For most people, the best no-fee credit card for streaming is the Capital One Savor, which earns 3% cash back on popular streaming services with no annual fee. If you also pay a big internet bill, the U.S. Bank Cash+ can do better: pick “TV, internet and streaming services” as one of your two 5% categories each quarter. For travel points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 3x on top streaming services.
Streaming is usually a small line in a budget, so pick the card for your bigger categories first and let streaming come along with it.
Best credit cards for streaming, compared #
Terms checked on issuer sites in September 2026 unless noted.
| Card | Streaming rewards | Annual fee | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital One Savor | 3% on popular streaming services | $0 | None worth mentioning |
| U.S. Bank Cash+ | 5% if you choose TV, internet and streaming (first $2,000 per quarter across both 5% picks) | $0 | Enroll every quarter or earn 1% |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 3x points on top streaming services | $95 | Worth it only for its other categories |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Go | 2x points, plus a $15 credit after 11 straight months of streaming purchases | $0 | Smaller rate |
| Amex Platinum | Up to $25 a month in digital entertainment credits ($300 a year) | High | Credits, not points; enrollment required |
| Amex Blue Cash Preferred | Has long paid 6% on select U.S. streaming | Check Amex | Confirm current rates and fee with Amex |
Sources: Capital One Savor, U.S. Bank Cash+, Chase Sapphire Preferred, U.S. Bank Altitude Go, Amex Platinum.
Which streaming card fits you? #
Capital One Savor: best simple pick #
The Savor earns 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), on dining, on entertainment and on popular streaming services, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. If your spending is food and fun, this one card covers streaming along with it.
U.S. Bank Cash+: best if your internet bill is big #
The Cash+ lets you pick two 5% categories each quarter, and “TV, internet and streaming services” is one of the options. That category also covers internet service, which usually costs more than streaming. A $70 internet bill plus $60 of streaming is $1,560 a year, or $78 back at 5%. The cost is enrolling every quarter, or everything drops to 1%.
Chase Sapphire Preferred: best for travel points #
The Preferred earns 3x on dining, gas and EV charging, top streaming services and online groceries, and 5x on Chase Travel. It’s a $95 card, so streaming alone won’t justify it, but if you already hold one, put your subscriptions on it.
Amex Platinum: only if you’d use the credit #
The Platinum offers up to $25 a month in statement credits for eligible digital entertainment purchases, with enrollment required. That’s $300 a year if you already subscribe to the qualifying services, which Amex lists in your account. Nobody should get a card with a fee that size for streaming, but if you hold one, set up the credit.
Citi Custom Cash: closed to new applicants #
Citi stopped accepting applications for the Custom Cash on May 28, 2026. If you already have one, it still works, but it’s no longer an option for new cardholders.
How much can a streaming card actually earn? #
A household paying $60 a month, or $720 a year, for streaming:
| Card | Yearly rewards on $720 |
|---|---|
| U.S. Bank Cash+ at 5% | $36.00 |
| Altitude Go (2x plus $15 credit) | About $29.40 |
| Capital One Savor at 3% | $21.60 |
| Sapphire Preferred at 3x | 2,160 points (at least $21.60) |
The differences come to a few dollars a month. That’s why the right card depends more on your groceries, dining and internet bill than on streaming.
What counts as a streaming service for credit cards? #
Each issuer decides using the merchant’s category code and its own list of services. A few rules of thumb:
- Big-name video and music services billed directly by the service usually count.
- Subscriptions billed through Apple, Google or Amazon often post as the app store or retailer, not the service, and may miss the bonus. Where you can, bill the subscription directly.
- Cable and satellite TV usually code as cable providers and may not count as streaming on cards that define it narrowly.
- Bundles can code under whichever company bills you.
If a subscription earns only 1%, check how it posted. How to find a merchant category code explains what to look for.
Put every subscription on the right card #
The easy win is to point every subscription at your best streaming card and leave it there. Credit Card Central has a Which Card? screen with a Streaming category that ranks the cards you own by their rates, so you know which one to use when you sign up for a new service. If you have a monthly credit like the Platinum’s, the app’s Credits and Perks screen tracks it, resets it each month and reminds you before an unused credit expires.
If a card with a fee is only in your wallet for streaming, run the numbers in is an annual fee card worth it. If you’re playing rotating categories, how to maximize 5% rotating category cards shows how to plan the quarters.
Frequently asked questions #
Does YouTube TV count as a streaming service? #
It’s commonly included on issuers’ streaming lists, but each issuer defines the category. Check the card’s streaming terms, and see how the first charge posts.
Do subscriptions billed through Apple or Google earn streaming rewards? #
Often not, because the charge comes from the app store, not the streaming service. Subscribing directly with the service is the surest way to earn the bonus.
Is it worth paying an annual fee for streaming rewards? #
Rarely. Streaming bills are too small to cover a fee alone. A fee card makes sense only when its other categories or credits already pay for it.
Does an Amazon Prime membership count as streaming? #
Usually not. Prime membership fees typically post as Amazon, a retail merchant, even though Prime includes video.