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Picking the best credit card is no easy task. It depends largely on your financial goals (e.g., travel, cash back, 0% APR, build credit), how many cards you want to carry, and your credit score.
For me, the best credit cards are those that allow me to maximize cash back. I use many cards listed here and save and invest ALL the rewards. For more on my approach to credit card rewards, check out the video below.
Of course, you may have different goals. For that reason, we've selected 15 of the best credit cards ideal for any financial goal.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card makes the cut for several reasons. It has an excellent signup bonus, up to 5x rewards, and unparalleled travel benefits and perks, including no foreign transaction fees.
This card does come with a $95 annual fee. The benefits, however, make the card well worth the cost.
Perks include Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Baggage Delay Insurance, and more.
Here's the welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Rewards Recap:
1x points
On all other eligible purchases
1x points on all other purchases.
2x points
Travel
2x points on travel not booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, such as airfare, hotels, taxes and trains.
3x points
U.S. supermarkets
Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
3x points
Streaming services
Earn 3x points on select streaming services.
3x points
Dining
3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.
5x points
Travel
5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is offering the following welcome bonus: Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
Additional perks include no annual fee, 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months months from account opening, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%. You also get free credit score access updated weekly with Credit Journey.
Rewards Recap:
1.5% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
Earn 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Drugstores
Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
3% cash back
Dining
Earn 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
5% cash back
Travel
Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Chase Freedom Flex(SM) is 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.
There's no annual fee, and perks include free access to your credit score and a 0% APR introductory rate for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49%–29.24%.
Here's a look at the welcome bonus: Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Rewards Recap:
1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Drugstores
3% cash back on drugstore purchases
3% cash back
Dining
3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
5% cash back
Rotating Categories
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
5% cash back
Travel
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
If you're looking for an easy, everyday rewards credit card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card might be the best choice right now.
You can earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases and 0% APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers and purchases. It's one of the few cards with no annual fee that offers cell phone protection, up to $600 when you pay your monthly bill with the card.
Here's the welcome bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
The Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer offers up to 2% cash back on purchases. You can earn an unlimited 1% on every purchase and an additional 1% when you off your purchases.
There's no annual fee for this card and there's also an introductory 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
Rewards Recap:
2% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card is my go-to cash back credit card. There's no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and the card is compatible with Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Samsung Pay.
Rewards Recap:
1.5% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other qualifying eligible purchases.
2.5% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn up to 2.5% cash back on your first $10,000 of qualifying eligible purchases per billing cycle.
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has one of the longest 0% APR offers available today. You get 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases. There's also no annual fee.
You won't get much in the way of rewards and there's no welcome bonus, but for a balance transfer card, it's hard to beat.
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card also offers a lengthy 0% introductory APR. You can choose your due date, and you get cell phone protection.
This card offers 0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles on balance transfers and for 18 billing cycles on purchases. After that, a variable APR currently 19.74% - 29.74%. There's also no annual fee.
The American Express® Gold Card offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
There are also no foreign transaction fees, making this an excellent card for international travel. The annual fee is $250, and you can choose between a Gold or Rose Gold card.
Rewards Recap:
1x points
On all other eligible purchases
1x points on all other eligible purchases
3x points
Airfare
3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
4x points
U.S. supermarkets
4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 in purchases per year.
4x points
Dining
4x points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
The Platinum Card® from American Express offers the following welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
There is a $695 annual fee, but the card also offers several credits, including a $200 Hotel Credit, $240 Digital Entertainment Credit, $200 Airline Fee Credit, $200 Uber Cash, $300 Equinox Credit, and a $189 CLEAR Credit. See terms and conditions.
Rewards Recap:
1x points
On all other eligible purchases
1x on all other purchases
5x points
Airfare
5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases each calendar year
5x points
Hotels
5x points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers this welcome bonus: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
The annual fee is $95, and perks include no foreign transaction fees, up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Earn up to 5x miles on hotels or car rentals made through Capital One Travel. Miles aren't specific to any airline or hotel, so they can be used anywhere. Miles won't expire for the life of the account. You can also transfer miles to more than 10 travel programs. Plus, travel when you want with no blackout dates.
Rewards Recap:
2x miles
All eligible purchases
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
5x miles
Hotels
5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Bad Credit, No Credit, Limited Credit, or Students
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great card for students. It has a small welcome bonus (enough for pizza night) and has solid cash back rewards on dining, entertainment, streaming services, and at grocery stores–everywhere students spend the most money. And there's no annual fee.
Rewards Recap:
1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
U.S. supermarkets
Earn 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
3% cash back
Streaming services
Earn 3% cash back on popular streaming services
3% cash back
Dining
Earn 3% cash back on dining
3% cash back
Entertainment
Earn 3% cash back on entertainment
8% cash back
Select Categories
Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal
10% cash back
Select Categories
Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a simple1.5% cash back on every purchase and comes with a $39 annual fee. The card also offers up to 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (see terms).
You can get automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months, free credit monitoring with the CreditWise® app, and $0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen. You can also get customized alerts and manage your account with the Capital One mobile app.
Rewards Recap:
1.5% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
See also: Our complete list of the best credit cards for credit scores of 650-700, 600-649, and under 600.
Complete List of the Best Credit Cards
Below see our list of credit cards that we have rated 4.5 stars or better (5.0 is the highest possible score). Check out the reviews of each card for more details on rewards, annual fees, and signup bonuses.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Earn 140,000 Bonus Points after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn up to $100 in IHG® statement credits on purchases at IHG® Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 months from account opening.
Annual Fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $99
Welcome Offer 50,000 Miles
Rating 4.7
Earn 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99.
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from your account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.
Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus up to $50 in IHG® statement credits on purchases at IHG® Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 months from account opening.
Earn a $200 Bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases during the first 3 billing cycles following account opening of a PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.
Annual Fee $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
Welcome Offer 75,000 Miles
Rating 4.6
Earn 75,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 5,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/23.
Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn an additional 10,000 Bonus Miles after you make an eligible Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 6 months. Offer Ends 10/25/23.
As a Prime member, get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly loaded into your Amazon account's Gift Card Balance upon approval of your credit card application.
Earn 150,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points + a Free Night Reward after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases made during your first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit.
Earn up to 100,000 bonus points – 75,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 25,000 points after you spend $20,000 on purchases in the first 12 months.
Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
Get 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 More Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
Earn 50,000 bonus points worth $750 in travel when you spend $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening.
How to Choose the Best Credit Card for You
Finding the best credit card for you is both an art and a science. To some extent, it's about the numbers. You can look for cards with the lowest interest rates and 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 your financial goals, such as earning rewards, paying down debt with a 0% offer, or just having an everyday card you can use. Also, consider your credit score. If you don't know your score, there are plenty of ways to access your score for free.
Cash Back Credit Cards
For cash back cards, there are two approaches. You either carry one card with excellent rewards or 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.
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 impossible today, as many balance transfer offers have left the market. Still, paying even a 3% balance transfer fee is better than paying a 15% interest rate if you're carrying a balance on another credit card.
Travel Credit Cards
Travel cards represent a diverse universe of rewards. They include general travel rewards independent of a specific company, airline miles cards, hotel rewards cards, and even specialty cards. The “best” travel card depends on how you use the card and how you travel.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many credit cards should I have?
There's no “right” answer here. The amount of cards you should have depends on what you use them for and your ability to pay them off monthly.
If you travel by plane often throughout the year, a travel rewards card can get you great air miles. If you also travel by car or have a long commute, you might also choose a credit card offering high cash back for gas station spending.
If you don't want to keep track of multiple cards and remember which one to use to get the most rewards, a basic everyday spending card might be your best option.
When is it time to get a new credit card?
If you have good or excellent credit, check if the card you're currently using offers the same or better rewards and perks as the ones listed above. If you find another credit card that can beat yours and you haven't applied for credit in the last six months, it might be time for a new credit card. Choose carefully though, applying for too many cards in a short period of time can be a reason to deny your application.
Are credit cards with annual fees worth it?
If you can get your money back in the form of cash back, paying an annual fee for a credit card is worth it. These cards usually come with additional perks including airport lounge access or travel credits. Before you commit to applying for the card, do the math and be sure you can easily earn that annual fee back by using the card.
Final Thoughts
I've monitored credit card offers since 2007 and gathered this information from a database of hundreds of cards. This article contains what I think are the overall best credit cards available today.
Please note this list is updated monthly, and offers are subject to change. If you're just as keen about using the best credit cards as I am, be sure to revisit this page. I'm confident you'll find one that works for you.
Rob Berger is the founder of allCards.com. He's written about personal finance and investing since 2007 and is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Retire Before Mom and Dad. He is a former litigation attorney in the securities field and the Founding Editor of Forbes Advisor.
