Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
The information for the following product(s) has been collected independently by Business Insider: Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, Prime Visa. The details for these products have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.
Whether you're looking to consolidate credit card debt with a balance transfer, planning a trip using points and miles, or prefer keeping it simple by earning cash back, it's an excellent time to open one of the best credit cards.
Best Credit Cards of November
- Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best cash-back card
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best no-annual-fee card
- Wells Fargo Reflect® Card: Best balance transfer card
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best travel card
- Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card: Best airline card
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Best hotel card
- Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best student card
- Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for bad credit
Best Credit Cards
It's impossible to name a single credit card that would be perfect for everyone given the wide range of benefits, rewards and annual fees available. But if you're looking to find the best credit card for you, breaking it down by category is a good way to approach your search.
This guide highlights the best credit card option for several different types of users. If you want a to-the-point recommendation for maximizing your spending and enjoying benefits like a low intro APR period, this guide will help you find a quick answer.
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card
Why the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is worth it: Between a flat 2% cash rewards rate on purchases and a generous welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card, the
The
It comes with a
The
What the experts love: High rewards rate across purchases, good welcome offer, no annual fee
What the experts don't love: Foreign transaction fees
Wells Fargo Active Cash card details
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth it: Along with a generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, the
The
Not only does this card help you pay down credit card debt with a generous introductory APR period, but it also offers solid ongoing rewards. You'll earn 5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® travel portal, 5% back on Lyft rides through March 2025, 3% back (3x points) on drugstores and dining, and 1.5% back (1.5x points) on everything else with no cap.
If you have a Chase card that earns transferable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, such as the
What the experts love: Great earning rates and decent benefits with no annual fee
What the experts don't love: Foreign transaction fees
Chase Freedom Unlimited details
Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card
Why the Wells Fargo Reflect card is worth it: If you're looking for an ultra-long 0% APR offer for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers, you won't do much better than the
You might wonder why a card that doesn't earn rewards appears on our list of top credit cards — and if that's your priority, you can probably give the
There are a few other cards that come with balance transfer offers of the same length, but a shorter duration (or none at all) for purchases. That's why you'll find this card at the top of our guide to the best balance transfer credit cards.
And while many similar cards are skimpy on benefits, the
What the experts love: Extra long 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, no annual fee
What the experts don't love: No welcome bonus offer or rewards, and few benefits aside from cell phone protection
Wells Fargo Reflect credit card details
Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is worth it: The
If you want to earn travel rewards, you'll find that Chase Ultimate Rewards points are the most user-friendly of the various bank currencies, which are also referred to as transferable points because you can transfer them over to various airline and hotel partners.
In the case of Chase points, you can transfer them to partners like British Airways, Hyatt, United Airlines, and Southwest, or you can book travel directly through Chase. If you choose the latter, your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece by our valuations — a 25% bonus.
The
You'll earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (2x points on all other travel purchases); 5x points on Lyft rides through March 2025; 3x points on dining; 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs); 3x points on select streaming services; and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Beyond the rewards, the
The
What the experts love: Lucrative welcome bonus offer, excellent transfer partners and travel insurance
What the experts don't love: No airport lounge access or Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
Chase Sapphire Preferred card details
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card - Product Name Only
Why the Delta Platinum card is worth it: If you fly Delta, the
The card has an annual fee of
Other top features include TakeOff 15, which gets you 15% off Delta award flights, and an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck and Global Entry.
What the experts love: Delta companion certificate, good intro bonus and ongoing earning rates, free checked bag on Delta
Cons: Annual fee isn't worth it if you don't fly Delta often and can't take advantage of the companion certificate
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card - Product Name Only
Why the Hilton Honors Aspire card is worth it: You might be wondering why our pick for best hotel credit card has an annual fee of
Not only does the
Plus, the card offers up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits each calendar year. Once you select an airline and pay for eligible charges with this card, you will automatically be reimbursed for baggage fees, seat selection, in-flight purchases and more.
The full list of benefits is too lengthy to list here, but other standouts that can get you significant value include an annual free night award (redeemable at almost any Hilton worldwide) and top-tier Hilton Diamond elite status, which gets you bonus points on Hilton stays, free breakfast, space-available room upgrades, and more.
If you're not interested in staying at Hilton locations, see our guide to the best hotel credit cards for other options, including those tied to other hotel chains and cards with rewards that can be redeemed at a wider range of properties.
What the experts love: Strong welcome bonus, high earning rates on spending, valuable annual credits and free night certificate
What the experts don't love: High annual fee, Hilton-specific benefits mean it's not the best pick if you prefer other hotels
Hilton Honors Aspire card details
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Why the Capital One SavorOne Student card is worth it: Earning 3% cash back in student-friendly categories with the
Though there are many options on the market, this is our top pick for the best student credit card. Of the student cards that actually earn rewards, the
On top of that, it also earns 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats through November 14, 2024; 5% cash back on car rentals and hotels booked through Capital One Travel; and 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. All other purchases earn 1% back.
You might expect a student credit card to be a little thin in the benefits department, but that's not the case here.
What the experts love: Excellent categories for students, good benefits, no annual or foreign transaction fees
What the experts don't love: There isn't always a welcome bonus offer available
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Student credit card details
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card - Product Name Only
Why the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards card is worth it: The
Secured cards are some of the best credit cards for bad credit, since they're easier to get. These cards require a cash deposit up front, which lowers the risk for a card issuer. After using this card for a while and making on-time monthly payments, you may see your credit score increase.
What the experts love: Earns rewards (a rarity for secured cards), no foreign transaction fees, responsible use can raise your credit score
What the experts don't love: No welcome bonus, high APR if you carry a balance
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Card details
Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best credit card?
It's impossible to pick just one best credit card, because there are so many options for so many different types of users. A credit card that earns travel rewards could be the best option for one person, but if you're looking to earn cash back, you'll be better served by another pick.
For most people, a no-annual-fee cash rewards card like the
What is the best credit card company?
The best credit card company for you comes down to what kind of rewards you want to earn, what benefits you value, and what annual fee you are willing to pay.
For example, if you value high-end travel benefits like airport lounge access and statement credits, an American Express card could be the right choice. But if you just want to earn cash back, a card from Capital One, Citi, Chase, Discover, or Wells Fargo could be the best choice, depending on what bonus rewards categories you want. Learn more about the different US credit card companies.
What are the most popular credit cards?
The most popular cards are Chase credit cards according to search data, compared to cards from other issuers such as Citi and Amex. Among Chase cards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve are particularly well-known thanks to high-profile advertising campaigns. Some store credit cards are also very popular with consumers, including the Best Buy Credit Card and the Home Depot Credit Card.
How do I find the best credit card?
Find the best credit card by determining your goals for opening a card in the first place. Are you looking to boost your credit? In that case, a secured card or a no annual fee cash-back card could make sense. If you want to earn credit card rewards, you'll want to narrow down the type of rewards that work for you. There's cash back, flexible travel rewards like Chase and Amex points, or airline miles and hotel points tied to a specific loyalty program.
Everything to Know About Getting a Credit Card
Why should you get a credit card?
Credit cards can be powerful tools for improving your credit score and earning rewards — but only if you use them responsibly. It's important to only spend what you can afford to pay off in full each month so you don't start amassing steep interest fees and ending up in debt.
Provided you're in a position to pay off your credit card statements and spend within your means, there are several reasons opening a credit card could be a good idea. For one thing, credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards or cash — if an unauthorized purchase is made with your card, you won't be on the hook.
Using a credit card responsibly can also help you build and repair your credit, since your on-time payments will be reported to the credit bureaus. Finally, a credit card can help you maximize every dollar you spend, by earning you cash back, points, or miles.
Focus on your priorities and be realistic about what cards you're able to get approved for. Many of the best credit cards require credit scores in the high 600s at a bare minimum. So if your credit score isn't there yet, you'll want to look at options for bad to fair credit scores so you can focus on building your credit back up.
Beyond that, decide what annual fee you're comfortable paying. Some people avoid paying credit card annual fees completely, and there are several great cards in the no-annual-fee category. But for many people, a modest annual fee of $95 to $99 for a travel or cash-back card could be worth it for higher rewards and benefits.
Also, decide whether you want to earn cash back or travel rewards. Keep in mind that redeeming rewards for travel is more work than simply getting cash back in your account. The payoff can be big, but focus on what is the best option for you.
How many credit cards should you have?
There's no one answer to how many credit cards you should have — it's possible to have more than 20 cards and maintain an excellent credit score, but this almost certainly entails several annual fees. Go slowly, space out your applications, and never bite off more than you can chew. Make sure you're able to pay off your balances in full each month, because earning rewards is never worth going into debt.
What do you need to apply for a credit card?
Nowadays, there are lots of different ways to apply for a credit card, including online, by phone, by mail, through the bank's app, or in person at a bank branch.
Regardless of how you choose to apply, you should have an idea of your credit score before you open a new card to be sure you have a chance of qualifying. In your application, you'll be asked for personal details like your full name, address, date of birth, Social Security Number, and income.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Credit Cards
Our list of the best credit cards is the result of an in-depth comparison between credit cards in each sub-category. We looked at America's largest credit card issuers, as well as cards frequently recommended by blogs, forums, and travel communities.
The values we prioritized when coming up with this list were:
- Simplicity — not everyone wants to invest lots of time and energy into maximizing their credit cards, so we focused on cards that make things as straightforward as possible
- Affordability — while there's a case to be made for paying a high annual fee when you're getting high value in return, most credit card users aren't looking for a card that costs $450 or more
- Value — whether we're talking about a credit card with or without an annual fee, it's important that the benefits and features are worth it
The best credit card for you very much depends on your financial situation, spending habits, and how you like to redeem rewards. For example, if you're just getting started with credit, a student credit card or a card that doesn't require a high credit score is an ideal pick. If you're looking to earn travel rewards, on the other hand, you'll want to look at cards like the
Read Insider's guide to points and miles valuations to find out what your credit card rewards are worth.
See our full methodology for rating credit cards »
Other Top Credit Cards We Considered
We evaluated dozens of credit cards to narrow down the best picks in various categories. Some of these cards didn't make our list for one reason or another — for example, only appealing to a very specific group of consumers, or charging an exceptionally high annual fee.
We've listed some of our favorite runners-up here, and why they didn't make our final list:
The Platinum Card® from American Express — With a jaw-droppingThe Platinum Card® from American Express annual fee,The Platinum Card® from American Express is certainly not for everyone. But if you're a frequent traveler who can maximize its ever-growing list of benefits, it's possible to get thousands of dollars in value from the card each year. Read our American Express Platinum Card review to find out why it could be worth it.The Business Platinum Card® from American Express —The Business Platinum Card® from American Express chargesThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express per year. It, too, is packed with valuable perks, but they're only appealing to certain types of small-business owners. Here's our Amex Business Platinum card review for all the details.Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card — It earns a respectable 1.5% cash back on most purchases and doesn't charge an annual fee, but theCapital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card lost out to cards like theChase Freedom Unlimited® andWells Fargo Active Cash® Card , which have the potential to earn even more cash back. Find out if the card is a fit for you in our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card review.Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card — This card comes with an extra-long intro APR on balance transfers, but it's not as generous for purchases (Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card , then aCiti® Diamond Preferred® Card ). It got edged out by theWells Fargo Reflect℠ Card (which also comes with more benefits). However, if you're looking for a Citi balance transfer card, it's a solid pick. Check out our Citi Diamond Preferred credit card review to learn more.Discover it® Student Cash Back — This card earns 5% cash back in popular rotating bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter (then 1% back), as well as 1% back everywhere else with no limitsDiscover It Cashback rotation . That's a good deal, but you'll have to remember to activate the bonus and keep track of new categories every three months. You can get the full rundown in our Discover it Student Cash Back card review.Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card — Amazon Prime members can earn 5% cash back at Amazon and Whole Foods with this card, plus 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and on local transit and commuting. But if you're not a Prime member or don't make a lot of Amazon purchases, you'll probably do better overall with a different card. Here's our Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card review for more details.