10 easiest credit card welcome bonuses to earn
When it comes to selecting the right rewards credit card, the welcome offer is a key factor that can significantly enhance your financial strategy. Many credit cards come with enticing bonuses, often valued at hundreds or even over a thousand dollars, in the form of cash back or travel rewards. However, these lucrative offers can sometimes come with hefty spending requirements, typically ranging from $4,000 to $10,000 within the initial months of card ownership. Fortunately, there are several high-value bonuses that are easier to attain, with minimum spending requirements of $2,000 or less. This article highlights ten of the best rewards credit cards that offer substantial welcome bonuses while ensuring that the spending thresholds are manageable for most applicants.
For instance, the **Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card** is an excellent choice for those seeking flexibility in their rewards structure. With a welcome bonus of $200 after spending just $1,000 in the first 90 days, cardholders can also earn 6% cash back in a category of their choice for the first year. Similarly, the **Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card** offers a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 within the first three months, along with additional rewards for dining and entertainment, making it a versatile option for frequent diners. The **Chase Freedom Unlimited®**, another standout, provides a straightforward $200 cash back bonus after $500 in purchases, making it ideal for non-bonus spending with at least 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Other noteworthy mentions include the **Citi Double Cash® Card**, which rewards users with 2% cash back on all purchases and features a $200 bonus after $1,500 spent in six months, and the **Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card**, which offers 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in the first six months, ideal for those who frequently fly with Delta. Additionally, the **Hilton Honors American Express Card** and **IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card** both provide substantial bonuses—100,000 and 80,000 points respectively—after spending $2,000, making them appealing options for hotel stays. With no annual fees on these cards, they represent a cost-effective way to earn rewards while enjoying benefits tailored to both travel and everyday spending.
In conclusion, welcome bonuses can significantly boost your rewards strategy, and while many credit cards have steep spending requirements, the options highlighted in this article offer valuable incentives with more accessible thresholds. Whether you’re looking to earn cash back or travel rewards, these cards can help you achieve your financial goals without overwhelming spending commitments. As you consider your next credit card application, remember to spend mindfully to make the most of these enticing offers, ensuring that you unlock the full value of your welcome bonus.
When considering which
rewards credit card
deserves your next application, its welcome offer should be a top factor.
Many bonuses are worth hundreds of dollars (or even
more than $1,000
) in the form of
cash back
or
travel rewards
. However, these offers sometimes carry steep spending requirements, requiring you to spend anywhere from $4,000 to $10,000 within the first few months of having the card.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Here, we dive into high-value card bonuses that are easier to earn. Each of the offers I’ve listed here comes with a minimum spending requirement of $2,000 or less.
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, these are 10 of the
best cards
you can add to your wallet with an easy-to-earn welcome bonus.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card
If flexibility is what you want, the
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
may appeal to you.
Welcome bonus
: Earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. Plus, earn 6% cash back in the category of your choice for the first year.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card lets you customize your rewards structure, allowing flexibility in your cash-back rewards strategy.
Being a member of the
Bank of America Preferred Rewards® program
means you’ll earn even more
cash back on every purchase
.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
.
Apply here:
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
The
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
is an all-around winner when it comes to earning cash-back rewards in popular bonus categories.
Welcome bonus
: Receive a $100 credit to use on Capital One Travel purchases in the first cardholder year, plus earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: It’s easy to stack up cash-back rewards with the Capital One Savor. It earns bonus rewards across popular categories like dining, entertainment, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) and select streaming services.
Plus, the card is a solid one to bring abroad, as it charges
no foreign transaction fees
.
For more details, read our
full review of the Capital One Savor
.
Learn more:
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited
One of the best no-annual-fee cards on the market is the
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
(see
rates and fees
).
Welcome bonus
: Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a great card for nonbonus spending since it earns at least 1.5% back on all purchases.
If you also have a card that earns
Chase Ultimate Rewards
points, you can pair them with the Freedom Unlimited to
convert your cash back
into valuable Ultimate Rewards points. You can then use them to book travel through
Chase Travel℠
with a redemption bonus or
transfer them to airline and hotel partners
for potentially
even more value
.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited
.
Apply here:
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Citi Double Cash Card
The
Citi Double Cash® Card
(see
rates and fees
) makes it easy to earn solid cash-back rewards on every purchase.
Welcome bonus
: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual
fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: The best perk of the Citi Double Cash is its simple rewards structure. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you make a purchase and another 1% when you pay it off).
Plus, the card is a fantastic choice if you want to fit it into a larger
Citi-oriented strategy
. That’s because cash back is earned in the form of
Citi ThankYou Rewards
points, and you can unlock
higher-value redemption options
if you hold certain ThankYou Rewards cards.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Citi Double Cash
.
Apply here:
Citi Double Cash Card
Citi Strata Card
The
Citi Strata℠ Card
(see
rates and fees
) provides a valuable bonus and great earning rates, especially when you consider it charges no annual fee.
Welcome bonus
: Earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. TPG’s November 2025
valuations
place this offer at a value of $570.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual
fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: The Citi Strata earns ThankYou Rewards points at a high rate across multiple categories. Plus, you can make your rewards flexible thanks to its bonus category on quarterly self-select categories.
As with the
Double Cash
, you can receive more value from your rewards if you pair this card with certain ThankYou Rewards-earning cards.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Citi Strata
.
Apply here:
Citi Strata Card
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
Delta Air Lines flyers will appreciate the level of benefits that the
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
offers in exchange for its modest annual fee.
Welcome bonus
: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Per our November 2025
valuations
, this offer is worth $625.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual fee
: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $150 (see
rates and fees
).
Why I like it
: The Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex is an entry-level credit card in the
Delta SkyMiles
program. The card comes with multiple benefits, including a first checked bag free and priority boarding on Delta flights.
If you are a casual Delta flyer or a
beginner who is just getting into points and miles
, this is a great card to consider.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex
.
Apply here:
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
The
Hilton Honors American Express Card
comes with solid perks and earning rates for those who occasionally stay with Hilton.
Welcome bonus
: Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends Jan. 14, 2026. TPG’s November 2025
valuations
deem this offer to be worth $500.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual
fee
: $0 (see
rates and fees
).
Why I like it
: The Hilton Honors Amex is an entry-level card in the
Hilton Honors
hotel program. You’ll earn bonus Hilton points in multiple bonus categories and receive complimentary
Hilton Silver elite status
.
These are decent perks for a card with no annual fee.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Hilton Honors Amex
.
Apply here:
Hilton Honors American Express Card
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Many cobranded hotel cards come with exorbitant annual fees, but the
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
(see
rates and fees
) is an exception.
Welcome bonus
: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. This offer is worth $400, per TPG’s November 2025
valuations
.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual
fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: If you want a no-annual-fee hotel credit card, there is a lot to like about the IHG One Rewards Traveler card.
One of its best perks is the
fourth-award-night-free benefit
when you redeem
IHG One Rewards
points. With this benefit, you’ll pay no points for every fourth night on an award stay of four nights or longer.
To learn more, read our
full review of the IHG One Rewards Traveler
.
Apply here:
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
United Gateway Card
For those who fly United Airlines occasionally, the
United Gateway℠ Card
(see
rates and fees
) is worth considering.
Welcome bonus
: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. You can receive $420 in value from this offer, according to TPG’s November 2025
valuations
.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: United’s entry-level cobranded credit card offers a simple way to earn
United MileagePlus
miles across several bonus categories. Plus, the card provides a discount on United inflight purchases and
United Club
premium drink purchases.
It’s a solid option for beginners looking to earn United miles without paying an annual fee.
To learn more, read our
full review of the United Gateway
.
Apply here:
United Gateway Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
If you bank with Wells Fargo, the
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
(see
rates and fees
) provides simple cash rewards earnings for you to enjoy.
Welcome bonus
: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
THE POINTS GUY
Annual
fee
: $0.
Why I like it
: You can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, making it a great choice for those seeking a straightforward earning structure.
The card also provides
cellular telephone protection
and
zero liability protection
, which are notable perks for a no-annual-fee card.
To learn more, read our
full review of the Wells Fargo Active Cash
.
Apply here:
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Bottom line
Welcome bonuses
are a great way to get your account balances off to a good start. Even the easiest bonuses to hit are typically worth at least a few hundred dollars. Still, note that each issuer has its own
set of rules
regarding when you’re able to earn a bonus.
Even though these cards have minimum spending requirements on the lower side,
spend mindfully
to ensure you unlock the full value of the welcome offer. A valuable introductory bonus can give your rewards strategy a supercharged boost.
Related:
Got a new credit card? Here are 4 tips to help you earn your welcome bonus
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Gold Amex card, click
here
.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors Amex card, click
here
.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
