PayPal Cashback Mastercard vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business
Side-by-side comparison
| PayPal Cashback Mastercard | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $149 |
| Welcome offer | No current offer | 60,000 points |
| Advertising | 1.5% | 1% |
| Shipping | 1.5% | 1% |
| Office supplies | 1.5% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 1.5% | 1% |
| Travel | 1.5% | 3% |
| Everything else | 1.5% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $675 | $588 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of business spending, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard earns about $675 a year in rewards and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business about $588, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The PayPal Cashback Mastercard has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business charges $149, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard delivers more total value, about $236 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the PayPal Cashback Mastercard if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies. Pick the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business if your spending leans toward travel.