Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
Up to 5% cashback, free for life
at Mashreq's secure site
Terms & conditions apply. See rates & fees.
Cashback rate
“This is the card we point people to when they ask for something free that still pays. 5% on restaurants with no annual fee is unmatched at this salary tier — just don't expect anything on your DEWA bill, and leave it at home when you travel.”
Earning and redeeming Mashreq cashback
Everything hinges on the merchant category. Restaurants — including delivery apps like Talabat — earn a flat 5%, other UAE and international retail spend earns 1%, and the usual penalty bucket (government, utilities, education, charity, fuel, rent, telecom) earns 0.15%. There is no minimum spend and no advertised monthly cap; the only ceiling is your assigned credit limit.
Cashback lands in your Mashreq app within 2–3 working days of a transaction posting and is redeemed as a statement credit from 100. Two honesty notes: redeemed cashback does not count toward your minimum payment, and the balance expires after 36 months — or immediately after 12 months of no earning or redeeming.
New Mashreq card customers also get 500 back ( 100 for existing customers) after spending 5,000 in the first 2 months, plus a 4-month 20% intro rate on Netflix, Talabat, Careem and more, capped at 50 per merchant per month.
Rates and fees
- Annual fee
- 0 — free for life, primary and supplementary cards
- Welcome bonus
- 500 (new customers) or 100 (existing) after 5,000 spend in 2 months
- Interest rate
- 3.85% per month (46.20% p.a. fixed) on unpaid balances
- Interest-free period
- Up to 57 days when the full balance is paid
- Minimum payment
- 5% of the monthly statement balance
- Minimum salary
- 5,000 per month
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.89% on non- transactions (plus Visa scheme charges); 2.89% DCC on transactions abroad
- Cash advance fee
- 3.15% of the amount (minimum 210)
- Late payment fee
- 241.50
- Over-limit fee
- 303.45
- Card network
- Visa
Fees are VAT-inclusive as published in Mashreq's Key Facts Statement effective 13 June 2026; interest rates are VAT-exempt. Always confirm against the KFS before applying.
Card benefits
5% dining cashback
Restaurants and online food delivery, in the UAE and abroad, earn a flat 5% — with no minimum spend and no advertised monthly cap.
500 welcome bonus
Spend 5,000 in your first 2 months and get 500 back as a new Mashreq card customer ( 100 if you already hold one).
Cinepolis 50% off
Half-price Deluxe-Plus seats at Cinepolis, up to 8 tickets a month, until 31 December 2026.
20% streaming & delivery intro
20% back on Netflix, Talabat, Careem and more for your first 4 months, capped at 50 per merchant per month.
Visa Offers MENA
2-for-1 dining, entertainment and shopping deals plus 5,000+ travel discounts via the Entertainer-powered Visa app.
Free supplementary cards
Add family cards at no charge, forever — their spending earns cashback into your primary account.
Pros and cons
- Genuinely free for life — no annual fee, no joining fee games
- 5% on dining with no advertised monthly cashback cap
- Low 5,000 salary requirement makes it widely accessible
- Flat 1% on everything else, at home and abroad
- Cashback redeems straight onto your card balance from 100
- Near-zero 0.15% rate on government, utilities, education, fuel, rent and telecom
- 2.89% foreign-currency markup (plus scheme fees) eats most of the 1% international cashback
- High 3.85% monthly interest (46.2% p.a.) if you carry a balance
- No lounge access, travel insurance or premium perks
- Cashback expires after 36 months and is forfeited after 12 months of inactivity
Is it right for you?
Get this card if
- You eat out or order delivery often and want a real return with zero fees
- Your salary is between 5,000 and 15,000 and premium cards are out of reach
- You pay your balance in full each month
- You want a keep-forever card with no annual-fee anxiety
Consider skipping it if
- Most of your spending is bills, fuel, rent or school fees — those earn 0.15%
- You spend a lot in foreign currency — the 2.89% FX markup outweighs the 1%
- You want lounge access, travel insurance or airport perks
- You regularly carry a balance — 46.2% p.a. erases any cashback
Alternatives to consider
Same bank, same free-for-life deal — but the 5% points at noon, noon Food, NowNow and Namshi instead of restaurants.
Best online shopping cards →
ADCB's 365 Cashback spreads its rates across more everyday categories if dining isn't your biggest line item.
Best cashback cards →
FAB's Cashback card is the other big-bank free cashback option worth comparing before you commit.
Compare cashback cards →Not sure which way to go? Put them side by side in our card comparison tool or browse the full ranked list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum salary for the Mashreq Cashback Credit Card?+
You need a minimum monthly income of AED 5,000.
Is the Mashreq Cashback Credit Card really free?+
Yes — it is free for life. There is no annual fee on the primary card or on supplementary cards.
Is there a minimum spend to start earning cashback?+
No. There is no minimum spend requirement — you earn cashback from the first dirham.
Which transactions don't earn cashback?+
Balance transfers, cash advances, credit card cheques, finance charges, bank fees, reversed transactions, and utility bill payments made through Mashreq's own channels (app, online banking, ATM, call centre, branches) earn no cashback.
How do I redeem the cashback?+
Once your balance reaches AED 100 you can redeem via the Mashreq Mobile App or Online Banking. It is applied directly to the card's outstanding balance — but it doesn't count toward your minimum monthly payment.
Does the cashback expire?+
Yes. Cashback is valid for 36 months from the date it is earned. It is also forfeited entirely if you neither earn nor redeem any cashback for 12 months, or if the card account is delinquent.
Do supplementary cards earn cashback?+
Yes — spends on supplementary cards earn cashback, but it accrues to the primary card account and can only be redeemed there.
What counts as a dining transaction for the 5% rate?+
Merchants configured under restaurant MCCs (5811, 5812, 5813, 5814, 7011), including online food delivery platforms — both in the UAE and abroad.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.