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USAA Preferred Cash Rewards: terms, score and downsides

Not credit advice. Facts and math from issuer pages and the CFPB, each with its date. Offers change; approval depends on your credit. Verify on the issuer's site.

Rubric score 60.7% across 78 cards (limited data). Issuer page ↗

Downsides first

• APR up to 27.65% if you carry a balance
• Late fee up to $35
• Unlimited 1.5% cash back (per the card's Visa card-finder listing; USAA's page blocks automated reads). USAA membership required.

Terms & fees

• IssuerUSAA
• Typecash back
• Annual fee$0 (CFPB TCCP; issuer page did not render a clear fee) files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Regular purchase APR15.65%–27.65% variable files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Rewards1.5% base usaa.com, 2026-10-12
• Sign-up bonus (≈$)not found usaa.com, 2026-10-12
• Intro APRnone No intro APR shown usaa.com, 2026-10-12
• Foreign transaction feenone files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Penalty APRnone Agreement table: 'Penalty APR None' files.consumerfinance.gov, 2026-06-30
• Late feeup to $35 up to (first and repeat late fee) files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Balance transfer fee5% files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Cash advance fee5% files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Credit neededno credit score, ≤619, 620–719, 720+ (CFPB TCCP targeted tiers) files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Grace period25 days files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31
• Cash advance APR27.65% files.consumerfinance.gov, 2025-12-31

Complaint record (CFPB)

• Complaints, last 12 months3,213
• Trend▲ 29.1% (last 12 mo 3,213 vs prior 12 mo 2,488)
• Timely response (last 36 mo)100.0%
• Top issueManaging an account
• Insurance statusFDIC-insured: USAA Federal Savings Bank (cert 32188, active; deposits $92.0B as of 06/30/2026)

Company-level (UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION), all products, as of 2026-10-12. USAA complaints: full record → Shown for context; does not change the score.

Score breakdown

• Annual fee 10.0/10Annual fee $0 (CFPB TCCP; issuer page did not render a clear fee) (as of 2025-12-31). Rubric: $0=10, ≤$95=8, ≤$395=5, ≤$695=3, more=1 (perks/credits are not counted).
• Rewards rate 6.0/10Base 1.5% on everything, top category 1.5% (as of 2026-10-12; points/miles valued at 1¢). Score = base/2%×7 + min(top,6)/6%×3. 1.5% base
• Sign-up bonus n/a/10not found — unknown, scored 2.7/10 (lower of neutral 5 and comparison median)
• Intro 0% APR 0.0/10No intro APR shown (as of 2026-10-12). Score = months/21×10.
• Regular APR 8.8/1015.65%–27.65% variable; CFPB TCCP range (as of 2025-12-31); midpoint 21.65%. Score = (34 − midpoint)/1.4, 0–10.
• Foreign transaction fee 10.0/10No foreign transaction fee (as of 2025-12-31).
• Regulatory record (CFPB) n/a/10not found — unknown, scored 5.0/10 (lower of neutral 5 and comparison median)

0.143×10.0 + 0.143×6.0 + 0.143×2.7* + 0.143×0.0 + 0.143×8.8 + 0.143×10.0 + 0.143×5.0* = 6.07 → 60.7% (* unknown, imputed)

Is USAA Preferred Cash Rewards worth it? (break-even math) →Value for my spending →

Compare with

USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs Chase Freedom Unlimited · USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs Chase Freedom Flex · USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs Citi Double Cash · USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs Wells Fargo Active Cash · USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs Capital One Quicksilver · USAA Preferred Cash Rewards vs Capital One Savor

No paid placement. No issuer pays VaultRubric for inclusion or rank; links go to the issuer's own page. Ranks come only from the published rubric below.

FAQ

What is the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards annual fee?

$0 (CFPB TCCP; issuer page did not render a clear fee)

What is the USAA Preferred Cash Rewards APR?

15.65%–27.65% variable

Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.