Best “Unlimited” Spend Credit Cards in 2026: Yes, You Can Beat 2%

Most of your life isn’t spent in "3x Dining" or "5x Travel" categories. It is spent in the unglamorous "Everything Else" bucket: insurance premiums, daycare, medical bills, car repairs, and random Amazon purchases.

That is why a flat-rate ("unlimited") card is the anchor of any savvy wallet.

For years, the standard advice has been: "Get a 2% card and be done with it." It’s good advice—2% is a solid baseline. But in 2026, you can materially beat 2% if you know where to look.

Whether you qualify for relationship boosts, don’t mind a subscription, or just want the raw math, here is how to maximize your return on the boring stuff.

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The Cheat Sheet: Best Cards at a Glance

If you don't have time to read the deep dive, here is the quick verdict based on your situation:

• The "Set It and Forget It" Winner: Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® (Unlimited 2% cash back, no annual fee, and excellent integration for investors).
• The "Asset Wealth" Winner: Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards with Platinum Honors (Up to 2.625% on everything if you hold $100k+ in BofA/Merrill balances).
• The "Subscription" Winner: Robinhood Gold Card (Effectively 3% cash back, requires Robinhood Gold membership).
• The "High-Roller" Winner: U.S. Bank Smartly® Visa Signature® (Up to 4% based on qualifying balance tiers).

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The Math: Why "Net Value" is the Only Metric

Don't get distracted by flashy marketing. When evaluating a flat-rate card, this is the only equation you need:

$$\begin{aligned} Net\ Value &= (Earn\ Rate \times Annual\ Spend \\ &\quad \times Redemption\ Value) - Annual\ Fees \end{aligned}$$

If a card earns 3% but costs you $500 a year to hold, a free 2% card might actually put more money in your pocket.

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The Baseline: Excellent 2% Cards

Because simplicity (and service) is a feature.

If you don’t want to move your investment accounts or manage a subscription, a true 2% card is still excellent.

Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® (Top Pick)

• The Deal: Unlimited 2% cash back.
• The Fee: $0.
• Why it wins: It offers a seamless experience for those who want their rewards to work for them. The 2% is deposited directly into your eligible Fidelity accounts (brokerage, IRA, 529, or HSA).
• Bonus: No foreign transaction fees and a reputation for solid customer support compared to big-bank competitors.

Citi Double Cash®

• The Deal: Effectively 2% (1% when you buy + 1% as you pay).
• The Fee: $0.
• Why it works: A longtime favorite. Just remember you need to pay the bill to realize the full 2%.

Wells Fargo Active Cash®

• The Deal: Unlimited 2% cash rewards.
• The Fee: $0.
• The Note: While the earn rate is excellent, some users prefer other issuers for customer service and platform experience. It remains a strong mathematical contender if you just want cash in hand.

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How to Beat 2% (Without Playing Games)

If you are willing to optimize slightly, you can break through the 2% ceiling. Here are the three legitimate ways to do it in 2026.

1. The Relationship Boost: Bank of America (2.625%)

This is the "cheat code" for people with significant savings or investments.

• The Card: Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards (Base earn: 1.5%).

• The Boost: If you are a Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors member (requires $100k+ in combined balances across BofA and Merrill), you get a 75% rewards bonus.

• The Math:

  1.5% base * 1.75 = 2.625% on every swipe.

• The Verdict: If your IRA or taxable brokerage account is already at Merrill, this is essentially a free 30%+ raise on your credit card rewards forever.

2. The Subscription Model: Robinhood Gold (3%)

Robinhood made waves by offering a flat 3% on all eligible spend, but it requires a Gold membership.

• The Card: Robinhood Gold Card.
• The Deal: 3 points per $1 (redeemable for cash at $0.01/point).
• The Cost: You must maintain a Robinhood Gold membership (~$50/year or $5/month).
• The Break-Even: To justify the $50 fee over a free 2% card, you need to earn enough extra 1% rewards to cover the cost.

$50 / 0.01 = $5,000 extra spend per year to break even.

• The Verdict: If you spend more than $5,000/year on the card—or if you already pay for Robinhood Gold for the other benefits—this is mathematically superior to a 2% card.

3. The "Whale" Tier: U.S. Bank Smartly® (Up to 4%)

U.S. Bank introduced the Smartly card to compete directly with the "relationship" model.

• The Card: U.S. Bank Smartly® Visa Signature®.
• The Deal: Base earn allows you to scale up to 4% cash back on everything.
• The Catch: Like Bank of America, this is tied to the total assets you hold with the bank. The 4% tier generally requires a substantial relationship ($100k+).
• The Verdict: If you are comfortable consolidating your banking and willing to read the fine print on qualifying balances, 4% is currently the market ceiling for uncategorized spend.

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A Note on Chase (The "Trifecta" Myth)

We often hear: "I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred® for everything."

Please stop doing this.

While the Sapphire Preferred is an incredible card, it only earns 1 point per $1 on general non-category purchases. Even if you value Chase points at 1.5 cents each (for travel), your return is only ~1.5%.

The Better Way: If you love Chase points, use the Chase Freedom Unlimited® for your daily spend. It earns 1.5x points on everything. You can then move those points to your Sapphire card to redeem for travel.

• 2026 Update: Keep an eye on Chase’s "Points Boost." The value of points in the travel portal is becoming more variable and offer-dependent, rather than a guaranteed fixed rate.

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Bottom Line: Which Card Should You Pick?

Don't overcomplicate it. Look at your financial life and pick the lane that fits:

1. The Investor: If you have >$100k in assets, move them to Bank of America/Merrill or U.S. Bank and enjoy 2.6%–4% returns on everything.
2. The Spender: If you spend >$10k/year on "random stuff" and don't mind a subscription, grab the Robinhood Gold Card for 3%.
3. The Pragmatist: If you want zero hassle, $0 fees, and a reliable issuer, get the Fidelity Rewards Visa and let the rewards compound in your brokerage account.

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Would you like me to refine this further, perhaps by adding a section on the specific redemption rules for Fidelity points versus cash back?

Check your Wallet Health now to see how these cards fit into your specific spending habits.