Best Cashback Credit Card in the UAE by Category (2026)
The best cashback credit card in the UAE depends on where your money goes. For dining, ADCB 365 Cashback pays 6% but only once you spend AED 5,000 a month, while the free Mashreq Cashback card pays 5% with no minimum spend. For supermarkets, FAB Cashback pays 5% up to a monthly cap. For fuel and Salik, ADCB 365 pays 5%. For spending abroad, FAB pays 3% on foreign currency transactions, and for a simple flat rate, RAKBANK RED pays up to 1.5% with no annual fee. Before choosing, check three things: the minimum monthly spend, the cap, and the annual fee.
- Dining: ADCB 365 at 6%, or Mashreq Cashback at 5% with no minimum spend.
- Groceries: FAB Cashback at 5%, capped monthly.
- Everything else, no rules: RAKBANK RED at up to 1.5%.
The best card for each category
Rates below were checked on each bank’s card page in October 2026.
| Category | Top rate | Strong alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Dining | ADCB 365: 6% | Mashreq Cashback: 5%, no minimum spend |
| Supermarkets | FAB Cashback: 5%, capped at 150 FAB Rewards a month | ADCB 365 or DIB Consumer Cashback: 3% |
| Fuel and Salik | ADCB 365: 5% | DIB Consumer Cashback: 3%, with small caps |
| Streaming and AI subscriptions | ADCB 365: 5% | Flat-rate cards |
| Foreign currency spending | FAB Cashback: 3% | RAKBANK RED: up to 1.5% |
| School fees and household bills | DIB Consumer Cashback: 3% | Most cards pay little here |
| Everything else | RAKBANK RED: up to 1.5% | ADCB 365 or FAB: 1% |
Emirates Islamic’s Switch Cashback card takes a different approach, paying up to 8% in a Lifestyle or Travel category you choose. It is free in the first year, then AED 299 plus VAT a year, which is waived if your retail spend over the previous 12 months tops AED 30,000. It also requires a minimum monthly spend, and Emirates Islamic’s pages give different figures for it, so confirm the current amount before applying.
Minimum spend, caps and excluded categories
| Card | Minimum spend to earn | Monthly cap | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADCB 365 Cashback | AED 5,000 in the calendar month | AED 1,000 | Free year one, then AED 383.25 including VAT |
| FAB Cashback | AED 3,000 in the previous month | 1,000 FAB Rewards | AED 300 |
| DIB Consumer Cashback | AED 3,000 per statement cycle | AED 1,000, with category caps | AED 200 plus VAT |
| Mashreq Cashback | None | Within your credit limit | Free for life |
| RAKBANK RED | Not stated on the card page | See the key facts statement | Free for life |
Most cards also have low-rate categories. Mashreq pays only 0.15% on government payments, utilities, education, charity, fuel, rent and telecom, and FAB pays 0.15% on its select categories. Redemption rules differ as well: Mashreq lets you redeem from AED 100, keeps cashback for up to 36 months, and forfeits it if you neither earn nor redeem for 12 months. Emirates Islamic requires AED 300 in the cashback wallet before you can redeem.
Three spending profiles worked through
These examples show monthly cashback before fees and bonuses. They are illustrations, not quotes.
| Profile | Monthly spend | Best fit | Approximate cashback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family shopper | AED 4,000: 2,500 groceries, 500 dining, 1,000 other | FAB Cashback | About 160 FAB Rewards, against up to about AED 60 on Mashreq and AED 75 on DIB |
| Diner and driver | AED 6,000: 1,500 dining, 800 fuel and Salik, 1,500 groceries, 2,200 other | ADCB 365 Cashback | About AED 197, against up to about AED 113 on Mashreq and up to AED 90 on RAKBANK RED |
| Frequent traveller | AED 5,000: 3,000 in foreign currencies, 2,000 other local | FAB Cashback | About 110 FAB Rewards, against up to AED 75 on RAKBANK RED |
In the family shopper case, ADCB 365 pays nothing because spend is below AED 5,000, which shows why the minimum spend matters more than the headline rate. For the traveller, check the foreign currency transaction fee on your card as well, because a fee on every foreign purchase can cancel out the cashback. FAB pays in FAB Rewards, so confirm how they convert before comparing them with cash.
When an annual fee is worth paying
A fee only makes sense if the extra cashback beats it. ADCB 365’s AED 383.25 from year two is covered by roughly AED 32 a month of cashback, which the diner and driver profile clears several times over. FAB’s AED 300 fee needs about AED 25 a month, an easy target for a household spending AED 2,500 at supermarkets. If you spend less than about AED 3,000 a month on a card, a free-for-life card such as Mashreq Cashback or RAKBANK RED usually leaves you better off, and our guide to cards without a salary transfer compares those options in more detail.
Mistakes that cancel your cashback
The biggest one is carrying a balance. Card interest is charged at rates far above any cashback rate, so one month of unpaid balance can wipe out a year of rewards. Set up an automatic full payment. Other common mistakes are paying bills through the bank’s own online banking, which Mashreq excludes from cashback, putting rent and government fees on a card that pays only 0.15% on them, and letting cashback expire unredeemed. Using two cards, one for your best category and a free card for everything else, often beats any single card. Every money guide, including our guide to sending money home, is in our UAE banking guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best cashback credit card in the UAE?
It depends on your spending. ADCB 365 leads for dining and fuel if you spend AED 5,000 a month, FAB Cashback for supermarkets, and Mashreq Cashback or RAKBANK RED if you want no annual fee.
Which cashback card has no minimum spend?
Mashreq Cashback states that there is no minimum spend to earn cashback, and it is free for life.
What is the maximum cashback on the ADCB 365 card?
AED 1,000 a month, provided you spend at least AED 5,000 on the card in the calendar month.
Do I get cashback on rent and school fees?
Usually very little. Mashreq pays 0.15% on rent and education. DIB’s Consumer Cashback card is an exception, paying 3% on school fees up to a monthly cap.
Is cashback taxed in the UAE?
The UAE has no personal income tax, so cashback is not taxed as income. Annual card fees, however, carry 5% VAT.
Rates re-checked: October 2026 against each bank’s card page. This is general information, not financial advice, and we do not receive payment from any bank listed. Cashback rates and caps change often, so read the key facts statement before applying.
Written by Roman Shah · Reviewed by the UAEexplained editorial team
Sources: ADCB, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Mashreq, RAKBANK, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates Islamic
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