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Best Visa credit cards for September 2023

Updated September 28, 2023

Millions of people worldwide own credit cards that use Visa's state-of-the-art electronic payment network. While it doesn’t directly issue its own cards, Visa partners with other credit card issuers like Chase and Bank of America to offer the best Visa credit cards throughout the world. Whether you’re looking for a cash back card for everyday spending or a travel rewards card to use on your next vacation, you've got plenty of options with Visa. Check out Bankrate's picks for the best Visa cards of 2023 from our credit card partners.

Image of Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for large sign-up bonus

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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on Chase's secure site
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

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Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
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chance of approval
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Image of Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Best for luxury travel perks

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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on Chase's secure site
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0 Bankrate review
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Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Excellent (740 – 850)
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chance of approval
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Image of Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

Best for low cost and low interest

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

Apply now Lock
on Upgrade's secure site
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Fair to Good (580 – 740)
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Image of Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa®

Best for fair credit scores

Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa®

Apply now Lock
on Credit One Bank's secure site
Rating: 3.8 stars out of 5
3.8 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

N/A

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Fair to Good (580 – 740)
Info
Image of Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Best for travel rewards on everyday spending

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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Apply now Lock
on Capital One's secure site
Rating: 4.9 stars out of 5
4.9 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
chance of approval
Info
Info
Image of Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Best for Bank of America loyalists and occasional travelers

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Apply now Lock
on Bank of America's secure site
Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info

Compare Bankrate's top Visa credit cards of September 2023

Card name Best for Bankrate review score
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Sign-up bonus 5.0 / 5
(Read full card review)
Chase Sapphire Reserve Luxury travel perks 5.0 / 5
(Read full card review)
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® Low-cost and low-interest spending 4.2 / 5
(Read full card review)
Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa® Fair credit scores 3.8 / 5
(Read full card review)
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Travel rewards on everyday spending 4.9 / 5
(Read full card review)
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card Flexible cash back rewards 3.2 / 5
(Read full card review)
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card Bank of America loyalists and occasional travelers 4.1 / 5
(Read full card review)
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card No annual fee travel rewards 4.1 / 5
(Read full card review)
Chase Freedom Unlimited Flexible redemption options 5.0 / 5
(Read full card review)

A closer look at the best Visa credit cards

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Best for sign-up bonus

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Its rewards rates make it a great fit for travelers and foodies alike. Plus, your points are worth 25 percent more when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

People new to the world of travel credit cards. Cardholders will earn flexible travel points that are easy to earn if you dine out and travel and are simple to redeem. The card is also a great choice for those who want to dip into the Chase trifecta, the Chase card engine that can maximize your reward earnings and value. 

If you want to earn rewards in more categories, a decent choice for travelers is the Citi Premier® Card, a mid-level travel card. The Sapphire Preferred has a slightly lower APR and earns rewards at a higher rate than the Citi Premier. Still, Citi Premier cardholders will earn competitive rewards rates at gas stations, restaurants and  air travel purchases. 

Read our full Chase Sapphire Preferred review or jump back to offer details.

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Best for luxury travel perks

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Perks like complimentary lounge access and annual travel credits that can easily offset its high annual fee.

Travelers who want best-in-class luxury travel perks and don’t mind paying for them. This card is also a great choice for Chase trifecta enthusiasts who want to maximize their Ultimate Rewards point value. 

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a good alternative if the Sapphire Reserve’s annual fee gives you pause. The Capital One Venture X Rewards card has a lower annual fee and carries many of the same luxury perks as the Sapphire Reserve.

Read our full Chase Sapphire Reserve review or jump back to offer details.

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Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

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Cardholders have a good chance at a lower APR, which makes carrying a balance less expensive.

People with average credit working toward good or excellent credit can benefit from this unique blend of a credit card and personal loan.

If you still want a card with a potentially low APR, consider the Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card, (issued by WebBank). The lower end of the Petal 2’s APR is slightly higher than the Upgrade Visa’s, but the Petal 2 also tacks on the potential to earn rewards — a rare perk for credit-builder cards. 

Read our full Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® Review or jump back to offer details.

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Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa®

Best for fair credit scores

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This card is one of the few for people with average credit that earns rewards at such a high rate.

People with fair credit who still want to earn rewards in popular everyday spending categories.

If you want to earn rewards, but are hesitant to shell out $95 for an annual fee, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a solid alternative. The rewards aren’t quite as lucrative, but cardholders will still earn a respectable 1.5 percent cash back on all their purchases.

Read our full Credit One Bank Platinum X5 Visa review or jump back to offer details.

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Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Best for travel rewards on everyday spending

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Its high and unlimited flat rewards rate on all purchases, plus its boosted rates on hotel and rental cars booked through the issuer’s travel portal.

Mid-level travelers who want higher rewards rates than basic travel cards, but don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars for an annual fee.

If you want to stick with a Capital One card and earn similarly lucrative rewards — without shelling out an annual fee — consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

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Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Best for Bank of America loyalists and occasional travelers

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 The broad definition of travel purchases means that cardholders can earn travel rewards at amusement parks, zoos, campgrounds and more.

This card is great for Bank of America customers who want to earn travel rewards with road trips and attractions, not just getaway trips overseas.

If you don’t mind taking on a small annual fee, the Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card offers cardholders a bit more when it comes to unlimited rewards earnings. You’ll double your sign-up bonus with a slightly larger required spend, and the card still caters to Bank of America loyalists who can qualify for the boosted rates that come with the Preferred Rewards program.

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U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

Best for flexible cash back rewards

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The customizable rewards structure gives cardholders the opportunity to maximize their cash back earnings by adjusting their highest rate rewards categories as needed.  

Serious budgeters who want to earn the maximum rewards for their spending. If you have the time to track your spending diligently, this card can be lucrative.

The Citi® Double Cash Card  provides a solid alternative if you prefer to earn rewards the simple way. Citi Double Cash cardholders get 1 percent back when they buy and 1 percent when they pay, which encourages people to keep up with their credit card bill. 

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Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Best for no annual fee travel rewards

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You’ll still earn a competitive rewards rate on all purchases with this card while skipping the annual fee. 

Travel beginners who may not travel enough to justify an annual fee for more abundant perks and benefits, but who still want to earn towards travel on everyday spending. 

Another lucrative travel rewards card that skips the annual fee and could be easy to manage for travel beginners is the Discover it® Miles. This card also includes Discover’s popular mile-for-mile cash back match program as a first-year welcome bonus, along with a generous intro APR offer.

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Chase Freedom Unlimited®

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This card offers a rare combination of  solid cash back rates on travel, restaurant and drugstore purchases, but also a boosted flat rate on all other purchases. That makes it especially valuable and flexible as a standalone rewards card.

Travelers who dine out often or shop frequently at drugstores and are looking for a flexible, low-cost rewards card that lets them redeem for both travel and cash back without sacrificing point value.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is a great option if you need a card that earns rewards on groceries. The card earns high rates of cash back at U.S. supermarkets, and while it charges an annual fee, this cost should be easy to offset via everyday spending.

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Bankrate Insight

U.S Costco warehouse locations and U.S Costco gas stations exclusively accept Visa cards.

What is Visa?

Visa is a payment network utilized by many credit card issuers and banks. Payment networks are needed to facilitate an electronic transaction of funds between buyers and sellers, and they generally charge a small fee for each transaction.

While Visa technically acts as the facilitator for all payments made with a Visa credit card, it is not a credit card issuer or bank. It simply provides the payment network technology that credit card issuers and banks use for all cards.

Visa is at the top of the payment processing industry as the largest of the four major U.S. credit card networks. If you have a debit, credit or prepaid card in your wallet, there's a good chance that the card is partnered with Visa.

With over 1 billion credit cards in circulation worldwide (an estimated 798 million outside the U.S.), Visa's international presence is undeniable. Their cards are accepted in over 200 countries and can be used with over 10 million merchants in the United States. In 2022, Visa's worldwide credit payments totaled over $2 trillion, according to Bankrate.com Market Share Statistics.

Pros and cons of Visa credit cards

Pros

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    Worldwide acceptance. Visa cards are accepted in over 200 countries and territories, making it one of the most widely accepted payment networks in the world.

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    Travel benefits. The Visa benefit tiers feature an array of travel-related perks ranging from roadside dispatch at the lowest tier to lost luggage reimbursement at the highest tier.

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    Straightforward benefit tiers. There are three Visa benefit tiers: Traditional, Signature, and Infinite. Having only three tiers can make understanding benefits a bit easier, though you’ll have to carefully review the specific benefits that come with your card.

Cons

  • High annual fees on certain cards. Visa cards can come with annual fees ranging from $35 to over $500. There are also plenty of Visa cards that do not charge an annual fee, though the reward offers on these cards may not be as luxurious.

  • More focus on travel protection, less on discounts/experience. Competitors like Mastercard feature travel experience benefits like airport concierge service, a feature that isn’t offered at Visa Signature or Infinite tiers.

How to choose the best Visa credit card for you

Choosing a Visa credit card is the same as choosing the best card for you from any credit card network. You should find the one that suits your overall financial situation best. 

Review your credit score

Your credit score is what determines which credit cards you can realistically apply for and obtain. Generally speaking, the most lucrative and valuable Visa cards are gated behind a good credit score (FICO score of 670) or higher. If you’re new to credit or you have a history of poor credit, you may want to consider a Visa card with more lax credit requirements. 

Identify your financial goals

Visa credit cards can help you accomplish a variety of tasks, such as earning rewards or transferring your existing debt to a single account with a lower APR. You can determine which type of Visa credit card can best help you achieve your goals by reviewing your spending habits as well as any financial goals you have lined up for the future. 

Zero in on your favorite features

Once you have a type of Visa card in your sights, it’s time to dig into the nitty-gritty of the card features that most appeal to you. For example, do you want a rewards card that features a robust rewards program with travel partners? Or do you prefer the simplicity of a card that automatically adjusts your cash back rate to your largest spending category? 

Visa offers some exclusive features of its own through the Visa Signature status. These perks include access to the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and Visa Concierge services. However, which of these features you receive on a card is ultimately up to the issuer. 

Take a closer look at the rates and fees 

Before you hit the apply button on your desired Visa card, make sure to carefully review the card rates and fees. Some of the most common credit card fees to watch for include annual fees, late payment fees, foreign transaction fees and balance transfer fees. And while you should strive to avoid carrying a balance, you’ll want a low ongoing APR if you intend on occasionally doing so. 

Who should get a Visa card?

The key to picking a credit card is finding one that aligns with your financial needs and spending habits. Visa is a large network and partners with credit card issuers on many different types of cards, including rewards cards, credit-building cards, balance transfer cards and more.

Choosing the best Visa credit card means deciding what you want from a card in general. Of the many cards in the Visa network, one should fit your needs.

Still unsure if a Visa credit card is right for you? Check out our CardMatch tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations and prequalification offers based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

What are Visa's benefit tiers?

All Visa cards fall under one of three benefit tiers: Traditional, Signature and Infinite. Each card tier differs in the level of protections and benefits offered, but the exact benefits that come with your card will be determined by your card issuer.

It’s worth checking the terms and conditions of your Visa card to see what protections and benefits it covers. While Visa designates benefit tiers and includes a list of perks available in each tier, not every card issuer offers those benefits. For instance, you may carry a Visa Signature card, but whether that card comes with all Visa Signature benefits will be at the discretion of your card issuer — not Visa.

Are Visa credit cards worth it?

Absolutely, especially since Visa credit cards are one of the most prevalent credit card networks available. Odds are merchants almost anywhere in the world will be able to accept payments with a Visa credit card. Also, since the Visa network includes many  credit card types, it should be easy to find a Visa card that fits your financial needs. 

How we assess the best Visa credit cards

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250+
cards rated
Congrats
50+
rewards programs valued
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5000
data points analyzed
Credit Card Reviews
40+
perks evaluated

When evaluating the best Visa credit cards, we take into account several factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether they offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards to scoring a large sign-up bonus to saving on interest. 

We analyzed over 250 of the most popular credit cards and selected standouts that are available with good credit. We scored each card based on the factors most relevant to its primary category, including its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, intro APR period, ongoing APR, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup. 

Here are some of the key factors that we considered:  

Frequently asked questions about Visa credit cards