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LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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Advertising Disclosure

LendingTree is an advertising-supported comparison service. The site features products from our partners as well as institutions which are not advertising partners. While we make an effort to include the best deals available to the general public, we make no warranty that such information represents all available products. We are compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order).
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American Express Disclosure
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

American Express Disclosure

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card Review

Updated on:
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
LendingTree's Review

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.
4.6
Bank of America<sup>®</sup> Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Rewards Rate
3% cash back in the category of your choice. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Rewards Terms
You can update your choice category for future purchases once each calendar month using the Mobile Banking app or Online Banking, or do nothing and it stays the same.
Cash Bonus
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
We receive commissions from our advertising partners. These commissions do not influence our recommendations. Click here to learn more.
Citi is an advertising partner.

Key takeaway

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is great if your spending habits change from month to month. However, your customized bonus category has a spending cap, so this card is best for combining with other credit cards.

Pros and cons

  • Choose a 3% cash back category each month, including gas and dining
  • Higher earning rates for Bank of America Preferred Rewards® members
  • $0 annual fee
  • Good sign-up bonus offer
  • Long intro APR for purchases and balance transfers
  • Spending cap on elevated rewards
  • Low earning rate on non-category purchases
  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • Limited benefits

Is the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card worth it?

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card is a good $0-annual-fee option for those who want to choose their own bonus categories, as well as those who want a good card for gas or restaurants. The card allows you to select from six of the following categories every month:

  • Gas and EV charging stations
  • Online shopping
  • Dining
  • Travel
  • Drug stores
  • Home improvement and furnishings

It’s also a good choice for frequent spenders at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, as you’ll earn a decent cash back rate on purchases in those categories: 3% cash back in the category of your choice. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases.

However, this card isn’t for people who don’t spend a lot in the bonus categories, as you’ll earn a subpar rate on all other purchases. You’d be better off with a flat-rate card that earns you a consistently high rate on all purchases, like the Citi Double Cash® Card, or a rewards card that’s more aligned with your spending.

How it compares to other cash back cards:

First-year value: $513 versus $444 for the average cash back credit card
Ongoing value: $313 versus $292 for the average cash back credit card
Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

Related Resource Want to see higher earning cash back cards? Check out our list of best cash back credit cards.

Quick facts

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Sign-up bonus: $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
  • Rewards: Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Intro purchase APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles; after that, a 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR applies
  • Intro balance transfer APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days; after that, a 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on balance transfers applies
  • Balance transfer fee: 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3%
  • Other benefits: FICO® score for free, $0 liability guarantee, online chat, digital wallet technology; extended warranty protection
  • Recommended credit: Good / Excellent

What we like about it

  • Change your bonus spending category every month

    This card has a unique rewards rate: Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice. 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases. 1% cash back on all other purchases. This makes it a solid choice for a restaurant or gas credit card.

    In addition, its flexibility is helpful if your spending habits change from month to month — or if you know you need to purchase things from those categories soon. Most credit cards don’t let you choose your top spending category, so this is also a good option for people who want more control over their earning categories to help them maximize their rewards.

    Since this card’s bonus categories are capped, consider pairing it with a flat-rate card, like
    the Citi Double Cash® Card Card or the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. You can use these cards for all your purchases once you hit the quarterly limit.
  • Good sign-up bonus

    The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers a fairly easy-to-earn bonus for new cardmembers: Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

    This offer is on par with other cash back card sign-up bonuses, though the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card does require a higher spending amount to qualify than others. So before you apply for this card, it helps to have a few big purchases lined up.

  • Additional cash back rewards

    If you’re a Preferred Rewards member, this might be one of the highest-earning cash back cards available for you. Members have the opportunity to get 25% to 75% more cash back on every purchase as a Preferred Rewards member. That means you could earn 3.75% to 5.25% cash back on the category of your choice (for up to $2,500 in combined purchases per quarter) and 2.5% to 3.5% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs.

    Gold tier (25% boost)Platinum tier (50% boost)Platinum Honors, Diamond and Diamond Honors tiers (75% boost)
    3% cash back in the category of your choice3.75% cash back

    4.5% cash back5.25% cash back
    2% cash back categories2.5% cash back
    3% cash back3.5% cash back
    1% cash back (everything else)1.25% cash back1.5% cash back1.75% cash back

    To be eligible, you must have an active, eligible Bank of America checking account and three-month combined average daily balance of $20,000 or more in qualifying Bank of America deposit accounts and/or Merrill investment accounts.

    To qualify for each of the tiers, you’ll need the following amounts in a three-month combined average daily balance in your Bank of America or Merrill accounts:

    • Gold tier: $20,000 to $49,999
    • Platinum tier: $50,000 to $99,999
    • Platinum Honors tier: $100,000 to $999,999
    • Diamond tier: $1,000,000 to $9,999,999
    • Diamond Honors tier: $10,000,000 or more

    Note that enrollment is required.

  • Generous 0% APR intro offers for purchases and balance transfers

    This card is an excellent choice for financing a new purchase or transferring a large balance at 0% APR. It includes a very long intro APR for both balance transfers and new purchases — particularly for a card with cash back rewards.

    You’ll get a 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, then a 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on balance transfers. Plus, you’ll get an equally long 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles — then a 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR. These 0% intro APR periods can save you a tidy sum on interest charges.

    This is a nice perk, since many cards don’t offer an introductory period at all. But if you’re looking for a card primarily for its 0% intro APR period, there are cards with longer periods of 18-to-21 months with zero interest. The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card and BankAmericard® credit card, for example, have longer intro APR periods — however, neither card offers rewards.

What to watch out for with this card

  • Bonus category spending limit

    Unfortunately, there’s a $2,500 quarterly purchase limit on the card’s bonus categories — and this purchase limit applies to the 3% and 2% categories combined. This equates to a little over $600 per month in spending. To be fair, this is a higher cap than similar category cards. For example, the Discover it® Cash Back limits you to $1,500 in purchases per quarter, while the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express limits you to $6,000 in annual purchases (around $500 per month) for its 6% category.

    Further, you should keep in mind that, once you reach this cap, you’ll earn a low rate of 1% cash back on the remainder of your purchases for the quarter. Big spenders in this card’s categories may benefit from pairing it with another grocery credit card or gas credit card.

  • Low overall earning rate

    The card’s rewards structure combines its 3% and 2% rewards categories and applies the same spending cap on them, making its overall earning rate quite low. This can be fine if you’re using this card to complement other cash back cards, but not if you want to use one card for all your spending.

    If you prefer to use a single card to use for all your purchases, you should consider a flat-rate card like the Citi Double Cash® Card, which earns up to 2% cash back every purchase. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card could also be a great choice: It offers unlimited 3% cash back on dining and grocery purchases. By our estimates, these cards have much higher potential earnings than the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card:

    Estimated rewards earned per $1 spent*

    *Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

  • Limited benefits

    Some cards may offer benefits like travel or car rental insurance, but the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card falls short in this regard. The only major benefits it offers include a $0 liability guarantee and your FICO Score, which are standard among cash back credit cards.

    A cash back card that comes with more benefits is the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, which includes trip cancellation/interruption insurance, rental car insurance and travel.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

| Disclosures
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express*
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Learn More
on American Express's secure site
0% on purchases for 15 months
18.49%-29.49% Variable
$0
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year
  • Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
  • No Annual Fee.
  • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 18.49% to 29.49% variable APR.
  • 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
  • 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
  • 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
  • Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
  • Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Everyday® Card. Enrollment required.
  • Enjoy up to $15 back per month when you purchase a Home Chef meal kit subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your enrolled Blue Cash Everyday® Card.
  • Terms Apply.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent
*The information related to the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


If you spend large sums at supermarkets, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express may be the card for you. It offers a higher cash back* rate at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases) than the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card.

However, if you tend to purchase groceries at wholesale clubs, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card may be a better option, since it includes wholesale clubs in its 2% cash back category.

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express makes a better go-to spending card since its spending cap applies separately to several different categories per year and has a larger rewards potential. It has an annual spending cap of $18,000 per year across all bonus categories, while the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card has a cap of $10,000 per year on bonus categories — including its lower 2% bonus categories.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card vs. Citi Double Cash® Card

| Disclosures
Citi Double Cash® Card
Citi Double Cash® Card
apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Citibank's secure site
Rates & Fees
N/A
18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
$0
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you
  • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.49% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
600 660 720 850
Fair / Good / Excellent

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


The Citi Double Cash® Card is a simpler cash back card than the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card. You can earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.

If you want a single card to use on all your purchases, the Citi Double Cash® Card is a great choice, since it earns the same high rate on everything. However, it’s also a great card to pair with the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card. You can use the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card to earn 3% cash back each month on a category of your choice until you reach your max. Once you’ve reached your quarterly limit, you can use the Citi Double Cash® Card for the remainder of your purchases for the quarter. The Citi Double Cash® Card also has a $0 annual fee, so you won’t lose anything by owning both cards.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card vs. Discover it® Cash Back

| Disclosures
Discover it® Cash Back*
Discover it<sup>®</sup> Cash Back
Learn More
0% Intro APR for 15 months
18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR
$0
5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly
  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
  • Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with our digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
660 720 850
Good / Excellent
*The information related to the Discover it® Cash Back has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appears on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.


The Discover it® Cash Back is a bonus category card with a different twist: It chooses the categories for you — though they may or may not line up with your spending habits. You’ll earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.

It has a slightly lower $1,500 quarterly purchase limit for its bonus categories — so if you max out the 5% category in a quarter, this amounts to $75 in bonus cash back. This equals the quarterly max that you can earn with the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card‘s 3% category.

However, the Discover it® Cash Back has a much better welcome offer for new cardholders: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300. This may make it a better choice in the first year for higher spenders.

Is the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card card right for you?

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card may be right for you if you want to choose your bonus categories, especially if you want to earn rewards at a high rate on gas stations, restaurants or online purchases. It’s also a great option for financing new purchases and balance transfers, thanks to its long intro APR.

But if you don’t want to deal with a more complicated rewards rate or worry about switching categories, then you may be better off with a cash back credit card that offers a flat-rate rate on all purchases.

apply-now-icon Apply Now
on Bank Of America's secure site
*Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by third parties such as Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply.

The information related to the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, BankAmericard® credit card, Discover it® Cash Back and Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.

The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.