No annual fee credit cards

A no annual fee credit card is a great choice if you want to keep costs low. It can also be surprisingly robust, offering attractive rewards or benefits you might not have expected.

Our pick for no annual fee

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

• Earn a $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 3 months.
• 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%). 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores, 1% back on other purchases.
• Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, currently 12.99% to 23.99%.
• Don't wait for your card in the mail. Start earning cash back before your card even arrives, if eligible for Instant Card Number.
• Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for statement credits.
• No annual fee
• Terms apply.

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Compare credit cards with no annual fee

You’ll find many great no-annual-fee credit card options in a variety of categories.

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Name	Product	Annual fee	Balance transfer APR	Purchase APR	Filter values
Citi Simplicity® Card		$0	0% intro for the first 21 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)	0% intro for the first 12 months (then 14.74% to 24.74% variable)		With an intro APR of 21 months, this card has one of the longest balance transfer offers on the market. Plus, no late fees and no annual fee.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi® Double Cash Card		$0	0% intro for the first 18 months (then 13.99% to 23.99% variable)	13.99% to 23.99% variable		This one of the most valuable flat cashback cards. It comes with 2% cash back (1% when you buy plus 1% when you pay) and 18 months months to pay off transfers.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express		$0	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 12.99% to 23.99% variable)	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 12.99% to 23.99% variable)		Earn a $150 bonus statement credit after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com		See terms	See issuer's website	See issuer's website		Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card		$0	14.49%, 20.49% or 24.49% variable	0% intro for the first 12 months (then 14.49%, 20.49% or 24.49% variable)		Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi Rewards+℠ Card		$0	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 13.49% to 23.49% variable)		Get rewards on gas and groceries with no annual fee. Ideal for everyday use, it's the only card that rounds purchases up to the nearest 10 points.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card		$0	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 15.49%, 21.49% or 25.49% variable)	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 15.49%, 21.49% or 25.49% variable)		Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Hilton Honors American Express Card		$0	15.74% to 24.74% variable	15.74% to 24.74% variable		Earn 75,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the card within your first 3 months of card membership. Rates & fees	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Citi® Secured Mastercard®		$0	22.49% variable	22.49% variable		A no annual fee secured card for people who are new to credit or have limited credit history with a fair to average credit score.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Capital One® Secured Mastercard®		$0	26.99% variable	26.99% variable		Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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No annual fee cards by issuer

Best no annual fee credit cards

Though annual-fee cards tend to offer the best features, you’ll find a wealth of top-notch no annual fee cards. Here are our picks for the cream of the crop.

Best for cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card

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As long as you pay off your purchases consistently, this card offers the highest flat-rate cash back for no annual fee. It also offers a stellar intro APR on balance transfers.

• The perks

  • Rewards: 1% cash back on all purchases and another 1% back as you pay them off.
  • Intro APR: 0% on balance transfers for 18 months from the date of your first transfer. After that, a 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR applies.
  • Long intro APR window: Transfers can qualify for the intro APR up to 4 months after you’ve opened your account.

Best for travel and no foreign transaction fees: PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express® Card

This card offers excellent rewards on travel, especially if you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member. It also offers an air travel credit and a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit — perks you’d typically find only with premium travel cards.

• The perks

  • Rewards: 3x points on all travel purchases. 4x points if you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member.
  • Welcome offer: 25,000 bonus points after you spend $2,500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening.
  • Travel credits: $100 a year for air travel, $100 every five years for your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee.
  • Promo APR: 0% on balance transfers for 12 months. After that, 12.74% to 17.99% variable applies.

Best for 0% intro APR: Wells Fargo Platinum Card

Here, you’ll find a superb intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. A few cards offer a similar promotional interest rate. However, Wells Fargo’s product lets you qualify for the balance transfer intro APR for up to 120 days after account opening, which is very generous.

• The perks

  • Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 18 months from account opening. After that, a 15.49% to 24.99% variable APR applies.
  • Long intro APR window: Your transfers can qualify for the intro APR for as long as 120 days days after account opening.
  • Check your FICO score monthly: Your credit score is pulled from Experian, one of the top credit bureaus in the US.

Citi Simplicity® Card review

Best for low interest: UNIFY Financial Credit Union Variable-Rate Visa® Credit Card

Consider this card if you have excellent credit and want a low APR. You could receive an APR on all balances as low as 7.99% variable. Also, the product is light on fees — balance transfer fees in particular.

• The perks

  • APR: 7.99% to 17.24% variable on all balances.
  • Fees: No annual fee. No balance transfer, cash advance or foreign transaction fees.

Best for small business: American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card

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With this card, you’ll earn a solid 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in eligible purchases per calendar year, then 1% back. That can be an excellent deal depending on your business, especially as the card has no annual fee. You’ll also receive an intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers, which is uncommon among business credit cards.

• The perks

  • Rewards: On all eligible purchases, earn 2% cash back on up to $50,000 each calendar year, then 1% back.
  • Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months (see rates & fees). After that, 13.24% to 19.24% variable APR.
  • Expanded buying power: In some cases, you can make purchases that put you over your credit limit without penalty. This privilege adjusts according to Amex’s discretion and factors such as your payment history and credit record.

Another great small-business pick: The Chase Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card

Amex’s no annual fee business card is a great pick, but it doesn’t have a welcome offer. Also, you might prefer tiered rewards.

The Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card is a formidable competitor, offering a signup bonus and strong rewards in common business categories. It may be a better choice for you.

No annual fee cards by credit card issuer

Top Amex cards with no annual fee

Top Chase cards with no annual fee

Top Citi cards with no annual fee

What is an annual fee?

An annual fee is the yearly cost to keep a credit card. If your card has one, the annual fee is charged automatically each year, typically during the month you opened your account.

With a no annual fee card, you won’t have to pay this cost, which helps you minimize the expense of owning a credit card.

Annual fees typically range from as low as $30 or as high as $550. Some providers waive the annual fee in the first year, giving cardholders 12 months to enjoy their cards at no cost. That said, a card with an annual fee typically comes with more perks and benefits that can offset the fee.

Pros and cons of a no annual fee card

It’s always good to get a full picture of a card type before you submit an application. Here are a few things to consider before getting a no annual fee card.

Pros

• It’s low-maintenance.
  You can keep a no annual fee card for as long as you want without worrying about a yearly cost. Besides giving you credit to help you decrease your credit utilization, this also lets you increase your average age of accounts. Both are factors that help determine your FICO score.
• Keep more of your rewards.
  An annual fee eats into any rewards you earn. For example, if you earn $100 in cash back but have to pay a $95 annual fee, you’ve effectively earned just $5 in cash back. With a $0 annual fee, any rewards you earn are all upside.
• Signup bonus might be easier to obtain.
  While signup bonuses tend to be smaller than you’ll find with annual-fee cards, you often have to meet lower spending requirements. You might, for instance, earn a bonus worth $150 after you meet a spending requirement of just $500 within the first three months.

Cons

• Lower reward rates.
  There are many no annual fee cards that offer good rewards. But you’ll often find the best rewards with annual-fee cards.
• Fewer benefits.
  No annual fee cards tend to have fewer features. For example, you might not find features such as airport lounge access, free checked baggage or travel credits.

How do I compare no annual fee credit cards?

There are many no annual fee cards out there, and the choices can sometimes feel overwhelming. Luckily, there are a few important factors that can help you narrow down your choices.

Rewards

Which categories do you spend most in? Look for a no annual fee card that offers bonus rewards in those categories. If your spending is spread relatively evenly throughout many categories, consider a card that offers flat-rate rewards on all purchases.

Intro APR

Many no annual fee cards have intro APRs. This means you could get 0% APR on purchases or balance transfers for a period of time. Think about whether a promotional interest rate is important to you — and if so, how long you want it to be.

Signup bonus

A signup bonus can give you a burst of rewards soon after you’re approved for a card. Many no annual fee cards have similar bonuses, but you’ll find the occasional offer that stands out. Ultimately, this could tip the scales toward a particular card.

Credit score

Your credit score has a big effect on which cards you’ll be approved for. For rewards cards and products with intro APRs, you’ll usually want to apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher. If your score is lower than that, consider a no annual fee secured credit card.

Bottom line

A no annual fee card can help you keep costs down. It can also offer great rewards and benefits you didn’t expect.

If you want more options, there are plenty of credit cards to compare. Check out our guide to the best credit cards of 2020.

Frequently asked questions

• What kind of credit do you need to get a no annual fee credit card?

  There are no annual fee credit cards that target everyone from excellent to fair credit. People with bad credit scores, however, will find limited options for no annual fee credit cards. If you’ve had trouble getting approved for credit in the past or you have a bad credit history, you may have to improve your credit before you can qualify for a no annual fee credit card.

• Do no annual fee credit cards pay rewards?

  You may expect that all the great rewards credit cards charge an annual fee, but fortunately, there are several great rewards credit cards without an annual fee. You can find a variety of no annual fee credit cards that pay cash, miles and points rewards. You’ll typically need to have good credit to qualify for a rewards credit card, regardless of whether the card charges an annual fee.

• Can the card issuer begin charging an annual fee later on?

  Your credit card issuer can start charging an annual fee after you’ve already signed up for the card. If your card issuer plans to introduce an annual fee, they’re required to let you know well in advance of the time the annual fee will become effective. You’ll have the opportunity to opt out, or reject, the addition of the annual fee. Your credit card issuer will have to allow you to pay your credit card off under the current terms (no annual fee), but may cancel your account or suspend your purchasing privileges. Unless your credit card has great rewards, opting out of the new fee is typically best.

• Are no annual fee credit cards completely free?

  A no annual fee credit card can be completely free, but it depends on how you use the credit card. Paying on time and in full will help you avoid late fees and interest. Most other fees are transaction-based, which means you’ll have to avoid specific transactions to avoid paying fees. This includes balance transfers, cash advances and purchases made in foreign currencies.

• How can I tell if a credit card charges an annual fee?

  Most no annual fee credit cards will prominently advertise that there’s no fee for the card. It’s one of the biggest selling points for a credit card. If you see the phrase “No annual fee” followed by an asterisk (*), check for a caveat in the fine print. You may learn that the annual fee is only waived in the first year of the credit card. The best way to figure out whether a credit card charges an annual fee is to read through the credit card pricing disclosure. All credit cards are required to list the pricing associated with a credit card with each credit card offer.

• What if my application is denied?

  Credit card applications are denied for a variety of reasons. from recent late payments to short employment history. You won’t know the specific reason or reasons you’re denied until the credit card issuer sends a letter in the mail letting you know why. Once you receive the letter, use the details to help you figure out how to proceed with your next credit application. You may need to improve your credit before you apply for a credit card again.