Two "pick your own category" cards, opposite trade-offs
US Bank Cash+ and Bank of America Customized Cash both charge no annual fee and both let you choose your own bonus category instead of earning a fixed rate everywhere. Past that, they're built almost opposite to each other: Cash+ pays a higher rate on narrower categories, Customized Cash pays a lower rate on broader ones.
What each card lets you pick
| US Bank Cash+ ($0) | BofA Customized Cash ($0) | |
|---|---|---|
| Top bonus rate | 5% on 2 selected categories | 3% on 1 selected category |
| Category picks | Utilities, internet/streaming, cell phone, transit, apparel, electronics stores, gyms, fast food, sporting goods, department stores, furniture stores, movie theaters | Gas/EV charging, online shopping (incl. Amazon, streaming, cell phone), dining, travel (flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, activities), home improvement/furnishings |
| Bonus cap | $2,000/quarter combined across both picks | $2,500/quarter combined, shared with the automatic grocery rate below |
| Secondary rate | 2% on 1 chosen everyday category (groceries, gas/EV, or dining) — uncapped | 2% automatic on groceries, wholesale clubs, and Costco |
| Base rate | 1% | 1% |
Cash+'s headline rate is a full 2 points higher than Customized Cash's — 5% versus 3%. But look at what's actually eligible for that 5%: utilities, gyms, movie theaters, department stores. None of the big everyday categories (dining, travel, online shopping) are in Cash+'s top tier at all. Customized Cash's single 3% pick, by contrast, can be set to travel, dining, or online shopping — broad categories most people already spend meaningfully in.
The uncapped 2% pick is Cash+'s best feature
Where Cash+ pulls ahead is its second tier: pick one of groceries, gas/EV, or dining for an uncapped 2%, matching Customized Cash's automatic grocery rate but with a choice of category and no dollar ceiling. Customized Cash's 2% grocery rate is automatic (no selection needed) but it isn't separate — it draws from the same $2,500/quarter cap as the 3% pick, so a big grocery month can crowd out room for the 3% category.
Who should pick which
- Heavy spender in a specific niche category — gym membership, streaming/internet bundle, a favorite department store — Cash+'s 5% on two such picks, refreshed quarterly, can out-earn Customized Cash by a wide margin on that specific spend.
- Broad spender who wants travel, dining, or online shopping bonused — Customized Cash's 3% choice covers all three as single categories (or picks from them), something Cash+ simply doesn't offer at its top tier.
- Want the cleanest uncapped everyday rate — Cash+'s 2% pick (grocery, gas, or dining) isn't capped and doesn't compete with any other tier for room under a shared cap, unlike Customized Cash's grocery rate.
Run the optimizer with your real spend to see which category split actually pays more for your wallet.
Data verified as of September 3, 2026.
Want the live numbers side by side? See the US Bank Cash+ vs. Bank of America Customized Cash comparison page — it renders current rates and fees straight from our verified card data.