US cash-back credit card issuers will need to work harder than ever to attract customers in 2025 as credit card digital account openings are set to grow just 4.0%, per our forecast. As the post-pandemic boom in account growth ends, they will face headwinds, including increased credit card delinquencies and tightened lending standards.

Issuers can hone their acquisition strategies by identifying what cash-back credit card features key demographics want most. This can be especially valuable when focusing on lower-risk prospects.

In a July 2024 survey, we presented 1,305 US cash-back credit card prospects with 13 features that could sway them to sign up for a card and asked them to identify up to three that would be the most valuable. Here are four charts that reveal which features are most in demand, both overall and among key segments.

For complete survey results on what features cash-back credit card prospects value most—and how leading cards stack up in offering them—see our October 2024 report “US Cash-Back Credit Card Emerging Features Benchmark 2024.”

Avoiding an annual fee is the top priority by far for cash-back card prospects

Almost 62% of US respondents cited having no annual fee as one of the most valuable features associated with a cash-back credit card. Among the 13 features, it is a league of its own: No other feature was cited by more than 50% of respondents.