How Bankrate credit card reviews are scored
At Bankrate, each credit card score is determined by our team of writers, editors and industry analysts. Cards are assigned a score between 0 and 5 to measure their overall quality.
4.5 or higher: Outstanding
3.5 to 4.5: Excellent
3 to 3.5: Good
3 and under: Average
Each card's score is based on the following features: rewards profile, perks, annual fee, introductory offers, variable APR and foreign transaction fee.
We score each card within the context of the primary category they are assigned (Rewards, Travel, Balance Transfer, and so on). Each card is measured against similar cards in the same category. Depending on the category, some features are more important than others. This is why 0% intro APR offers matter more in the balance transfer category than they do in the cash back category, as an example.