Kroger gives the most cash back at checkout, letting you withdraw up to $300 with a debit card purchase at most of its store brands. If you’re asking about rewards earned on purchases, Sam’s Club and Costco can return up to 5% on in-store spending when you pair the right membership tier with their branded credit card. The answer depends on whether you need physical cash from the register or want to earn the highest percentage back on what you spend.
Cash Back at the Register With a Debit Card
Most major retailers let you pull cash from your checking account when you pay with a debit card. The store adds the amount to your transaction total, hands you the bills, and you skip a trip to the ATM. Limits vary widely by chain, and a few stores charge a small fee for the service.
Here’s how the major retailers stack up, based on data documented by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau:
- Kroger (Kroger, Ralph’s, Fred Meyer, Pick ‘n Save): up to $300 per transaction
- Kroger (Harris Teeter): up to $200
- Albertsons: up to $200
- Walmart: up to $100
- CVS: up to $60
- Dollar Tree and Family Dollar: up to $50
- Dollar General: up to $40
- Target: up to $40
- Walgreens: up to $20
The U.S. Postal Service also offers debit cash back in $10 increments up to $50. Most grocery stores and pharmacies don’t charge a fee for cash back, but some dollar stores and convenience chains do. Always check before you agree to the amount, because fees of $1 or more eat into whatever ATM savings you were hoping for.
One thing to keep in mind: you typically need to make a purchase to get cash back. A pack of gum is enough at most stores, but some have minimum purchase requirements. The cash comes directly from your checking account balance, so treat it the same as an ATM withdrawal when budgeting.
Highest Cash Back Rewards on Store Credit Cards
If your question is really about earning the biggest percentage back on your spending, store-branded credit cards routinely beat general-purpose cards for purchases at that specific retailer. The trade-off is that the high rates only apply at one store or its affiliated brands.
The strongest options right now:
- Target Circle Card: 5% discount at checkout on most purchases in store and at Target.com. This isn’t technically cash back you receive later; the discount applies instantly at the register, which is even simpler.
- Walmart Rewards Card: 5% back at Walmart.com and through the Walmart app. In-store purchases earn 5% when you use Walmart Pay for the first 12 months after approval, then drop to 2%.
- Amazon Prime Store Card: 5% back on Amazon.com and at Whole Foods Market for Prime members. You need an active Prime membership to qualify for the top rate.
None of these cards charge an annual fee on their own, though the Amazon card’s best rate is tied to a Prime membership you’re paying for separately.
Warehouse Club Rewards Can Reach 5%
Costco and Sam’s Club each offer a two-layer rewards system: a premium membership tier that earns a base percentage, plus a co-branded credit card that stacks additional rewards on top.
With the Sam’s Club Mastercard and a Plus membership, you can earn up to 5% back on eligible Sam’s Club purchases. That breaks down to 3% from the card and 2% from the Plus membership tier, though the membership portion caps at $500 in rewards per year. The card also earns 5% at gas stations and EV charging stations on up to $6,000 in annual spending.
Costco’s setup works similarly. The Costco Anywhere Visa paired with an Executive membership returns up to 4% on eligible Costco purchases (2% from the card, 2% from the membership). The membership reward caps at $1,250 annually. Where Costco pulls ahead is fuel: 5% back on gas purchased at Costco stations and 4% at other gas stations and EV chargers, on a combined $7,000 in spending per year.
Both warehouse clubs require you to pay for the premium membership tier to unlock the highest rates. Factor in the membership cost when calculating whether the rewards actually put you ahead. If you already shop at one of these stores regularly, the math usually works in your favor.
Stacking Rewards Through Shopping Portals
Online shopping portals like Rakuten pay you an additional percentage when you click through their site before making a purchase at a partner retailer. These rates change frequently, but double-digit cash back is common during sales events. Rakuten currently lists stores like Neiman Marcus at up to 10% back, Temu at 10%, and Viator at 12%.
The real power of portals is stacking. You can earn the portal’s cash back on top of whatever your credit card already gives you. If you use a card that earns 2% everywhere and click through a portal offering 10%, you’re getting 12% back on that purchase. During Black Friday and other major shopping events, portal rates sometimes spike to 15% or 20% at select retailers.
Portal cash back is paid out on a schedule, usually quarterly, through direct deposit or PayPal. You won’t see it instantly like a Target Circle discount, but for online shopping you were already planning to do, it’s essentially free money.
Which Approach Returns the Most
For pulling physical cash from a register, Kroger’s $300 limit is the clear winner. No other national chain comes close. If you regularly need cash and shop at a Kroger-owned store, you can skip the ATM entirely.
For earning rewards on spending, the 5% cards from Target, Walmart, Amazon, and Sam’s Club offer the highest flat rates you’ll find at a single retailer. Stacking a shopping portal on top of a store card for online purchases can push your effective return well above 10% during promotional periods. The best strategy depends on where you already spend your money. A 5% return at a store you visit weekly will always beat 12% at a retailer you use once a year.