Finder has reviewed more than 300 credit cards to help you choose the best card for your financial needs and this number is constantly growing. To help us properly assess each card’s value, we use a distinct methodology for each card type to isolate their distinct strengths and weaknesses.
We’ve broken down how we examine each card by type to give you some insight in how our ratings are created and what makes for a great credit card.
Finder Scores: What they mean
If you want peace of mind, this rating will give it to you. These products offer the best value and outcomes considering various product features, terms, conditions and price.
Well-balanced products that provide what you need, offering a healthy mix of competitive features at a good price. However, they're not quite the best in class.
Bottom line: You can find better, but these products still offer reasonable value and have the basics sorted.
These products may not offer much value in the long run, and there are better options available.
Travel credit cards
Review factor
Details
Rewards
The ease of earning rewards and the value of those points or miles on travel are a cornerstone of travel cards. The easier to earn and more they’re worth, the better.
Features
Card travel features play the second largest role in our travel card assessment. Cards that offer an assortment of valuable perks for a low annual fee are rated high.
Welcome offer or signup bonus
Large, easily attainable welcome offers are heavily weighted in our reviews as they can earn you a vacation or travel.
Fees
Travel cards with fees that make it hard to use the card in the intended manner, such as foreign transaction fees, can adversely affect our card rating.
Example of a top-ranked travel credit card
Based on our criteria, the American Express® Gold Card card is among our top-ranked in its category. Check out some of this card’s details to see why.
American Express® Gold Card
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App™, or purchased directly from airlines.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
$120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
Enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
Book two nights or more with The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App™ and receive a $100* credit towards eligible charges at over 1,400 upscale hotels worldwide. *Eligible charges vary by property.
Book your travel through the Amex Travel App™ with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
High cashback rates and a large number of available cash back categories play an important role in a positive card rating.
Signup bonus
Similar to travel cards, a generous and easily obtainable signup bonus is a nice freebie for simply spending on everyday purchases using your card.
APR
An intro APR on either purchases or balance transfers helps boost the value of the card beyond cash back. This will also boost the rating of the card.
Fees
Unusual or high fees can negatively affect the value of the card, particularly if you’re not always careful with your money.
Example of a top-ranked cashback credit card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is a great example of a top-ranked cashback card. It offers a great cashback rate on several categories and comes with a nice signup bonus to boot.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Earn a signup bonus of $200 after you spend $500 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back, 3% cash back on dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery service, on drugstore purchases, as well as 5% cash back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® where you can redeem rewards for travel, gift cards and more.
Redeem for cash back with no minimum. Choose to receive direct deposit into most US checking and savings accounts or a statement credit. Cash Back rewards remain valid as long as your account is open.
Once you open your account, you'll get a 0% intro APR on all purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, switching to a variable APR of 18.74% to 28.24% thereafter.
Pay no annual fee to own the card.
Maintain your creditworthiness with Chase Credit Journey to get free credit score access, real-time alerts and more.
Member FDIC
Rewards cards
Review factor
Details
Rewards
A high rewards rate, multiple earning categories, and strong rewards point value all contribute to a high card rating.
Signup bonus
Like travel cards, a large signup bonus value that is easily obtained can give you some big value on early card use.
APR
An intro APR is always appreciated, though not necessary, on a rewards card. Rewards cards that have it often have an edge over cards that don’t in terms of potential value.
Fees
Aside from the traditional card fees that can negatively affect a card rating, such as missed payment fees, we also examine any fees that might come attached to the rewards program.
Example of a top-ranked rewards credit card
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express card is an example of a top-ranked rewards card. It offers the highest rewards rate at U.S. supermarkets and on select U.S. streaming services. Check out some of the card’s details to learn more.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Apply and find out your welcome offer. As High As $300 cash back* after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply, and if approved: 1. Find out your offer amount 2. Accept the Card with your offer 3. Spend $3,000 in 6 months 4. Receive the cash back. *Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.74%-28.74%.
Plan It®: Buy now, pay later with Plan It. Split purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee so you don’t have the pressure of paying all at once. Simply select the purchase in your online account or the American Express® App to see your plan options. Plus, you’ll still earn rewards on purchases the way you usually do.
Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout.
Get up to a $10 monthly statement credit after using your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card for a subscription purchase, including a bundle subscription purchase, at DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or Stream.ESPN.com U.S. websites. Subject to auto-renewal.
When it comes to a balance transfer offer, the longer you have to pay off your transferred debt, the better. A long period results in a greater card rating.
Balance transfer fees
Not all balance transfer cards omit balance transfer fees. Those that do earn additional points from Finder thanks to the extra money saving potential of a waived fee.
Revert APR
A low revert APR after the initial balance transfer offer is appreciated, as it means you can carry a balance on a card afterwards without incurring much interest. It’s also helpful if you can’t pay off your full debt within the allotted intro period.
Fees
Annual fees in particular are a bad mark on balance transfer cards, as the ultimate goal of a balance transfer card is saving money. An annual fee gets in the way of that goal.
Example of a balance transfer credit card
Based on our criteria, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card card is among our top-ranked balance transfer card picks. It offers a long 0% APR intro period on balance transfers, and it offers other useful perks as well.
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
Get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from the first transfer date, plus a 0% intro APR 12 months on purchases from the time you open the account. After the intro periods, your APR for each will revert to a variable 17.99% to 28.74% based on your credit score. You must make balance transfers within 4 months of owning the card.
You'll be charged a balance transfer fee of $5 or 5% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater.
Access your FICO® Score online at no cost.
Citi Entertainment® gives you special access to purchase tickets to thousands events, including concerts, dining experiences, sporting events and more.
Credit-building cards and secured cards
Review factor
Details
Reports to all 3 major credit bureaus
A secured card that doesn’t report to all three credit bureaus simply doesn’t do its job as well as cards that do.
Minimum deposit
We generally rate cards with low minimum deposits higher as this makes them more accessible to a broader swath of cardholders. Still, there are some cards that are rated highly for their ability to hold a very large minimum deposit.
APR
Though best practices dictate you pay your balance in full each month, those building credit may not have the best credit habits built yet. For this reason, cards with low APRs receive higher marks than those that do.
Additional credit building features
If a secured card offers additional features or perks for helping build credit, like not requiring a credit check or allowing you to graduate with good use, these cards receive higher marks.
Example of a credit-building and secured credit card
Among our top-rated credit-building and secured cards is the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card card. The card’s details fit our criteria nicely for what makes a strong product in this category.
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
No credit check required – 89% approval rate with zero credit risk to apply!
Boost your credit score fast—2 out of 3 opensky® cardholders see an average increase of 47 points after 6 months
Track your progress with free access to your FICO® score in our mobile app
Build your credit history with reporting to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
Seamless payments—add your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
Start with just $200—secure your credit line with a refundable deposit
Fast and easy application—apply in minutes with our mobile-first experience
Flexible payment options—pick a due date that works for you
More time to fund—spread your security deposit over 60 days with layaway
Join 1.6 million+ cardholders who have used opensky® to build better credit!
Business cards
Review factor
Details
Rewards
Business cards are treated much like standard rewards cards in this category. However, we do give additional points to cards with a wide range of business-specific perks.
Additional features
These features can range from travel perks such as travel insurance, to business perks such as integration with financial software. If the number of perks offered outweighs the annual fee of the card, that plays a factor in the card’s rating.
Intro APR
Intro purchase APRs are particularly valuable for business credit cards, as businesses may find the interest-free investment opportunity helpful. The larger the welcome offer period, the better.
Fees
Fees play a fairly standard role in our assessment of business cards, though are weighed less heavily than other cards like secured cards or student cards.
Example of a business credit card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card card is among our top-ranked business cards. Check out some of this card’s details to see why.
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Once you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months you have the card, you'll earn $350 bonus cash back.
On the first $6,000 you spend on combined purchases at office supply stores and on cable, internet and phone services each account anniversary year, you earn 5% cash back.
When you spend the first $25,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants, you earn 2% cash back after each account anniversary year. All other purchases earn you 1% cash back.
Any card transactions you make will be monitored for possible signs of fraudulent activity using real-time fraud monitoring with Fraud Protection.
Zero Liability means you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.
Pay no annual fee.
Redeem rewards through Chase Ultimate Rewards® for cash back, gift cards, travel and more.
Member FDIC
Student cards
Review factor
Details
Rewards
Rewards on a student card are relatively rare, so the presence of rewards gives a student card a sizable boost in rating.
Additional features
Like secured cards, student cards may come with handy additional features, such as the ability to graduate to a standard card or mobile account monitoring.
Intro APR
Intro purchase APRs and a low revert APR are both important features for a student card, where consumers may be using a credit card for the first time and need some leniency.
Fees
Student cards without heavy fees are rated highly since students are just starting off in learning good credit habits.
Example of a student credit card
We chose the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students card in our list of top-ranked student cards. Its cashback rate, welcome offer, APR intro offer and other benefits fit our criteria for what makes a great card in this category.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students
Earn 3% cash back on a category you choose — online shopping, dining, gas, drug stores, travel or home improvements — and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs. Your cash back is capped at $2,500 each quarter on combined purchases at the 3% and 2% categories. Once reaching the cap, you earn 1% cash back, which is the same rate you earn on all other purchases.
Earn a $200 online cash rewards bonus once you spend $1,000 in your first 90 days of account opening.
New longer intro period! 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.99% to 27.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to all balance transfers.
Every time you use your card online at foreign merchants or abroad, you’ll pay a 3% fee of the amount.
Megan Horner is editorial director at USA TODAY Blueprint and former head of publishing at Finder, where she lead a team focused on publishing personal finance guides and reviews that help readers make informed financial decisions. She's passionate about helping you find the best financial accounts to meet your needs — whether that's earning great rewards or improving your credit score.
Megan's expertise has been featured on Lifehacker, CreditCards.com, American Banker and news broadcasts across the country. She has a longstanding background in surfacing the best deals and helping people make decisions, including a start as a writer at a comparison website and editing credit card and credit score content at Credit Karma. She earned a degree in English and editing from Brigham Young University.
See full bio
Looking for a new credit card? Compare a range of options and features here, including balance transfers, 0% APR, bonus points, rewards and no fees so that you can find the right card for you.
Advertiser disclosure
Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
