Best Credit Cards of October 2023

Not only is this card’s flat rewards rate a step up from many competitors’, but it’s also one of the only 2 percent cash rewards cards to include a welcome offer and an intro APR offer on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers.

Read our full Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review.

If your spending is varied and you don’t mind a little legwork, this classic cash back card could prove quite lucrative. On top of a diverse list of rotating 5 percent cash back bonus categories (on up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter, enrollment required, then 1 percent), cardholders enjoy a cash back match at the end of their first year. 
 
 Read our full Discover it® Cash Back review.

This card has the potential to provide great short- and long-term value. It comes with a lengthy intro APR offer on balance transfers that can help you pay off past debt. It also has one of the best rewards programs available, offering high bonus rewards in rotating categories. 
 Read our full Discover it® Balance Transfer card review

This card offers one of the longest intro APR offers on the market, so it should be a terrific fit if you're looking to get as much breathing room as possible while you chip away at high-interest debt or pay off new purchases.

Read our full Wells Fargo Reflect Card review.

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card is a great starter card for budding travelers, as it has no annual fee, a simple rewards structure and standard travel and purchase protections for whenever you’re on the go.

This no-annual-fee alternative to the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a still-competitive unlimited 3 percent cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®).

Read our full Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

For a modest annual fee, this card packs in a ton of value — especially if you pair it with other Chase rewards cards or redeem for travel though the Chase portal. Along with its terrific bonus, the card carries excellent everyday rewards rates for non-travel categories that should help you earn plenty of points.
 
Read our full Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.

The Capital One Quicksilver Card is one of the most straightforward cash back rewards cards on the market, offering at least 1.5 percent on every purchase with no rotating bonus categories or complex rewards program to keep up with. Consider this card if you’re learning the ropes and want a set-it-and-forget-it cash back rewards credit card.

Read our full Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

This card not only carries one of the best ongoing rewards rates out there on everyday travel purchases, including at gas stations and on transit, but also covers a range of other popular categories like restaurants, airfare and hotels. It’s tough to earn bonus points in that many categories with a single card, making this a great choice as a standalone rewards card.

Read our full Wells Fargo Autograph Card review.

If you’re a frequent traveler wanting to strike the balance between top notch rewards, the most useful benefits and affordability, you may find your match with the Capital One Venture X. The annual statement credits significantly offset the annual fee and boosted flat-rate reward offerings let you earn big in various spending categories.

Read our full Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review.

This card offers frequent travelers a ton of flexibility. Along with earning rewards at a terrific flat rate on general purchases, it lets you redeem miles to cover outside travel purchases made in the last 90 days or transfer miles to an array of hotel and airline partners, potentially at a higher redemption value. 
Read our full Capital One Venture review. 

It carries one of the best welcome offers out there for a business card with no annual fee, as well as rewards in several popular business spending categories like office supply stores and internet, cable and phone services. You’ll also get an intro APR offer on new purchases, giving you a chance to chip away at large expenses or free up cash flow in your first year.

Read our full Ink Business Cash card review

Chase’s latest business card frees small-business owners from having to worry about spending caps or a variety of bonus categories that need to be tracked. For maximum value, make sure you can take advantage of the card’s top-of-the-line flat rate of 2.5 percent cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more. Read our full Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card review

Southwest loyalists looking for their first airline card may find this card ticks most of the right boxes. It has a solid sign-up bonus and a decent mix of rewards categories that can help you earn miles toward your next flight while paying for monthly expenses.
Read our full Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card review.

This card shines thanks to its  companion fare perk, which lets you book an Alaska Airlines ticket for a travel companion at a steep discount after you spend $6,000 or more within the prior anniversary year. Most airline companion pass perks carry a much steeper spending requirement.
Read our full Alaska Airlines Visa credit card review.

This card is easy to keep in your wallet since it doesn’t have an annual fee but still earns rewards at a  boosted rate in popular everyday spending categories. Plus, it comes with automatic Silver Elite status, fast-tracking your way to higher status tiers. 
Read our full Hilton Honors Amex card review.

If you’re a frequent traveler looking for top-tier perks, this card may be worth the price of admission. It boasts an unrivaled set of cardmember benefits, including wide-reaching lounge access and credits for expedited security screening, airline incidentals, Uber, digital entertainment and much more.

This card is a terrific fit for foodies of all stripes thanks to its high rewards rate at both restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets, two practical everyday categories that should make it easy to rack up travel rewards. Plus, Amex points are among the most valuable rewards out there, especially if you transfer to the right airline partner.