Cashback credit cards — up to $500 back

How we calculate Cashback Credit Card Finder Scores

Read full methodology

What different scores mean

9+

Excellent

These cards offer the highest cash returns with the lowest interest rates.

7+

Great

Reasonable ongoing purchase rates and cashback offers.

5+

Standard

These cards offer some value in return for spending.

0+

Basic

These are generally cards targeted at a consumer segment, with cashback as a feature.

Best cashback credit cards

• Highest cashback credit card offer: BCU Rewards credit card
• Best low rate cashback credit card: Westpac Low Rate Card - Cashback Offer

Finder Score	Cashback	Rewards program	Purchase rate p.a.	Annual fee
Highest cashback credit card offer
Finder score 9.3 Excellent BCU Rewards credit card	Finder score 9.3 Excellent	Cashback $500	Rewards Program N/A	13.05%	Annual fee $89	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it With a cashback of up to $500, this is one of the highest credit card cashback offers on the market right now. It also offers 52 days interest-free days on purchases (higher than most cards) and has a fairly low annual fee. Pros & cons Pros 0.49% cashback per $1 spent on eligible transactions Low 13.05% p.a. interest rate on purchases and balance transfers Up to 52 days interest-free on purchases Cons Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
Best low rate cashback credit card
Finder score 9.2 Excellent Westpac Low Rate Card - Cashback Offer	Finder score 9.2 Excellent	Cashback $450	Rewards Program N/A	13.74%	Annual fee $84	View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it With this card, you can get up to $450 cashback. This is awarded as $75 for every month you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases for the first 6 statement periods. So if you miss the spend requirement in one month, you can still earn the cashback in later months. The $7 monthly fee is competitive for a low rate credit card. Pros & cons Pros Up to $450 cashback offer Low ongoing 13.74% p.a. purchase rate Free additional cardholder Cons No rewards program No additional perks like insurance covers or travel benefits

loading

Types of cashback credit card offers

A cashback credit card gives you money back on your statement or vouchers you can spend.

The most common cashback offers are:

1. Earning cashback per $1 spent on the card. Some cards offer a percentage cashback on your spending. With a 1% cashback, if you spent $2,000 in a month you'd earn $20 cashback. These cashbacks are typically capped to a certain dollar amount each month.
2. Promotional sign-up cashbacks. New customers can sometimes get a one-time cashback (often worth several hundred dollars) if they spend a certain amount in the first month or two after activating the card.

You can also convert reward points to cashback

Most rewards credit cards give you the option to convert your reward points into cashback. You can convert 1,250 ANZ Reward Points to a $5 cashback, for example.

Some banks also offer cashback deals that don't involve points. For example, people with an eligible Westpac credit card can get personalised cashback offers through Westpac Extras, paid as a statement credit.

The pros and cons of cashback credit cards

Our expert says: Are cashback credit cards worth it?

"I think of cashbacks as a nice little benefit that some cheaper, low rate credit cards offer. The cashback usually outweighs the annual fee but overall it's not the biggest card perk. If you get a more expensive points-earning card you could earn Qantas or Velocity Points worth thousands of dollars. Of course, these cards are for bigger spenders. And some cards offer both a cashback and frequent flyer points! "

Richard Whitten

Senior Money Editor

How can I compare cashback credit cards?

• Check the introductory offer requirements. If a card offers $200 cashback when you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months, make sure you can realistically meet that spending requirement. Otherwise you won't qualify for the cashback.
• Is the cashback amount worth it? Look at the value of the cash rewards you'll collect versus the card's overall cost. If the value of the cashback isn't worth it, you might find a $0 annual fee or an interest free credit card with a 0% purchase rate offer more suitable for you.
• Remember that percentage cashback spend offers are usually capped. Most cashback cards have a limit on how much value you can get back. You could get 1% cashback on your spending, but with a limit of $30 back per month. No matter how much you spend, your cashback will only ever earn you $30 a month or $360 a year.
• Rewards value. If you have a rewards credit card that offers cash back and other types of rewards (such as flights, travel upgrades or merchandise), you can check to see if there are rewards that have a higher retail or regular price value than the cashback amount.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the difference between a rewards credit card and a cashback credit card?

  A cashback credit card offers you rewards in the form of statement credits or vouchers when you meet a spend requirement, or for ongoing eligible spending. Sometimes, you can get a cashback offer on a credit card with ongoing low rates and low or $0 annual fees that aren't typically available with cards that offer ongoing rewards.

  Standard rewards credit cards offer points for each $1 of eligible spending, which you can redeem for travel, retail items, gift cards, cashback and more.

• How much cash can I expect to get back when I spend?

  You can typically get between $10 and $500 from an introductory cashback offer when you meet the spend requirements. For credit cards that offer ongoing cashback, it's usually between 0.49% and 1% of each eligible transaction.

  While these are 2 of the most common types of cashback on credit cards, there are sometimes other promotions that could offer different amounts. For example, a card that has personalised cashback offers with retail partners could offer you $10 back when you spend $30 with the retailer.

• Can I use cashback to pay the annual fee or my credit card debt?

  Yes, you can generally use cashback rewards to pay your card's annual fee or the outstanding balance of a credit card if you redeem it through a rewards program. But if you get cashback as a credit on your account, you usually still need to make a minimum payment on your account by the statement due date to avoid late payment fees.

• Who can apply for a cashback credit card? And how do I apply?

  Anyone who meets the eligibility requirements for a cashback credit card can apply. These requirements vary between cards, but you can usually expect the following:

  Eligibility requirements

  • Age. You need to be at least 18 years old to apply for a credit card in Australia.
  • Residency status. Most lenders require you to be a permanent Australian resident or citizen, though some do offer products to specific visa holders.
  • Income requirements. Some cards list a minimum income amount that you need to earn before you can apply, others require you to earn a regular income. There are also cards that don't list an income requirement – but even then you'll need to include details about your money when you apply.

  Credit card eligibility requirements are usually listed on individual card pages, as well as at the start of an online application. Make sure you read them before you apply to help save you time.

  How to apply

  You can apply online in around 10-20 minutes. Before applying, make sure you meet the eligibility requirements and have the necessary documents needed to complete your application. You'll need to provide proof of identification, proof of income and some additional information about your finances.

  Once you have completed and submitted your application, you'll usually receive a response from the credit card provider within 60 seconds. If you're approved, you'll receive your card in the mail within 1-2 weeks.

The lowdown on the cashback credit cards Finder Score

The Finder Score helps you sort the junk from the gold so you can compare products faster.

Each month we carefully analyse over 250 credit card products and assess nine features and benefits of each card.

We assign scores out of 10 for each feature, and adjust the scores depending on what category we're looking at. The same card will receive a different score within each category, depending on the features being assessed.

For cashback credit cards, we focus heavily on the quality of the cashback being offered, along with rates and fees.

To qualify for this category, credit cards must:

• Offer some form of cashback on spending. Where cashbacks are based on a % value of spend, we use an average monthly spend derived from RBA figures.

The Finder Score methodology is designed by our insights and editorial team. Commercial partners carry no weight, and all products are reviewed objectively.

Remember that Finder Score is just one factor to consider. Look at other aspects like fees, features, benefits and risks to make sure a product is suitable for you.

Cashback credit cards - score weightings

Breaking down the score tiers

• 9+ Excellent - These cards offer the highest cash returns with the lowest interest rates.
• 7+ Great - Reasonable ongoing purchase rates and cashback offers.
• 5+ Standard - These cards offer some value in return for spending.
• Less than 5 – Basic - These are generally cards targeted at a consumer segment, with cashback as a feature.

Written by

Richard Whitten

Senior Money Editor

Add to Preferred Sources

Richard Whitten is Finder’s Senior Money Editor, with over eight years of experience in home loans, property, credit cards and personal finance. His insights appear in top media outlets like Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine, and the Herald Sun, and he frequently offers expert commentary on television and radio, helping Australians navigate mortgages and property ownership. Richard started his career in education and textbook publishing in South Korea. He holds multiple industry certifications, including a Certificate IV in Mortgage Broking (RG 206) and Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146), as well as a Bachelor of Education from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Certificate in Communications from Deakin University. See full bio

Richard's expertise

Richard has written 755 Finder guides across topics including:

• Home loans
• Credit cards
• Personal finance
• Money-saving tips