Whether you are new to building your credit profile or well on your way to a higher credit score, it’s never a bad time to consider ways to leverage your responsible credit use. Your good credit behavior can make way for things like better terms with the card issuer, credit card rewards, perks and more. Although most people know how credit card companies penalize people for using their credit cards irresponsibly, not many people know about credit cards that reward responsible cardholders.

If you’d like to know more about cards that reward you for being a conscientious credit user, then here’s some information to get you started.

How to use a credit card responsibly

Many factors go into using credit cards responsibly. The main thing you’ll want to do is pay your monthly bill on time and as agreed. Late payments can be very harmful to your credit score and alert your card issuer that you are a credit risk. There are other things you can do to signal that you are a responsible credit card user:

Understand your credit card terms

Once you get a card, be sure you understand its terms and conditions. Responsible credit card use may look different based on the specific issuer and credit card that you have.

Pay your balance off in full each month

If possible, pay off your balance each month. Not only can it indicate responsible credit usage, but it can also help you avoid paying interest charges.

Keep your credit utilization ratio low

Your credit utilization ratio is how big of a balance you carry relative to your credit limit, and it accounts for 30 percent of your FICO credit score. This ratio is calculated across all of your credit lines (in addition to individual cards), so keeping your balances low on as many cards as you can keep the overall number low.

Make use of credit card rewards, perks and benefits

If you’ve got a card that offers any of these things, use them to your advantage. You could get discounts, save money or earn cash back and rewards.

The best credit cards that reward responsible card use

Chase Slate Edge℠: Best for credit building incentives

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: N/A
  • Welcome offer: N/A
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Purchase intro APR: 0 percent for 18 months
  • Balance transfer intro APR: 0 percent for 18 months
  • Regular APR: 16.49 percent to 25.24 percent variable

The Slate Edge is a rebooted version of the Chase Slate card, and it’s come back with a pretty neat feature: the ability to reduce your card’s APR with responsible use. You can lower your APR by 2 percent each year by paying on time and spending $1,000 with your card before your next account anniversary.

Other notable features include a purchase and balance transfer intro APR of 0 percent for 18 months. After the first 18 months, a 16.49 percent to 25.24 percent variable APR applies.

Citi® Double Cash Card: Best for up to 2% back

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: Unlimited 1 percent as you buy, plus another 1 percent when you pay for your purchases
  • Welcome offer: For a limited time, earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Purchase intro APR: None
  • Balance transfer intro APR: 0 percent introductory APR for 18 months
  • Regular APR: 16.24% – 26.24% variable

This Citi Double Cash Card offers one of the higher rates for unlimited cash back cards, but the cash back is based in part on when you pay down your balance. You’ll get 1 percent back on purchases made on your card and another 1 percent back when you pay them off.

In addition, there’s a lengthy balance transfer intro APR offer, which can help if you need to pay down high-interest debt from another card.

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card: Best for longest intro APR offer

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: N/A
  • Welcome offer: N/A
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Purchase intro APR: 0 percent for up to 21 months from account opening. Intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases. Intro APR extension for 3 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro period.
  • Balance transfer intro APR: 0 percent for up to 21 months from account opening. Intro APR for 18 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers. Intro APR extension for 3 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro period.
  • Regular APR: 15.24 percent to 27.24 percent (variable)

The Wells Fargo Reflect card offers an initial intro APR offer for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers of 18 months from account opening. However, the issuer will extend the intro APR period by three months if you make on-time minimum payments during the intro period.

Although there isn’t much in the way of a welcome bonus or rewards, there are some additional perks to owning this card, including cellphone protection against damage or theft of up to $600, minus the $25 deductible. To take advantage of this protection, you’ll need to pay your monthly cellphone bill with your Wells Fargo Reflect card. You’ll get this coverage and access to My Wells Fargo Deals to earn cash rewards in the form of account credits—all with no annual fee.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for fair credit rewards

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: Unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases
  • Welcome offer: N/A
  • Annual fee: $39
  • Regular APR: 26.99 percent variable

The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards card is available for those with fair credit looking to build their credit profile. Once you are approved for the card and make on-time payments, you are automatically considered for a higher line of credit in as few as six months. In addition to potentially improving your credit score with this card, you can also earn an unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on all your purchases.

Once you show Capital One that you are capable of paying your bills on time, maintaining a decent credit utilization ratio and boosting your credit score, you may be able to upgrade your QuicksilverOne card to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which offers the same rewards rate for no annual fee.

Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best secured card with rewards

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: 2 percent cash back on gas stations and restaurant purchases, up to $1,000 in combined spend per quarter; 1 percent cash back on all other purchases
  • Welcome offer: Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Regular APR: 24.49% variable

The Discover it Secured credit card is one of a few secured credit cards that offer rewards. You can earn 2 percent cash back on gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined spending per quarter and 1 percent on everything else. Also, Discover will match dollar-for-dollar all those rewards at the end of the first year.

Cardholders must put down a refundable security deposit between $200 and $2,500, which becomes the credit limit. After seven months, Discover will automatically review your account and let you know if you qualify to graduate to an unsecured credit card.

*Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa: Best for installment payment options

Quick highlights

  • Rewards rate: Earn 3 percent cash back on qualifying categories for home, auto and health; 1 percent on everything else
  • Welcome offer: None
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Regular APR: 8.99 percent to 29.99 percent

The Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa operates like a credit card with the option to convert your credit line into a personal loan-like product. You can earn cash back on a broad selection of bonus categories, then collect cash back rewards when you pay eligible purchases back.

Plus, if you pay down the balance of the card each month, you’ll pay no interest on your purchases at all. If you maintain a balance on the card, it will be split up into an installment payment plan payable over 24 to 60 months at the applicable interest rate.

The bottom line

If you are looking to improve your credit card while being rewarded for your credit-building accomplishments, there are cards out there for you. Whether it’s an increased credit limit, lower interest rate, rewards or other helpful credit card features, you should take advantage of every benefit available for using your credit cards responsibly.

*The information about the Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.