When it comes to rewards credit cards, Americans love cash back. According to TNS Global's Financial Services research, 57.4 percent of rewards cardholders have cash-back cards.

They're also the type of rewards card Bankrate readers ask about most often.

With a cash-back preference in mind, we decided to compare the cash-back cards offered by the 10 largest credit card issuers, according to the Electronic Card Industry Directory. One of those 10 banks, Washington Mutual, does not offer rewards cards to non-customers, so we excluded it from our survey. We were left with nine issuers' cards to compare.

What we did
To get an apples-to-apples comparison, we narrowed the focus to only general-purpose cash-back cards that can be used anywhere. We ruled out points-based cards, except those whose points could convert to a cash or cash equivalent payout.

Brooks Kelly of Bankrate's research department conducted the survey in early May. Thirty cards were compared on 12 data points, compiled from the cards' terms and conditions and information received from bank personnel.

After reading the analysis, see "Cash-back survey results" to understand the details of each card.

How to analyze cash-back cards • Annual fee • Reward increments • Introductory bonus • How often can you redeem? • Cash back: everyday items • How is rebate redeemed? • Cash back: other purchases • Cap on rewards • Cash back: other rebates • Expiration date on rewards • Reward tiers • Excluded merchants, purchases Annual fee Only four of the cards we compared had annual fees. For example, One from American Express applies a $35 charge after the first year. For those with average credit, limited credit or needs-improvement credit, Capital One's No Hassle Cash Rewards has an annual fee of $29. Bank of America's Money Return Platinum Plus Visa credit card carries a $19 fee. The TrueEarnings card from Costco and American Express doesn't have an annual fee with a paid Costco membership. Tip: Weigh the benefits of the card if it charges an annual fee. "An annual fee might make sense to a big spender if the card has tiers offering higher payouts that more than offset the fee," says Greg McBride, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com. "Otherwise, avoid annual fees on cash-back cards." If the card offers other perks that are worth the fee to you, comparison shop to see if you can find a card with the same benefits and no annual fee, urges Curtis Arnold, founder of CardRatings.com and author of "How You Can Profit from Credit Cards." Look for the individual benefits you're interested in on the Web sites of card issuers, as well as sites such as Bankrate.com.

The best card for you
Bottom line, there's no one card that's best for everyone because different cards benefit different spending habits. Look for cards that match your spending style. Consider tiered cards if you charge more than $1,000 a month and cards that have flat percentage cash back if you spend less than that. Watch out for caps lower than $500. Never overspend to get a rebate. Always remember that no matter what the advertisements say, you're still spending to save.