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Uber Visa® Card: Is it the New Best Cash Back Credit Card?

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The Uber Visa Card is a truly outstanding cash back credit card. We recommend it for several different types of users: frequent Uber customers, and consumers who shop online, use music and video streaming services, dine out and pay for airfare and hotels. In any of these categories, the Uber Visa Card rewards users with above-average cash back returns. This is one of 2017's best credit cards.

The card will be available November 2nd, 2017.

Review: Our Thoughts On The Uber Visa Card

The Uber Visa Card is one of the best cash back credit cards, especially for the average consumer. It's one of the most rewarding credit cards for online shopping we've seen. Users can get 2% back when using the card to pay for things online, including retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, and Macy’s, and online streaming services like Netflix, Pandora, HBO Now and Apple Music.

Good for…

Bad for…
Online shoppersThose looking for a credit card with a big bonus
TravelersIndividuals with poor credit

That's just scratching the surface. The Uber Visa Card really shines when you use it to pay for airfare, hotels or restaurant purchases, including UberEats. It awards 3% and 4% in these categories respectively. These rewards rates rival what you'd earn through some of the best travel credit cards, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. What makes this card more astounding is that, despite having these top-notch rewards, the Uber Visa Card has no annual fee.

A graph showing the estimated rewards from the Uber credit card, given average consumer expenditures.

The Uber Visa Card is not perfect. If we're comparing it to the best cash back and travel cards out there, it has a rather lackluster bonus. Cardholders only get $100 after spending at least $500 on purchases within 90 days. In today's credit card climate, it is not uncommon to get bonuses between $150 and $600.

Bottom Line: Despite the meager bonus, this card's long-term rewards potential is unparalleled in the current market. For individuals who book a lot of travel, dine out, or do a lot of online shopping the Uber Visa Card is a must-have.

Uber Visa Card Benefits & Features

The Uber Visa Card offers cash back rewards in various everyday categories. Users get 4% back on dining, 3% back on airfare, hotels and vacation home rentals (including Airbnb), 2% back on online purchases (including Uber), and 1% back on everything else. Note that the 2% category does not include utilities, even if you pay for them online. They do, however, include online video and music streaming services like Netflix and Spotify.

Image of Uber Visa Card
Annual Fee No Annual Fee
Purchase APR
Card Details
  • 4% back on dining at restaurants, takeout, bars and UberEats
  • 3% back on hotel and airfare
  • 2% back for online purchases, including Uber, online shopping, video and music streaming services
  • 1% back on everything else
  • $100 cash back when you spend at least $500 on purchases within the first 90 days
  • Up to a $50 credit for online subscription services after you spend $5,000 or more on your card per year
  • Up to $600 for mobile phone damage or theft when you pay your mobile phone bill with your card
  • Receive invites to exclusive events and offers in select U.S. cities
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Redeem points for Uber credits, gift cards, or cash back

The card currently comes with several bonuses. First, you'll earn $100 after spending $500 on purchases in the first 90 days. Balance transfers and cash advances will not count towards this $500 threshold. Uber Visa Card cardholders who spend $5,000 or more on their card per year will receive up to $50 in online streaming credit. The credit will retroactively apply to any subscription services Barclays identifies from the previous 12 month period. For example, if you meet the $5,000 threshold, and you have been using the card to pay for Netflix for the last 12 months, $50 will be applied towards your account.

Phone Insurance

You will receive insurance on your phone if you pay your cellular phone bill with the Uber Visa Card. The coverage is up to $600 per claim and is subject to a $25 deductible. That means you must pay for any damages up to $25, and Barclays will cover the rest. You cannot make more than two claims per 12-month period. If you wish to file a claim, you can call your Benefits Administrator at 866-894-8569.

The coverage applies only if your phone is stolen or damaged accidentally. If you purposefully broke your phone or were deemed negligent, Barclays can refuse your claim.

How Does the Uber Visa Card Compare to Other Credit Cards?

Whenever we judge a credit card, we make sure to compare it against other available options. Below you'll find how the Uber Visa Card does when matched up against leading cash back credit cards.

Uber Visa Card vs Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer

The Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer has long been the gold standard for cash back credit cards, and even it has a tough time competing with the Uber Visa Card. The Citi credit card provides 1% cash back on all purchases, and another 1% back whenever those purchases are paid off. That effectively works out to about 2% back total, everywhere you shop. Therefore, it can never beat the Uber Visa Card when it comes to restaurant spending and airfare/hotels. If a decent part of your budget lies in these two categories, along with Uber and online shopping, the Uber credit card is the clear winner. Otherwise, we recommend you go with the Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer.

Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer Highlights

Uber Visa Card vs Chase Freedom®

The Chase Freedom® is one of the best credit cards for optimizers. It may be better than the Uber Visa Card if you don't mind dealing with rotating categories. The Chase Freedom® provides 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. These categories periodically include things like grocery stores, restaurants and Amazon.com. All other spending gets you just 1% back. We encourage you to examine 2017's bonus categories below.

Quarter

DatesBonus Categories
1Jan 1 - Mar 31Gas Stations, Local Commuter Transportation
2Apr 1 - Jun 30Grocery Stores
3Jul 1 - Sep 30Restaurants and Movie Theaters
4Oct 1 - Dec 31Holiday Shopping

If the above align more with where you tend to shop, we recommend the Chase Freedom®—it will simply be more rewarding. On the other hand, if your annual budget is more predictable and includes the Uber credit card's core categories, the Uber Visa Card should be your choice.

Chase Freedom® Highlights

  • 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate.
  • $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 15.99-24.74%
  • Chase Freedom® Review
Credit CardsUber Credit CardChase FreedomCiti Double Cash

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