At a Glance
Rates & Fees
Estimate Your Rewards
See how this card fits your monthly spending
Key Features
Choose your 3% category: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement
Bank of America Preferred Rewards members earn 25–75% more cash back
No annual fee
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Highest intro APR period (15 months) among major no-fee cards
- Preferred Rewards can boost to 5.25% in chosen category
- Flexible 3% category choice
Tradeoffs
- $2,500 quarterly cap on bonus categories
- Requires BofA relationship for best rewards boost
- 3% foreign transaction fee
How to Apply
Check whether your credit profile is a reasonable fit — Bank of America generally looks for applicants around 670+ FICO for the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards, alongside income and existing debt.
Gather your Social Security number, annual income, housing payment, and employer details before starting the application.
Apply directly through Bank of America's official site or app to make sure you're getting current, accurate offer terms.
Most issuers give an instant decision online; some applications are sent to manual review, which can take 7–10 business days.
If approved, activate the card and set up autopay before your first statement is due to avoid a late payment.
How It Compares
Current product highlighted| Product | Annual Fee | Purchase APR | Rewards Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards | $0 | 17.49%–27.49% | 3% in your choice category, 2% at grocery stores & wholesale clubs (up to $2,500/qtr combined), 1% on all other purchases |
| Citi Double Cash® Card | $0 | 17.49%–27.49% | 2% on everything (1% when you buy + 1% when you pay) |
| American Express® Gold Card | $325 | 19.49%–28.49% | 4x restaurants (up to $50k/yr) & US supermarkets (up to $25k/yr), 5x prepaid hotels, 3x flights |
| Discover it® Cash Back | $0 | 17.49%–26.49% | 5% in rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500/qtr), 1% everything else |
Rates, fees, and rewards shown are illustrative as of 2026 and subject to change — always confirm current terms directly with the issuer before applying.