Guide
How to compare cashback credit cards in the UAE
A factual guide to comparing UAE cashback cards by rate, cap, qualifying spend, annual fee, and exclusions.
Short answer
Short answer
Cashback cards are easier to compare than miles cards, but the headline rate can still be misleading if you ignore caps and exclusions.
- Cashback percentage
- Monthly or category cap
- Qualifying spend definition
- Annual fee
- Merchant category exclusions
Step-by-step checks
Step 1
Start with qualifying spend
Estimate spend that is likely to qualify under the bank terms, not total spend across every payment type.
Step 2
Apply the cap
Calculate cashback up to the monthly or category cap. Spend above the cap may earn less or no extra cashback.
Step 3
Subtract the annual fee
Compare the expected annual cashback with the annual fee and any fee waiver conditions.
Step 4
Check exclusions
Look for excluded categories such as government payments, wallet payments, cash advances, balance transfers, fees, or certain merchant categories.