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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
Bankrate expert Garrett Yarbrough strives to make navigating credit cards and credit building smooth sailing for his readers. After regularly featuring his credit card, credit monitoring and identity theft analysis on NextAdvisor.com, he joined the CreditCards.com and Bankrate teams as a staff writer to develop product reviews and comprehensive credit card guides focused on cash back, credit scores and card offers.
Nouri Zarrugh is a writer and editor for CreditCards.com and Bankrate, focusing on product news, guides and reviews. His areas of expertise include credit card strategy, rewards programs, point valuation and credit scores, and his stories on building credit have been cited by Mic.com, LifeHacker, People.com and more. Through his thorough card reviews and product comparisons, Nouri strives to demystify personal finance topics and credit card terms and conditions to help readers save money and protect their credit score.
Jason Steele is a professional journalist and credit card expert who has been contributing to online publications since 2008. He was one of the original contributors to The Points Guy, and his work has been appearing there since 2011. He has also contributed to over 100 of the leading personal finance and travel outlets.
Nouri Zarrugh is a writer and editor for CreditCards.com and Bankrate, focusing on product news, guides and reviews. His areas of expertise include credit card strategy, rewards programs, point valuation and credit scores, and his stories on building credit have been cited by Mic.com, LifeHacker, People.com and more. Through his thorough card reviews and product comparisons, Nouri strives to demystify personal finance topics and credit card terms and conditions to help readers save money and protect their credit score.
Jason Steele is a professional journalist and credit card expert who has been contributing to online publications since 2008. He was one of the original contributors to The Points Guy, and his work has been appearing there since 2011. He has also contributed to over 100 of the leading personal finance and travel outlets.
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Rewards credit cards are a great way to make the most of your everyday expenses, allowing you to earn bonus miles, points or cash back on your purchases. While cash back is one of the simplest forms of rewards, miles or points may offer even more value for frequent travelers and shoppers.
These card offers from our partners carry some of the best rewards value and perks out there, with each issuer offering a variety of programs to suit your unique spending habits. Whether you need a flat-rate card to cover any purchase, a bonus or rotating category card for specialized spending or even a choice category card for ultimate flexibility, we’ll help you find the credit card that helps you reach your rewards goals.
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We helped over 180,000 users compare rewards cards in 2023
We valued and compared over 50 rewards programs
Over 47 years of experience helping people make smart financial decisions
Why choose Bankrate
We helped over 180,000 users compare rewards cards in 2023
We valued and compared over 50 rewards programs
Over 47 years of experience helping people make smart financial decisions
The Bankrate Promise
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for how we make money and how we rate our cards .
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
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In determining which cards were worthy of “Best Overall” distinction on marketplace pages, our editorial team reviewed the cards currently available on each page and narrowed the list of candidates to only those cards that either:
A) had received a minimum 4.0-star overall rating in their primary scoring category based on our proprietary card rating methodology, or
B) were currently the highest-rated card on the page.
We then surveyed an internal panel of expert credit card writers and editors as to which card from the candidate list was most deserving of a “Best Overall” distinction. The winner was selected based on popular vote.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
3X
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
3X
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
1X
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
What we love: It’s a handy catch-all travel card with a valuable mix of bonus categories and hotel benefits for travelers that spend a bit more time at home and on the road than in the air. It also pairs incredibly well with other Citi rewards cards, which will appeal to rewards strategists who want to maximize their earning potential.
Alternative: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s stronger travel features or the Blue Cash Preferred card’s higher rewards rates may make them better choices for a rewards card with an annual fee.
Pros
Its restaurant, supermarket and gas station rewards categories can outperform rival flat-rate travel cards, making it easy for the average spender to offset the annual fee.
You can pair it with other Citi ThankYou cards for optimal travel rewards value.
You can also redeem points for cash back at the same value as for travel — an option that typically requires sacrificing reward value.
Cons
The travel perk roster isn’t as valuable or extensive as other cards with a similar annual fee.
Unless you plan to leverage travel transfer partners, your point value is stuck at only 1 cent per point.
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
1% - 8%
Rewards rate
8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
8%
8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
5%
5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
3%
3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
1%
1% Cash Back on all other purchases
Why it’s the best overall: "If I had to pick one rewards card to use for all of my spending, this would be near the top of my list. Its low cost and great rewards rate in some of my most important everyday spending categories mean it offers terrific standalone value. It’s an even better fit now that I have a Capital One travel card and can transfer rewards to it (and maybe even squeeze more value out of them)." — Nouri Zarrugh, Senior Editor, Credit Cards
What we love: This card’s terrific mix of everyday bonus categories makes it a top pick if you want a single card that earns rewards on food and fun. You’ll earn an excellent unlimited cash back rate at restaurants, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®) and even on many entertainment purchases that don’t typically earn credit card rewards — like tickets to movies, sporting events and more.
Alternative: If you don’t spend much at the grocery store or on entertainment, then the Chase Freedom Unlimited® may be a better option. You'll have plenty of chances to earn cash back in multiple bonus categories (including dining) and a fair flat rate for all other eligible purchases.
Pros
It’s easily one of the most well-rounded rewards cards available thanks to its generous cash back rates and variety, accessible welcome offer and long intro APR periods.
It offers automatic cash back redemption — a relatively rare option that can make the rewards experience even easier.
Cons
Superstores and wholesale clubs like Walmart, Target, BJ’s and Sam’s Club do not count for elevated rewards rates, which may limit your potential earnings.
You can redeem cash rewards on Amazon.com, but there is a list of restricted items.
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
1% - 5%
Rewards rate
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Annual fee
Regular APR
5%
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
1%
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
What we love:Discover’s cash back calendar usually is packed with essential everyday categories, so there are plenty of opportunities to rake in cash back if you don’t mind strategizing where and when to shop each quarter. This impressive card also boasts market-low rates and fees and a valuable cash back match welcome offer at the end of the first year.
Alternative: If you’re looking to maximize your seasonal spending rewards, you may get more value from the Chase Freedom Flex℠ thanks to its rotating bonus categories plus year-round 3 percent dining and drugstore categories, which can give you more cash back to lean on if a quarterly category doesn’t align with your spending.
Pros
It’s one of the best cash back cards on the market if you’re looking for minimal fees: no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, penalty APR or fee on your first late payment (up to $41 after that). You’ll also enjoy solid intro APR offers and a decent ongoing APR.
Its rotating bonus category variety is nearly unmatched, typically including everything from groceries to online shopping.
Cons
You must activate and track your bonus categories each quarter, which could make the card too high-maintenance for some applicants.
The card carries hardly any additional features (like travel insurance or other credits) beyond its rewards and low rates and fees.
It has a quarterly spending cap for bonus categories.
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
2%
Rewards rate
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
2%
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
What we love: This well-rounded card carries one of the highest flat cash rewards rates available. Since there’s no need to track categories or jump through additional hoops, it’s an especially good fit if you prefer a simple cash rewards structure.
Alternative: The Citi Double Cash® Card may be a better option if you’re looking for a long intro APR balance transfer offer. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® could also be more valuable thanks to its additional 3 percent cash back categories.
Pros
Paying your monthly cellphone bill with your card earns you cellphone protection, a relatively valuable perk.
You can redeem your rewards as physical cash in $20 increments when you use a Wells Fargo ATM — a convenient option missing from many rewards cards.
Cons
Though it comes with Visa Signature® features, the Active Cash card's extra perks are otherwise limited.
You cannot transfer rewards to airline or hotel loyalty programs and can only redeem through Wells Fargo.
Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
$0 annual fee.
No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
1.5% - 5%
Rewards rate
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
Annual fee
Regular APR
5%
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
1.5%
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
What we love: If you’re new to rewards and want to keep things simple, this card’s straightforward rewards program should be a terrific fit. Add in perks like an intro APR and the ability to redeem rewards automatically and this card should be a well-rounded starter option.
Alternative: A few flat-rate rewards cards easily beat the Quicksilver due to its low rewards rate, including the Wells Fargo Active Cash (unlimited 2 percent cash rewards) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited (bonus rewards on dining and drugstore purchases as well as a flat 1.5 percent rewards rate on general purchases).
Pros
The card’s welcome bonus is one of the easiest to earn with a low spend requirement.
You can earn rewards with minimal effort before graduating to a higher-maintenance card that offers better rewards rates.
Cons
Even compared to other cash back cards available with no annual fee, its perks are limited.
Some rival cards offer unlimited 2 percent cash back on all purchases while still charging no annual fee.
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Annual fee
Regular APR
10 Miles
10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
5 Miles
5 Miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel
2 Miles
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
What we love: Yearly perks like $300 in annual credits for Capital One travel bookings can make the Venture X worth it for both occasional and frequent travelers who want top-tier perks at a lower cost than competing luxury cards.
Alternative: If you don't think you'll use Venture X’s features, consider a lower-cost travel card instead. The base Venture card also earns a flat 2X miles, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred can offer higher redemption value and other bonus categories beyond travel.
Pros
Since the card’s travel perks make it easy to offset the annual fee, you won’t have to worry about offsetting the card’s cost with earning enough rewards.
You’ll also enjoy Visa Infinite benefits (including exclusive travel concierge service) and the Capital One Travel portal’s AI-powered pricing perks for more affordable bookings.
Cons
It’s missing a number of the luxury benefits you’ll find on rival cards, like an annual CLEAR membership credit, complimentary hotel or airline loyalty status and other airline hotel and restaurant partner perks.
Its biggest drawback is perhaps Capital One’s lack of major domestic airline partners, which limits the value of your miles compared to rewards on other travel cards.
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
1.5% - 5%
Rewards rate
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service 1.5% on all other purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
5%
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
3%
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
1.5%
1.5% on all other purchases
What we love: This card earns an elevated rewards rate on all purchases with numerous bonus categories and an excellent intro APR offer. If you want to pick one card and stick with it, this card is a great choice.
Alternatives: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is another card that has a similar intro APR offer and a flat rate on spending. It’s a good alternative for infrequent or inexperienced travelers because it offers straightforward rewards earning and redemption.
Pros
With solid earning rates, a decent sign-up bonus, and a strong intro APR offer, this is a great card for any rewards enthusiast.
You can combine this card’s rewards with other premium Chase rewards to unlock more value through travel redemptions and partners.
Cons
You won’t get the full potential of this card without pairing it with a premium Chase card, which comes with annual fees.
Other cards have significantly higher welcome offers.
Intro Offer: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
1% - 6%
Rewards rate
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations 1% Cash Back on other purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
6%
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6%
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3%
3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more.
3%
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations
1%
1% Cash Back on other purchases
What we love: Maximizing the Blue Cash Preferred could make it perhaps the most rewarding card for groceries year-round — especially if you’re a commuter or part of a family or household that spends a lot at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations. What’s more, the annual credits and elevated rates for other everyday expenses like transit, select U.S. streaming services and U.S. gas station purchases make it a more well-rounded card.
The card also offers unlimited 6 percent back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions — one of the best rates available in that category.
Few premium cards offer intro APR periods, but this card provides an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers — handy for chipping away at the cost of large expenses over time.
Cons
Your only redemption options are statement credits, gift cards or merchandise.
Purchases at wholesale clubs, superstores (like Walmart), and specialty stores (bakeries, farmers markets, etc.) are excluded from the card’s U.S. supermarket bonus category and only earn 1 percent back.
Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
Low Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 19.24% - 29.99%. Variable APRs will not exceed 29.99%.
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations.
3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
Get up to $120 in statement credits annually when you pay for an auto-renewing subscription to Equinox+ at equinoxplus.com with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. That’s $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment required.
Thinking about getting the Disney Bundle which can include Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+? Your decision made easy with $7/month back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $9.99 or more each month on an eligible subscription (subject to auto renewal) with your Blue Cash Preferred® Card. Enrollment required.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn $200 in cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
1% - 5%
Rewards rate
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Annual fee
Regular APR
5%
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter.
1%
Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
What we love: This card automatically earns bonus rewards in your biggest spending category each billing cycle, with 10 eligible categories including gas. The rewards rate is one of the highest available year-round on gas purchases without requiring an annual fee, making it a remarkable partner card for frequent drivers aiming to maximize everyday rewards on fluctuating gas prices.
Since you aren't locked into year-round or quarterly bonus categories, you can enjoy more flexibility in how you earn top rewards.
For a no-annual fee card, it offers attractive additional perks if you receive it with World Elite Mastercard status, such as partner offers with Lyft and DoorDash.
Cons
It may not work well as a standalone card since you’ll only earn 1 percent back on all purchases outside your top eligible spending category.
You’ll only earn 5 percent back on your first $500 in an eligible category each billing cycle (1 percent after that). This could hold you back if you spend heavily in one category or share the account among multiple households.
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
No Annual Fee
Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
New Venture cardholders can earn 75,000 miles once they spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Annual fee
Regular APR
5 Miles
5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2 Miles
2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
The flat 2X rewards rate on purchases makes this a great travel starter card for all types of spenders since you can earn flexible miles even without spending a ton on travel. You also have the unique option to redeem miles for statement credits toward eligible past travel purchases.
Alternative: The Capital One Venture X may be more lucrative overall thanks to its practical perks and high-value annual credits.
Pros
According to Bankrate's valuations, each mile is worth on average 2 cents if redeemed through a Capital One transfer partner — great value for a flat-rate card.
You can take advantage of statement credits for valuable perks like expedited security screening, making the already-low annual fee easy to offset.
Cons
The welcome offer has a high spend requirement, so it may not be easy to attain.
Some competitors provide more eye-catching perks like annual hotel credits, account anniversary bonus points and ridesharing perks.
Unless you take advantage of Capital One’s transfer partners, your miles will only be worth 1 cent (or less, for non-travel redemptions). Other travel cards offer a higher point value if you redeem through the issuer’s portal.
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases. Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual fee
Regular APR
2X
Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases.
1.5X
Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
What we love: With qualifying account balances, Bank of America's Preferred Rewards® program can boost your rewards rates by 25 percent to 75 percent, and infrequent flyers can use their points for cash back without losing value. Plus, the up to $100 in annual airline incidental statement credits can help make up for the annual fee if you enjoy in-flight commodities.
Alternatives: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card may be a better alternative since you’ll get many of the same travel perks and protections for the same annual fee, but it has more valuable points.
Pros
The annual fee is easy to offset with statement credits for airline incidentals.
The current welcome offer could cover the cost of a quick trip, depending on the airline.
Cons
You won’t get a break on interest charges if you carry a balance since it doesn’t have intro APR offers on purchases or balance transfers.
To get the most out of this card, you need to have eligible savings or investment accounts with Bank of America or Merrill Lynch.
Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87-2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
No foreign transaction fees.
Low $95 annual fee.
This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries. 2x on all other travel purchases. 1x on all other purchases.
Annual fee
Regular APR
5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
3x
3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries.
2x
2x on all other travel purchases.
1x
1x on all other purchases.
What we love: Occasional travelers who value flexibility can enjoy this card’s excellent rewards on both travel and everyday spending, stellar travel protections and other lucrative benefits. It already delivers top-notch long-term value with its remarkable redemption options, perks and transfer partners. Plus, the hefty welcome offer makes the short-term rewards value exceptional as well.
Alternatives: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an option similar to the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Consider this alternative if its list of benefits and credits — some of which are missing on the Chase card — appeal to you.
Pros
Its annual hotel statement credits and anniversary points bonus can carry enough value to easily justify the annual fee.
Ultimate Rewards points are some of the most valuable rewards available and redeeming points for travel with Chase comes with a 25 percent value boost.
Cons
It doesn’t have flight-focused travel perks like airport lounge access or free checked bags.
The card's grocery rewards rate only applies to eligible online grocery purchases, which could limit its appeal as a standalone option for everyday rewards.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
Annual fee
Regular APR
5X
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
5X
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
What we love: This card’s perks, protections and credits eclipse those of competing travel cards, offering thousands in value and making it easy to justify its expensive annual fee. If you take advantage of its luxury travel and shopping benefits, this can be one of the best travel cards available.
Alternative: The Amex Platinum's perks may not be a great fit for some cardholders. The Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X may offer more practical perks at a lower cost.
Pros
You could earn perhaps the most valuable welcome offer currently available when applying for the Amex Platinum through CardMatch: 150,000 points after spending $8,000 on purchases within the first six months.
Carries perhaps the most comprehensive lounge access, hotel privileges and travel benefits of any mainstream personal card.
Cons
Several annual credits and perks aren’t practical for many cardholders (like the Equinox and private jet program offers), which may make the $695 annual fee tough to offset.
The bonus category coverage is quite narrow, so you’ll have to lean on the extra perks for the bulk of your value.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
$200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
$240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
$155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
$200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
$200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
$300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
$189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
$100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans. Earn 1X points on other purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
3X
Earn unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans.
1X
Earn 1X points on other purchases
What we love: Thanks to its mix of practical everyday categories, the Autograph card makes for a solid low-maintenance rewards card. Commuters, families and road-trippers can squeeze a lot of value from its gas station, dining at a restaurant, transit and other bonus categories, making it easy to earn points even if you only travel occasionally.
Alternative: Despite its modest annual fee ($0 intro fee for the first year, then $95), the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express could be more rewarding thanks to its best-in-class cash back rate on U.S. supermarket purchases. It also features many of the same bonus categories as the Autograph card.
Pros
It's a great standalone card with everyday bonus categories (like restaurants and gas) coupled with harder-to-find extras like cell phone protection plans.
The introductory purchase APR could be a big help if you need to chip away at the cost of a trip or other large purchases over time.
Cons
Unlike some of the best travel cards, the Autograph card doesn’t let you transfer points to airline and hotel loyalty programs, so the value of your rewards may be limited.
Frequent travelers hoping for perks like airport lounge access or credits for expedited security will likely get more value out of another card.
Select "Apply Now" to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases.
$0 annual fee.
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter.
Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.
Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Annual fee
Regular APR
5 Miles
5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
1.25 Miles
1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
What we love: Although you only earn 1.25X miles on purchases other than Capital One Travel hotel and rental car bookings, its intro APR offer and transfer partners make it a great option for savings-minded travelers and rewards beginners alike.
Alternative: If you prioritize a card’s rewards rate over basic travel perks and transfer partners, consider the no-annual-fee Discover it® Miles card or the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card for a 1.5X reward rate on all purchases that can be redeemed for versatile travel purchase statement credits.
Pros
You can transfer miles to airline and hotel partners — a rare perk for a no-annual-fee travel card.
There’s a relatively lengthy intro APR period for purchase and balance transfer— uncommon for a travel mile card.
Cons
If you don’t plan on transferring rewards to Capital One’s travel partners, another travel rewards card may offer better point redemption value.
If you usually fly within the U.S., keep in mind that Capital One’s transfer partners don’t include any major domestic airlines or hotels outside the Wyndham brand.
$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
N/A
Intro offer
Intro offer is not available for this Wells Fargo credit card.
N/A
Offer valuation
Offer valuation is not available for this credit card.
1X Points - 3X Points
Rewards rate
3x points on dining 2x points on travel 1x points on other purchases Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year. When you make at least 5 posted transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you'll earn points on rent and qualifying net purchases.
Annual fee
Regular APR
3X Points
3x points on dining
2X Points
2x points on travel
1X Points
1x points on other purchases
1X Points
Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year. When you make at least 5 posted transactions in a statement period using your Bilt Mastercard, you'll earn points on rent and qualifying net purchases.
What we love: There’s simply no card like it — it’s the only card that lets you earn rewards and avoid fees when you pay rent. Plus, the card offers a long list of high-value travel partners, giving renters and aspiring homeowners tremendous rewards redemption potential toward travel, rent payments or home down payments.
Alternative: A no-annual-fee cash back card with everyday categories and additional redemption options, like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, could be better for everyday savings. You may also earn more rewards on your utilities and other household expenses with a flat-rate card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
It carries a solid set of perks for a no-annual-fee card, including travel and purchase protections and ongoing credits for Lyft.
If you are looking to build credit, this is one of the few cards that lets you earn rewards and build credit too.
Cons
Redemption options are limited, and you can’t opt for regular cash back. Your main options are redeeming to cover rent, a home down payment or travel.
You have to make at least five transactions with the card before rewards rates apply.
$0 Annual Fee.
Earn up to 1x points on rent payments without the transaction fee, up to 100,000 points each calendar year.
2x points on travel.
3x points on dining.
1x points on other purchases.
Earn points when you make 5 transactions that post each statement period.
When renting at a Bilt Alliance property, you can choose to have your rent payments automatically reported by Bilt to the three major credit bureaus each month; Experian™, TransUnion™, and Equifax™.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Annual fee
Regular APR
4X
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4X
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
3X
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
What we love: This premium card offers one of the best rewards rates you can get with a single card on both dining and U.S. supermarket purchases, plus stellar travel rewards value via its list of Amex transfer partners. It has a pricey annual fee, but traveling foodies might find the additional yearly credits on eligible dining, Uber and hotel purchases (through American Express Travel) valuable enough to nearly offset the $250 annual fee.
Alternative: For a higher annual fee, the Amex Platinum and the Chase Sapphire Reserve are smart picks if you’re itching for more than dining rewards since both offer better travel perks, rewards and protections. But the Capital One SavorOne or Chase Sapphire Preferred could be a better fit if you want excellent dining and grocery rewards for a more modest annual fee.
Pros
Transferring points to partner airline or hotel loyalty programs, which include popular brands like Delta and Hilton, can get you more value.
You can earn additional rewards by enrolling in Amex Offers.
Cons
You'll need to use the annual credits or transfer points for travel frequently to offset the annual fee.
Your points are worth much less if you redeem them to cover dining purchases or any travel purchases other than airfare (they’re often worth half as much or less).
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠. Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Annual fee
Regular APR
10x
Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠.
5x
Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Travel℠.
3x
Earn 3x points on other travel and dining.
1x
Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
What we love: Its travel and dining rewards are some of the most valuable we’ve found if you plan to take advantage of Chase’s card combinations, transfer partners, Ultimate Rewards redemption options. Fortunately, these rewards can go straight into your next trip rather than toward the annual fee, courtesy of first-class benefits like the $300 in annual travel credits, comprehensive travel insurance and airport perks.
Alternative: The Amex Platinum card provides even more annual credits and luxury privileges, including better airport lounge access. Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One Venture X may be more cost-effective and can help you earn rewards at a similar (or even higher) rate in their key categories.
Pros
The general travel category alone is quite comprehensive, and the first $300 you spend on these purchases is covered by annual travel credits.
It pairs incredibly well with other Chase rewards cards since you can pool points across multiple cards and boost your point value by 50 percent when you redeem for Chase Travel℠ bookings.
Cons
This card charges a steep $550 annual fee, which may be hard to upkeep if you aren’t planning to use perks other than the rewards and annual travel credits (like the Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership).
Its luxury travel perk roster isn’t as strong as that of some rival cards since it’s missing benefits like complimentary airline or hotel loyalty status.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
$300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
1X - 4X
Rewards rate
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap. Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card. 1X is earned for other purchases. **
Annual fee
Regular APR
4X
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
3X
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
1X
1X is earned for other purchases. **
What we love: It carries a terrific mix of bonus categories tailored to small-business owners, including everything from U.S. gas stations to computer software, so it could be a great standalone option if you’re focused on earning travel rewards more than enjoying lounge access and other luxury perks.
Alternative: The Capital One Venture X Business Rewards Credit Card offers much better travel perks, including an annual travel credit and anniversary bonus points that make it more than worth it. Its flat rewards rate means it’s also a better fit if you’re looking to keep things simple.
Pros
Earns bonus rewards in several key small-business spending categories, making it a versatile option as both a standalone and supplementary rewards card.
Offers a flexible spending limit via its Pay Over Time feature, which could help you free up cash flow or finance large business purchases.
Cons
You only earn 4X points on the first $150,000 you spend per year across two eligible spending categories, so you may leave rewards on the table if you have high expenses.
It’s missing perks like lounge access and airline or hotel elite status, which you can find on other business travel cards at a similar price level.
Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.*
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 categories where your business spends the most each billing cycle from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com using your Business Gold Card.
Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required.
Get $12.95 back in statement credits each month when you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card. $12.95 plus applicable taxes.
Your Card – Your Choice. Choose from Gold or Rose Gold.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Recommended Credit
Intro offer
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
1% - 5%
Rewards rate
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare) Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Annual fee
Regular APR
5%
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
2%
Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
1%
Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
What we love: Few cards offer such a high rewards rate on Amazon purchases, and perhaps no other card offers this year-round online shopping rate with no spending cap. The card is also surprisingly versatile for Amazon Prime members offline, raking in rewards on Chase Travel bookings and local commuting, as well as purchases at Whole Foods Market, restaurants and gas stations.
Alternative: If you want to earn rewards on groceries and online shopping without being stuck buying from Amazon.com or Whole Foods, consider the Blue Cash Everyday card. It offers a solid rewards rate on both U.S. online retail purchases and at U.S. supermarkets, making it a more flexible but still lucrative option.
Pros
The sign-up bonus is lower than other no-annual-fee rewards card bonuses, but you’ll earn it instantly on approval, with no spending requirement to worry about.
Unlocks exclusive pay-over-time financing on eligible Amazon purchases, giving you a chance to chip away at large expenses without stressing over interest charges (terms apply).
For a no-annual-fee general rewards card, Prime Visa offers significant travel benefits like no foreign transaction fees, lost luggage reimbursement and travel accident insurance.
Cons
It doesn’t carry a traditional intro APR, so you can’t finance non-Amazon purchases with a 0 percent APR.
An Amazon Prime membership runs $139 per year, so the bonus rates might be only worth it if you already are or plan to become a member.
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership
Earn unlimited 5% back on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
No annual credit card fee
No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Bankrate’s rewards value: 1.0 cents per point* (Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can receive boosted rates of up to 3.5X points on travel and dining, and 2.62X points on all other purchases)
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
1X Points on rent payments (up to a maximum 100,000 points per year) and other purchases
Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points. See Rewards and Benefits terms
(Bilt Rent Day doubles all rewards rates on the first day of each month for 2X points to 6X points on non-rent purchases, up to 10,000 points per 1st of the month)
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
4X points on restaurants, eligible delivery service and U.S. supermarket purchases (supermarket rate on up to $25,000 of purchases per year, then 1X points)
3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or via American Express Travel
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
10X points on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchases via Chase Travel℠, and on Lyft rides (Lyft offer through March 31, 2025)
5X points on air travel via Chase Travel℠
3X points on dining and other travel
50% increased redemption value toward travel through Chase Travel℠
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point* (Points on travel purchases only earned after the first $300, which is covered by the annual travel credit)
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
4X points on up to $150,000 per calendar year in your top two of six eligible categories (then 1X thereafter; only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count toward the $150,000 cap)
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
3X points on eligible dining, transit and travel purchases (including airfare, hotels, cruises, tours, car rentals, campgrounds, vacation rentals and travel purchases through third-party travel websites and the American Express Travel portal)
Bankrate’s rewards value: 2.0 cents per point*
$150
My GM Rewards® Mastercard®
GM payments and leases
7X points on eligible GM purchases
4X points on all other purchases
Baseline rewards value: 1 cent per point (toward eligible GM purchases)
$0
*The information about the My GM Rewards® Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Arewards credit card earns points, miles or cash back on eligible purchases you make with the card. You earn these rewards at a flat rate on all purchases or at a higher rate in specific bonus categories depending on the rewards card.
The issuer credits your account with your earnings, which you can redeem for statement credits, travel, gift cards or merchandise.
Cash back cards reward you with a percentage of your purchases, usually in the form of statement credit. Depending on the card, you may earn a fixed percentage back on all purchases or a set percentage on specific bonus categories. These are typically called flat-rate cash back cards and tiered or rotating bonus category cards respectively.
Aco-branded travel card offers boosted rewards on purchases with a specific airline or hotel, typically earning points or miles unique to that brand. This makes it less flexible than a general travel card.
General-purpose travel cards earn rewards that aren’t tied to a single airline or hotel brand. Some cards even let you transfer points or miles to a partner loyalty program.
Business rewards cards earn cash back, points or miles on common business expenses, like copier ink, advertising services or travel.
Based on the most recent J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, our expert Ted Rossman breaks down the data and how you should factor these trends into your credit card decision.
Weighing rewards value
A crucial part of choosing the right rewards card is understanding the value of a card’s earned rewards. Here’s a quick rundown of how reward rates and redemption values work.
Credit card rewards are usually earned as cash back, points or miles. This means you’ll get a certain number of points/miles or a certain percentage of your purchase back per dollar spent. For example: 1 percent cash back on $100 = $1 cash back. And 1X points or miles on $100 = 100 points or miles back.
This means you’ll get a certain number of points/miles or a certain percentage of your purchase back per dollar spent. For example: 1 percent cash back on $100 = $1 cash back. And 1X points or miles on $100 = 100 points or miles back.
A card’s reward rate depends on its card type. Flat-rate cards typically earn 1.5 percent to 2 percent rewards. Tiered category cards earn anywhere from 2 percent to 6 percent rewards. Rotating category cards often earn 5 percent rewards on categories that change each quarter.
Some reward cards have spending caps, meaning the reward rate drops down to 1 percent rewards after you spend a certain amount in a select category within a timeframe. This is often up to $1,500 per quarter or up to $6,000 per year.
Reward redemption options differ by card, but often include cash back, travel bookings, gift cards and merchandise through the issuer portal.
Travel redemptions are often the most valuable option, but require the most work. You can redeem points or miles through the issuer travel portal for airfare, hotel stays, travel experiences or rental cars. Some issuers allow you to transfer your points or miles to travel partners, which can boost your reward value even further. But points or miles redeemed on cash back are usually worth less than 1 cent per point or mile.
Cash back redemption values are straightforward and usually worth 1 cent back per dollar spent. You can often choose to receive this as a statement credit or direct deposit to a linked checking or savings account.
To find out if a rewards card is worth it for you, you’ll need to do some quick math. The easiest way to calculate the value of your rewards points is to divide the cash value of what you’re redeeming your points for by the number of points required to redeem it. (Example: $700 plane ticket / 70,000 points needed = 1 cent point value)
To make it easier to gauge the right rewards card for the job, we’ve already crunched the numbers for you. Our up-to-date list of point and mile values gives you a sense of how much the most popular airline and hotel rewards are worth on average.
Looking for a particular type of rewards credit card?
A rewards card can be a great way to save on purchases but there are some downsides if you’re not careful. If you're wondering whether rewards credit cards are worth it, here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind:
Pros
Rewards: You can save money by earning rewards on purchases.
Sign-up bonuses/intro APRs: You can take advantage of a generous sign-up bonus or intro APRs kickstart your rewards or help pay down purchases or a previous balance.
Perks: Many cards feature handy benefits, like travel savings and purchase protections.
Cons
Rewards caps: Some cards limit the earnable rewards, which could reduce the card’s value if your spending far exceeds the cap.
High APRs: Cards’ high APRs can cancel out any rewards you may earn.
Annual fees: Unless you maximize your reward earnings or card perks, it may be hard to outweigh the cost of some cards’ annual fees.
Expert advice for rewards cards
Once you have your card in hand, you can put it to work by maximizing its rewards. Here’s some advice from the Bankrate experts on how to put your rewards card to best use.
Maximizing your card value
Here are some quick tips to help you squeeze out as much value as possible from your rewards card.
Optimize your rewards spending and redemption
Concentrate your spending on categories that earn higher rewards and track your spending to see if you’re missing out on any reward opportunities. Then, always redeem your rewards for the option that offers maximum value.
You may need to shift your credit card strategy depending on lifestyle changes. For instance, credit card rewards can help minimize inflation costs on groceries, dining and other major expenses. Or if you’re back at the office, a card that rewards gas purchases, travel or transit may fit your budget better.
Earn your sign-up bonus
Make a plan to meet the spending requirement without overspending and redeem your bonus through the optimal redemption method.
Use your extra benefits
Make a plan to meet the spending requirement without overspending and redeem your bonus through the optimal redemption method.
Leverage your extra benefits
Make sure you can offset your annual fee via your typical rewards spending. Better yet, do so with your card’s annual credits and perks without relying on your rewards. If you can barely cover the fee or fall short, you may want to downgrade to a no-annual-fee card. Big spenders in the same position may want to upgrade to a premium card for more valuable perks.
Double up on cards to earn more
You can rake in more rewards by pairing a card that rewards your highest spending category with a supporting flat-rate card. This cornerstone strategy ensures you earn rewards on as many purchases as possible, including those that fall outside of typical categories.
These four-digit codes classify where purchases fall into your card’s bonus categories. Knowing your card network’s MCCs allows you to see whether you need to change your shopping habits, which card is better for which expense and how you may be able to snag unexpected rewards.
Carrying a balance leads to interest charges, which will eat through any rewards you’ve earned. Set up autopay and pay that month’s statement balance in full to avoid interest.
Tips for choosing the best rewards card for you
Navigating all the rewards card options available can be difficult. Here are some tips and insights from Bankrate writer Garrett Yarbrough about his own reward card journey that can help you decide which rewards card would fit you best.
Figure out where you spend the most each month. Once you know your major monthly categories, you match your spending with a fitting rewards card. “My biggest expenses tend to be everyday purchases like groceries, gas and dining. I love to cook, too, so I’d probably lean on a grocery rewards card more than one with a restaurant category,” explains Yarbrough. “On paper, my spending habits meant a card with a high rewards rate at grocery stores would be helpful. But in practice, I’d likely rack up more rewards with a flat-rate card.”
Look at the card's fees. APR and foreign transaction fees are worth keeping an eye on, but the annual fee is the most important. You'll need to decide whether the card’s benefits and potential rewards can help offset the yearly cost. This was less an issue for Garrett: “APRs weren’t a huge concern since I already had a low-interest card from my credit union and I avoid carrying a balance, so I focused on rewards.”
Consider intro APR offers or sign-up bonuses. Many rewards cards offer sign-up bonus rewards and a zero-percent introductory APR on balance transfers and/or new purchases.
Factor in perks that are valuable to you. Perks that come with a card can play a key role in determining its overall value, especially if the perks can help offset the annual fee. “Knowing I wanted a future-proof, flat-rate rewards card with diverse redemption options and plenty of pairing opportunities helped me quickly narrow my search to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®,” Yarbrough notes.
Determine how you’d like to redeem your rewards. Cash back cards are generally easiest if you want to put your rewards back into your everyday spending. If you don’t mind strategizing, you could earn more valuable points with a travel rewards card, something Garrett prioritized in his choice. “Down the road, I can even boost the value of the Freedom Unlimited card’s rewards by adding the Chase Sapphire Preferred to my wallet and redeeming points for travel,” he says. “I can also bridge any gaps with the categories from a card like the Capital One SavorOne or Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. Until then, the Freedom Unlimited gives me a stellar foundation on which to build my rewards strategy.”
Bankrate regularly dips into social media to see what big rewards card topics are getting people talking. So what’s on consumers' minds as we head into 2024?
One of the more popular, newer discussions is over the Credit Card Competition Act, a proposed legislation that could potentially damage credit card rewards programs. The fear: if card issuers ultimately make less income on interchange fees, they’ll reduce consumer card reward opportunities to make up the difference. One Reddit user doesn’t have high hopes:
“They did push exactly this measure through a decade ago for debit cards; now the same guy is pushing the same law for credit cards. Optimistic to bet against him, I fear.”*
User comments from financial Youtuber ClearValue Tax’s videos on the topic hold a similar sentiment:
“Rewards is a HUGE reason I use credit cards other than to build credit. If this happens I would go down to having 1 credit card instead of managing 6 for maximum rewards.”*
A piece of legislation like the Credit Card Competition Act could cripple credit card rewards as we know them. We’ll know more about this piece of legislation and whether it has a chance of passing unchanged in 2024.
Other than that, it’s business as usual over on other sites like the credit cards subreddit, Flyertalk and Tiktok. Users are mainly talking about the typical point-chasing topics like best rewards program and card combinations. Some things never change — if we’re lucky.
*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.
Check Out
Underrated ways to earn credit card rewards
How we assess the best rewards credit cards
150+
cards rated
50+
rewards programs valued
1800
data points analyzed
40+
perks evaluated
When evaluating the best rewards cards, we consider a mix of factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether cards offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards in popular categories to scoring a large sign-up bonus or high-value perks. Whenever possible, we also feature cards that are available at various credit levels and price points.
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular cards and scored each based on its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup of the best rewards cards.
Here are some of the key factors that we considered:
The primary criteria for a rewards-earning card’s rating is its rewards value. This includes the card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.
To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we first calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories and how closely its categories align with the average person’s spending habits.
The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2022 was $72,967 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $22,500.
Some of the major spending categories that contribute towards the annual spend include:
Groceries: $5,700
Dining out: $3,600
Entertainment: $2,400
Gas: $3,100
Apparel and services: $1,900
Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 22 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries. We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various issuer, airline and hotel rewards programs.
This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases — as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value
With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other rewards cards.
The better these values, the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.
We also score cards based on how much it costs to keep them in your wallet or carry a balance.
To start, each card is scored based on whether it offers an intro APR and how its ongoing APR compares to the rates available on other rewards cards. However, the latter rating only has a slight influence on the card’s score and whether the card is included in our list, since rewards card users generally try to avoid carrying a balance.
More important to both a card’s score and its inclusion in our list is how its annual fee influences its overall value. We consider a card’s annual fee in two ways — how it ranks relative to the fees you’ll find on other cards in the category and how it impacts a card’s overall rewards value.
Cards with an annual fee will always be at a slight disadvantage in our scoring system since annual fees inherently cut into your rewards value. However, if a card offers terrific value via its ongoing rewards and perks, it can earn a high score and a spot in our list even if it carries a high annual fee. After all, the highest rewards rates and most valuable perks are often found on cards with annual fees.
With this in mind, we rate a card based primarily on how its ongoing rewards value and ongoing perk value (such as annual credits or bonuses) stack up against those of other cards in the category when you subtract annual fees.
That said, we strive to include as many no-annual-fee options in our list as possible since many people would rather not worry about offsetting fees, even if a card carries impressive rewards and perks.
Rewards cards may make it easy to earn a lot of points, miles or cash back, but how easy is it to use those rewards? After all, if it takes a ton of effort to redeem rewards or you can only redeem rewards in a couple of ways, a card may be more trouble than it’s worth.
As such, we rate each card’s flexibility based on the restrictions it imposes on earning and redeeming rewards. We factor this rating into a card’s overall score and consider it when deciding on a card’s inclusion in our list.
Flexibility factors include whether a card only allows you to earn a high rewards rate on only a small amount of spending or requires you to meet a certain earning threshold before you can redeem rewards. We also examine whether your points are worth less when you opt for some redemption options over others and whether a card gives you the flexibility to transfer rewards to travel partners.
We also score each card’s set of features – its perks and benefits — against five tiers of features to provide a rating.
We break down these tiers as follows:
Tier 1 includes fewer features than even standard credit cards (for example, an ultra-streamlined card that offers basic utility and next to nothing in the way of ancillary benefits).
Tier 2 includes the benefits you’d expect on standard Visa or Mastercard credit cards, such as free access to your credit score, car rental insurance and $0 liability for fraudulent charges.
Tier 3 includes “prime card” or better-than-average card features like cellphone insurance, lost luggage insurance, concierge services and purchase protection.
Tier 4 includes luxury features such as airport lounge access, elite status with an airline or hotel and credits for expedited security screening membership programs.
Tier 5 includes the sort of exemplary benefits you’ll find on top-tier luxury cards, such as high-value travel credits, cardholder memberships and other unique and valuable perks.
In evaluating the best cards, we tend to favor cards that offer at least Tier 3 benefits, unless they include other unique features that could make up for less-impressive perks.
Have more questions for our credit card editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Frequently asked questions about rewards credit cards
Typically, credit card rewards don’t expire for the life of your account. That means your rewards won’t expire as long as you keep your account open and in good standing.
However, make sure to read your rewards program’s terms and conditions carefully since this isn’t guaranteed for all cards.
Generally, rewards are not considered taxable since the IRS considers the rewards to be a form of rebate on the purchase. Though uncommon, under certain circumstances, rewards may be taxable. Make sure to look at the credit card’s terms to see the conditions of how you can receive and redeem bonus rewards.
You typically need good to excellent credit (FICO score 670 and higher) to qualify for a competitive rewards card. Premium travel cards might require an excellent credit score (FICO score of 800 and above). You can also find rewards cards for people with fair credit, but the rewards and perks might be limited.
Learn more about rewards credit cards
How to score a rewards card without good credit
Should I get a travel credit card that earns points, miles or both
The pros and cons of travel credit cards
What happens to your retail credit card when a store closes?
Traveler’s guide to the best frequent flyer programs
Ask the experts: What's your go-to method for maximizing credit card rewards?
As someone who travels a lot, I focus on travel rewards, mostly hotel accommodations, with no hotel brand affinity. I use an online discount travel site’s branded card, using promo codes at the point of sale. I earn the most points on travel booked through the site, and I also get a bonus on points I’ve redeemed toward past travel purchases. The points can also be used to purchase trips on the site, and points are earned on those purchases as well. I also use the Upromise.com browser extension that lets you know when you can earn an additional 5 percent cash back shopping online that goes automatically into a 529 college savings account.
Most people focus their credit card strategy on how to earn the most points possible and then later think about what they might be able to redeem them for. I think this is backwards. I like to start by knowing what reward I’m working toward, then reverse engineer my earning strategy. I’m not just earning points — I’m earning the right points, and I know I’m going to be able to put them into use! This is much more motivating.
I spend naturally, but use my credit cards for almost every expense. I don't look at how many rewards I have earned monthly because I like being surprised by how many I have to redeem.
We use primary sources to support our work. Bankrate’s authors, reporters and editors are subject-matter experts who thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate, timely and relevant.
Bankrate expert Garrett Yarbrough strives to make navigating credit cards and credit building smooth sailing for his readers. After regularly featuring his credit card,…
Nouri Zarrugh is a writer and editor for CreditCards.com and Bankrate, focusing on product news, guides and reviews. His areas of expertise include credit card strategy, rewards…
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
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