The only Costco credit card you can use at Costco these days must have the Visa label stamped on it. But as we know, there are dozens of different types of Visa cards currently available. So which one makes you the most money when shopping at Costco? I analyzed them all and looked at the perks and negatives of each and narrowed it down to these 3 Visa cards. Hope this information helps you cash-in at Costco.

1. Costco Anywhere Citi Visa

By far the most popular Costco credit card, the Costco Anywhere Visa from Citibank, while not perfect, has some nice perks.

Perks:

• 2% Back on Costco purchases: This includes all purchases made from the Costco warehouse as well as Costco.com.
• 4% Back on Gas (Including Costco gas): The 4% cuts off after $7,000 spent on gas annually.
• 3% Back on Restaurants and Travel
• 1% Back on Everything Else
• No Annual Fee: With paid Costco Membership.
• Card Essentially Pays for your Costco Membership: If you spend $250/mo at Costco, the 2% back will pay for your $60 annual membership.
• Card Doubles as your Costco Membership Card: Not a big deal but definitely handy to only have to use one card at Costco.

And here are some negatives to this card…

Negatives:

• Cash Rewards Only Redeemed in February: Your rewards certificate will come with your February billing statement every year. Unfortunately this is the only time you’ll gain access to it.
• Must spend rewards at Costco: You must spend your rewards certificate at the Costco warehouse.
• “Rather Have Cash” TIP: If you’d rather get cold hard cash, you can buy a single item from Costco with your rewards certificate and they’ll give you cash back for the difference.

Do you carry this card in your wallet? If so, what do you like about it?

See Also: 7 Ways to Essentially Get a $60 Costco Membership for Free

2. Bank of America Cash Rewards Visa

This cash rewards Visa card from Bank of America is another solid option to use at Costco. Here’s what you need to know…

Perks:

• 3% Back on Gas: Good for up to $2,500 spent per quarter.
• 2% Back at Costco and Grocery Stores: Again, this is good for up to $2,500 spent per quarter.
• 1% Back on Everything Else
• $200 Online Bonus Offer: Spend $1,000 during the first 90 days and you’ll score a free $200 credit.
• 10% Customer Bonus: Score a 10% bonus when you redeem your cash back into a BofA savings or checking account.
• No Annual Fee

And here’s the one thing I don’t like about this card…

Negatives:

• Card Sucks for Big Spenders: If you spend more than $2,500 on gas and groceries every 3 months you’ll want to find a card that has higher rewards limits. Try the Citi Double Cash card.
• No Sign-Up Bonus.

Click here if you want to apply for this Visa credit card.

See Also: Does Costco Accept an EBT Card? Here’s How It Works

3. Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa

If you’re looking for a Visa card you can use at Costco that earns some amazing travel rewards, look no further than the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Perks:

• 60,000 Bonus Points: Spend $4,000 within the first 3 months and get 60,000 bonus points. That’s equivalent to $750 toward travel (or $550 cash) via Chase’s Ultimate Rewards program.
• 2X Points on Travel and Restaurant purchases.
• 1 Point per Dollar Spent on all other purchases.
• 5,000 Bonus More Bonus Points: Within the first 3 months, add another authorized user (your spouse for example) to the card and score another 5,000 more points.

Here are a couple things I don’t particularly like about this Chase card…

Negatives:

• No Annual Fee 1st yr, $95 after that.
• $4,000 in 3 Months is a lot of dough: Many of us won’t spend $4,000 in 3 months making it hard to get your bonus.
• Card Doesn’t Offer Specific Cashback for Costco purchases.

Because of the $95 annual fee, this Chase card could be a good one to use for the bonus then cancel before you get hit by the big annual fee.

Final Analysis:

The credit card that makes you the most money in the short term is the Chase Sapphire, although it requires you to spend a lot of money to get the BIG bonus.

If you have a long commute, and always find yourself at the gas pump, the Costco Anywhere Citi Visa is for you as it gives you 4% back at the pump. Plus you’ll get 2% back at Costco.

Lastly, the Bank of America Cash Rewards Visa offers a nice $200 bonus that the Citi card is missing. Plus it’ll give you 3% back at the gas pump and 2% at Costco.

No doubt, all three cards have their perks. It really comes down to what your specific needs are.

Ask the Reader: What Costco credit card do you use at the warehouse club and why?

By Kyle James

Photo credit to Mike Mozart.