Streaming services are a staple of everyday entertainment. According to Deloitte’s 2024 digital media trends report, the average U.S. household pays for four streaming video-on-demand services, not including other subscriptions they may have for music, audiobooks, video games or other entertainment.
When choosing a new card, it’s important to look beyond the rewards rate. We also dug into factors like annual fees, special financing and benefits like complimentary streaming subscriptions or credits toward your membership costs. Picking the best credit card for streaming services can turn your subscription costs into a steady return to your bottom line.
Best Credit Cards for Streaming Services
There are two main reasons why a credit card can be good for streaming: because it earns rewards on streaming subscriptions at a high rate or because the card earns statement credits to offset the cost. Both can be extremely valuable, but you may need to prioritize the type of benefit that is more useful to you.
Best Credit Cards for Streaming Rewards
These cards earn rewards at an accelerated rate when used to pay for qualifying streaming services.
| Card | Streaming Earning Rates | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Earns 6% cash back in the form of Reward Dollars on select U.S. streaming subscriptions | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | |
| Earn 5% on DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com and ESPNPlus.com | $49 | |
| Earn 5% back on Amazon streaming services. | $0 ($14.99 per month or $139 per year Prime membership) | |
| Earns 3X on select streaming services | $95 | |
| Earns 3% cash back on popular streaming services | $0 | |
| Earns 3X on popular streaming services | $0 (rates & fees) | |
| Earn 3X on streaming services | $0 |
Featured Partner Offers
Some other cards allow you to select an eligible category that earns bonus rewards, even if they don’t automatically reward every streaming service every time. You often have options to update the selection monthly or quarterly.
These cards can be fantastic options if you don’t want to commit to a card specifically for streaming services. To maximize your earnings, pay up front for an annual subscription during the period when you’ve designated streaming services as your preferred earnings category. Then, the rest of the year, you can swap it out for a different earning category, like groceries or restaurants. Additionally, be on the lookout for cards with rotating bonus categories that may feature streaming subscriptions once per year.
Some options include:
- U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card*: Earn 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Travel 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 such as gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants (excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs), and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Citi Custom Cash® Card*: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in a top eligible spend category up to the first $500 spent each billing cycle and1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, 4% additional cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel.
- U.S. Bank Cash+® Secured Visa® Card*: Earn 5% cash back on the first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter in two categories of choice, 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Travel Center, 2% cash back on eligible purchases in choice of one everyday category like gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants (*excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs) and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
- Chase Freedom Flex®: Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in categories that rotate quarterly (requires activation), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on dining and drugstores and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Discover it® Cash Back: Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter up to a quarterly maximum when activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Discover it® Student Cash Back: Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and more, up to the quarterly maximum once activated. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the eligible category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. After the first year from account opening, earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum.
Best Credit Cards for Streaming Credits
Cards that offer credits toward subscriptions can be an easy way to save on purchases you’ve already budgeted for. Some credits are flexible, applying to your choice of services, while others are valid only toward specific streaming providers. You’ll want to keep an eye on the fine print, like how often the credit resets (most are monthly) and if there are minimum spending amounts required to earn the full dollar amount.
| Card | Streaming Credits | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Receive a $15 statement credit annually after 11 months of streaming purchases. | $0 | |
| Earn up to $15 annually toward streaming services after 11 months of streaming purchases. | $0 | |
| Receive up to $7 in monthly statement credit for subscriptions or bundle subscriptions purchased on DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites (enrollment required, subject to auto-renewal). | $0 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | |
| Receive up to $10 via statement credit each month you pay for an eligible subscription at disneyplus.com, Hulu.com, or Plus.espn.com U.S. websites (enrollment required, subject to auto-renewal). | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | |
| Receive up to $25 per month via statement credit toward select digital entertainment services. Enrollment required. | $895 (Terms apply, see rates & fees) | |
| Receive complimentary subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music. | $795 |
Featured Partner Offers
How To Choose a Streaming Services Credit Card
There’s more involved in choosing a streaming credit card than just its reward rates. Here’s what to consider:
- Evaluate your creditworthiness. Some secured cards are designed for bad credit, and premium rewards cards might require excellent credit for approval—and there’s everything in between.
- Determine what type of rewards you prefer, whether that’s miles, points or cash back, so you can leverage redemptions accordingly.
- Check for annual fees to make sure the card fits in your budget and provides value.
- Review other bonus categories and card benefits to maximize value from all your card spending, not just streaming.
- Look at welcome offers, which could increase your rewards potential in the first year.
- Think about whether you need introductory APR offers, if the ongoing APR is reasonable, or if you expect to pay your bill in full every month without carrying a balance.
- Check the fine print to ensure the streaming services you subscribe to are covered.
Alternative Ways To Save on Your Streaming Services
Check Your Cellphone Subscription Options
Some cellphone plans include free streaming services for customers. For example, T-Mobile has plans that include Apple TV, Netflix and Hulu, and some unlimited Verizon Wireless plans provide discounts on select streaming subscriptions. If you can get these services for free or heavily discounted, that’s an even better option than what you may get as a credit card benefit.
Shop for Deals
Streaming services periodically offer promo codes or discounts that can help you save money on subscriptions. Additionally, the credit cards you already have may offer targeted merchant discounts, like Amex Offers and Chase Offers. If you’re not dying to access specific entertainment right away, waiting for an offer could be worth your patience.
Additionally, some streaming services also offer discounts for students or military members. If someone in your household qualifies, be sure to sign up with their credentials.
Make Payments Strategically
You could save some cash by taking an extra step to pay your streaming bill with gift cards instead of paying directly. Often, you can find ways to buy gift cards to your favorite service at a discounted rate. For example, Sam’s Club members can save on several streaming gift cards. Classic grocery stores may only sell gift cards at face value, but you might be able to stack an offer to earn additional rewards or fuel points by doing so. Or buy your gift cards with the right credit card: The Target Circle™ Credit Card* will save you 5% on all Target purchases, including gift cards.
Find The Best Credit Cards For 2025
No single credit card is the best option for every family, every purchase or every budget. We've picked the best credit cards in a way designed to be the most helpful to the widest variety of readers.
Rotate Your Streaming Services
Streaming subscriptions love it when customers keep paying, even when they’re not actively using the service. So if you haven’t been logging in to your account lately, it may be time to cancel your service and move on to another one. You can always come back to the original subscription later. Rotating to only keep one service at a time requires a little effort to unsubscribe and resubscribe, but it’s a straightforward way to save on costs.
What credit card for streaming services do you use?
Robin Frankel
Credit Cards Writer
Becky Pokora
Credit Cards Writer
Jerod Morales
Credit Cards Editor
When I had Netflix, I paid for it monthly with my Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express card since it earns 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming services.
Credit Cards Writer
I’ve opted to charge my streaming expenses on a general rewards card rather than one dedicated to streaming. I don’t spend enough in this category for it to matter. A flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can be a smart choice!
Credit Cards Writer
My phone plan covers a Netflix subscription, so instead of focusing on a card for streaming I pay my phone bill with my Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card because it earns at least 2X on everything and offers valuable airline and hotel transfer partners. It also includes cellphone protection⁺, which has saved me hundreds in repair costs.
Credit Cards Editor
Bottom Line
Streaming services are an easy line item to optimize. Whether you’re earning extra rewards or monthly credits with a credit card or using alternative methods to reduce your costs, small changes can lead to long-term savings.
To view rates and fees for Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express please visit this page.
To view rates and fees for American Express Platinum Card® please visit this page.
⁺For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - A Forbes Advisor Pick for Top Travel Card
On Chase Bank USA, NA's Website
Member FDIC
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which is the best overall credit card for streaming services?
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers an impressive 6% rewards rate on streaming services as well as a monthly statement credit toward eligible Disney streaming subscriptions, making it one of the few cards that offers both credits and rewards for streaming.
Do you need a streaming-specific credit card?
Households that only spend a small amount on streaming services may not need a credit card that specifically rewards streaming services. Instead, you may want to focus your efforts on spending categories where your expenses are higher, like groceries or travel. Keep in mind that some streaming credit cards reward multiple categories, so you may be able to double-dip from a single card.
