is another fantastic cash-back credit card with a stellar promotion of 0% APR on purchases.

Get 1.5% cash back on most purchases now, plus unlimited 5% cash back on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through Capital One Travel.

It gets better: You’ll earn a $200 early spend bonus when you spend $500 or more on eligible purchases in the first three months. Then, take up to 15 months to pay off your purchases – something you’ll want to do to avoid being on the hook for a hefty interest bill.

  • Early Spend Bonus. Earn $200 bonus cash when you make $500 in eligible purchases within the first three months of account opening.
  • Earning Rewards. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on most eligible purchases made with your card. Eligible hotel and car rental bookings earn unlimited 5% cash back when made through Capital One Travel.
  • Redeeming Rewards. Redeem in any amount for statement credits, gift cards, or paper checks, or schedule automatic redemptions when your balance hits one of Capital One’s acceptable thresholds: $25, $50, $100, or $200.
  • Introductory APR. Enjoy 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then variable regular APR applies, currently 19.99% to 29.99%.
  • Key Fees. There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.
  • Other Perks. Quicksilver’s shopper-friendly benefits include extended warranties on select eligible items purchased with the card, instant price scans of hundreds of merchants’ inventories through Capital One Shopping, and potential savings on past purchases through Paribus. Capital One Shopping and Paribus are potentially invaluable aids for budget-conscious holiday shoppers.

See our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.

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6. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Double Miles on Eligible Purchases

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The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card does have an annual fee. But an attractive rewards scheme and generous value-added perks more than justify the expense in subsequent years. It’s perfect for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers who love to travel. If you use one travel rewards credit card this holiday season, make it Venture.

  • Early Spend Bonus. Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 on the card within 3 months from account opening. That's worth $750 in travel expenses at redemption.
  • Earning Rewards. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on most eligible purchases with no limit on the number of miles you can earn. Hotel and car rental purchases made through Capital One Travel earn 5 miles per $1 spent.
  • Redeeming Rewards. Redeem for statement credits against prior travel purchases or direct travel bookings made through Capital One’s online travel portal. Or, transfer your miles to any of Capital One’s 15+ partner travel programs.
  • Introductory APR. None.
  • Key Fees. The annual fee is $95. There is no foreign transaction fee.
  • Other Perks. Receive statement credit up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

See our Capital One Venture Rewards Card Review for more information. Find out how you can apply for this card here.

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Final Word

You can’t go wrong using any of these credit cards on your holiday shopping spree.

But they’re not the only credit cards good for shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Plenty of other cards have consumer-friendly perks that make them ideal shopping companions for your personal purchases throughout the holiday season. After all, your grocery budget and utility bills don’t get two months off at the end of the year.

As you evaluate your credit card options for the holiday shopping season, pay special attention to benefits like purchase protection, return protection, price protection (price matching), and extended warranties. Credit card issuers are tightening their belts, so these perks aren’t as common as in seasons past, but they’re still out there – if you know where to look.

Brian Martucci writes about credit cards, banking, insurance, travel, and more. When he's not investigating time- and money-saving strategies for Money Crashers readers, you can find him exploring his favorite trails or sampling a new cuisine. Reach him on Twitter @Brian_Martucci.