PSA: Activate Your 5% Bonus Categories for 2025 Q4 Now!
2025.9 Update: 2025 Q4 (Oct., Nov., Dec.) 5% categories are released! Now it’s the time to activate them.
A number of credit cards offer 5% cashback in categories that rotate every quarter (three months). If you are a Chase Freedom Flex (CFF) (Or Old Chase Freedom), Discover It, Citi Dividend, or US Bank Cash Plus cardholder, use the links provided below to activate your bonus categories indicated below:
The Chase Freedom has a quarterly cap of $1,500 in spend on 5x categories per account.
Note that PayPal is for Dec only.
2. Discover it: Amazon, and Drug Stores
The Discover it has a quarterly cap of $1,500 in spend on 5% categories. The categories used be made available at the beginning of each calendar year, while they are now published every quarter like Freedom since 2023. Remember that all new Discover it cardholders will earn double cash back earned in the first 12 months of card membership, including on cash back earned in bonus categories, making quarterly category spend worth 10% back in the first year!
3. Citi Dividend: Citi Travel Sites, and Restaurants
The Citi Dividend earns 5% cash back on a cumulative total of $6,000 in spend per year rather than on $1,500 spend per quarter. The Citi Dividend is no longer available for signups. Unfortunately, as of September 2019 Citi has also removed the ability to product change to the Dividend, however old accounts have not been closed by the bank.
The US Bank Cash+ card allows you to earn 5% cash back in two categories of your choice every quarter, up to $2,000 in combined spend. It also allows you to choose a 2% cash back category every quarter. The image below shows which categories are available for 5% (top) and 2% (bottom) cash back. Note that you need to activate the 5% category every quarter (unlike BoA Cash Rewards which you still earn 3% for the previously chosen category if you forget to choose categories later on).
Appendix: Historical 5% Categories by Year
Click the card name to expand:
Chase Freedom
Chase Freedom Flex 2024
Chase Freedom Flex 2023
Chase Freedom Flex 2022
Chase Freedom Flex 2021
Chase Freedom 2020
Chase Freedom 2019
Chase Freedom 2018
Chase Freedom 2017
Chase Freedom 2016
Chase Freedom 2015
Chase Freedom 2014
Discover it
Discover it 2024
Discover it 2023
Discover it 2022
Discover it 2021
Discover it 2020
Discover it 2019
Discover it 2018
Discover it 2017
Discover it 2016
Discover it 2015
Discover it 2014
Citi Dividend
Citi Dividend 2022
Citi Dividend 2021
Citi Dividend 2020
Citi Dividend 2019
Citi Dividend 2018
Citi Dividend 2017
Citi Dividend 2016
Citi Dividend 2015
Citi Dividend 2014
