With the average American household spending north of $800/year on streaming, it can make sense to put some thought into which credit cards you use for this spending category. Spending a few minutes changing over your payment method with your favorite streaming service can mean earning more rewards month-after-month.
Here are the best cards to use for your streaming subscription purchases:
Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Excellent cash back on streaming services and a Disney+ credit.
6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, plus up to $120/year ($12/month) in statement credits for Disney bundle subscriptions when you enroll.
Learn more in our guide to the Blue Cash Preferred.
Get the card and earn a sign-up bonus.
Annual fee: $0
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
High rate of cash back on streaming and related purchases on a no-annual-fee card.
5% cash back on two categories you choose, on up to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Eligible categories include Internet, TV, and streaming.
Annual fee: $0
Citi Custom Cash® Card
A highly flexible bonus category card that can earn 5% cash back on up to $500 of streaming services each month.
5% cash back on the first $500 you spend in your top category each month. Eligible categories include select streaming services.
Learn more about the Custom Cash in our guide to card
Get the Custom Cash and earn a sign-up bonus.
Annual fee: $0
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Bonus cash back or transferable rewards points on streaming on a no-annual-fee card.
Unlimited 3x Autograph points on popular streaming services. Points can be redeemed for cash back or transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Annual fee: $0
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Bonus cash back rewards on streaming on a no-annual-fee card.
3% cash back on popular streaming services.
Annual fee: $0
Prime Visa
Best for Amazon Prime streaming subscriptions
5% back on most Amazon purchases, including streaming with your Amazon Prime subscription.
Learn more in our guide to the Prime Visa
Get the Prime Visa and earn a sign-up bonus
Annual fee: $0
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
No-annual-fee card with a credit for Disney+.
Up to $84/year ($7/month) in statement credits for Disney bundle subscriptions when you enroll.
Learn more in our guide to the Blue Cash Everyday
Get the Blue Cash Everyday and earn a sign-up bonus
Annual fee: $95
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Great choice for a travel rewards card that earns points on streaming services.
3x Ultimate Rewards® on select streaming services.
Learn more in our guide to the Sapphire Preferred
Get the Sapphire Preferred and earn a sign-up bonus
Annual fee: $895
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Monthly digital entertainment credits can cover the cost of some popular streaming services.
Up to $25 in statement credits each month to cover select services, including Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN streaming services, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock,YouTube Premium, and YouTube TV. Enrollment required.
A note on “select streaming services”
Most of the cards featured in this list offer bonus rewards on “select streaming services.” So how do you know if the rewards will apply to your specific mix of streaming subscruptions?
Generally, the cards that offer this bonus category will give you bonus rewards on most of the mainstream U.S. streaming subscriptions. If you’re subscribing to Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and the like, you don’t really need to worry too much—those services are usually covered.
But if you’re subscribing to more niche streaming sites, you’ll want to check the card issuer’s terms and conditions to see which streaming services are covered.
My take: Blue Cash Preferred is my family’s streaming card.
Aaron Hurd
Executive Editor of Cards and Points
When it comes to streaming subscriptions, the Blue Cash Preferred is the card I use to get 6% cash back and $120/year in statement credits. The card’s Disney+ credits make the Blue Cash Preferred an easy choice for anyone who subscribes to Disney/ESPN/Hulu/HBO Max…and at that point, you’ve paid for the card’s ongoing annual fee, so the bonus rewards you get on groceries is just gravy.
That said, my recommendation is to go for cards that offer statement credits first for your preferred streaming platform, and then look at the rate of cash back you’re getting. If you already have a card that appears on our list, just use that—it’s probably not worth it for most people to get a card specifically for streaming.
However, if you are looking for a card just for streaming and don’t subscribe to Disney+. I like the U.S. Bank Cash+ for this. It’s a no-annual fee card with some utility outside streaming services, since you can select a second category. The Citi Custom Cash can also get you an excellent rate of cash back on streaming, but you’re giving up the opportunity to earn 5% in one of that card’s other categories, which are probably more valuable for most.
Honestly, this is a neglected spending category that can pay rewards dividends with a small up-front investment of time. Changing the credit card that your streaming subscription is charged to is a one-time action that can pay dividends month-after-month. Also, having a dedicated credit card for streaming subscriptions can make it easier to assess which streaming services you’re paying for so that you can cut the ones that no longer make sense for you.
