Best Credit Cards for Home Improvement of February 2024
While there are many ways to finance a home improvement project, using the right credit card for your project can help you save money as well as earn cash back, points or miles on your purchases. Or you can apply for a new card offering a 0% intro APR to help you finance the project over a period of time. Many rewards cards offer generous welcome bonuses once you meet a certain spending requirement, which can often be met easily when you’re paying for pricey home improvement projects.
Here are our selections for the best credit cards for home improvement of February 2024.
Best credit cards for home improvement
Why trust our credit card experts
Our team of experts evaluates hundreds of credit cards and analyzes thousands of data points to help you find the best card for your situation. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content. You can read more about our methodology below.
- 135+ cards analyzed.
- 12+ data points analyzed.
- 5-step fact-checking process.
Best credit card for home improvement
Earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate quarterly on up to $1,500 when enrolled, 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1% on all other purchases.
Best credit card for ongoing rewards
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase Bank USA, NA’s Secure Website
Earn 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Best for furniture purchases
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
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Earn 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center, 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose, 2% cash back on one everyday category such as gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Best for elevated rewards on home improvement and groceries
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
On Bank of America’s Secure Website
Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
Compare the best cards for home improvement
Best credit cards for home improvement of February 2024
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Why this card made the list
The Chase Freedom Flex℠
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The information for the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
was selected as the best credit card for home improvement purchases for several reasons, including an easy-to-earn welcome bonus and a generous intro APR offer.
Notably, the card earns elevated rewards (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases) in categories that rotate every quarter, for which you have to opt into every three months. While these spending categories are only revealed a few weeks prior to the new quarter, national home improvement chain Lowe’s was an elevated-earning category in the second quarter of 2023.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- APR: 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. There is an intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. Then the fee is the greater of $5 or 5% of each transfer.
Best credit card for ongoing rewards: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Why this card made the list
Although the Chase Freedom Unlimited® doesn’t specifically include a home improvement rewards-earning category, it does earn a base rewards rate on “all other purchases”, which would include home improvement stores. Plus, the intro APR offer can save you more money on interest charges than any rewards you’d pocket. Strong earnings on other areas of spending make this card a compelling pick for anyone’s wallet, long after your project is complete.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: 1.5% back on everything bought in the first year on up to $20,000 in spending, which is worth up to $300.
- APR: 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% to 29.24%. An intro transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies in the first 60 days. After that, a fee of either $5 or 5% of each transfer applies.
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Why this card made the list
Cardholders of the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
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The information for the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
can earn elevated rewards (on the first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases) each quarter in two of 12 categories of choice, one of which is furniture stores. It’s rare to find a card that can earn high rewards at furniture stores.
The card also comes with a helpful 15-month intro APR offer that allows you to spread out your payments for home improvements (or anything else) over time without incurring interest charges during the promotional period.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center, 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of choice, 2% cash back on one everyday category (like gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants) and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Welcome bonus: $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 120 days of account opening.
- APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, then a variable APR of 19.49% to 29.74%. A balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 minimum) applies and balances transferred must be completed within 60 days.
Best for 5% cash back: Citi Custom Cash® Card
Why this card made the list
The Citi Custom Cash® Card offers 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases. That elevated rate allows you to earn $25 in cash-back rewards every month on just that category alone. One way to double that elevated earning rate is if you and your partner each apply for the card and both use it for your home project purchases. Once finished, take those elevated cash-back earnings in whatever category you wish from a broad list of options.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent each month and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: $200 cash back, in the form of 20,000 ThankYou points, after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.
- APR: 0% intro APR for the first 15 months on purchases and from the date of the first transfer for balance transfers within the first four months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% to 29.24%. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer with a $5 minimum.
Best for elevated rewards on home improvement and groceries: Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Why this card made the list
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card offers 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Cardholders must select their category choice online or via the mobile banking app. When your home improvement project is done, simply switch to another category and earn high rewards on that spending.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Rewards: 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Welcome bonus: $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- APR: 0% intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases and for balance transfers made within the first 60 days, then a 18.24% to 28.24% variable APR applies. A 3% intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days; then a 4% fee applies to future balance transfers.
Best credit card for welcome bonus: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Why this card made the list
In addition to offering one of the highest welcome bonuses on this list after meeting the minimum spending requirement, cardholders of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, rates & fees) can also earn a very generous cash-back rewards rate at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases). This is one of the highest cash-back rewards rates you can find for grocery purchases at U.S. supermarkets.
This is the only card on this list that comes with a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee thereafter, which means a little more in your pocket to spend on home improvements.
- Annual fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Rewards: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 3% cash back on transit and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Rewards Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or for eligible items at Amazon.com checkout.
- Welcome bonus: $250 statement credit after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership.
- APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers requested in the first 60 days, then a variable APR of 19.24% to 29.99%. A balance transfer fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies.
Our credit cards team has spent hours analyzing hundreds of credit cards. We took a deep dive into the details of each product and that analysis, combined with our years of experience covering credit cards, informed us as we developed these credit card rankings.
When creating our rankings for credit cards for home improvement we considered many factors including:
- Annual fees.
- Rewards rates., and if a card offered elevated rewards specifically on home improvement-related purchases.
- Any intro APR offers on purchases.
- Ease of earning and redeeming rewards.
- Any additional cardholder benefits and perks like insurances and protections.
What do home improvements entail?
Home improvements can be as simple as a coat of fresh paint to entire room remodels.
According to a 2022 Houzz study, the median spend on planned renovation projects ran about $15,000. Of those plans, 55% of homeowners wanted to renovate parts of their homes, 46% planned to redecorate, 35% planned on making repairs and 3% focused on home building. While 76% of homeowners relied on cash from savings to fund their projects, 35% said they would be using credit cards and only 14% would turn to a secured home loan.
Kitchen and bathroom renovations top the list of home improvements, which can range anywhere from $25,000 to $45,000 for a kitchen and $10,000 to $20,000 for a bathroom, depending on the size and scope.
Strategies to maximize your credit card rewards when financing home improvements
Since home improvement projects can be costly, strategizing on how you can save some money by using rewards credit cards can help. Here are some ideas on how you can maximize card rewards when financing home improvements:
Before you embark on a renovation project, you should do some research to find what kind of rewards cards would serve your needs best.
For example, many cash-back credit cards offer a welcome bonus of a couple hundred dollars after you meet a required minimum spend in a certain time period. If you are looking at buying a new $1,500 refrigerator for your kitchen, you could consider a card offering a $200 cash-back welcome bonus with a $1,500 minimum spend requirement.
If you’d prefer travel rewards instead of cash back, you can use the same strategy, but with a travel rewards card.
Or, if you don’t have the cash on hand for your project and need to finance the costs over a year or more, you may want to consider applying for a new card offering a 0% intro APR. Just know that once the promotional time period expires, any unpaid balance will be subject to the card’s ongoing APR.
Another well-worn strategy is to double up on your rewards by getting your spouse or partner to apply for either the same card or another rewards card and split up your renovation purchases to maximize the amount of rewards you can earn with those cards.
You can also buy gift cards for home improvement stores with your credit card in stores that align with a card’s bonus categories. For example, you can typically purchase home improvement store gift cards at office supply stores or grocery stores, which could help you earn cash back or points on cards that have elevated rewards at those types of retailers.
Finally, if you already racked up credit card debt for a home improvement project on a card that has a high interest rate, you can look at applying for a balance transfer card offering a 0% intro APR for a year or more and get some relief from interest charges during the promotional period. Just know that you’ll likely have to pay a 3% to 5% balance transfer fee, which will be added to the amount you transfer.
Know that credit cards also offer an extra layer of protection against damage, fraud or theft, which can be especially helpful when remodeling.
Choosing the best credit card for your home improvement project
The best credit card for your home improvement project will depend on several factors, including:
- Your credit score. The best rewards cards typically require good to excellent credit to qualify. Some issuers have pre-qualification tools to help you determine your chances of being approved before you formally apply.
- Where you’ll be spending money. If you’ll be spending a lot on appliances or flooring, etc., sold through home improvement stores, it’s best to get a card that rewards you for spending at those types of retailers. However, if you choose a store-specific card, know that you’ll be limited to using the card only at that retailer.
- How you will pay for your project. Again, if you need to finance some aspects of your project that can be put on a credit card, you should look at a card offering a 0% intro APR to give you time to repay most or all of the charges within the promotional time frame. If you plan on paying off your purchases every month, you may want to consider another type of rewards card offering the ability to redeem miles or points for future travel.
- Spending outside of your project. Rewards cards tend to offer cash back, miles or points on spending in several types of categories. You may want to look at cards that reward you for spending on groceries, streaming services, gas and more, as well as home improvement stores.
- Annual fee. There are many no-annual-fee rewards cards out there. But annual fees can be worth it if you know you’ll be able to utilize all the various credits and benefits that come with the card.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Retail cards may be easier to qualify for than a 0% intro APR credit card, but the financing options on those cards often involve deferred interest.
Deferred interest deals require you pay off the balance by a specified period of time. If you don’t zero out the balance by the deadline, you’ll get socked with interest charges from the date of purchase. In contrast, if you have any balance remaining on a 0% intro APR card after the promotion expires, just the unpaid portion of your balance will be subject to your card’s ongoing APR.
Yes, you can put home repairs on a credit card, provided that the vendors accept credit cards. Purchasing materials should be easy to put on a credit card, however, some contractors prefer to be paid in cash or by check and may charge a fee if paid via credit card. It’s smart to ask upfront how a contractor prefers to be paid.
If you cannot afford to pay for new appliances in full, using a 0% intro APR credit card can help you finance your purchases interest-free during the promotional period. Once the 0% interest period expires, any balance remaining will be subject to the card’s ongoing APR.
There are a couple good reasons you may want to open a new card for a home improvement project. If you apply for a credit card offering a lengthy intro APR, you can spread out payments during the promotional period to finance your improvement costs.
Also, many rewards cards require you meet a minimum spend amount in order to earn the card’s welcome bonus of points, miles or cash back. Meeting that minimum spend requirement can often be achieved quickly with your home improvement purchases.
A store credit card typically offers deferred interest financing, meaning that the entire balance needs to be paid by a certain date — anywhere from six months to several years. If you don’t pay off the balance in that time frame, interest charges will be assessed from the date of purchase. Plus, you may be limited to using that card only at that particular retailer.
A regular rewards card, on the other hand, can be used anywhere and your purchases earn rewards, which can be used as statement credits, redeemed for cash back or for future travel and more. However, you’ll be assessed interest on any unpaid balance unless the card offers an intro APR deal for a specified period of time.
For rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
