Best Credit Cards for Paying Bills

Credit card issuers are known for giving bonus rewards when you spend money on fun categories like travel, restaurants, and entertainment. But what about the mundane bills of life?

No one likes paying bills, but the fact is most of us spend a lot of money each month on electricity, the internet, phone, streaming service subscriptions, and more. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could earn rewards for those expenses too?

Well, it turns out that with certain credit cards, you actually can. In this guide, we’ll take a look at the best credit cards for paying bills.

7 Best Credit Cards for Paying Bills

Before we get into the list, it should be noted that some utility companies may not allow you to pay your bills with a credit card. And others may charge a convenience fee for credit card payments, which could outweigh any rewards you may earn.

You’ll want to consider which of your monthly bills are able to be paid with a credit card (and ideally without a fee), before choosing the right card for you. Here are seven great credit cards to consider for paying bills.

Best For Paying Streaming Service Bills: Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express

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Have you already jumped headfirst onto the Disney+ bandwagon? Perhaps you subscribe to multiple streaming services so that you can access your favorite shows from each.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express could reward you handsomely for those streaming subscription fees. It pays a whopping 6% cashback on streaming service bills. The decision becomes easier for the Disney+ Bundle (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+) with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $12.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription with your card. Enrollment required.

But the Blue Cash Preferred® Card From American Express isn’t a one-trick pony. It offers great rewards in other categories as well:

• U.S. Supermarkets: 6% cashback (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, 1% after)
• U.S. Streaming Subscriptions: 6% cashback noted previously above
• Transit, including taxis/rideshare, tolls, parking, trains, buses, and more: 3% cashback
• U.S. Gas stations: 3% cashback

See Rates & Fees.

And you’ll earn 1% cashback on all other purchases. This card has an annual fee of $95 ($0 intro annual fee in first year).

Read our full review of the Blue Cash Preferred Card by American Express

Best For Paying Home Utility Bills: U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature® Card

It’s difficult to find a credit card that includes a bonus category for household utility providers. But with the U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature® Card, you could earn 5% cashback on home utility expenses.

With this card, you’re allowed to choose two categories to earn 5% on your first $2,000 in combined purchases. And home utilities are one of the options to choose from. Here are the other categories that are eligible for 5% cashback:

• TV, Internet & Streaming Services
• Fast Food
• Cell Phone Providers
• Department Stores
• Home Utilities
• Select Clothing Stores
• Electronics Stores
• Sporting Goods Stores
• Movie Theaters
• Gyms/Fitness Centers
• Furniture Stores
• Ground Transportation

You’ll notice that other common bills like TV, internet, cell phone, and gym are eligible for the 5% bonus as well. Additionally, cardholders can earn 2% cashback from one everyday category (gas, groceries, or dining out).

The U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature® Card has no annual fee. And you can earn a $150 sign-up bonus when you apply online and spend at least $500 during your first 90 days with the card.

Best For Paying Business Internet, Cable, and Phone Bills: Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

If you own your own business, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card could be a great way to pay for your business expenses. With this card, you’ll earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases on the following purchases:

• Internet
• Phone
• Cable
• Office supply stores

You’ll also earn 2% cashback on your first $25,000 in combined expenses at gas stations and restaurants (and 1% on everything else).

Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. And this card has a $0 annual fee. If you have a small-to-medium-sized business, this could be the perfect credit card for paying business bills.

However, the $25,000 rewards spending cap may be low for larger businesses. Businesses that spend more than $25,000 per year on internet, cable, phone, and other bills may want to consider the Chase Ink Business Preferred® credit card instead.

Best For Paying Your Gym Membership Fees: World of Hyatt Credit Card

Gym memberships can be expensive. But with the World of Hyatt credit card, you can at least earn some rewards on the money that you’re spending each month on fitness. With this card, you’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on fitness clubs and gym memberships.

You’ll also earn 2 points on dining, rideshares, and taxis, and airline tickets. Plus, you’ll earn up to 9 points per $1 that you spend on purchases at Hyatt hotels.

But one of the best benefits of the World of Hyatt Credit Card may be the free hotel nights that you can earn. You’ll receive one free night at a Category 1-4 hotel at each cardmember anniversary. And you can earn an additional night if you spend at least $15,000 during your anniversary year.

The World of Hyatt Credit Card comes with a $95 annual fee (not waived the first year). New cardholders can earn a 30,000-point welcome bonus after making at least $3,000 in purchases within the first three months with the card and an additional 30,000 points by earning double points(on up to $15,000 in purchases) for the first six months.

Best Flat-Rate Travel Rewards Card: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

If travel is more your thing, you may want to consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. With this card, you’ll earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase you make with the card.

You can earn a lot of rewards when you use Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card to pay for all your bills. But the biggest advantage of the Capital One Venture Rewards card is the redemption flexibility that it offers. You can redeem your points for:

• Past travel (using Purchase Eraser)
• Future travel (by booking travel through capitalone.com )
• Cash
• Statement credits
• Gift cards

Plus, you can transfer your points to any of Capital Ones’ 15+ travel partners. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card does charge a $95 annual fee.

Best For Paying Bills While Building Credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Don’t have stellar credit but still want to earn rewards when you pay your bills? With the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, you may be able to do that.

At 1.5% unlimited cash back, this card’s rate is slightly below some of the others on this list. But that’s still an attractive flat rate. And the best news is that this card is geared towards consumers with Fair credit.

This card doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus and you will pay a $39 annual fee. But the softer credit restrictions on the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card could help you start earning rewards on your bills while you’re working to rebuild your score.

Best For Paying Bills In College: Journey Student Rewards from Capital One

College students pay bills too, and not just for tuition. Many college students pay their own cell phone, internet, cable, and streaming service bills... especially students who live off-campus.

Unfortunately, college students also tend to have limited credit histories and incomes, which can make it difficult to get approved for a credit card. However, student cards like the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One can be easier to qualify for.

And the best part about the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is that it offers rewards. Journey Student Rewards from Capital One cardholders earn an unlimited 1% cashback on all their purchases. And you’ll earn 1.25% cashback if you pay your bills on time.

The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One comes with no annual fee. To qualify, you’ll need to be over 18 years of age and your income will need to exceed your rent or mortgage payments by at least $425.

Learn more about the best credit cards for college students.

FAQs

Does paying bills with a credit card hurt your credit score?

As long as you make on-time credit card payments and keep your overall credit utilization rate below 30%, using a credit card to pay your bills won’t hurt your credit score. In fact, a positive payment history could help to raise your credit over time. The key to building a good credit score is to follow good credit habits, regardless of the specific expenses that you use credit to pay.

Can you use your credit card to pay utilities?

Yes, most utility companies today now accept credit card payments. However, some may charge a convenience fee whenever a card is used. If your trash, water, or power company does charge a convenience fee, you’ll need to run the numbers to determine if you’d still come out ahead because of the rewards that you’d earn.

Can you pay your mortgage with a credit card?

Unfortunately, most mortgage companies do not accept credit card payments. There are third-party companies, however, that will allow you to pay your mortgage with a credit card in exchange for a fee. These fees will typically exceed what you could earn in credit card rewards. But you could come out ahead if using one of these services would help you reach your card’s sign-up bonus spending requirement.

Can you pay your taxes with a credit card?

Yes, the IRS can accept credit card payments but taxpayers are charged a fee that varies by card processor. Currently, these fees range from 1.96% to 1.99% of the amount paid. There’s also a minimum fee with each processor that ranges from $2.50 to $2.69.

Is paying a bill with a credit card considered a purchase?

Yes, most credit cards will consider any bill payment to be a “purchase” for rewards purposes. This means you’ll at least earn the base rewards rate (typically 1% to 2%) for every bill that you pay with your card. And you may be able to earn much more on bills that are eligible for bonus rewards.

Bottom Line

If you spend a large percentage of your monthly income on one or two particular bills, you may want to apply for a credit card that offers that expense as a bonus category.

However, if your monthly expenses are spread fairly evenly on several types of bills, a flat-rate card may offer the best bang for your buck.

Finally, if you have an unusually large bill coming your way in the near future, you may want to consider one of the 8 best credit card signup bonus deals.