In-Depth Look at the Best Credit Cards on the Market
If you want to get into the nitty-gritty details of the credit cards we recommend, we get into it here:
Best Credit Cards for Travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card®
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the top travel cards available.
Not only does it offer one of the best travel reward bonuses around ($750 towards Travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or $600 in cash after spending $4,000 in the first three months), but it also provides 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining, 2x points on other travel purchases, and has no foreign transaction fees.
Though it doesn’t offer a 0% introductory APR, it does provide a low rate for the first year, for both purchases and balance transfers.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater..
- Regular APR: 19.74% – 26.74% Variable on both purchases and balance transfers.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Credit needed: Good/Excellent (750+).
- Sign-up bonus: 60,000 bonus points (worth $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or $600 in cash) after spending $4,000 in the first three months.
- Rewards: 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining, 2X points on all other travel purchases, plus more.
- Unique features: No foreign transaction fees; get 10,000 bonus points for each referral.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
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Another one of the top travel credit cards, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides a generous bonus of 75,000 miles (equal to $750 in travel) after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Plus you can also earn 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, every single day.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at this Transfer APR.
- Regular APR: 20.24% – 28.24% (Variable).
- Annual fee: $95.
- Credit needed: Excellent (750+, No late payments over 60 days, no bankruptcy or loan defaults).
- Sign-up bonus: 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Rewards: 2X miles earned for $1 spent on all purchases.
- Unique features: Receive up to a $100 credit on Global TSA PreCheck®.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
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A variant of the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offers similar terms and benefits.
But the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card offers a sign-up bonus of 20,000 miles (equal to $200 in travel) after spending $500 on purchases the first three months from account opening.
- Regular APR: 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable).
- Annual fee: $0.
- Credit needed: Good/Excellent (700+, No late payments over 60 days, no bankruptcy or loan defaults).
- Sign-up bonus: 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- Rewards: Unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase.
- Unique features: Use your Venture miles on hotels and flights and even transfer miles to 15+ travel partners.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
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The Journey Student Rewards Card from Capital One is perfect for students and non-students alike.
You don’t need excellent credit, and you can even earn rewards. You’ll start with 1% back on all your purchases, but if you pay your bill on time, you’ll jump to 1.25% cash back.
You’ll also get travel benefits like 24-hour assistance in case of an emergency.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at this Transfer APR.
- Regular APR: 29.74% (Variable).
- Annual fee: None.
- Credit needed: Fair (640+).
- Sign-up bonus: N/A.
- Rewards: 1% cash back on all your purchases. Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month.
- Unique features: 24-hour assistance including emergency card replacement in case your credit card is lost or stolen while you’re traveling; for every month that you pay on time, you’ll receive an additional 0.25% in rewards for every dollar.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Best Credit Cards for Cash Back
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Cash Back offers very generous cash back rewards, including 5% on select categories each quarter, like groceries, restaurants, and gas stations. Activation is required and the max spend per quarter is $1,500.
They also offer 1% cash back on all other purchases. But rather than giving you an upfront bonus, instead they match 100% of your rewards within the first year.
They also provide a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 14 months.
- Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 14 months.
- Balance transfer fee: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
- Regular APR: 11.99% – 22.99% Variable.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Credit needed: Good to Excellent (700+).
- Sign-up bonus: Your cash back will be 100% matched at the end of the first year.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on quarterly merchants, like gas stations, grocery stores, and restaurants; 1% cash back on all other purchases. Max spend is $1,500 per quarter and activation is required.
- Unique features: Redeem rewards for cash at any time; no late fee on your first late payment and paying late won’t raise your APR; no foreign transaction fee; free FICO credit score.
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
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The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the very best for both cash back and general rewards. It provides unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which can be redeemed for cash at any time.
It’s designed specifically for consumers with average credit, even if you’ve defaulted on a loan within the past few years. The weak spot on this card is the APR. The regular rate is high among credit cards, and there is no introductory APR offer.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at this Transfer APR.
- Regular APR: 29.74% (Variable).
- Annual fee: $39.
- Credit needed: Average (640+; You have limited credit or you’ve defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years).
- Sign-up bonus: N/A.
- Rewards: Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Unique features: Redeem rewards for cash at any time.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Best Credit Cards for Balance Transfers
Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
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The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer is an outstanding card for balance transfers.
The card has a unique reward system. Instead of paying a flat percentage on purchases, they pay 1% on purchases, and 1% on the payments you make on the card.
So if you charge $1,000 on the card for the month, you’ll receive $10 cash back. But if you pay the balance in full, you’ll receive another $10. It’s a good incentive to get you to pay back what you purchase while intending to take advantage of the rewards.
But the bigger story with this card is they offer 0% intro for 18 months on Balance Transfers.
- Introductory APR: 0% intro for 18 months on Balance Transfers
- Balance transfer fee: There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. A balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies if completed after 4 months of account opening.
- Regular APR: 18.24% – 28.24% (Variable).
- Annual fee: $0.
- Credit needed: Good/Excellent.
- Sign-up bonus: N/A.
- Rewards: Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- Unique features: Rewards can be redeemed for statement credits or checks; free monthly credit score.
See card details/apply.
Best Credit Cards for Sign-up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card hits our list of the top credit cards, again.
It offers what we believe is the top travel rewards bonus around ($750 towards travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or $1,000 in cash after spending $4,000 in the first three months). Couple that with 3x points on dining and 2x on other travel, and no foreign transaction fees.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater..
- Regular APR: 19.74% – 26.74% Variable on both purchases and balance transfers.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Credit needed: Good/Excellent (750+).
- Sign-up bonus: 100,000 bonus points (worth $1,250 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® or $1,000 in cash) after spending $4,000 in the first three months.
- Rewards: 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining, 2X points on all other travel purchases, 1X points on all other purchases.
- Unique features: No foreign transaction fees; get 10,000 bonus points for each referral.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Another amazing sign-up bonus credit card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides a generous bonus of 75,000 miles (equal to $750 in travel) after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Plus you can also earn 2X miles per dollar on every purchase – every single day.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at this Transfer APR.
- Regular APR: 20.24% – 28.24% (Variable).
- Annual fee: $95.
- Credit needed: Excellent (750+, No late payments over 60 days, no bankruptcy or loan defaults).
- Sign-up bonus: 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards: 2X miles earned for $1 spent on all purchases.
- Unique features: Receive up to a $100 credit on Global TSA PreCheck®.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Best Credit Cards for General Rewards
Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards card is one of the top rewards cards available. You’ll get an incredible bonus of $300 cash when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months,
You also get 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, which includes a diverse range of merchants, including cafes, bars, fast food chains and even bakeries.
Entertainment includes record stores and video rentals, dance clubs, pool halls, bowling alleys. Cash back rewards never expire and can be redeemed at any time.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: $0.
- Regular APR: See Partner Website*
- Annual fee: $95.
- Credit needed: Excellent (750+; No late payments over 60 days, no bankruptcy or loan defaults).
- Sign-up bonus: $300 cash bonus once you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months
- Rewards: Unlimited 4% cash back on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services, 3% at grocery stores, 1% on all other purchases.
- Unique features: Redeem cash back for any amount; no foreign transaction fees.
See card details or read our full review.
Best Credit Cards for Students
Chase Freedom® Student credit card
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The Chase Freedom® Student credit card is designed for students, including those with fair credit (and no credit at all).
You’ll get 1% cash back on every dollar you spend using the card, as well as a $20 “Good Standing” reward each year for the first five years. As long as you make a purchase in the first three months you have the card, you’ll also get a $50 bonus.
Another great perk for students is that you can monitor your credit score through the app. You’ll be able to see how your on-time payments are impacting your score.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Regular APR: 18.74% Variable.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Credit needed: No credit history required.
- Sign-up bonus: Earn $50 by making at least one purchase in the first three months.
- Rewards: 1% cash back on every dollar spent.
- Unique features: Credit limit increase after five monthly on-time payments in the first 10 months; $20 annual bonus for accounts in good standing for the first five years; view your credit score at any time.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
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The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card can be an option for students with either poor or no credit. If fact, it’s an option for anyone who has bad credit. It’s designed specifically to help you rebuild your credit.
You start with a $200 credit line. You’ll need to make a refundable security deposit of $49, $99, or $200, based on your creditworthiness.
You can then use the card just as you would any other, and Capital One will report your payment history to all three major credit bureaus — TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Cardholders will be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: $0 at this Transfer APR.
- Regular APR: 29.74% (Variable).
- Annual fee: None.
- Credit needed: Poor (Less than 640; “Rebuilding” you’ve defaulted on a loan more than once or you’ve been declined for a credit card in the last three months).
- Sign-up bonus: N/A.
- Rewards: N/A.
- Unique features: Your payment history will be reported to all three major credit bureaus, helping you to rebuild your credit, or build it for the first time.
See card details/apply or read our full review.
Best Credit Cards for Business
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great option for business owners and entrepreneurs looking for a robust rewards credit card with tons of business-related perks.
The card starts with an impressive 100,000 bonus point welcome offer for new cardholders that spend $15,000 on purchases in the first three months. This is equivalent to a whopping $1,250 toward travel rewards when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®!
As for rewards, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is perfect for business owners that spend a lot on travel and general business expenses like advertisements and utilities. You’ll earn 3x points per $1 (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases) on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines. You’ll also earn 1x points per $1 on all other purchases.
- Introductory APR: N/A.
- Balance transfer fee: $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater..
- Regular APR: 19.74% – 24.74% Variable.
- Annual fee: $95.
- Credit needed: Good (700+).
- Sign-up bonus: 100,000 points when you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first three months.
- Rewards: 3x points (on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases) on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, and advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines; 1x points on everything else.
- Unique features: Free additional employee cards, fraud protection, purchase protection, and personalized account alerts.
See card details/apply.
Summary
We’ve covered a lot of ground in this guide, including not only the various major credit card categories, but also offers available at the different credit levels for each.
Now it’s up to you to sift through the options, and find the card that best matches your preferences and credit profile.
Featured image: Katya Havok/Shutterstock.com
