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The best credit cards for 2024

Our top picks for cash back, travel perks, balance transfers, students and more.

Finder’s credit card experts spent over 450 hours reviewing more than 500 credit cards to determine which cards are best in their respective categories for 2023. Our rankings are based on factors such as reward rates and redemption opportunities for reward cards, and intro period length and revert interest rates for 0% APR cards. Unlike our competitors, Finder’s experts provide unbiased, trustworthy evaluations of all credit cards and providers, not only those we partner with on the site.

Here are a few of the latest cards to grab our attention for March 2024. Continue to read through our best credit cards list for even more favorites:

Excellent travel rewards

The Platinum Card® from American Express

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Terms apply, see rates & fees

Welcome offer

80,000 points

Min. credit score

670

All-around travel value

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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Terms apply, see rates & fees

Welcome offer

75,000 miles

Min. credit score

670

Cash back with no foreign fees

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Terms apply, see rates & fees

Welcome offer

$200

Min. credit score

670

Travel rewards with no annual fee

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

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Terms apply, see rates & fees

Welcome offer

20,000 miles

Min. credit score

670

best travel credit cards 2017

Best travel credit cards

When choosing this year’s top travel cards, we compared a number of factors among eligible cards, including annual fees, foreign transaction fees, airline or hotel brands, welcome offers, reward opportunities, redemption options and other features a consumer might consider in a travel card. We highlighted those that stood out above the others in a particular category.

Best for large welcome offer

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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With a generous welcome offer and hundreds of dollars worth of statement credits alongside the card's other travel benefits, this card is a tempting pick even if you don't travel frequently.

Best for flat-rate rewards

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

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This card offers 2x miles on every purchase, which is the highest flat-rate travel card you can find. Similar cards offer 1.5x miles and they rarely offer additional perks like TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit.

Best for travel rewards with no annual fee

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is one of the most rewarding no-annual-fee travel cards you can get. With up to 5% cash back on purchases at the Chase Travel Portal and an unlimited 1.5% back on all other purchases, it's hard to find a better alternative. For perspective, this card earns more on Chase travel than even the Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase's luxury travel card.

Best for everyday spending

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.7
★★★★★

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The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers 5% cash back on purchases made through the Chase travel portal, as well as 5% back on rotating quarterly categories. This is a comparable or even greater rewards rate you earn with several premium travel cards on the market. But unlike the $500 annual fee you pay with these cards, the Freedom Flex has a $0 annual fee.

Best for travel credits

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

4.6
★★★★★

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The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $300 annual travel credit with no airline or hotel restrictions. This shaves down a significant portion of the card's annual fee, leaving you with just $250 to make up for in perks. This is also higher than several competitor premium cards that offer either $200 or $250 in credit, or limit your use of the credit to specific purchases or fees.

Best for hotels

IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

The IHG® One Rewards Premier offers up to 26x total points on IHG purchases, which comes to around 13% back. You also get a free night on your card anniversary each year and fourth free night when you book with points. Most hotel cards get you between 5% and 10% back on hotel purchases and rarely give out free reward nights.

Best for gas

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

4.9
★★★★★

Finder score

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One of the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card's eligible spending categories for 5% is gas stations. And while you would be dedicating the card's top spending categories purely to gas, this rate is higher than the 4% you'll find on other dedicated gas cards. Best of all, you can easily earn this same rate on another eligible category if you don't think you'll be driving much for a given month, ensuring the card's value doesn't go to waste

Best for miles match after first year

Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card

3.7
★★★★★

Finder score

Where most credit cards offer a simple signup bonus, the Discover it® Miles offers something better: a cashback match. In other words, Discover matches all the miles you earn during the year, without limits. Depending on your gas needs, this can result in a hefty bonus for the following year well worth springing for and possibly even eclipsing some of the stronger bonuses on the market.
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best cashback credit cards 2019

Best credit cards for cash back

When choosing this year’s top cashback cards, we looked at several factors, including cashback rewards gained per dollar spent, available cashback categories, welcome offers, intro APR periods and other card perks or benefits. We highlighted those that stood out above the others in a particular category.

Best for unlimited cash back

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
New earning categories added to the Chase Freedom Unlimited® have elevated this card to new heights. You'll earn great cash back no matter where you spend. And if you want to improve the value of this card further, you can move your rewards over to a Chase Sapphire card as part of the Chase Trifecta.

Best for rotating categories

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ gained several new flat-rate earning categories within the last few years. This bolsters the card's earning potential year round, even on non-rotating categories. And like the Unlimited, you can choose to move your rewards to a Chase Sapphire card to bolster your redemption value.

Best for low credit

Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

The Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card offers a similar consumer-friendly take on credit building as the Petal 2, though explicitly designed for those with poor credit. While it lacks the flat cash back rate of the Petal 2, it still offers between 2% and 10% cash back at select merchants, a rarity on cards designed for poor credit.

Best for families

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

4.3
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is the market-standard for family reward cards, as it offers a great mix of accessibility and reward potential on everyday purchases for a low annual fee. Even with a $6,000 spending cap, the 6% back on U.S. supermarkets is unmatched by any other card.

Best for groceries with no annual fee

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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While more cards are offering grocery rewards in today's market, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express still offers one of the best rates available for groceries at no cost and is a great pick for families.

Best for flexibility and ease-of-use

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card

4.9
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card was born from the evolving spending habits of consumers throughout the pandemic and focuses on flexibility. It essentially earns the big rewards you'd expect from a rotating category cashback card without putting the burden of category juggling on the cardholder. This flexibility and generosity is something we expect to see from more reward cards moving forward and it earns the Citi Custom Cash a spot on our list.

Best if you’re new to credit

Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card

3.1
★★★★★

Finder score

The consumer-friendly Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card doesn't require a credit score, charges no fees and comes with up to 1.5% cash back to boot. In fact, the Petal 2 is one of the only cards on the market to offer this level of rewards without requiring a single fee. If you're new to credit, it's hard to find a more forgiving card.

Best for large welcome offer

The Platinum Card® from American Express

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Platinum Card® from American Express is a consistently valuable travel rewards card well-known for its luxury perks. One of those perks? A welcome offer worth up to $1,600 according to our valuations: among the best on the market. And while the card's annual fee is steep, the card's excellent statement credits and perks makes up for it.

Best for Gas

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

3.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Despite the branding, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi is the top gas card on the market, offering a stellar 4% back on up to $7,000 annually (then 1%). Of course, this card also offers cash back at Costco as well as restaurants and travel, making it a great card for families on the move that want to reinvest their rewards into Costco.

Best for traveling families

American Express® Gold Card

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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While you could find a card that earns higher rewards on groceries, the same card can't stand up to the suite of travel perks and benefits the Amex Gold Card offers. The card also earns an impressive rate on dining, making this a great card to carry with you and your family when traveling.
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best 0 APR credit cards 2017

Best business credit cards

When choosing this year’s top business credit cards, we compared a number of factors among eligible cards, including fees, free employee cards, credit limit, reward opportunities, welcome offers and any additional rewards or perks offered. We highlighted cards that stood out in one or more of these categories.

Best for rewards on office supplies, internet and phone

Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

The is a great card for earning rewards on ongoing business expenses thanks to a massive cashback rate on office supplies, Internet and phone services for your first $25,000 spent annually. No other business card on the market matches this rate. The card also offers cash back on gas and dining, making it a decent pick for business travel, too.

Best business credit card for signup bonus

Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

While the Business Platinum Card from Amex sports a high welcome offer, it falls short of the Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card card's welcome offer. Spend $8,000 in your first 3 months and you'll earn an astounding 100,000 points. This can be worth up to $1,250, making it a great windfall for business investments.

Best for unlimited cash back

Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

If you don't want to worry about keeping track of reward categories, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card keeps things simple. You can earn a respectable 1.5% back on all of your business purchases without worrying about spend requirements or juggling categories. The card also has a surprisingly robust welcome offer, letting you earn $750 after meeting the spend requirements. Most flat cashback credit card welcome offers hover in the $200 range, so this is a great deal for businesses.

Best for no personal guarantee required

Brex Card

4.9
★★★★★

Finder score

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Business cards with no personal guarantee have become more popular since 2020, thanks in part to the Brex card. By requiring no personal guarantee, the Brex Card protects your personal assets should your business go belly-up. You also get a unique rewards on select purchases. Coupled together, all of these features make for a card rewarding for startups and small businesses alike.

Best for new businesses

Ramp Visa® Commercial Card

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Ramp Visa® Commercial Card is the business card for startups on the block and offers an array of features that can help new businesses grow. Aside from a solid rewards rate, the Ramp Visa® Commercial Card analyzes your business spending to identify areas you can save.

Best for selecting your bonus category

Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Being able to choose your highest rewards category is a great boon when running a business. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard® credit card lets you choose from several common business expenses, such as office supplies and travel, for your highest earn category of 3%. And for Business Platinum or Preferred Rewards members, the value of this card is even greater, cementing this card in the upper echelon of rewards cards.

Best business credit card for balance transfers

U.S. Bank Business Platinum

3.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Terms apply, see rates & fees
With less balance transfer offers on the market than before, the U.S. Bank Business Platinum has become this year's best bet for business owners looking to consolidate debts. While the card doesn't offer a signup bonus or rewards, it doesn't charge an annual fee which makes it a comfy choice for businesses. And if you need to invest in your business, the card also comes with an intro APR on purchases.

Best business credit card for luxury travel

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

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Like its consumer counterpart, The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is is all about luxury. You gain access to more than 1,200 airport lounges around the world, including access to the much praised Centurion Lounge.

Of course, this card also comes with other luxury perks, including hotel benefits, travel credits and more. The sum of these perks and features well outweigh the cost of the card, making this a great choice if your employees are constantly on the move abroad.

Best for payment flexibility

The Plum Card® from American Express

4.1
★★★★★

Finder score

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American Express's Plum Card offers a bit more flexibility than its other business offerings. So long as you pay at least 10% of your balance before the due date, Amex offers a 60-day grace period on interest. For businesses uncertain about their finances within their first few months, this extra grace period can help keep things afloat.
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Best secured credit cards for bad credit 2017

Best secured and credit building

When choosing this year’s top secured credit cards, we compared a number of factors among eligible cards, including fees, required deposit, credit limit, reward opportunities, welcome offers and any additional rewards or perks offered. We highlighted cards that stood out in one or more of these categories.

Best for lowest deposit

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

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This card is unique in the secured card space because you may qualify to make a secured deposit lower than the amount you receive as a credit limit. This deposit requirement depends on your credit history though, so you're best suited to apply with fair or no credit.

Best for lowest ongoing APR

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card

3.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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This card is designed to help you build credit while offering a low APR on purchases should you need to carry a balance. Notable is the fixed nature of the card's APR, meaning you don't have to worry about the APR changing down the line.

Best for no-credit-history credit check

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

4
★★★★★

Finder score

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The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card doesn't pull your credit history when you apply, which can help those with bad credit or no credit qualify for the card and start building credit. But you'll have to make a secured deposit to use the card as well as pay the card's annual fee.

Best for fair credit and low fees

Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

The Petal 1 is a simplistic credit-building card that charges relatively few fees and doesn't require a security deposit. The card also offers up to 10% cash back with select merchants, which is a generous perk to have on a card designed for fair credit.

Best for rewards

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured

4.2
★★★★★

Finder score

With a cashback rate rivaling non-secured cards, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured is probably the most rewarding secured credit card you can find. Most secured cards offer no rewards whatsoever, of a lower than average 1% back on purchases. This card also allows you to deposit up to $4,900 to act as your deposit, which is higher than many secured cards.
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best no annual fee credit cards 2017

Best credit cards with no annual fees

When choosing this year’s top no-annual-fee cards, we compared a number of factors among eligible cards, including APR, welcome offers, reward opportunities, redemption options and other features a consumer might consider in a no-annual-fee credit card. We highlighted those that stood out above the others in a particular category.

Best for cash back

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
★★★★★

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The Chase Freedom Unlimited® received several accelerated earning categories on top of its flat-rate earnings, immensely boosting its value. That means you not only get solid 1.5% back on all purchases, but up to 5% back on select categories, permanently. Along with the ability to transfer earned rewards to a Chase Sapphire card, it has overtaken the Citi Double Cash as the current industry standard for flat rate cashback credit cards.

Best for rotating category rewards

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers excellent rotating cash back in useful categories. You'll also find a good signup bonus for a no-annual-fee card, as well as an intro APR on purchases.

Best for large signup bonus

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

4.5
★★★★★

Finder score

Meeting the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card signup bonus criteria will get you around $600 in value, which is rare for a no-annual-fee card. And while the card is somewhat niche as a hotel card, it offers a high earning rate and additional perks, like 4th Night Free awards, that help elevate the overall value of this card and earn a spot on our list.

Best for balance transfers

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

4.6
★★★★★

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The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card has reclaimed its throne and currently sports the longest intro balance transfer APRs on the market.
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calculator icon for low interest

Best credit cards with 0% intro APR

When choosing this year’s top 0% APR credit cards, we compared a number of factors among eligible cards, including fees, intro length, the revert APR, welcome offers and any additional rewards or perks offered. We highlighted cards that stood out in one or more of these categories.

Best for flat-rate cash back

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
With the 2020 revamp, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has been the best flat-rate cashback card you can get for nearly two years and counting. The card would prove plenty worthy even without an intro APR, but the addition of a 15-month intro period turns this card into a do-no-wrong kind of addition to your wallet.

Best for groceries and gas

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

4.3
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express comes with accelerated rewards on groceries and gas, and a respectable 0% intro APR period on purchases. This intro APR period adds to the card's flexibility and can help families that need to invest in house spending, save on holiday expenses or take the edge off the first few months of a new addition to the family.

Best for no late fees

Citi Simplicity® Card

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

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Largely speaking, if the presence or absence of late fees is a significant part of your credit card decision, you might want to shore up your financial habits before applying for one. With that said, the Citi Simplicity® Card is a simple and friendly card with few fees and other potential distractions like rewards.

Best for longest purchase intro APR

U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

4.8
★★★★★

Finder score

Terms apply, see rates & fees
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers one of the longest intro APR periods on purchases and balance transfers, beating even the Citi Diamond Preferred in length. This makes it an excellent card for consolidating large amounts of debt as you'll have nearly two years to make the payments necessary.

business credit card icon

Best low-interest credit cards

When choosing this year’s top low-interest credit cards, we looked at several factors, including welcome offers, lowest APRs, reward opportunities and other card perks or benefits. We highlighted those that stood out above the others in a particular category.

Best for no late fees

Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card

3.1
★★★★★

Finder score

Most reward cards come with numerous fees, including late payment fees. With the Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card, fees are one thing you don't have to worry about. As the name suggests, there are no fees associated with this card whatsoever, which makes it one of the most forgiving credit cards on the market when combined with the potential low APR.

Best for large signup bonus

TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card

3.5
★★★★★

Finder score

The TD First Class℠ Visa Signature® Credit Card is a rare card that offers low interest rates and a solid signup bonus worth up to $250. It also lets you earn miles on travel and dining purchases. The card's balance transfer offer is the cherry on top, but take care to weigh the card's ongoing annual fee against your use of the card.

Best for easy-to-access low ongoing APR

Simmons Visa®

4.1
★★★★★

Finder score

With the Simmons Visa®, you get one of the lowest APRs currently on the market that isn't tied to a prerequisite like you'd find with the Chase Slate Edge. As a trade-off, the card is relatively bare-boned and there are no rewards or intro APR period on purchases. But if all you're concerned with is the card's APR, this card is a great pick.

Best for rewards

Discover it® Cash Back

4.8
★★★★★

Finder score

What the Discover it® Cash Back lacks in additional perks or earning categories, it makes up for with the potential for a very low ongoing APR. Depending on your creditworthiness, you can start with a 16.99% variable APR, far below the 16% industry average. The card's 15 months intro APR on purchases and 15 months intro APR on balance transfers is nothing to sneeze at either, and the cash back match for the first year also makes one of the better cards available for immediate up front value.

best student credit cards 2018

Best student credit cards

When choosing this year’s top student credit cards, we compared multiple factors among eligible cards, including fees, credit limit, reward opportunities, student-specific perks, welcome offers and any additional rewards or benefits offered. We highlighted cards that stood out in one or more of these categories.

Best for no fees

Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card

3.1
★★★★★

Finder score

The Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card is the new card on the block aimed at newly graduated professionals.

Best for unlimited cash back

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

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The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase. But if you're seeking intro APRs on purchases or balance transfers, consider other options.

Best for studying abroad

Bank of America® Travel Rewards for Students

4.1
★★★★★

Finder score

This card offers solid, consistent rewards that you can redeem as statement credit for a variety of travel purchases. An excellent choice for a study-abroad trip, as you'll pay no foreign transaction fees.

Best for rewards

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students offers strong rewards in a variety of common student spend categories. Its cashback rates are among the highest you'll find for student cards.
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Best credit cards for balance transfers

When choosing this year’s top balance transfer cards, we compared a number of factors among eligible cards, including intro period length, the revert APR, welcome offers and any additional rewards or perks offered. We highlighted cards that stood out in one or more of these categories.

Best card for a long intro balance transfer APR

Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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After a period of time with a shorter intro length than typical, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is back with one of the longest intro balance transfer APRs on the market, backed up by an equally strong purchase APR and no annual fee.

Best card for ongoing rewards

Citi® Double Cash Card

3.8
★★★★★

Finder score

Read review
The Citi® Double Cash Card is not only one of the leading flat-rate cashback cards on the market, but it lets you save money on interest with a long balance transfer as well. This gives it a unique draw considering many balance transfer cards lost much of their value after the end of the intro APR period.

Best for small purchases

Citi Rewards+® Card

4.1
★★★★★

Finder score

In addition to a balance transfer opportunity, the Citi Rewards+® Card Card rounds up your rewards to the nearest 10 points on every purchase. This makes it a valuable choice if you frequently make small purchases, with special appeal to citi-dwellers or those frequently on the move.

Best for poor credit

Discover it® Secured

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

The surprisingly strong Discover it® Secured not only offers a reward rate comparable to non-credit-building cards, but it offers a modest intro APR on balance transfers as well. There are only a handful of secured cards on the market with such an offer, though they can't match the overall value of the Discover it® Secured.

Best for carrying a balances over time

Chase Slate Edge℠

4.6
★★★★★

Finder score

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The Chase Slate Edge℠ offers a long intro APR on balance transfers and has no annual fee, making it a simple card to keep in your wallet.
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Here’s how to choose the best credit card for you

There is no single “best” credit card out there. A card’s value ultimately comes down to whether it delivers the features you need and you’ll use to your financial benefit. You’ll want to ask yourself a few questions to help you decide which credit card features are most important in your final choice.

  • Will you need to carry a balance in the future? While it’s a good practice to pay off your credit card balance at the end of each month, a low-interest rate can let you carry a balance without incurring much interest.
  • Are you looking to save on interest? An intro APR on purchases can let you make several large payments and pay them off over time without interest. However, balance transfer intro APR can let you save interest on your existing debts by moving your debts to the card and paying it off interest-free over the promotional period. Both are powerful ways to save money you may have spent otherwise.
  • Do you want to pay an annual fee? A credit card that offers rewards and doesn’t charge an annual fee is pure profit back into your account. If you’re given the option to obtain a credit card with rewards, and it otherwise fulfills your other financial needs, you’ll want to take that opportunity.
  • Are there certain credit card perks you’d like? Many cards offer additional perks, such as cell phone protection or travel insurance. These offer some great additional value to your card, especially if your card also doesn’t require an annual fee.

What does a best credit card look like?

Here are some examples of what standout features some of the best credit cards on the market have.

Intro APR Card: Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card

  • Long intro APR: 12 months on purchases AND 21 months on balance transfers.
  • No annual fee
  • Higher-than-average balance transfer time limit at four months
Type of card and exampleWhat a best card looks like
Cash back card: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
  • Unlimited 1.5% cash back AND accelerated earning categories in travel, dining and drugstores
  • No annual fee
  • Intro purchase APR: 15 months
  • Welcome offer: Earn unlimited matched cash back. At the end of your first year, Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned. There is no limit to how much you can earn.
Travel card: The Platinum Card® from American Express
  • Large welcome offer: 80,000 points after spending $8,000 in the first 6 months
  • Valuable perks: $200 airline fee credit, airport lounge access, TSA PreCheck/Global Entry application fee statement credit
  • Using perks can easily pay for the cost of the card
Secured card: OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
  • Doesn’t check credit score during application
  • Low annual fee
  • Reports to all three major credit bureaus

How we choose our top credit cards

Though there are numerous factors that go into how we choose the best credit cards in a given category, a few of the more important factors included the card’s value vs. the cost and its unique features and performance vs. the competition. Check out our full methodology for more information on our decisions.

Or compare all credit cards for a better sense of the features you’ll find on the average credit card.

What is the best credit card company?

Just as there’s no single best credit card out there, there’s no single best credit card company that will fulfill all your needs. With that said, many of the most popular credit card companies are sought after for a reason. Here’s a quick look at the top issuers based on market share according to Finder’s most recent research.

ProviderJD Power Rating (1,000 point scale)Better Business Bureau Rating
American Express838A+
Discover837A+
Bank of America812A+
Chase809C+
Capital One808A-
Citi801F
Synchrony Bank800A+
Wells Fargo800not rated
Barclays796A+
U.S. Bank786A+
Credit One Bank739A-

What makes a credit card company “the best”?

Credit card companies that are known as the “best” usually specialize in one area where they outperform competitors. They will focus on serving their niche market through quality, variety or both.

Here are a few examples from some of the more popular card issuers today. You’ll note that in each example, a different type of cardholder stands to most benefit from the services offered.

Amex:The products of American Express cater to cardholders in the high-end market, offering numerous perks and benefits. This includes concierge service, Centurion Lounge access, ShopRunner membership after you enroll and more.

Chase: You’ll find that Chase offers a wide selection of credit cards for nearly every type of cardholder. Chase also possesses one of the more valuable rewards programs in the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.

Citi: When it comes to rewards, Citibank runs head to head with Chase and Amex. However, Citi’s cashback cards, in particular, are standouts in the industry and a go-to for consumers looking for a simple and valuable cashback program.

Discover: Discover is known in part for not offering any credit cards that require annual fees. Despite this, Discover still offers some great cards packed with rewards and will match rewards earned at the end of the first year in lieu of a traditional signup bonus.

Wells Fargo: Started in 1852, Wells Fargo offers easy-to-understand, straightforward credit card options, which is ideal for those who simply need a credit card for standard purposes. As a tradeoff, it lags behind other front runners when it comes to rewards and perks.

How we rate our cards

★★★★★ — Excellent

★★★★★ — Good

★★★★★ — Average

★★★★★ — Subpar

★★★★★ — Poor

Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.

We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.

Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.

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4 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    DmitryDecember 6, 2018

    What is the best product for people without credit score (gain credit card for the first time)?

      Default Gravatar
      AshDecember 11, 2018

      Hi Dmitry,

      Thank you for reaching out to us.

      It is worth noting that there are credit builder credit cards you can use to build your credit history. So, be sure to explore them.

      Also, you may consider comparing secured credit cards as they do not have a credit check and will likely be easier for you to be approved of and build you credit. With a secured credit card, you will have to make a security deposit that will be your initial credit limit. Making on-time payments and having no defaults will build a good credit score.

      I hope this helps.

      Please do not hesitate to reach out again to us if you have additional questions.

      Cheers,
      Ash

    Default Gravatar
    JustinNovember 10, 2017

    Is Citibank not as good as AMEX in terms of customer satisfaction? Which no annual fee cash back credit card are highly rated among reviewers for people with excellent credit?

      AvatarFinder
      JudithNovember 10, 2017Finder

      Hi Justin,

      Thanks for your question. AMEX tends to beat out Citibank in terms of overall customer satisfaction and customer care. However, AMEX is not accepted at as many outlets as a network like VISA or Mastercard, so keep that in mind as you shop for a card.

      If you have excellent credit, you have more options when it comes to shopping for perks. If you travel often, AMEX is known for its traveler and airline perks. If you need a balance transfer, Citibank may have a contender with the Citi Simplicity.

      For a list of options of No Annual Fee cards, you may check the table of no-fee cards at the top of the page you’re viewing. You may also go check our page on no annual fee credit cards for other options.

      Kindly review the relevant details as well as the Product Disclosure Statements / Terms & Conditions of each option so you could compare and eventually choose the one which suits your needs.

      I hope this helps.

      Best regards,
      Judith

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