Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card
Information about the Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card has been collected independently by Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the cards prior to publication.
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Rewards
2.5% cash back on your first $10,000 of qualifying eligible purchases (1.5% for purchases over $10,000)
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Welcome bonus
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
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Balance transfer fee
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Regular APR
17.49% to 27.49% variable
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Pros
- 2.5% cash back on all purchases (up to $250 in cash back rewards per billing cycle)
- No annual fee
- Simple cash-back rewards
Cons
- No welcome bonus
- No special financing offers
Alliant Cashback Visa Review
Welcome bonus
Benefits and perks
In addition to earning cash back, you’ll also have access to a variety of Visa card benefits, such as:
How to earn and use Alliant cash rewards
The Alliant Cashback Visa uses a two-tiered system for earning rewards. Here are the details.
Earning
Alliant credit union members who qualify for Tier One Rewards earn:
- 2.5% back on the first $10,000 in purchases each billing cycle
- 1.5% back on all other purchases
To qualify for Tier One Rewards after the introductory period, you’ll need to have an Alliant High-Rate Checking account and meet the following requirements each month:
- Receive electronic statements
- Have an average daily balance of $1,000 or more
- Make at least one electronic deposit to the account every calendar month
Otherwise, you’ll earn the Tier Two Rewards — a flat 1.5% back on all purchases.
Redemption
To redeem your cash-back rewards, you’ll need to accumulate at least $50 in cash back. At that point, you can deposit the money into an Alliant credit union checking account or savings account or redeem it for a statement credit.
Rates and fees
Alternatives to the Alliant Cashback Visa card
On the fence about this card? Here’s how it stacks up against some of its competition.
Alliant Cashback Visa card vs. Citi Double Cash® Card
Citi Double Cash® Card
On Citi’s secure site
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Rewards
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24
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Welcome bonus
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for the first 18 months on balance transfers; N/A for purchases
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Regular APR
19.24% – 29.24% variable
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Balance transfer fee
For balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening, an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies; after that, a balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Fair/Good/Excellent
Pros
- 2% cash back on all eligible purchases
- Simple cash-back program that doesn’t require activation or spending caps
- One of the longest intro periods for balance transfers at 18 months
Cons
- 3% fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $443
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,213
The Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay). This makes it a more valuable card for earning cash back for anyone who doesn’t have an Alliant High-Rate Checking account and doesn’t qualify for Alliant’s Tier One Rewards.
The Citi Double Cash Card also offers more options for redeeming rewards. In addition to providing standard options for redeeming cash back, you can also transfer the rewards you earn to a limited number of travel partners. However, if you pair it with the Citi Premier® Card, you can unlock exceptional value. For example, 45,000 ThankYou® points are worth $450 cash back, but you could transfer those same points to Turkish Airlines and book a one-way business-class flight to Europe, which would typically cost thousands.
Alliant Cashback Visa card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase’s secure site
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Rewards
Enjoy 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
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Welcome bonus
Special Offer: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Use your card for all your purchases and at the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned! There is no limit to how much you can earn. Every dollar in cash back rewards you earn is a dollar Chase will match.
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Annual fee
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Intro APR
0% for the first 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers
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Regular APR
20.49% – 29.24% variable
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Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
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Foreign transaction fee
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Credit needed
Excellent/Good
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Member FDIC. Terms apply.
Is the Alliant Cashback Visa right for you?
The Alliant Cashback Visa is a stellar cash-back card — if you have an Alliant High-Rate Checking account and qualify for Tier One Rewards. However, without the Tier One Rewards boost, this card’s appeal is diminished. Earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases is an above-average rate for everyday purchases, but it lacks the bonus categories, intro bonus and other benefits that similar cards have. Unless you plan on opening an Alliant bank account, you can get everything this card offers and more from several other no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards.
Bottom line
The Alliant Cashback Visa is an above-average cash-back card with the potential to be much more. This is a nearly perfect option for anyone who wants a lucrative and simple credit card that earns flat-rate cash back and is willing to bank with Alliant Credit Union. But if you prefer more valuable rewards or don’t bank with Alliant, then there are several options available that provide additional benefits and can be just as rewarding.
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