The best credit cards for groceries of September 2021

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The best credit cards for groceries of September 2021:

If you spend a lot of money on groceries, it makes sense to use a credit card that earns bonus rewards at the supermarket to make the most of this unavoidable expense.

Fortunately, there are lots of credit cards that offer bonus points, miles, or cash back at the grocery store - and some even don't charge an annual fee. One of the best picks if you like earning flexible points is the American Express® Gold Card, which earns 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in spending per year (then 1x).

That's my go-to card for grocery spending, but if the supermarket I'm shopping at doesn't accept Amex, I'll use my Citi Premier® Card to earn 3x points instead.

Read more: The best rewards credit cards of 2021

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a new entry on this list, because it now offers 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs).

Here are our top credit card picks for earning the most rewards at grocery stores.

Best for earning points at US supermarkets: American Express® Gold Card

The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent all-around choice for foodies, offering 4x points on up to $25,000 in combined annual purchases (then 1x) at U.S. supermarkets. It also earns 4x points at restaurants, 3x points on airfare booked with the airline or through Amex Travel, and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Read more: 3 reasons why the Amex Gold card is an easy choice for foodies, travelers, and even beginners

In addition, cardholders receive up to $120 per year in dining credits** (up to $10 per month) with participating restaurants and food delivery services, and up to $120 per year (up to $10 per month) in Uber Cash credits**. The card charges a $250 annual fee (See Rates), but if you take advantage of these credits and other perks, you can more than offset the yearly cost.

Best for online grocery purchases: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The pandemic has shifted consumer grocery shopping habits, with many now preferring to order groceries online for curbside pickup or delivery. As part of a recent refresh, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card now offers 3x points for online grocery purchases.

Read more: The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve are adding lucrative new bonus categories and benefits - with no change in annual fees

You'll earn bonus points when you use your card to pay for grocery pickup and delivery orders that are placed online with grocery stores, specialty food stores, meal kit delivery services, or delivery service merchants that classify as grocery store merchants (excluding membership and subscription fees).

Purchases from Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs, liquor stores, and merchants that specialize in only a few grocery items do not qualify. Pharmacy purchases (even from those located in supermarkets), gift cards, gift boxes, and gift baskets aren't eligible, either.

Best for earning bonus points on groceries and lots of other categories: Citi Premier® Card

The Citi Premier® Card might not be the first card that comes to mind for groceries, but if you're looking for an all-purpose card that earns bonus rewards in lots of categories - including the supermarket - it's an excellent choice.

Read more: The Citi Premier card is often overlooked - here's why it should be your go-to card right now

Along with a welcome bonus of Citi Premier® Card, you'll earn 3x points at supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and on airfare, and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases. Citi ThankYou points are often underrated, but they're incredibly versatile - you can transfer them to airline partners, use them to book travel through the Citi ThankYou portal, or redeem them for gift cards, cash back, merchandise, and more.

Best for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards: Chase Freedom Flex℠

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ doesn't always make our best grocery credit card list, but right now it's an excellent choice - particularly if you're a new cardholder.

Each quarter, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers rotating bonus categories in which you can earn 5% cash back (5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points) on up to $1,500 in combined spending when you activate (then 1x). From July through September 2021, the Chase Freedom 5x bonus categories are grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and select streaming services.

The deal gets even sweeter, because the Chase Freedom Flex℠ (and its sibling, the Chase Freedom Unlimited®) is offering a welcome bonus of Chase Freedom Flex℠. Plus, new cardholders can earn 5% cash back (5x points) at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 in spending during the first year of account opening (then 1x).

Read more: Chase Freedom Flex card review

For Q3, new Chase Freedom Flex℠ cardholders can actually stack the 5x rotating category grocery bonus with the 5x welcome offer. However, because the rotating category bonus is actually awarded as 4x rewards on top of the card's usual earning, you'll earn a total of 9x (9% back) on groceries for Q3, up to spending limits.

Best for cash back at US supermarkets: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

If you prefer earning cash back on your grocery spending, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express can't be beat. It earns 6% cash back at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year (then 1%) - so by maximizing this category alone by spending, on average, $500 a month on groceries, you can earn $360 in cash back each year.

Read more: Amex Blue Cash Preferred card review

The card also offers 6% back on select US streaming services, 3% on transit, 3% at US gas stations, and 1% on all other purchases. There's an annual fee of $95 (waived the first year if you apply by 12/10/2020) (See Rates), but if you spend a lot in the card's bonus categories, you can make up for the cost easily (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars).

Best for cash back on groceries with no annual fee: Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card

If you like earning cash back without paying an annual fee, the Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card is an easy choice - especially since there are no caps or geographic restrictions on what you can earn. Cardholders earn an unlimited 3% cash back on groceries, dining, entertainment, and streaming services, and 1% back on everything else.

Read more: Capital One SavorOne card review

The card offers a decent welcome bonus: Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card, and it doesn't add foreign transaction fees, so it's a good choice if you're traveling abroad.

Best for Whole Foods and Amazon: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Amazon Prime members can take the sting out of their Whole Foods grocery bill when they use the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card . With a Prime membership, cardholders earn 5% back on Whole Foods and Amazon purchases (including Amazon Fresh), 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores, and 1% back on all other purchases.

Read more: Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card review

If you don't have a Prime Membership, the card earns 3% back instead of 5%. There's no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, so this card is a good pick if you spend a lot at Whole Foods and Amazon. If you shop at other supermarkets, though, you'll likely do better with a card that earns a bonus at all grocery stores.

Best for Amex points with a sub-$100 annual fee: Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express

Of all the Amex cards in my wallet, I've had the Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express the longest. Before I opened the American Express® Gold Card, this was my primary card for grocery spending because it earns 3x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in spending per year (then 1x). It also earns 2x points at U.S. gas stations, and 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Read more: The best American Express cards in 2021

The card has a trick up its sleeve, too. If you make at least 30 purchases on the card in a billing cycle, you'll get a 50% bonus on all the points you've earned, effectively bumping the rate to 4.5x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to spending limits). The Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express also comes with a much more manageable annual fee of Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express (See Review) compared to the American Express® Gold Card.