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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. 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.

7 best credit cards

Best travel credit card for no annual fee

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

3.5
★★★★★

Finder score

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Terms apply, see rates & fees.
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Welcome Offer20,000 miles
RewardsUp to 5x miles
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670

Best credit card for for unlimited cash back

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

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Welcome Offer$250
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670
The information about Chase Freedom Unlimited® has been collected independently by Finder and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

Best business credit card for no personal guarantee required

Brex Card

4.9
★★★★★

Finder score

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Welcome OfferOther
RewardsUp to 8x points
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit scoreNew / limited credit

Best overall secured card

Discover it® Secured

4.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Minimum deposit requiredStarting at $200
Purchase APR27.49% variable
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score300

Best overall zero-interest card

Step Black Card

4.3
★★★★★

Finder score

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Welcome Offern/a
RewardsUp to 8% cash back
Annual feeSee terms
Minimum credit scoreNew / limited credit

Best student credit card for rewards

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Terms apply, see rates & fees.
Welcome Offer$50
RewardsUp to 8% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit scoreNew / limited credit

Best balance transfer card for ongoing rewards program

Chase Freedom Flex℠

4.7
★★★★★

Finder score

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Intro Balance Transfer APR0% for 15 months
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670
The information about Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been collected independently by Finder and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

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.

Type of card and exampleWhat a best card looks like
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
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 a signup bonus of $250 after you spend $500 in the first 3 months from account opening.
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.

Kliment Dukovski's headshot
Writer

Kliment Dukovski was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in investments and cryptocurrency. He's written more than 700 articles to help readers compare the best trading platforms, understand complex investment terms and find the best credit cards for their needs. His expert commentary has been featured in such digital publications as Fox Business, MSN Money and MediaFeed. He’s also well-versed in money transfers, home loans and more — breaking down these topics into simple concepts anyone can understand. In another life, Kliment ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies. See full bio

Kliment's expertise
Kliment has written 86 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Investing
  • Day trading
  • Stock market technical analysis
  • Personal and business credit cards

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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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