Below we list some of the best credit cards on the market right now, with an emphasis on cash back and travel rewards cards:

Best Cash Back Credit Cards

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express – Why We Like It: Maybe the best rewards credit card for grocery purchases with no annual fee, plus a rare 3% reward for general online purchases. EARN: 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

 

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card – Why We Like It: No-brainer opportunity to earn 5% cash back in the everyday category you shop most each month, with no annual fee! EARN: 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter and on all other purchases. The 5% eligible categories are: Restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, live entertainment. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

 

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express – Why We Like It: 6% cash back on up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets, 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. Annual fee: $95. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

 

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card – Why We Like It: Offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee! Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. EARLY SPEND BONUS: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

 

Chase Freedom Flex℠ – Why We Like It: Good everyday earnings, plus the opportunity to earn 5% cash back in certain purchases throughout the year, all with no annual fee! Earn: 5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 3% on drugstore purchases, 1% on all other purchases. NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

 

Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer – Simple, generous 2% cash back formula on all of your purchases, with no annual fee! EARN: 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay — no categories to worry about, and no cap on the 2% cash back you can earn. NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

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Updated September 29, 2022 – Comenity Bank and its sister company Comenity Capital Bank are the issuers behind many retail store credit cards and other credit cards. (Both banks are subsidiaries of Bread Financial, formerly named Alliance Data.) If you have a credit card from one of the companies listed below, it’s not issued by the store whose name is on the front, but instead by Comenity:

• Academy Sports Credit Card
• AKC (American Kennel Club) (Card no longer offered)
• Alphaeon Medical Credit
• Ann Taylor
• Appliances Connection
• Arhaus
• Ashley Stewart
• Avenue
• B&H Payboo Credit Card
• Ballard Designs
• Bealls Florida Credit Card
• Bealls Outlet / Burkes Outlet
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Big Lots

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(This is a regularly updated post; last update 9/29/22.) If you’ve ever been pitched on opening a new credit card while making a purchase, you know that some stores are more than happy to give you instant credit — apply on the spot, get approved, use the card immediately. Below we offer a list of such cards, including regular bank credit cards as well as retail credit cards. Apply online and get shopping today. (Note that instant approval is not guaranteed.)

• American Express Cards – Most American Express cards offer the possibility of an “Instant Card Number” upon approval. Your eligibility is based on the “ability to instantly validate your identity.” If eligible, use the Instant Card Number even before you have the physical card (though possibly not the card’s complete credit line). Instant Card Number cards include: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, American Express® Gold Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.
• Chase Credit Cards – Most Chase consumer credit cards (not business cards) now offer a “Spend Instantly” feature that gives you the potential for instant approval and then same-day usage through digital wallets Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. (You add your new Chase card to the digital wallet via the Chase mobile app.) Popular Chase credit cards include: Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Sapphire Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

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Best Buy offers three credit cards (in partnership with Citi), which is actually a little confusing, so be careful, especially if you have a lower credit score, because one of their cards has a $59 annual fee. With three Best Buy credit cards targeting a range of customers in different credit score ranges, your chances of approval are high. But the question is: what credit score is needed for each card?

One Application, Three Possible Best Buy Credit Cards

When you apply, you’re going to be considered first for the no-annual-fee My Best Buy Visa Platinum, which can be used at Best Buy and anywhere else that Visa is accepted. To qualify for this card, you’ll probably need a 650 credit score to feel good about your approval odds, though it’s possible you’d be approved slightly below that score.

Now, if your application is denied for that card, you would then automatically be considered for one of Best Buy’s other credit cards (no need to fill out another application):

• The My Best Buy store credit card, only accepted at Best Buy. This one has no annual fee, or…
• The My Best Buy Visa Gold, which is accepted at Best Buy and anywhere else that takes Visa, BUT has a $59 annual fee that you might not want to pay!

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Many credit cards charge you a 3% fee for international purchases, especially if your card does not have an annual fee. But not all credit cards! Here’s a list of credit cards with no annual fee that don’t charge the dreaded foreign transaction fee when traveling overseas:

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card – Why We Like It Best: Offers generous cash back in everyday categories where you are likely to be doing real spending, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees! Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases. EARLY SPEND BONUS: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

 

SoFi Credit Card – Why We Like It: Simple cash back formula at a high rewards level. You’ll earn 2% cash back on every purchase with the card IF you redeem your rewards into A SoFi savings or investing account, or use the cash to pay down an eligible loan with SoFi. If you don’t already have a SoFi account, you can earn a bonus for opening a SoFi savings and/or investing account to have that cash back deposited in to. No annual fee and, of course, no foreign transaction fee.

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Chase offers a range of consumer and business credit cards that target different customers based on rewards preferences and credit history. Below we offer our ranking of the “best” Chase credit cards:

Chase Consumer Credit Cards:

Chase Freedom Flex℠ – Why We Like It: Good everyday earnings, plus the opportunity to earn 5% cash back in certain purchases throughout the year, all with no annual fee! Earn: 5% on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services, 3% on drugstore purchases, 1% on all other purchases. NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

 

Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Why We Like It: Good cash-back on everyday categories, and a nice “catch all” reward rate on other purchases, with no annual fee. Earn 5% on travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel booking tool, 3% on dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery services), 3% on drugstore purchases, and 1.5% on all other purchases. INTRO OFFER FOR NEW CARDHOLDERS: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). Could be worth up to $300 cash back 👀

 

Chase Sapphire Preferred® – This $95 annual fee card recently beefed up its rewards (including 3 points per dollar on dining purchases and 5x/10x on most travel when booked through Chase’s travel portal), making it attractive as an everyday credit card. It’s maybe even more attractive, though, as the foundation to a larger strategy of obtaining multiple Chase cards and combining points to redeem at a 25% premium through Chase’s travel booking site or to get access to Chase travel transfer partners including United, Southwest, Hyatt, Marriott and more.

NEW CARDHOLDER BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. (Worth $750 in travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.)

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What are the best credit cards for gas purchases? Here’s where you’ll get the best rewards & rebates:

Citi Custom Cash℠ Card – Why It’s Best: One of our very favorite no-annual-fee credit cards on the market, because it lets you earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent. Because the categories eligible for the 5% rebate include gas stations, all you have to do is make sure you spend more at gas stations than in any other category to earn 5% back on those gas purchases. Note that purchases beyond $500 per billing cycle in your top eligible spend category, as well as purchases in any other category, earn 1% cash back.  NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.

 

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express – Why It’s Good For Gas: This no-annual fee card lets you earn 3% cash back on gas at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), PLUS 3% cash back on groceries at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), PLUS 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), and 1% cash back on other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit. NEW CARDHOLDER WELCOME BONUS OPPORTUNITY: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases within the first 6 months. See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply. American Express is a ProudMoney advertiser.

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