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 14 of the best credit cards ideal for any financial goal.
Overview of the Best Credit Card Offers
Best Overall Credit Cards
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
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, Lost Luggage Insurance, and more.
You can earn 80,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you signup for the card and spend $4,000 on purchases with the card in the first 3 months. These points are worth $1,000 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Rewards Recap:
Read more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Review.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Additional perks include no annual fee, 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening, and free credit score access updated weekly with Credit Journey.
Rewards Recap:
Read more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited Review.
Cash Back Cards
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
There’s no annual fee for the first year, but afterward, it’s $95.
Rewards Recap:
Read more in our Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Review.
Chase Freedom Flex
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.
You can get a $200 bonus after signing up and spending $500 on purchases with the card in the first 3 months.
Rewards Recap:
Read more in our Chase Freedom Flex Review.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
You can earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, a $200 bonus when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months, and 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.
Rewards Recap: Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases
Highlights:
- 0% on balance transfers: 15 months
- Balance transfer fee: $5 or 3%
- 0% on purchases: 15 months
- Signup Bonus: $200
- Rewards: 2% cash back
- Annual Fee: $0
- Credit Needed: Good to Excellent
Read more in our Wells Fargo Active Cash Card Review.
Citi Double Cash Credit Card
There’s no annual fee for this card and there’s also an introductory 0% APR offer on balance transfers for 18 months.
Rewards Recap:
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases
- Additional 1% cash back when you pay
Highlights:
- 0% on balance transfers: 18 months
- Balance transfer fee: 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening.
- Signup Bonus: None
- Rewards: Up to 2% cash back
- Annual Fee: $0
- Credit Needed: Good to Excellent
Read more in our Citi Double Cash Credit Card Review.
Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card
Rewards Recap:
- 2.5% cash back on all purchases (up to $10,000 in purchases each month)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: None
- Rewards: Up to 2.5% cash back
- Annual Fee: $0
- Credit Needed: Good to Excellent
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
There’s no annual fee and no caps on rewards.
Rewards Recap:
- 5% cash back on Amazon and Whole Foods
- 2% cash back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: $100 Amazon gift card
- Rewards: Up to 5% cash back
- Annual Fee: $0
- Credit Needed: Good to Excellent
See also: Our complete list of cash back credit cards
Balance Transfer Credit Cards
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
With the economic uncertainties brought about by Covid-19, many credit card issuers have removed their 0% balance transfer offers. However, there are cards remaining that offer 0% on balance transfers and purchases for up to 20 months, such as this one.
Highlights:
- 0% on balance transfers: 20 months
- Balance transfer fee: Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
- 0% on purchases: 20 months
- Signup Bonus: None
- Rewards: None
- Annual Fee: $0
- Credit Needed: Good to Excellent
Read more in our U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card Review.
See also: Our complete list of 0% credit cards
Travel Rewards Credit Cards
American Express Gold Card
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:
Read more in our American Express Gold Card Review.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
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 $179 CLEAR Credit. See terms and conditions.
Rewards Recap:
Read more in our The Platinum Card® from American Express Review.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The annual fee is $95, and perks include no foreign transaction fees, up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.
Rewards Recap:
- 5x miles on hotels and rental cars when you book with Capital One Travel
- 2x miles on every purchase
- Miles aren’t specific to any airline or hotel, so they can be used anywhere
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account
- Transfer miles to more than 10 travel programs.
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: 75,000 bonus miles
- Rewards: Up to 5x miles
- Annual Fee: $95
- Credit Needed: Good to Excellent
Read more in our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review.
See also: Our complete list of travel rewards credit cards
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
Bad Credit, Fair Credit and No Credit
You can also be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months, monitor your credit profile with the CreditWise® app, get customized alerts and manage your account with the Capital One mobile app.
Rewards Recap:
- 1% cash back on all your purchases
- Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: None
- Rewards: Up to 1.25% cash back
- Annual Fee: $0
- Credit Needed: Average to Good
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
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 on all purchases
Highlights:
- Signup Bonus: None
- Rewards: 1.5% cash back
- Annual Fee: $39
- Credit Needed: Fair to Average
Read more in our Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card Review.
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 fee and signup bonuses.
2x - 10x
$395
75,000 Miles
4.9
1-3%
$0
None
4.8
1x - 5x
$95
50,000 Points
4.8
1 to 3 points
$99
40,000 Points
4.5
1x-10x
$695
100,000 Points
4.5
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.
To maximize your cash, the Chase Freedom Flex and Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express mentioned above are two excellent options.
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 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.
FAQs
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 where 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.
