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According to our analysis of the market, the following cards stand out for certain purposes. Use the information below to compare fees, rates, and rewards across categories.

Why trust our picks? Our analysis is based on a review of more than 100 UK credit cards from 25 providers, assessed across fees, APRs, rewards, introductory offers and other key features. Latest rolling analysis conducted in August to September 2026. See our full methodology here.

Cashback Credit Card Comparison

To compare cashback credit cards, NimbleFins analysed six cash back (or equivalent) credit cards and calculated the cashback rewards the average UK consumer charging £10,000 per year could earn on each card (less annual fees).

The card with the highest ongoing rewards rate is the Nectar Credit Card by American Express, which returned an estimated 0.7% on ongoing rewards (~£70 per year). Nectar's underlying earn rate is actually 1% (2 points per £1, at 0.5p per point) — at £10,000 of annual spend, that's £100 in gross rewards, reduced to a net £70 once the card's £30 annual fee is deducted, working out to an effective 0.7% rate for £10k of spend.

The next highest-rewarding cards are the Partnership Card and the Platinum Cashback Credit Card by American Express (reflecting £25 annual fee) and Platinum Cashback Everyday card by American Express cards, that all would return an estimated £50+ of cash back rewards per year.

The Platinum Cashback and Platinum Cashback Everyday cards pay rewards as an annual statement credit, which can be applied to any purchase, rather than being tied to a specific retailer or loyalty scheme.

Here is a summary of the rewards and estimated rewards outcomes for the six cards we assessed (reflecting any respective annual fees):

^Note: Actual rewards rates on some of the cards will vary based on the amount you spend each year on the credit card. Also, American Express cards are accepted by a smaller proportion of retailers, which could impact actual rewards rates.

Please see the methodology section for more information, including why we picked annual spending of £10,000 for our calculations.

Always make sure you can afford repayments.

Best Overall & No Fee Cashback Credit Cards

In our opinion, the following cards offer the best cashback rewards in their respective categories. We have modeled their features to estimate annual rewards, based on potential UK household credit card charges of around £10,000 a year (~£800 per month). Our calculations incorporate all relevant annual fees, rewards rates, bonuses, etc. Actual results will vary depending on how you use a card. And as with all rewards cards, it's important to pay back the full balance each month in order to take best advantage of the rewards.

Overall Cashback: Platinum Cashback Card from American Express

The Platinum Cashback Card by American Express earns cashback across all categories and pays out rewards as statement credits. Over the long-term, the card earns 0.75% or 1.25%, depending on your level of spending. You can also take advantage of the welcome offer of 5% for the first three months (up to £125 cashback). Despite the relatively modest £25 annual fee, we have calculated the Platinum Cashback card can earn the average UK household charging £800 to their card each month (and paying back in full each month) around £50 per year in cashback rewards. Since the rewards are given as statement credits, the rewards on this card are generally simple to use and flexible compared to many others in the market.

Representative Example: Representative 34.6% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) and a £25 annual fee.

Cashback is not earned on cash advances, balance transfers, travellers' cheques, FX transactions, interest, any spending above your credit limit, charges for returned payments, late payment or referral charges and finance charges.

Pros

• 0.75% cashback rate on purchases up to £10,000 per year

• 1.25% cashback rate on purchases over £10,001 per year

• 5% intro cashback rate up to £125 reward

Cons

• Amex not accepted everywhere

Best Cashback Card with No Annual Fee: Platinum Cashback Everyday Card from American Express

The Platinum Cashback Everyday card from American Express carries no annual fee, and its rewards break even with the paid Platinum Cashback card at £10,000 of annual spend.

The Platinum Cashback Everyday card offers long-term cashback rates of 0.5% to 1%. Cashback is delivered automatically as a statement credit, with no points or vouchers to manage.

Note there is a £3,000 minimum spend requirement per card year to earn any rewards on this card!

Representative Example: Representative 29.1% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee.

Cashback is not earned on cash advances, balance transfers, travellers' cheques, FX transactions, interest, any spending beyond your credit limit, charges for returned payments, late payment or referral charges and finance charges.

Pros

• 0.5% cashback rate on purchases up to £10,000 per year

• 1% cashback rate on purchases over £10,001 per year

• 5% intro cashback rate up to £125 reward, in first five months

• No annual fee

Cons

• Amex not accepted everywhere

Best Store Cashback Cards for Food (Groceries)

Food and groceries make up a significant share of most household budgets, so a card that rewards extra in this category can add up over time.

Amex Nectar Credit Card

The Nectar Credit Card is probably the most flexible grocery credit card, because unlike other grocery-related credit cards, the Nectar card gives you the same approximate 1% rewards rate on all shopping. So you can shop at any grocery store you want and also use the card for general spending and earn the same rate. Most other grocery loyalty credit cards (e.g. Tesco Clubcard or the Partnership Card) only deliver an equivalent rate on in-store spending (not out-of-store spending).

The first year with the card is the most valuable - the relatively high welcome bonus of 20,000 Nectar points (earned when you spend £2,000 in the first three months) is potentially worth around £100. While you are not limited in how you earn points, you can only redeem points at one grocery chain (Sainsbury's) or other Nectar partners. Cardholders can expect to earn Nectar points worth around £70 in their second year and beyond, assuming £10,000 of annual spend, which is roughly the amount that the average UK household would spend on a credit card.

Representative Example: Representative 35.8% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 29.1% p.a. (variable) and a £30 annual fee.

Pros

• Earn 2 Nectar points for almost every £1 spent (£1 minimum), in addition to Nectar points earned through the Nectar loyalty program when shopping at Nectar partners (approx. 1% rewards rate)

• Earn 1 Nectar point for every £1 spent at warehouse retailers (approx. 0.5% rewards rate)

• Welcome offer of 20,000 Nectar points when you spend £2,000 in the first three months (worth approx. £100)

• Access to Global Assist for help when you travel abroad

• Purchase Protection will repair or replace any damaged or stolen items within 90 days of purchase

• £30 annual fee (waived first year)

Cons

• Amex not accepted everywhere

Best Low-Rate Cashback Card: Lloyds Ultra Credit Card

The Lloyds Ultra Credit Card pays 1% cashback on all purchases in the first year, dropping to 0.25% ongoing from year two. Unlike the Amex-issued cards in this comparison, it charges no foreign transaction fees on purchases abroad and no cash withdrawal fee, though interest still applies to cash withdrawals from the date of the transaction.

The card also carries a notably lower representative APR than the other cards in this comparison — most sit in the high-20s to mid-30s, while Ultra's representative rate is under 15%.

Representative example: Representative 14.9% APR variable. Based on an assumed credit limit of £1,200 at a purchase rate of 14.94% p.a. (variable) with no annual fee.

Pros

• 1% cashback on all purchases in the first year

• 0.25% ongoing cashback from year two

• No foreign transaction fees on purchases abroad

• No cash withdrawal fee

• No annual fee

• Notably lower representative APR than other cashback cards in this comparison

Cons

• Ongoing cashback rate (0.25% from year two) is lower than Nectar, Platinum Cashback, and Platinum Cashback Everyday

How Does Cashback Work?

Cashback is the most flexible and easiest-to-use of the rewards systems. Cashback cards return a percentage of your spending made using the card. Often, the percentage varies by spending location or category (e.g., different rates in-store vs out-of-store on branded cards).

Where and How Rewards Are Delivered

Cashback cards differ in two main ways: which spending categories earn the highest rate, and whether rewards arrive as store vouchers or statement credits.

Some of the cashback credit cards listed here have no annual fee, so it is feasible to take out more than one card in order to optimize your rewards across different spending categories — though each application leaves a hard search on your credit file. Many of the cashback cards are issued by American Express, which isn't accepted everywhere.

Statement credits are applied automatically each year, while vouchers must be redeemed at specific retailers within a set window before they expire.

Methodology

For this article, our team considered the following credit cards that offer cashback rewards on spending, where cashback is defined as statement credits, vouchers, or an equivalent that can be used to reduce spending:

• Platinum Cashback Credit Card by American Express

• Platinum Cashback Everyday card by American Express

• John Lewis Partnership Credit Card

• Nectar Credit Card by American Express

• Lloyds Ultra Credit Card

• Barclaycard Rewards Card

To determine the cards with the "best" rewards rates, we calculated expected rewards for a standard amount of spend in the second year and beyond. (Rates in the first year can be highly variable due to waived annual fees, welcome bonuses, etc.)

The standard amount of annual spending we chose for our rewards calculations was £10,000. This reflects typical UK credit card spending, based on FICO's UK Credit Card Market Report, which estimates average UK household credit card spend at roughly £765–£860 a month (~£9,600–£10,300 a year).

For our calculations, we assumed:

• No spend at warehouse retailers (e.g. Costco)

• Value of 0.5p per Nectar point

• For the Partnership Card, 40% of annual spend at John Lewis or Waitrose, and 60% elsewhere. This reflects the categories of spending most likely to occur at these two retailers — groceries, household goods, clothing, and personal items — discounted to account for the many other UK retailers competing for that same spending

*Note: Actual rewards rates on some of the cards will vary based on the amount you spend each year on the credit card, and how you distribute that spend across categories and retailers. American Express cards are also accepted by a smaller proportion of retailers, which could impact actual rewards rates.

Card details correct as of 01 September 2026. Terms, rates and features are subject to change — always verify current details before applying. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice.