Posted by: John S Kiernan

USAA (a WalletHub partner) offers nearly 30 different credit cards to current and former members of the military, as well as their immediate family. That means determining whether you meet the organization’s membership requirements is only step one. After that, you’ll still need to identify the right credit card for your needs from the many available offers.

To help make the process as painless as possible, we compared all of USAA’s cards to find the best offers for the most common consumer needs. You can find our selections below, along with the best alternative from other issuers for each usage scenario. If you would like a personalized credit card recommendation or to check your latest credit score, just sign up for a free WalletHub account.

Best for…	Best USAA Credit Card	Best Feature	Learn More
Initial Bonus	USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card	2,500 bonus points after your first purchase	Editors’ Notes
Cash Back	USAA® Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card	1.5% cash back on all purchases	Editors’ Notes
Military-Base Purchases	USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card	5% cash back on up to $3,000 in gas and military-base purchases each year	Editors’ Notes

*This special rate is not unique to the Visa Platinum. All servicemembers with a USAA credit card are eligible for a 4% rate for up to 12 months during deployment and PCS.

Best USAA Credit Card: Initial Bonus

The USAA® Rewards™ American Express® Card is one of a handful of USAA credit cards that offer a 2,500-point first-purchase bonus. That’s worth about $22.50, according to our calculations. You’ll also earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining, 2 points per $1 spent on gas and groceries as well as 1 point per $1 spent on everything else. For context, 1.17 point per $1 spent is roughly what the average rewards card offers, according to our latest Credit Card Landscape Report. The USAA Rewards Amex does not charge an annual fee, and it requires at least “good” credit for approval.

Compared to the Competition: USAA Rewards Amex vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred®

Best USAA Credit Card: Cash Back

The USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa is a simple workhorse, giving you 1.5% cash back on all purchases without charging an annual fee. That’s the start of the recipe for a great everyday rewards card, but it’s missing a crucial ingredient. Other cards offer at least 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and the best of the bunch sweeten the deal with added benefits.

Compared to the Competition: USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs. Citi Double Cash

Best USAA Credit Card: Military-Base Purchases

It’s hard to beat the USAA® Cashback Rewards Plus American Express® Card if you live or work on a military base, especially if you drive a lot, too. It offers 5% cash back on the first $3,000 you spend on-base and at gas stations each year. You’ll also get 2% cash back on your first $3,000 in annual supermarket spending and 1% cash back on everything else. There is no annual fee.

Compared to the Competition: USAA Cashback Rewards Plus vs. PenFed Platinum Rewards

Best USAA Credit Card: Bad Credit

Neither the USAA® Secured Visa Platinum® Card nor the USAA® Secured American Express® Card is available to new applicants right now. They could make a comeback at some point. But in the meantime, there are plenty of really good secured credit cards to consider. Some even have no annual fee.  

If you’re unsure whether you can qualify for any of the credit cards mentioned above, check your credit score for free on WalletHub. And if you want more recommendations, make sure to check out our editors’ best card picks for all of the major card categories.

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