2026 editorial shortlist
Cards for Groceries
Model rewards on your supermarket spending with the right inputs.
Groceries are typically one of the largest monthly expenses. Published grocery rates can earn 3-6% back, but spending caps and annual fees mean the choice depends on how much you spend.
These editorial shortlists compare published reward rates, annual fees, spending caps, and practical usage constraints. They are not personalized optimizer rankings, and affiliate relationships do not determine the ordering.
Opens the optimizer with a starting monthly amount for this category that you can change to your own.
Editorial picks
Featured pick
Amex Gold
American Express
$325/year
For high spenders — 4x on up to $25,000/year at U.S. supermarkets
Amex Blue Cash Preferred
American Express
$95/year
Published rate — 6% on up to $6,000/year, then 1%
Amex Blue Cash Everyday
American Express
$0
No-fee option — 3% on up to $6,000/year
Capital One Savor
Capital One
$0
No cap on grocery rewards, plus 3% on dining and entertainment
What the solver picks when this is your only category
Spending only in the optimizer's “Groceries — in store” category, with one card allowed. Each row is a separate optimizer run.
| Monthly spend | Solver's pick | Modeled net per year | How it adds up | Proof status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $200/mo | Amex Blue Cash EverydayTied within $1/yr: Capital One Savor1$72 earned − $0 annual fee | $72/yr | $72 earned − $0 annual fee | Proven optimal |
| $500/mo | Amex Blue Cash Preferred$360 earned − $95 annual fee | $265/yr | $360 earned − $95 annual fee | Proven optimal |
| $1,000/mo | Capital One Savor1$360 earned − $0 annual fee | $360/yr | $360 earned − $0 annual fee | Proven optimal |
- 1Capital One Savor: Capital One has been issuing select new credit card accounts on the Discover network since March 2026, so a new Savor account may be Mastercard or Discover. The network shown is display only and does not change the modeled earn rates.
Method: cash mode (points valued at their cash-redemption rate), one card, only the spending above (everything else $0), cards open to new consumer applicants (no business or debit cards, no credit-score filter), annual fees after the credits the catalog counts as usable, solved on the card catalog dated Oct 11, 2026. This is the solver's answer for one category, not a ranking of “best” cards; your full spending changes it.
Run your own numbers. The optimizer opens in cash mode with a one-card limit and this category filled in; change the amount to reproduce a row, or raise the card limit to see what a second card adds.
Tips
Walmart, Target, and Costco typically don’t code as supermarkets — check your card’s merchant category definitions.
Above $6,000 a year in groceries, the Blue Cash Preferred drops to 1%. Whether a 4x card like the Amex Gold overtakes it depends on how you value Membership Rewards points, the $230 difference in annual fees, whether you use the Gold’s dining and Uber credits, and your dining spend — run your own numbers.
Pair a grocery card with a good base-rate card for non-grocery spend to maximize total rewards.
Complete setup
Cards selected for one category rarely make the strongest modeled overall wallet.
These editorial picks focus on groceries, but the modeled combination depends on your total spending across every category. The optimizer models eligible combinations and tells you whether its result was proven optimal within that run's inputs or was the strongest valid setup found before timeout.
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Not financial advice. OptimalCardSetup provides mathematical optimization tools for educational and informational purposes only. This does not constitute financial, investment, or credit advice. Card rates, fees, and benefits shown were reviewed as of Oct 11, 2026; later corrections are listed on the Corrections page. Terms may change — always verify current details with the card issuer before applying.