Best No Annual Fee Card for Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's codes as grocery/supermarket for all issuers. Use a 3-6% grocery card for maximum Two-Buck Chuck rewards. These cards carry no yearly cost — every dollar of rewards is pure profit.
Top no annual fee picks for Trader Joe's
Hilton Honors American Express Card
5x on SupermarketsAmerican Express · No annual fee
The best no-annual-fee hotel card for casual Hilton guests. Earn 7x points at Hilton properties and 5x on restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations. Automatic Silver status gives you perks like 5th-night-free on reward stays. Points are worth ~0.5¢ each.
Capital One SavorOne
3% on GroceriesCapital One · No annual fee
Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and grocery stores — four high-value categories covering most everyday spending — all with no annual fee. One of the few no-fee cards offering both grocery and dining bonuses simultaneously, ideal for households that eat out and cook at home.
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
3% on U.S. SupermarketsAmerican Express · No annual fee
Amex's no-annual-fee cashback card earns 3% in three powerful everyday categories — supermarkets, online retail, and gas. The online retail 3% is especially valuable as more spending moves online. Disney Bundle credit ($84/year) partially offsets the lack of fee, making this an excellent companion card.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
2% on Groceries & WholesaleBank of America · No annual fee
Choose your own 3% cash back category — gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement — and earn 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to 2,500 dollars combined per quarter). Bank of America Preferred Rewards members earn up to 75% more cash back, making this a powerhouse for existing BoA customers.
USAA Cashback Rewards Plus
2% on SupermarketsUSAA · No annual fee
USAA's flagship cashback card offers a unique 5% back on purchases made on military bases (BX/PX, commissary). 2% on groceries and gas makes it strong for everyday spending too. USAA members benefit from some of the lowest APR rates available.
Gemini Credit Card
2% on GroceriesGemini · No annual fee
A real credit card (not debit) that earns crypto rewards. Get 3% back at restaurants and 2% at grocery stores — all deposited as the cryptocurrency of your choice into your Gemini account. It's a true credit card issued by WebBank with standard credit reporting.
Discover it Secured Credit Card
Discover · No annual fee
The best secured credit card by a wide margin — and the only secured card that earns meaningful cash back rewards. Most secured cards offer nothing; Discover gives you 2% on gas and dining with Cashback Match doubling it all year one. Automatic review for upgrade to unsecured after 7 months means your deposit is returned faster than most.
Discover it Cash Back
Discover · No annual fee
Exceptional value with 5% rotating categories and a unique Cashback Match that doubles all rewards the first year.
Annual value math — Hilton Honors American Express Card at Trader Joe's
Typical spend
$3,000
per year at Trader Joe's
Earn rate
5x
on Supermarkets
Annual value
$225
rewards earned per year
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best no annual fee credit card for Trader Joe's?⌄
Our top pick is the Hilton Honors American Express Card — it's a no annual fee card that earns 5x on Supermarkets, which applies to Trader Joe's purchases. With typical spending of $3,000/year at Trader Joe's, that's about $225/year in rewards.
Do Trader Joe's purchases count as Groceries?⌄
Trader Joe's purchases typically code as Groceries or Supermarkets or U.S. Supermarkets depending on the issuer. Card networks determine merchant category codes (MCC), so coding can vary between Visa and Mastercard for the same retailer.
Is a no annual fee card worth it just for Trader Joe's?⌄
Yes — no-fee cards carry zero downside, so any rewards earned at Trader Joe's are pure upside.
How much can I earn per year on Trader Joe's with a no annual fee card?⌄
At the typical Trader Joe's spend of $3,000/year and the 5x earn rate on our top pick, you'd earn about $225/year — more than enough to justify the card.