Best Credit Cards of 2024

Which provider offers the best credit cards?

There is no one-size-fits-all credit card, much like there is no “best” credit card provider. Each is dependent on your needs and what you want most out of your card.

Some of the most popular credit card providers are American Express, Chase, Citi, Discover, and Capital One, each of which has a variety of options for you to choose from.

Best American Express cards

American Express is one of the most popular credit card companies, and it’s easy to see why consumers and small business owners gravitate toward them. With generous rewards on flights, groceries, and restaurants, Amex members can earn points and cash back with their Amex Membership Rewards account. Learn more in our guide to the best Amex cards.

• The Platinum Card® from American Express: This card is great for the luxury traveler, with perks like airport lounge access and valuable statement credits.
• American Express® Gold Card: For the traveling foodie, this card offers valuable statement credits and a high reward-earning potential on dining purchases.
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: A great family card, this card has a great reward rate on spending at U.S. supermarkets and in other useful categories.
  
  

Best Chase cards

Chase is known for their cash back and exceptional Chase Rewards program, making it one of the best credit card companies around. Learn more in our guide to the best Chase cards.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: For the frequent traveler, this card offers high-end travel benefits and an impressive reward rate.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: This card offers flexible cash back on purchases in everyday categories and doesn’t have an annual fee!
• Chase Sapphire Preferred®: This is a great starter travel card, offering generous travel rewards for a moderate annual fee.
  
  

Best Capital One cards

While the rewards rates of Capital One aren’t as grandiose as other issuers, they offer opportunities for every credit profile and give you a chance to get your credit to a better place so you can apply for “fancier” cards later on. They even offer cards for students who are looking to start building their credit and do have some competitive rewards on certain cards, making Capital One a great option for many users. Learn more in our guide to the best Capital One cards.

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: This card offers simple travel rewards for a low annual fee.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: For premium travelers, this card offers perks like airport lounge access and an annual travel credit, for a lower annual fee than some competitors.
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: A solid card all around this one offers great cash back rewards on dining, entertainment, and more, and has no annual fee.
  
  

Best Citi cards

Citi has rewards that only they offer like Citi ThankYou points with flexible redemption options and competitive rewards rates.

• Citi® Double Cash Card: This card earns generous cash back on all purchases.
• Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: This card earns great rewards on gas purchases and Costco purchases.
• Citi Simplicity® Credit Card: This card has a spectacular intro APR offer on balance transfers.
  
  

Best Discover cards

With multiple options for students, secured credit cards, rewards cards, and even an NHL-specific branded card, Discover quite honestly has something for everyone. Discover has perks such as low to no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees, and no fee on your first late payment, giving consumers peace of mind and making Discover a great choice for a credit card.

• Discover it® Cash Back: This card has a great reward rate on purchases in rotating categories.
• Discover it® Student Cash Back: This card gives students a chance to earn rewards while building their credit.
• Discover it® Balance Transfer: This card has a great intro APR offer and a nice reward rate.

Types of credit cards

There are quite a few types of credit cards out there, each of which is designed to target a different type of consumer.

As you look for the best credit card for your needs, consider the following types of cards and how they might help you meet your goals.

Best credit-building cards

Credit cards for building your credit are for individuals with poor credit or no credit to build or rebuild their score. Learn more in our guides to the best credit cards for no credit and the best credit cards for bad credit.

• Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: For individuals with poor or limited credit, this card gives the opportunity to earn decent rewards without charging an annual fee.
• Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card: This card requires a lower security deposit than many credit cards for bad or limited credit. Read more in our Capital One Secured card review.
• Self - Credit Builder Account with Secured Visa® Credit Card: This card doesn’t require an upfront deposit or a credit check to qualify. Read more in our Self Credit Card review.
  
  

Best travel credit cards

The best travel credit cards tend to offer more points on travel purchases and may offer benefits like airport lounge access and expedited airport security through Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Learn more in our guide to the best travel credit cards.

• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: One of our favorite travel cards out there, this one offers impressive travel benefits for a low annual fee.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: Although its annual fee is quite high, this card offers great benefits to help make your travels more luxurious.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Another premium travel card, this one offers spectacular travel rewards and luxury benefits.
  
  

Best cash back credit cards

Cash-back credit cards focus on offering monetary rewards instead of travel rewards. However, some cash-back cards let you redeem your rewards for statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, travel, and more. Learn more in our guide to the best cash-back credit cards.

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: This is a great card for families, with a great reward rate on spending in everyday categories.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: This card makes it easy to earn flexible cash back rewards through Chase Travel and has no annual fee.
• Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card: This card offers solid cash back rewards on dining and entertainment purchases.
  
  

Best 0% intro APR cards

0% interest credit cards can provide extra time to finance a balance transfer or a large purchase without paying interest. Learn more in our guide to the best zero interest credit cards.

• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: This card offers 15 months of 0% APR and great cash back rewards.
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: This card offers 15 months of 0% APR and flexible cash back.
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: This card offers 15 months of 0% APR and nice rewards on dining and entertainment.
  
  

Best business credit cards

Business credit cards can help business owners keep their company and personal expenses separate and often provide higher reward rates than personal cards. Learn more in our guide to the best business credit cards.

• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Businesses can earn a solid cash back rate in useful business categories like office supplies and gas purchases. See more Chase business cards.
• American Express® Business Gold Card: With automatically adjusting bonus categories, this card can help you earn the most points possible on your purchases. See more Amex business cards.
• Capital One Venture X Business: For the high-end business traveler, this card offers premium travel rewards and hundreds of dollars worth of statement credits per year. See more Capital One business cards.

How we selected our best credit cards

To find the best credit cards on the market today, we looked for different types of cards to suit a variety of circumstances and spending styles.

We also looked closely at all the credit cards on the market today to compare them based on their annual fees, balance transfer fees, transaction fees, regular APR, and intro APR.

Overall, we sought out rewards cards and other types of cards that offer the best perks and features, like cards with good sign-up bonuses, among all cards in their niche.

How do credit cards work?

If you’re new to the world of credit, you may be wondering, how do credit cards work? Credit cards work by extending a line of credit you can use to make purchases or pay bills.

In most cases, applicants who are approved will be assigned a credit limit. This is the amount of money you can have charged to your credit card at any given time. If you use your card responsibly, over time you may be eligible to increase your credit limit.

Credit card interest

If you want to understand how to best utilize your credit card, you need to know how credit card interest works.

Credit cards give you the opportunity to pay your credit card charges in full every month, in which case you won’t be charged any interest on your purchases. On the other hand, you can also pay what is called a minimum payment, or the minimum amount your credit card provider will accept as payment in any given month. You can also pay any amount over the minimum payment if you prefer.

If you don’t pay your balance off entirely by your credit card bill due date, you’ll be charged interest on your purchases. While credit card interest rates vary, the average credit card currently charges a variable APR that around 20%, while a good APR for a credit card is anything below that average.

Reasons to get a credit card

While you may be able to get by in life without ever having a credit card, there are plenty of reasons to pick one up anyway — even if it’s just a one-time move.

After all, credit cards can work as a valuable tool, and they can even save your finances if you find yourself in a cash crunch at the worst possible time. If you’re in a financial pickle or want to be prepared just in case, check out our guide on how to make money fast.

Some of the most common reasons to get a credit card include:

• Credit cards help you build credit by adding more depth to your credit history.
• Credit cards with a 0% intro APR can work as a short-term loan when you need to finance a purchase for a short amount of time.
• Balance transfer credit cards can be used to consolidate debt and pay it off — once and for all.
• You may need a credit card to rent a car or book a hotel room. (Although it’s possible to rent a car with a debit card, we don’t recommend it)
• Credit cards can help you earn hundreds or thousands of dollars in rewards every calendar year.
• Depending on the credit card issuers you use, you can qualify for valuable consumer protections and cardholder perks.

How to choose a credit card in 2024

1. Check your credit. This will help you to know which credit cards you qualify for. The higher your credit, the better chance you have of getting approved for your card.
2. Think about your goals. Do you want a credit card with travel perks? Do you want one with flat-rate cash-back? Or maybe you want one that can help you start building your credit. Figure out what your overall goal is.
3. Compare benefits, fees, and more. Once you’ve decided on a few cards that can help you to meet your goals, look closer. Are you willing to redeem points through an issuer’s portal or do you want to get cash back? Do you need an intro APR to save money on interest while paying off a balance transfer or large purchase? Will you be able to get enough value out of the card to justify the annual fee?
4. Apply for your card! Once you’ve established what the perfect card is for you, all that’s left to do is apply and wait!

If you’re still having a difficult time deciding, CardMatch can help match you with cards that fit your needs. Using CardMatch will not impact your credit score.

How to build credit with no credit history

There are specific credit cards for people with no credit history.

Most likely, you’ll need to start building credit with a secured credit card — a type of credit card that requires a cash deposit as collateral.

With a secured credit card, you will likely need to put down around $200 in cash as collateral, which would equal your new credit limit. From there, you could make purchases and pay them off every month. As your card issuer reports your on-time payments to the credit bureaus, you get the chance to build a valuable credit history that can improve your score.

While secured credit cards may not sound ideal, they are often the best way to build credit when you have none. And remember, you can get your security deposit back when you upgrade or close your account in good standing.

How to improve bad credit

If your credit isn’t great, you may think another credit card is the last thing you need.

However, credit cards can help you build credit or improve your credit score — that is if you use one wisely.

• Pay all your bills on time.
  The most important factor that makes up your FICO score is your payment history. This means that on-time payments can help your credit score more than anything else, but late payments can also cause considerable damage to your credit history and your score.
• Keep debt at a minimum.
  The amounts you owe in relation to your credit limits make up 30% of your FICO credit score. With this in mind, you should strive to keep your credit utilization rate below 10% if you can, and below 30% at the absolute maximum.
• Sign up for a secured credit card.
  If you can’t get approved for any other cards and loans, sign up for a secured credit card and put down a cash deposit. From there, charge small purchases you can afford to repay and make sure you pay your credit bill early or on time each month. Over time, your credit score will improve.