What are the best credit cards to pay phone bills with?

When it comes to paying off your phone bill, you may think that phone bill purchases fall into the miscellaneous category for credit card purchases, and are ineligible to earn bonus points beyond the standard 1x rate.

Since phone bills are often substantial amounts of money to pay, especially if your family is consolidated under one entire phone plan, this could be a bummer since you won’t be able to earn any extra bonus points for the possible thousands of dollars you’re paying a year to ensure that your family has access to the internet.

Luckily, there are several credit cards available that offer extra bonus points for internet and telecommunications purchases, including phone bills. If you're a business owner looking for a new credit card to supplement your purchases, including paying for phone bills, I recommend adding the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to your wallet.

Business Owners: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

While everyone may not have the ability to own a business, no matter how large or small, anyone who is able to claim themselves as a business owner should have the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card in their wallets, especially if they are responsible for any telecommunications bills.

As of the time of writing this article, the current introductory bonus on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is a $750 bonus cash back after spending $6,000 or more on qualifying purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. This $750 cash back is rewarded as 75,000 Chase points, which are only redeemable as cash back if you don’t hold an eligible Chase card that enables you to transfer points.

If you’re also a cardholder of the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, you can transfer points between any of your Chase cards to one of these three cards, and you’ll be able to transfer all the points you’ve earned to any of Chase’s transfer partners, such as Hyatt or United.

When it comes to getting new credit cards, I usually wait to make sure that I am getting the best possible introductory offer on the card as possible. However, the current introductory offer on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card isn’t too shabby, and I’d advise many people to get the credit card to use it for paying any of their internet, cable, or phone bills.

The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is one of the few credit cards that offer substantial rewards for internet, cable, and phone services, making it a valuable card for anyone who needs to pay tens of thousands of dollars on these bills.

Cash Back Earning Structure

On top of the bonus cash back that you’ll earn as part of the introductory offer, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card presents cardholders with opportunities to earn even more bonus cash back by spending in specific categories. This spending especially appeals to business owners who need to pay for telecommunications utilities. Here’s how the earning rates break down:

• 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services each account anniversary year
• 5% cash back on Lyft rides through September 30, 2027
• 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
• 1% cash back on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn

As shown by this article, the highlight of the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card is the 5% cash back category for making purchases at office supply stores and qualifying telecommunications services.

While other Chase cards earn extra bonus cash back or points for these same categories, such as the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card stands out in the fact that it offers one of the highest earning rates for these categories, with no annual fee.

As someone who shares a phone plan with my entire family, I often find myself needing to pay a couple of thousand dollars a year to my internet provider to pay off the entire phone bill for the family. On top of this, my family needs to pay for our internet and cable services, meaning that I can earn tens of thousands of bonus points each year by simply using my Ink Business Cash® Credit Card to pay off all of these bills.

For business owners who need to pay off these bills on a large scale, the benefits of having a credit card like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card become invaluable. If you qualify for the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, I highly recommend investing a spot for it in your wallet.

Non-Business Owners: Specific Credit Cards

If you don’t qualify to apply for a business credit card, don’t fret! There are other credit cards available that will still allow you to earn bonus cash back or points for paying off your phone bill.

The Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% cash back on all purchases, which could make it a right fit for you if you make a lot of purchases that often fall into miscellaneous spending categories. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 2x miles on all purchases that aren’t spent on booking anything through Capital One Travel, and also comes with cellphone insurance protection coverage.

As the holidays approach, credit cards that earn bonus cash back or points in miscellaneous spending categories can be a valuable investment. On top of being able to earn bonus rewards for spending hundreds of dollars on gifts for other people, you’ll be able to earn bonus rewards for the hard-earned money that you spend on paying for your essential utilities.

Carrier Specific Cards

Depending on what phone provider you have, you may be able to benefit from specific perks, rewards, and discounts by getting a carrier-branded credit card. I’m currently a T-Mobile customer, making me eligible to apply for the T-Mobile Visa®. The T-Mobile Visa® is a newly introduced credit card under the Capital One brand, providing cardholders with a variety of benefits that allow them to save money on their phone bill, as well as earn additional rewards.

The T-Mobile Visa® earns 2% in rewards on every purchase, as well as 5% in rewards on T-Mobile purchases, including phone bills, phones, devices, and accessories. Additionally, by using your T-Mobile Visa® for your phone bill AutoPay, you can earn $5 off per line per month for eligible plans, up to 8 lines.

However, the downside of these “rewards” is that you’ll be earning cash back that can only be spent at T-Mobile, unlike general cash back that you can use to pay off any of your credit card bills, buy gift cards, book through the travel portal, etc.

This AutoPay discount is usually restricted to paying with a debit card or by directly paying with ACH through your bank account, but T-Mobile users can unlock this discount with a credit card by using the T-Mobile Visa® to pay for their phone bill.

Depending on your phone carrier, you may find it worthwhile to invest in a carrier-specific credit card, allowing you to take advantage of all the benefits and discounts available to you as a customer.

Final Remarks

Choosing the right credit card to pay your phone bill can make a meaningful difference in how many rewards you earn each year. Whether you’re a business owner able to take advantage of high-earning cards like the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, or a non-business consumer looking for strong everyday rewards with cards like the Citi Double Cash® or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, there are plenty of opportunities to maximize value on a recurring expense you already have. And if you’re committed to a specific carrier, a phone-company-branded card may unlock exclusive discounts and elevated rewards that fit your spending habits.

At the end of the day, your phone bill is a predictable, often substantial monthly charge — which makes it the perfect opportunity to earn consistent points or cash back over the long term. With the right card in your wallet, you can transform a necessary utility into a reliable source of rewards.