Best Credit Cards of October 2023

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.

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.

Many of the most rewarding credit cards on the market are currently offering limited-time elevated welcome bonuses or long intro 0% APR offers that can help you save money on interest.

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 an intro APR period, this guide will help you find a quick answer.

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It’s impossible to name one single best credit card, 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.

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 Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is an excellent choice if you prefer the simplicity of earning and redeeming cash back.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card tops our list for its straightforward rewards structure and compelling intro bonus offer. Cardholders earn 2% cash rewards on purchases with no caps and no complicated categories to juggle. That’s why it tops our list of the best cash-back credit cards (and the best Wells Fargo credit cards).

It comes with a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening, and you can redeem Wells Fargo Rewards for statement credits, gift cards, travel, and more. For new cardholders, there’s a 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 15 months from account opening (followed by a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR), which can be helpful if you have big expenses you want to pay off over several months.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card also offers a decent range of benefits, including cell phone protection, travel emergency assistance services, roadside dispatch, and Visa Signature Concierge access. Keep in mind this card adds foreign transaction fees, so if you’re traveling internationally, it’s best to use a different card.

What the experts love: High rewards rate across all purchases, good welcome offer, no annual fee

What the experts don’t love: Foreign transaction fees

Read our review: Wells Fargo Active Cash card review

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Why the Chase Freedom Unlimited is worth it: Along with a generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns up to 5x rewards in popular categories with no annual fee. It’s a top pick in our list of the best no annual fee credit cards, and it’s especially attractive for those with another Chase card.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a long 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, after which there’s a 20.49% – 29.24% Variable APR.

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 Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can combine your Chase rewards balances and gain the option to redeem your rewards in more ways, including transferring points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

What the experts love: Great earning rates and decent benefits with no annual fee

What the experts don’t love: Foreign transaction fees

Read our review: Chase Freedom Unlimited review

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 Wells Fargo Reflect® Card.

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 Wells Fargo Reflect® Card a skip. Where the card does excel, however, is with its intro APR offer. New cardholders receive a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers made within 120 days (then 18.24%, 24.74%, 29.99% variable). Balance transfers must occur within 120 days of account opening to qualify for the intro 0% APR rate and come with a fee of 5% for each balance transfer (minimum of $5). 

There are a few other cards that come with a balance transfer offer 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 Wells Fargo Reflect® Card does come with cell phone protection against damage and theft. That can be a good reason to keep using the card after the intro period ends — especially since it’s unusual to see no-annual-fee cards with that benefit.

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

Read our review: Wells Fargo Reflect credit card review

Citi® Double Cash Card

Why the Citi Double Cash card is worth it: The Citi® Double Cash Card is one of only a few cards that effectively earns 2% back (1 point per dollar when you buy, and 1 point per dollar when you pay) on every purchase — with no annual fee and a solid intro APR offer to boot. 

The Citi® Double Cash Card offers one of the longest introductory APR periods, landing it at the top of our list for thebest 0% APR credit cards. But it’s also a great option for earning cash back. In fact, it’s one of our top picks for the best cash-back credit cards thanks to its straightforward earning structure — you effectively get 1% cash back when you make a purchase, and 1% back when you pay your bill. 

The Double Cash card earns Citi ThankYou points instead of cash back directly. But you can still redeem your points for cash back (as well as travel, gift cards, and more) and get the same rate of return.

This card also ranks highly on our list of the best balance transfer credit cards. As a new cardholder, you get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months (which must be completed in the first four months from account opening). After that, there’s a 19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR. Here’s our guide explaining if balance transfers are worth it with the pros and cons of balance transfers.

If you also have a premium Citi card like the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card
(no longer open to new applicants), you can combine your rewards from the Citi® Double Cash Card with one of those accounts for the opportunity to transfer them to all of Citi’s airline and hotel partners.

What the experts love: Generous and straightforward earning on all purchases, rewards awarded as Citi ThankYou points

What the experts don’t love: Foreign transaction fees, doesn’t always offer a welcome bonus

Read our review: Citi Double Cash card review

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is worth it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is one of the best travel credit cards for beginners and experts alike, with a moderate annual fee, substantial bonus, and great redemption options.

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 — a 25% bonus.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card starts you off with a welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Those points are worth $750 in travel booked through Chase, or potentially up to $1,080 if you decide to redeem with the program’s transfer partners per Insider’s valuations.

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 Chase Sapphire Preferred offers some valuable travel insurance, including primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance, and baggage delay insurance.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a 10% anniversary points bonus and up to $50 per year in statement credits for hotels booked through Chase. If you maximize this credit, you can shave off more than half of the card’s annual fee.

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

Read our review: Chase Sapphire Preferred card review

Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card

Why the Delta Platinum card is worth it: If you fly Delta, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is hard to beat for value. (If you’re not a Delta flyer, see our best airline credit cards guide for other top options). This card earns a spot in this guide thanks to benefits that go beyond the standard features like free checked bags and priority boarding — though it offers those, too.

The card has an annual fee of $250, but for Delta flyers it can be worth it thanks to its annual Delta companion certificate benefit. This essentially lets you buy one domestic flight ticket and get one free for Delta flights in the continental US when you pay with this card. You’ll only pay taxes and fees on your companion’s ticket. Depending how you use it, this perk can more than cancel out the annual fee.

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

Read our review: Delta Platinum card review

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

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 $450. While that’s a steep price to pay up front, if you’re a frequent Hilton guest you can get back that much value and more by taking advantage of this card’s generous perks.

Not only does the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card offer a solid welcome bonus of 150,000 points after spending at least $4,000 in the first three months of account opening — which can get you a range of free hotel nights depending on where you choose to redeem — but it also comes with an annual Hilton resort credit of $250. You can use this toward purchases at Hilton resorts, such as room service, spa treatments, or activities. So provided you book at least one Hilton stay per year where you can use this credit, you’re already recouping $250 in value.

Plus, the card offers up to $250 in airline incidental fee credits each calendar year. You’ll pick an airline, then you can get reimbursed for baggage fees, seat selection, in-flight purchases, and more when you pay with the card.

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

Read our review: Hilton Honors Aspire card review

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 Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card can add up quickly, and because it’s geared to students, it can be easier to qualify with limited credit history.

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 Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is most aligned with typical college student spending habits. You’ll earn 3% cash back on dining (including restaurants, bars, cafes, and lounges), at grocery stores (except superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment (such as movies, professional sporting events, and amusement parks), and popular streaming services (like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+). 

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, 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. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card cardholders receive price protection***, extended warranty***, car rental insurance***, roadside dispatch***, and travel accident insurance***. And because the card doesn’t add foreign transaction fees, it’s a great choice to use if you’re studying abroad for a semester or taking a backpacking trip overseas during summer break.

What the experts love: Excellent categories for students, good benefits, no annual or foreign transaction fees

What the experts don’t love: There’s not always a welcome bonus offer

Read our review: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Student credit card review

Discover it Secured Card

Why the Discover It Secured credit card is worth it: The point of secured cards is to help you build credit, so don’t expect lots of features and extras. That said, some of the best secured credit cards, like the Discover it Secured Card, do earn rewards. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to upgrade to a non-secured card after showing a history of responsible use.

If you have a very limited credit history or are looking to repair bad credit, many of the cards on this list won’t be available to you. Most of the top rewards cards require credit scores in the 600s or higher — if that’s not where your credit is, you may need to consider a secured card to help repair your credit. 

Secured credit cards are easy to get approved for because they require a cash deposit upfront, which minimizes the issuer’s risk. Your credit limit is equal to the cash deposit you put down. 

If a secured card seems like the right option for you, the Discover it Secured Card is an especially good option, because it’s the rare secured card to offer rewards. You’ll earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of the first year.

With this card, automatic reviews start at seven months to see if Discover can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.

What the experts love: Ease of approval, rare opportunity to earn cash-back rewards on a secured card

What the experts don’t love: No traditional welcome bonus offer, other cash-back cards earn higher rewards

Read our review: Discover it Secured credit card review

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards card is worth it: The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is another secured credit card that stands out for offering rewards. You’ll earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases (and 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel), with no limit and no annual fee.

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

Read our review: Capital One Quicksilver Secured Card review

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-dropping $695 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 charges $695 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 the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card lost out to cards like the Chase Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Wells 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 (0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months (transfers must be completed within four months of account opening) and on purchases for 12 months, then a 18.24% – 28.99% Variable). It got edged out by the Wells 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 limits (from July 1 to September 30, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back at Gas Stations and Digital Wallets on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%). 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.
• Prime Visa
  — 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.

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 — if you use them responsibly.  It’s important to only spend what you can afford to pay off each month so you don’t end up in debt and start amassing steep interest fees.

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, 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 it could be worth paying a modest annual fee of $95 to $99 for a travel or cash-back card that earns you higher rewards. 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 would probably entail 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 Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

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 »

 

Angela Fung

Marketing Compliance Manager