Cashback vs Points on Ad Spend: Which Wins?
Cashback feels safe. Points feel like leverage. For high-volume Facebook media buyers, the right answer isn't obvious — it depends entirely on whether you'll actually redeem points well. Here's the math at three different spend levels.
By Editorial Team · Media buyer research desk
Published May 31, 2026 · 6 min read · How we review
Cashback economics
Best cashback business card on ad spend: roughly 2% flat (Capital One Spark Cash Plus, US Bank Triple Cash). At $15K/month Meta spend = $3,600/year cashback. Simple, predictable, no redemption work required.
Points economics — naive
Amex Business Gold at 4x on the same $180K/year of Meta spend = 720K Membership Rewards. Redeemed as statement credit at 0.6 cents/point: $4,320/year. Marginally better than cashback. Not worth the complexity.
Points economics — competent
Same 720K MR transferred to airlines/hotels at 2 cents/point realized value: $14,400/year — 4x the cashback alternative. This is the real reason agencies use Amex Gold.
Points economics — expert
720K MR redeemed at premium-cabin sweet spots (ANA First, Lufthansa First via LifeMiles, Hyatt high-category) at 3+ cents/point: $21,000+/year. 6x the cashback alternative.
Honest answer for your situation
If you'll never book international premium-cabin travel or aspirational hotels: take cashback. If you travel for client meetings or take family vacations and would otherwise pay cash: take transferable points. The difference between cashback and well-redeemed points is roughly $10,000/year per $100K of ad spend.
Takeaway
Points win on raw value if you redeem them well. Cashback wins on simplicity. Be honest about whether you'll learn the redemptions — bad point redemptions are worse than predictable cashback.