Card guide · Cash Back
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Card guide overview
A no-annual-fee cash-back card that earns 3% in a category you choose, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs—best for people who want to target a specific spending category at a boosted rate.
Key card attributes
| Issuing bank | Reward currency | Currency type | Network | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | Cash Back | Cash back | Visa | $0 |
Closest alternatives
At a glance
The card in three decisions.
The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards is a no-annual-fee cash-back card that earns 3% cash back in a category you choose each month (gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, or home improvement/furnishings), 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% everywhere else. The 3% and 2% categories are capped at $2,500 in combined purchases per quarter. For Preferred Rewards clients, the earning rates increase by 25%–75%.
The card competes with the Citi Custom Cash (5% on a top category up to $500/month) and the Chase Freedom Flex (5% rotating categories). The Customized Cash's 3% rate is lower but covers more ground—you get 2% on grocery and wholesale clubs automatically, and you can change your 3% category monthly.
Best fit
BoA Preferred Rewards clients who want boosted category earning
With Platinum Honors, the 3% becomes 5.25% and the 2% becomes 3.5%—best-in-class no-fee category rates.
Current timing
$200 bonus at $1,000 spend is standard
A solid bonus with an accessible spend requirement. No elevated window to chase.
Main watchout
Without Preferred Rewards, the Citi Custom Cash earns 5%
At standard rates, the Citi Custom Cash offers 5% on a top category (albeit with a lower monthly cap). The Customized Cash's advantage is the 2% grocery/wholesale baseline and the Preferred Rewards multiplier.
Current & historical offer
$200 is the standard public offer.
We compare public cash offers with public cash offers. Referral and targeted offers are outside this ladder.
Timing assessment
$200 at $1,000 spend is a solid no-fee bonus.
The bonus-to-spend ratio is 20%—competitive for a no-fee card. With no elevated window, apply when the card fits your spending pattern.
Why someone may wait
Without Preferred Rewards, the Citi Custom Cash earns more.
If your spending is concentrated in one category, the Citi Custom Cash's 5% rate beats the Customized Cash's 3%. The Customized Cash is better for diversified spending across grocery and a choice category.
Card benefits
Choose your 3% category each month—flexibility at no annual fee.
The tiers are a Points Brief editorial assessment of decision importance and rarity among no-fee category-earning cards—not labels supplied by Bank of America.
Tier 1 · Rare differentiators
Benefits that make this card unique.
3% on a category you choose each month
Choose from six categories: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, or home improvement/furnishings. You can change the category monthly—unlike cards that lock you into one choice permanently.
- Gas: gas stations and EV charging.
- Online shopping: purchases made online or through apps.
- Dining: restaurants, takeout, and delivery.
- Travel: flights, hotels, car rentals, and cruises.
- Drugstores: pharmacies and drugstores.
- Home improvement/furnishings: hardware stores and furniture retailers.
Know the limits: Combined $2,500 quarterly cap on 3% and 2% categories. We rate Coupon Book 1/5 because the monthly category-change requirement is light—you can set it and forget it. But forgetting to optimize means potentially earning 1% instead of 3%.
2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs
Automatic 2% at grocery stores, supermarkets, and wholesale clubs (Costco, Sam's Club, BJ's) with no activation required. A strong baseline for everyday spending.
- Most grocery stores and supermarkets.
- Wholesale clubs including Costco, Sam's Club, and BJ's.
- Subject to the $2,500 quarterly cap (combined with 3% category).
Tier 2 · Useful but limited
Benefits that add value but have constraints.
$2,500 Quarterly cap on bonus categories
The 3% and 2% categories share a $2,500 combined quarterly cap ($10,000/year). After the cap, those purchases earn 1%.
For most people, $833/month on combined grocery, wholesale, and choice-category spending is adequate. Heavy spenders in these categories may hit the cap and should consider an uncapped card.
+75% Preferred Rewards multiplier
At Plat Honors, 3% becomes 5.25% and 2% becomes 3.5%. The highest no-fee category rates available.
Requires $100K+ in combined BoA/Merrill accounts.
Tier 3 · Expected card basics
Standard features.
Visa Signature purchase protections Protection
Purchase security and extended warranty on eligible items.
Charges foreign transaction fee FTF
Not ideal for international spending. Consider the Travel Rewards card for no-FTF needs.
Comparison method: No-annual-fee category-earning cash-back cards including Citi Custom Cash, Chase Freedom Flex, and Capital One Savor; official public pages reviewed in July 2026.
Earning rates
3% choice category, 2% grocery/wholesale, 1% elsewhere—boosted by Preferred Rewards.
Cash back is earned per dollar. The 3% and 2% categories share a $2,500 combined quarterly cap. Choose a new 3% category each month or keep the same one.
Category of your choice
Choose from gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores, or home improvement. Subject to $2,500 quarterly cap. With Plat Honors: 5.25%.
Grocery stores and wholesale clubs
Automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. Subject to $2,500 quarterly cap. With Plat Honors: 3.5%.
All other purchases
One percent on purchases not in a bonus category. With Plat Honors: 1.75%.
Category strategy: Set your 3% category to match your highest spending each month. Online shopping is the most versatile—it covers Amazon, most e-commerce, and app-based purchases. If you also have a Citi Custom Cash (5% dining), use the Customized Cash for online shopping or gas at 3% (or 5.25% with Plat Honors) and you have two strong no-fee category cards covering different spending. Remember to change your category if your spending shifts month to month.
Bank of America ecosystem
A category-flexible cash-back card that rewards BoA banking relationships.
The Customized Cash Rewards is a straightforward cash-back product. Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit, direct deposit to a BoA checking or savings account, or as a credit to a Merrill account. There are no points, no transfer partners, and no travel portal. The Preferred Rewards multiplier is the card's defining feature.
Key feature
3%choice category
Choose your 3% category monthly—rare flexibility at $0.
The ability to change your 3% category each month gives the Customized Cash flexibility that fixed-category cards lack. If you know you are traveling one month, set it to travel. During the holidays, set it to online shopping. The rest of the year, gas or dining may be the best fit. The tradeoff is the $2,500 quarterly cap and the 3% rate being lower than the Citi Custom Cash's 5%. But the 2% grocery/wholesale baseline and the Preferred Rewards multiplier are meaningful advantages for BoA clients.
How this compares to other category cards
Head-to-head positioning.
- Citi Custom Cash: 5% top category (auto-detected), lower $500 monthly cap, no grocery bonus
- Chase Freedom Flex: 5% rotating (not chosen), no cap but must activate quarterly
- Customized Cash: 3% chosen + 2% grocery/wholesale, $2,500 quarterly cap, monthly flexibility
- Best strategy: pair Customized Cash with Citi Custom Cash for two boosted categories
BoA card lineup for Preferred Rewards clients
How this card fits with other BoA cards.
- Customized Cash: 3% choice + 2% grocery/wholesale (5.25%/3.5% with Plat Honors)
- Travel Rewards: 1.5X everywhere, no FTF (2.625X with Plat Honors)
- Premium Rewards: 2X travel/dining, 1.5X elsewhere (3.5X/2.625X with Plat Honors)
- The three cards together cover most spending at boosted Preferred Rewards rates
Sources and methodology
Sources for this page
- Last checked: September 4, 2026
Reader feedback