Item: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Rating: 4
Author: Rob Berger

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review–100,000 Bonus Miles

September 19, 2020 by Rob Berger

Limited Time Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $20,000 in purchases in the first year. The bonus miles are worth $1,000 if used to pay for travel charges on the card. If you don’t qualify for this bonus, you can still earn the regular signup bonus described below.

The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is a travel rewards credit card. It comes with a generous signup bonus and excellent ongoing rewards. But it also comes with a $95 annual fee. In this review, we’ll examine whether it’s worth the cost and how it stakes up to other travel credit cards.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review

Table of Contents

The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card is a straightforward travel credit card for those who travel frequently. It gives you a generous membership bonus reward (20,000 miles), as well as an earnings rate of 2x miles on every dollar you spend daily. But it does come with an annual fee and requires excellent credit for approval.

Capital One Venture Snapshot

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Learn More

One-time Bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus miles when you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening, OR
Still earn 50,000 miles if you spend $3000 on purchases in the first 3 months
Earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®
Miles aren’t specific to any airline or hotel, so they can be used antwhere
Travel when you want with no blackout dates
Miles won’t expire for the life of the account
No foreign transaction fees
$95 annual fee

Pros & Cons

What we like

2x miles earned on every dollar spent
Membership reward of 50,000 bonus miles, OR
Earn 100,000 miles when you spend $20,000 in purchases the first year.
No foreign transaction fees
Miles can be used on any airline or hotel

What could be better

$95 Annual Fee
Requires excellent credit score

Capital One Venture Rewards

Welcome Bonus

Capital One Venture offers 20,000 bonus miles to new cardmembers. To qualify, you have spent $1,000 within your first 3 months of your account being activated. If you use the miles to pay for travel charged to the card, they have a value of $500.

Earning Rewards

The Venture Card allows its members to earn 2x miles for every dollar that they spend on everyday purchases. There is no limit to how many miles you can earn. The point value for the miles, however, varies depending on how they are redeemed (see below).

Redeeming Rewards

There are a few ways that you can redeem your miles. You can redeem for cash back, using your miles for statement credits on previously made purchases, transfer miles to another account, or use them for gift cards. The key thing to understand is that the miles are worth 1 cent when used to pay for travel purchases. Use the miles to pay for non-travel purchases or cash back and they are worth 1/2 cent each. As a result, this card is ideal only for those who will use their miles to pay for travel purchases. If that’s not you, a great cash back credit card is a better option.

You can also transfer your miles to Capital One’s travel partners. Here is a list of the airlines and hotels partnered with Capital One:

Refer a Friend

You can earn extra cash when making a referral with Capital One. If you have a Quicksilver®, Venture®, VentureOne®, Savor®, or SavorOne Card, you can earn up to $500 each year referring friends. For each friend that you refer to Capital One, you can earn $100 for each approved referral. You can have up to 5 referrals per year, thus giving you the $500 opportunity.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Benefits

Proactive Account Alerts- You will be sent an alert if Capital One finds a mistake or unexpected charge.
Personalized Payment- This allows you to pick your own monthly due date, and even your payment method for no cost.
Autopay- Choose to have your payment automatically withdrawn from your account monthly.
0% Fraud Liability- You will not be held responsible if your card becomes lost or stolen.
Card Lock- This feature allows you to lock your card if you lose it, or if it gets stolen. This will prevent the card from being used.
Security Alerts- If any suspicious activity is seen on your account, Capital One will notify via email, text, etc.
24 Hour Travel Assistance- This service helps you by getting you an emergency replacement card, or even a cash advance if your card becomes lost or stolen.
No Foreign Transaction Fees- No transaction fees when traveling outside of the United States.
Roadside Assistance- Find assistance with this benefit when you’re needing a tire change, need a jump, or even a tow.
Extended Warranty- Items you purchase with your credit card will get additional warranty coverage at no cost.
Premier Access- this service keeps you up to date with unique dining experiences, sporting events, and music festivals that happen near you.

FAQs

What credit score do I need to get approved for the Capital One Venture card?

You need excellent credit. While there is no minimum credit score, at least that Capital One discloses, it does off the following guidance: “I’ve never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan; I haven’t been more than 60 days late on any credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year; I’ve had a loan or credit card for 3 years or more with a credit limit above $5,000.”

Is the Capital One Venture Reward a good credit card?

Yes, if you are a frequent traveler. Use the miles to pay for travel purchases on the card results in a 2% rewards rate, which is excellent. And because it’s not a co-branded card, the rewards can be used for any travel regardless of airline or hotel chain.

How long before miles appear in my account?

Typically, your miles will appear between 1-2 billing periods. Some purchases, however, take a little longer on their pending time.

Is there an Annual Fee?

Yes, $95.

How Does the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Stack Up

Travel credit cards come in two flavors–co-branded and generic. A co-branded card is specific to an airline or hotel chain. In contrast, you can use a generic travel card for any travel on any airline or at any hotel. The Capital One Venture card is a generic travel card. Within that category, it is one of the best.

Keep in mind that rewards cards in general also fall into two categories–flat rate rewards and bonus categories. The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card is a flat rate rewards card–it pays 2 miles for every dollar spent. In contrast, a card such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve is a bonus category card. It pays, for example, 3 points per dollar spent on travel. But on purchases that fall outside of the bonus categories, it pays just 1 point.

Understanding this difference can help you pick the best card for you. If you want just one travel card, a flat rate card like Venture is often the better choice. You won’t earn as much in rewards on certain categories of spending, but you’ll make it up by earning 2% on everything else. If you want to carry more than one travel card, however, then consider those cards that offer bonus rewards in spending categories that match your spending habits.

All of that said, there is a better option to the Venture card–a 2% cash back card. For example, the Citi Double Cash card effectively pays 2% on all purchases–1% on the purchase and 1% when you pay the credit card bill. There are two big advantages to this card over Venture. First, the 2% is regardless of how you use the rewards. Remember that the Venture card is a 2% card only if you use the rewards to pay for travel. Second, the Citi Double Cash card doesn’t have an annual fee.

Rating

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Rob Berger

Rewards

Fees

Card Benefits

Summary

The Capital One Venture card is a solid travel rewards credit card option. Its annual fee and requirement that you use the miles for travel to get the full benefit, however, keep us from giving it a higher rating.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Review –$150 Bonus + 1.5% Cash Back

September 18, 2020 by Rob Berger

The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of several cash back cards on the market today that pay 1.5% in rewards. It comes with a $150 sign up bonus and no annual fee. We’ll cover all the details in this Capital One Quicksilver review.

Table of Contents

The Capital One Quicksilver Card offers a simple rewards program. It pays 1.5% cash back on all purchases. It does charge an annual fee, and it offers a $150 sign up bonus. You can redeem cash back with no minimum increments, and your rewards do not expire. It’s about as simple as it can get.

Capital One Quicksilver Card Snapshot

Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Learn More

Early Spend Bonus: $150 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees

Pros & Cons

What we like

$0 annual fee
0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months
$150 sign up bonus
1.5% cash back
No foreign transaction fees

What could be better

Requires a high credit score for approval
$39 penalty fee

Capital One Quicksilver Card Rewards

Welcome Bonus

So, you’re officially a new Capital One Quicksilver Card member. For starters, this means you will earn a $150 bonus if you spend at least $500 within 3 months of your account being activated. After you meet the qualifications for this bonus, Capital One will usually apply this to your rewards total within two billing cycles.

Earning Rewards

Capital One Quicksilver Card helps you earn rewards on every purchase. You’ll earn 1.5% on each purchase you make. It’s that simple.

Let’s do some math. If an individual or family of four charges on average $3,000 to the card each month, cash back rewards would total $45 a month, or $540 a year.

Redeeming Rewards

There are several ways to redeem rewards. The primary redemption offer is for cash. You can redeem cash at any time and in any amount. There are no minimum cash redemptions required. You can also apply the cash back rewards to your Capital One balance as a statement credit. Note that using rewards as a statement credit does not reduce your required minimum monthly payment.

Beyond cash or a statement credit, however, you can also redeem rewards for gift cards and to shop at Amazon.

0% Introductory Rates

The Capital One Quicksilver card offers a 0% APR on purchases. The intro APR remains at 0% for the first 15 months of your account being activated. Once the 15 months has passed, the APR returns to a variable rated based on your creditworthiness.

Refer a Friend

You can earn up to $500 each year in statement credits when using your Quicksilver Card to refer friends to sign up for a Capital One card. Capital One offers card members a referral program to help them earn more points. For each approved referral, you can earn $100 in statement credits, up to no more than 5 referrals each year, giving you $500 in statement credits per year. The reward usually arrives in your account within 4 weeks after approval.

Capital One Quicksilver Card Benefits

Proactive Account Alerts- You will be sent an alert if Capital One finds a mistake or unexpected charge.
Personalized Payment- This allows you to pick your own monthly due date, and even your payment method for no cost.
Autopay- Choose to have your payment automatically withdrawn from your account monthly.
0% Fraud Liability- You will not be held responsible if your card becomes lost or stolen.
Card Lock- This feature allows you to lock your card if you lose it, or if it gets stolen. This will prevent the card from being used.
Security Alerts- If any suspicious activity is seen on your account, Capital One will notify via email, text, etc.
24 Hour Travel Assistance- This service helps you by getting you an emergency replacement card, or even a cash advance if your card becomes lost or stolen.
No Foreign Transaction Fees- No transaction fees when traveling outside of the United States.
Roadside Assistance- Find assistance with this benefit when you’re needing a tire change, need a jump, or even a tow.
Extended Warranty- Items you purchase with your credit card will get additional warranty coverage at no cost.
Premier Access- this service keeps you up to date with unique dining experiences, sporting events, and music festivals that happen near you.

FAQs

What credit score is required to get approved for the Capital One Quicksilver card?

Quicksilver requires excellent credit, which Capital One describes as never having declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan, not having been more than 60 days late on any credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year, and having had a loan or credit card for 3 years or more with a credit limit above $5,000. If you don’t meet this criteria, consider the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Is there a cap to the amount of rewards I can earn?

No. You can earn up to as many rewards you can on purchases without limitations.

How long does it take to be approved for the Capital One Quicksilver Card?

According to others, 5-7 days after receiving all needed documentation. However, keep in mind that this card does require a high credit score prior to approval.

What is not considered a purchase?

The following items are not considered purchases, and therefore will not earn you any rewards: Cash advances, checks used to access your account, balance transfers and cash equivalent transactions

How Does the Capital One Quicksilver Card Stack Up

Just about every major credit card issuer offers a 1.5% cash back credit card. Until recently, they were all about the same. The all offered a signup bonus of $150. They didn’t charge an annual fee. All of that changed, however, when Chase introduced the new and improved Chase Freedom Unlimited.

Like Quicksilver, it offers 1.5% on purchases. Yet three things set it apart. First, its signup bonus is $200, not $150. Second, it offers several bonus categories that pay cash back as high as 5%. And third, rather than redeeming for cash, you can transfer the Chase Ultimate Rewards to another Chase card and earn 25% to 50% bonuses when redeemed for travel through Chase.

There still may be good reasons to stick with the Quicksilver card. You may bank at Capital One and want to keep all your financial products at one institution, for example..

But you should definitely consider the Chase Freedom Unlimited before making a choice:

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Welcome Bonus: Earn $200 after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Earn 3% cash back at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
Earn 3% cash back at drugstores
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Intro APR: 0% for 15 months from account opening on purchases
Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey
No annual fee

Capital One Quicksilver

Rob Berger

Rewards

Signup Bonus

Fees

Card Benefits

Summary

The Capital One Quicksilver card represents a solid, although not best in class, 1.5% cash back credit card. Its low fees, signup bonus and ongoing cash rewards make it worth consideration.

4.3

Final Thoughts

The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card represents a solid cash back card. It’s combination of signup bonus, ongoing rewards and no annual fee make it a top rated offer. Still, there may be better options for those who are not wedded to Capital One.

Still haven’t found what you are looking for? Check out our full list of the best cash back credit cards.

Chase Ink Business Credit Cards Comparison

September 17, 2020 by Abby Hayes

Chase is currently offering some great sign-up bonuses and ongoing rewards on its Ink line of business credit cards. These cards can be a good option for small business owners anyway, but these deals are making it even better.

Chase Ink cards come in three flavors. Two of them pay rewards in cash, one in points. All three enable you to earn Ultimate Rewards. Two have no annual fee, one does. As with anything, you get what you pay for. The Chase Ink with an annual fee offers the highest sign-up bonus and phenomenal ongoing rewards.

Here are the details:

Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

First up is the Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, which offers the highest signup bonus of the three Chase business credit cards. You can earn 100,000 bonus points, which is worth $1,250 in travel rewards when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

The reward structure makes this card ideal for small business that travel a lot or advertise online. That’s because it pays 3x points on the first $150,000 spent each anniversary year in the following categories:

Travel
Shipping purchases
Internet, cable and phone services
Advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines

Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Signup Bonus: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Bonus Points worth $1,250 toward travel redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
3X Points Reward: Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
1X Points Reward: Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more
No foreign transaction fees
Employee cards at no additional cost
$95 Annual Fee

Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card

The Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card combines a generous signup bonus with up to 5% cash back. Here it’s important to examine the 5% categories to make sure you take full advantage. The card pays this rate on the first $25,000 spent each account anniversary at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone service. You’ll also earn 2% of the first $25,000 each anniversary year at gas stations and restaurants.

Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card

Signup Bonus: Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
5% Rewards: Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year
2% Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year
1% Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on all other card purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn
Intro APR: 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
No Annual Fee

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

The third option is ideal for those looking for a solid card with simple rewards. The Chase Ink Business Unlimited offers a $500 bonus, 1.5% cash back, and a 0% APR introductory rate. This card offers the simplest reward structure. There are no categories to worry about, just 1.5% on all purchases.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
No Annual Fee

So which of these offers is best for you? That depends on what you need.

If you’ll spend $15,000 within three months, the Ink Business Preferred card will give you a better deal with the 100,000 bonus points. Use the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to book travel with those points, and you’ll essentially break even on more than a decade of annual fees.

If you’re not sure how often you’ll use the card, or don’t plan to spend that much off the bat, the Ink Unlimited is probably your better option. You earn 1.5% cash back without juggling categories and you won’t have to worry about that $95 fee.

Either way, if you’re in the market for a business credit card right now, these Chase offers are worth checking out.

Compare Chase Ink Business Credit Cards

	Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card	Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card	Chase Ink Business Unlimited
Signup Bonus	100,000 bonus points	500 bonus points	bonus points
Cash Back	Up to 3x points	Up to 5%	1.5%
Annual Fee	$95	$0	$0
	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More

5 Things to Know About Temporary Credit Card Numbers

September 17, 2020 by Abby Hayes

The more you hear about fraud and identity theft from online purchases, the more nerve-wracking online shopping can be. Luckily, credit card companies are stepping up their game when it comes to online security. Besides fraud protection guarantees that protect you after the fact, more companies are implementing measures that make it even more difficult to steal your credit card number. One such option is a temporary, or virtual, credit card number.

What is a Virtual or Temporary Credit Card Number

These randomly-generated numbers are assigned by your credit card company. You can typically get the number through your credit card company’s website. The virtual number will look different from the one on your physical credit card, but it’s still linked to the same account.

You can use the temporary number for online shopping, and it’ll expire after a set amount of time. So even if hackers swipe this temporary credit card number while you shop online, it will likely expire before they can use it.

Credit Cards with Virtual Numbers

While not all credit card companies are currently offering virtual credit card numbers for all their credit card types, some do. Right now, Citibank offers this service to certain cardholders. I carry the Citi® Double Cash Card, and it offers virtual account numbers:

Other card issuers offer virtual credit cards as well, including American Express and Capital One.

Some issuers have replaced virtual card numbers with secure digital wallets. For example, Bank of America did offer a temporary credit card number, but discontinued the service in 2019 when it concluded its other security features were able to detect fraud.

Digital wallets don’t require the transmission of a credit card number, and therefore, are more secure than using a physical card or card number. Apple Pay and Google Pay are examples of digital wallets. Some banks, such as Wells Fargo, have credit cards that can use these digital wallets, while other banks offer their own digital wallets.

Here’s a list of the major credit card issuers and whether they offer virtual credit card numbers or a digital wallet.

Credit Card Issuer	Virtual Card Number (VCN) or Digital Wallet (DW)	Link
Citibank	VCN	Details
American Express	VCN	Details
Bank of America	DW	Details
Capital One	VCN	Details
Discover	DW	Details
Chase	VCN	via Chase Pay
Wells Fargo	DW	Details

Note that issuers that offer virtual card numbers may also offer digital wallets. Digital wallets, however, have some limitations. For example, Chase Pay only works were it is accepted, and it doesn’t work with business credit cards.

How to Get a Temporary Credit Card Number

The process for generating a virtual number is simple:

Sign on to the credit card company’s website and navigate to their virtual number feature (see links to some card issuers above);
Enter your spending limit for the virtual number;
If the feature is available, enter date when the number should expire; and
The card issuer generates a virtual number and security code that you can use to shop online.

5 Things to Know About Virtual Credit Cards

While these cards can make online shopping safer, be sure you understand all their ins and outs before using them. Here’s what you need to know:

1. You may have to apply for a new number each time you shop. Different virtual credit card systems have different rules. Some expire in a very short amount of time, such as 24 hours. But they can last for up to a year. If your credit card issuer uses shorter-lasting numbers, you’ll need to apply for a new temporary number each time you shop. It’s typically a simple process, though. You’ll just have to remember to do it each time you want to shop online with a temporary credit card number.

2. They aren’t 100% fraud-proof. While virtual credit cards can protect you from some types of fraud, they’re not completely bulletproof. If a hacker uses your credit card number within the time frame that it’s still active, you’ll still have to dispute the fraudulent charges as you normally would. Luckily, the same fraud protection rules that apply for your regular credit card number also apply to your virtual number.

3. They aren’t great for booking hotels or rental cars. In any situation where you need to use your credit card online for a booking, and then present that card when you actually check in, a virtual credit card number will be a headache. Most of the time, hotels and car rental agencies expect to verify the same card in person that you used to pay online. If you use a virtual number that doesn’t match the one on your physical credit card, you might be out of luck.

4. Returns can be a pain. Most of the time when you buy online and then make a return, you’ll get money directly back to your debit account or credit card. When you use a virtual number, this can be a problem. If your temporary credit card number has expired before you make the return, you may have to accept a gift card or check instead. This can be frustrating, depending on the merchant and the reason for return.

5. There are other options available. Even though not all credit card companies offer virtual credit card numbers yet, there are other apps and tools available to do something similar. For instance, a product called Abin e created disposable email addresses that can confuse spammers. Evolving services like Apply Pay also allow you to make payments without giving a merchant your actual credit card.

While virtual, or temporary, credit card numbers have their drawbacks, they can certainly serve a purpose. It’s important to think about your fraud risk, you potential for returns, and other possible issues with an online transaction. Then, you can best decide whether or not to create a virtual credit card number for your online purchase.

Credit Cards with FREE Credit Scores [and Monitoring]

September 17, 2020 by Abby Hayes

Many credit cards today offer free access to your credit score. They also monitor your credit reports for free, sending you alerts when they detect changes to your credit file. Here’s a comprehensive list of the credit cards with free credit scores and monitoring.

credit cards with free fico score and monitoring

Monitoring your credit report is one of the best ways to catch identity thieves in their tracks. And staying on top of your actual score helps you be prepared to apply for loans and credit cards as you need them.

Keeping track of your credit can get expensive, though. Sure, plenty of websites and identity theft protection companies offer monthly monitoring. But these services can cost upwards of $20 a month, and those costs add up.

But now consumers have more access than ever to free credit score information. Websites like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame offer free (and fairly accurate!) credit monitoring for consumers. But if you want to see the actual credit score potential lenders see, you may want to check your credit card statement.

More and more credit card issuers are helping consumers stay on top of their credit by offering free credit monitoring. With many of these issuers, you just log into your online credit card account to check your updated credit score for that month. Here are credit cards that are currently providing this service

Credit Cards with Free Credit Score Access

Summary

Credit Card Issuer	Credit Score Formula	Credit Report Used	Who Has Access
American Express	VantageScore 3.0	TransUnion	Anyone
Bank of America	FICO	TransUnion	Cardholders
BarclayCard	FICO	TransUnion	Cardholders
Capital One	VantageScore 3.0	TransUnion	Anyone
Chase	VantageScore 3.0	TransUnion	Anyone
Citibank	FICO Bankcard Score 8	Equifax	Some cardholders
Commerce Bank	FICO Bankcard Score 9		Cardhlders
Credit One Bank	ScoreX	Experian	Cardholders
Discover	FICO 8	Experian	Anyone
FNBO	FICO Bankcard Score 9		Customers
U.S. Bank		TransUnion	Online banking customers
Wells Fargo	FICO	Experian	Some cardholders

Credit Cards with Free FICO Score

Not all credit scores you get from credit card issuers are FICO scores. Some offer scores based on other credit formulas. Here are those cards currently offering free access to your official FIOC score.

BarclayCard

BarclayCard offers basic FICO scores to its customers, as well as a month-by-month tracker that shows you how your credit score is rising or falling. Right now, the service is only available if you log in online, but the company may provide credit score information on paper statements in the future.

Discover

Discover offers free access to your FICO credit score. You don’t need to be a Discover cardmember. Free access is available to everyone. The free scores can be accessed online or on paper statements, and they’re based on a customer’s latest TransUnion score.

Wells Fargo

Eligible customers of Wells Fargo get free access to their FICO score. The score is based on credit data pulled from Experian.

Credit Cards with Free VantageScore 3.0

Some credit cards give you free access to your credit score using the VantageScore3.0 model. Developed by the three credit bureaus in 2006, it uses the same scoring range used by most versions of the FICO score–300 to 850.

American Express

American Express offers free access to your VantageScore 3.0 through what it calls MyCredit Guide. You do not have to have a credit card with Amex to get access to your score. MyCredit shows you the factors affecting your score and a simulator to see how different financial decisions might change your score.

Bank of America

Bank of America offers its customers free access to their FICO scores. The scores are calculated using data from TransUnion.

Capital One

Capital One offers a great Credit Tracker program, which shows not only your current credit score but also information on how you can bring it up. It could be a helpful program if you’re trying to build your credit score – or rebound from some credit dings – especially.

Capital One also offers a credit simulator. This tool gives you an estimate of how different credit-related activities, such as paying your debts on time, opening a new account, or buying a home, will affect your credit score. In my case, allowing an account to become delinquent for 30 days drops my score from 822 to 763. Yikes!

Chase

Chase offers free access to credit scores through its program called Credit Journey. It provides consumers access to their VantageScore 3.0 based on data from TransUnion. There’s no longer a need to be a Chase customer or cardmember to gain access.

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank offers free access to credit scores to its online banking customers. The score is based on data from TransUnion.

Target recently started offering credit score monitoring to its credit card users, mostly as a response to the well-published security breach a few months ago.

Credit Cards Offering Other Credit Scoring Models

Citibank

Citibank offers free access to some customers. Although the score provided is based on a FICO formula, I’ve categorized it here because it doesn’t use the standard FICO formula. Instead, it’s based on the FICO^® Bankcard Score 8, which has a scoring range of 250 to 900.

Commerce Bank

Commerce Bank offers free access to a customer’s FICO Bankcard Score 9. Scores are available only to banking customers.

Credit One Bank

Credit One Bank issues credit cards aimed at those with limited or poor credit. Cardmembers get free access to their credit score using the Experian ScoreX Credit Score.

FNBO

FNBO offers its customers access to their FICO Bankcard Score 9 credit score.

Don’t Get Too Comfortable

All these free credit monitoring services are great, especially if you’re working to improve your credit score. But beware of using only these free credit monitoring services.

For the most part, free credit monitoring services like these only track your credit file with one of the three main credit bureaus. Discover and Capital One, for instance, use just your TransUnion file. And Target only uses Experian.

In reality, your credit file and resulting credit score from each agency can be very different. So you’ll still want to track the other agencies a few times a year, just to be on the safe side. But, still, if you want a monthly credit score tracking service, the offers from these credit cards could be worth checking out.

Best Credit Cards of 2020

September 16, 2020 by Rob Berger

I’ve monitored credit card offers since 2007. A lot has changed since then, as credit card rewards have grown in value. From a database of hundreds of cards, this article contains what I think our the overall best credit cards. This list is updated monthly.

Finding the best credit cards is both an art and a science. To some extent, it’s about the numbers. You look for cards with the lowest interest rates or fees, or the highest rewards. But it’s also about matching the best credit card with your specific financial needs.

As a result, the top card will vary from one person to the next. You should consider what your financial goals are, such as earning rewards, paying down debt with a 0% offer, or just having an everyday card you can use. You also need to consider your credit score. If you don’t know your score, there are plenty of ways to access your score for free.

With those caveats in mind, we’ve assembled a list of the Best Credit Cards for 2020. With each category we’ve included a link to a larger list of credit cards. And following this list, you’ll find more details about these offers and information about our ranking methodology.

Article Roadmap

Best Credit Cards of September 2020

Credit Card	Best for	Key Benefit
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card	Signup Bonus	50,000 Bonus Miles
Citi Double Cash Credit Card	Simple Cash Back	2% Cash Back*
Chase Freedom Flex	Bonus Cash Back	Up to 5% Cash Back
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	Groceries	Up to 6% Cash Back
Capital One® Secured Mastercard®	Building Credit	Reports to Credit Bureaus
Chase Freedom Unlimited	Travel	5% Cash Back
Citi Diamond Preferred Card	0% APR	0% for 18 Months
Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®	Student	Up to 1.25% Cash Back
Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card	Fair Credit	1.5% Cash Back

*You earn 1% at the time of purchases and 1% when you pay your credit card bill.

Best Overall Credit Cards

There are three cards that make the cut as the best overall. I carry and regularly use all three. I should add that I save and invest ALL of the rewards earned from these cards. For more on my approach to credit card rewards, check out this video:

Here are my top three cards.

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card makes the cut for several reasons. It has an excellent signup bonus, up to 3x rewards, a $300 a year travel credit, and unparalleled travel benefits and perks (including free airport lounge access).

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card

Welcome Offer: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
$300 Annual Travel Credit
3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit.
3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
$0 foreign transaction fees.
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™
Select Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre?®

This card does come with a $550 annual fee. The benefits, however, make the card well worth the cost.

Alliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card

The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card is my goto cash back credit card. It pays 2.5% on all purchases for the first $10,000 in purchases per month; 1% thereafter. There is a $99 annual fee (waived the first year). That means you’ll need to spend at least $20,000 a year, otherwise, a no-fee 2% cashback credit card is better.

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2.5% cash back on all purchases (up to $10,000 in purchases each month)
1% cash back on all other purchases.
$99 annual fee (waived the first year)
No foreign transaction fees
Works with Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay

Chase Freedom Flex

Chase just introduced the Chase Freedom Flex and it’s loaded with rewards. It’s arguably one of the most rewarding cash back cards available today, and that’s why it made our list here.

Chase Freedom Flex

$200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases with the card in the first 3 months.
5% cash back at the grocery store (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 in purchases the first year.
5% on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout or eligible delivery services.
3% on drugstore purchases
5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories every quarter (activation required)
1% on all other purchases
5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2022
Free access to your credit score
0% APR introductory rate for 15 months on purchases.
No annual fee

Cash Back Cards

There are two approaches to cash back cards. Either you carry one card with excellent rewards, or you carry multiple cards to get the most out of every purchase. The one card approach is simple, but doesn’t maximize your rewards. The multiple card approach is a bit of a hassle, but you get the most cash back.

If you want to maximize your cash, the Chase Freedom Flex mentioned above and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express are two excellent options.

Here are details on these and other cash back credit cards.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

Welcome Bonus: Earn $200 after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Target or Walmart purchases) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.
Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Earn 3% cash back at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
Earn 3% cash back at drugstores
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Intro APR: 0% for 15 months from account opening on purchases
Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey
No annual fee

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Cash Back: Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase
Get automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
Free credit monitoring with the CreditWise® app
$0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
Get customized alerts and manage your account with the Capital One mobile app
$39 annual fee

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

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Welcome Offer: Earn $250 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
Earn Cash Back: 6% at U.S. supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), and 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions including Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, ShowTime, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon Music or Video (Does not include Prime membership).
Earn 3% at U.S. gas stations and on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
1% on all other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
With the Blue Cash Preferred^® Card, you can start earning cashback. No rotating reward categories. No enrollment required.
Cashback is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. Cashback is earned only on eligible purchases.
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months, then a variable rate based on your creditworthiness and other factors.
Annual Fee: $95
Terms Apply

Chase Freedom Flex

$200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases with the card in the first 3 months.
5% cash back at the grocery store (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 in purchases the first year.
5% on travel purchases through Chase Ultimate Rewards
3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout or eligible delivery services.
3% on drugstore purchases
5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories every quarter (activation required)
1% on all other purchases
5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2022
Free access to your credit score
0% APR introductory rate for 15 months on purchases.
No annual fee

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

One card that gets an honorable mention is the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card. If you buy from Amazon or Whole Foods, this card is a must. You get 5% cash back on both, with no caps and no annual fee. You also earn 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores.

Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Finding the best 0% card for balance transfers is primarily about the numbers. You want a 0% offer that lasts as long as possible. And to the extent available, you’d prefer not to pay a transfer fee. That has become much hard to find lately.

Citi Diamond Preferred Card

The key feature is the card’s 0% Intro APR for 18 months on purchases and balance transfers.
After that the variable APR will apply based on your creditworthiness.
Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
There is a fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
You get free access to your FICO® Score, although it’s a specialized score designed for credit cards
No Annual Fee

With the economic uncertainties brought about my Covid-19, many credit card issuers have removed their 0% balance transfer offers There are cards still remaining, however, that offer 0% on balance transfers and purchases for up to 18 months. You can find these and other offers here.

See also: A longer list of 0% credit cards

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Travel cards represent a diverse universe of rewards. They include general travel rewards that are independent of a specific company, airline miles cards, hotel rewards cards, and even specialty cards. As such, it’s difficult to pick the “best” travel card. A lot will depend on how you use the card and how you travel.

With that said, here are our picks for 2020.

American Express Gold Card

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Welcome Offer: Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
Earn 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide
Earn 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
1X points on other purchases.
No Foreign Transaction Fees, making this an excellent card for international travel.
$100 airline fee credit and up to $100 per calendar year for baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline.
Annual Fee $250.
Terms Apply.

Hilton Honors Credit Card from American Express

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Welcome Offer: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for every dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands.
Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for every dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card.
No Annual Fee.
Terms Apply.

British Airways Visa Signature

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British Airways Visa Signature

Signup Bonus: Earn 50,000 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.50,000 statement credit after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months from account opening..
Welcome Offer #2: Earn an additional 50,000 bonus Avios after spending $20,000 within your first year of account opening.
Each year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years.
Earn 1 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.

Marriott Bonvoy Business American Express Card

Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 bonus Marriott Bonvoy points after spending $3,000 within the first 3 months
Earn 6x points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
Earn 4x points at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, U.S. purchases on shipping, and wireless telephone services purchased from U.S. service providers
Earn 2x points on all other eligible purchases
Receive 1 Free Night Award each year after your Card account anniversary you can use at a participating hotel.
Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status.
Earn Gold Elite status after spending $35,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year.
Annual fee is $125

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card

Bonus Offer: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening..
Earn a free night award (worth up to 35,000 points) every year after your account anniversary
Earn 6X points at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
Earn 2X Bonvoy points on all other purchasers
Earn Silver Elite Status each account anniversary, path to Gold Status after users spend $35,000 each year
Receive 15 Elite Night Credits granted each calendar year.
Unlimited Marriott Bonvoy Points
$95 Annual Fee

Bad Credit, Fair Credit and No Credit

Journey Student Rewards from Capital One

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Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases.
Bonus: Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time
Monitor your credit profile with the CreditWise® app
$0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
Pick the monthly due date that works best for you
Get customized alerts and manage your account with the Capital One mobile app

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Cash Back: Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase
Get automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
Free credit monitoring with the CreditWise® app
$0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
Get customized alerts and manage your account with the Capital One mobile app
$39 annual fee