Best Credit Card Deals of 2021
Let our guide help you find the best credit card of 2021. We have all the information you need like sign-up bonuses and awesome rewards.
Choose from these categories:
Best Credit Card Deals of 2020
Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Cash Back Won’t Expire for Life of Account
Excellent Cash Back Options for Foodies
No Foreign Transaction Fees
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
The Platinum Card® from American Express
25/7/365 Platinum Club Concierge service
Awesome membership rewards and discounts
Access to Global Lounge Collection
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards of 2020
15 months of 0% APR
Low Balance Transfer Fees ($5 or 3%, whichever is greater)
No Annual Fee
3% cash back on all purchases during the first year up to $20,000
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
15 months of 0% APR from account opening on both purchases and balance transfers
No annual fee
Low balance transfer fees of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater
3% cash back on all purchases first year, then 1.5% cash back on all purchases
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Cash Back Credit Cards of 2020
HSBC Cash Rewards MasterCard® Credit Card
No Annual or Foreign Transaction Fees
Ongoing 1.5% cashback
10% loyalty bonus each year on all rewards for the year
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
$100 cash back when you spend $1,000 if the first 90 days of membership
Unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, no caps or categories
No Annual Fee
Credit Score Required:
Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Travel Credit Cards of 2020
Great Bonus of 40,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points when you spend at least $4,000 in the first 3 months
Access to more than 1,000 airport lounges across the globe
$300 in statement credit to cover eligible travel purchases each anniversary year
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
Easy-to-understand rewards program gets you 2 miles per $1 spent
$0 Foreign Transaction fee
Book at Hotels.com for 10 miles per $1 spent
TSA Pre-check application reimbursement
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Rewards Credit Cards of 2020
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Lots of Rewards Categories – Up to 6% cash back on select US Streaming Subscriptions and 3% cash back on US transit purchases, plus more!
Low Annual Fee ($95)
$250 statement credit after spending $1,000 in first three months of account membership
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
US Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
Flexible reward categories let you maximize your savings
Spend $500 in the first three months of membership to get $150 added to your wallet
$0 annual fee
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Low Interest Credit Cards of 2020
Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
Earn 20,000 Bonus miles worth $200 in travel after you spend $1,000 in the first three months of membership
$0 Annual Fee
$0 Foreign Transaction fees
Simple rewards system – 1.25 Miles per $1 spent
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card
Earn points at places where you spend every day, like US gas stations, booking directly with airlines, and more
$0 Annual Fee
Cellular Phone Protection up to $600 when you pay your bill with your card
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Small Business Credit Cards of 2020
Get a $500 bonus after you spend $3,000 within the first three months of opening your account
No annual fee
5% cash back on the first $25,000 for office supply stores, internet bills, along with phone and cable services
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
Get a $500 one-time bonus after spending $4,500 on the card in your first three months
Great cash back rate – 2% on all purchases
No annual fee for the first year, $95 per year after the first
Credit Score Required:
Good to Excellent
Editor's Rating
Best Average Credit – Credit Cards of 2020
Capital One® Quicksilver® One Cash Rewards Credit Card
Good Credit Line Increase after 5 On-Time Payments
No foreign transaction fees
Simple Cash Back System – no categories to worry about
Credit Score Required:
Average, Fair, Limited
Editor's Rating
ABOC Platinum Rewards Credit Card
Statement Credit Cash Back Rewards
No Annual Fee
Intro APR Period on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Credit Score Required:
Average, Fair, Limited
Editor's Rating
Best Rebuilding Credit – Credit Cards of 2020
Credit One Bank® Unsecured Visa® for Rebuilding Credit
Easier to get than many other unsecured credit cards
Pick your own due date after initial statement
Cashback rewards are given as statement credit.
Free monthly credit score tracking
Credit Score Required:
Poor
Editor's Rating
Milestone® Unsecured MasterCard®
Pre-qualification makes it easy to check with bad credit score
Identity Theft Resolution Services
No security deposit – unsecured card
Credit Score Required:
Poor
Editor's Rating
Best Student Credit Cards of 2020
Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®
1.25% Cashback reward
Higher Credit Line after 5 Months of On-time payments
No Annual Fee
Credit Score Required:
Limited, Average, Fair
Editor's Rating
Deserve Edu Card
Can qualify without credit history
Amazon Prime Student Membership and Cell Phone Insurance Reimbursements Available
No Annual Fee
Credit Score Required:
No Credit History
Editor's Rating
A Four Step Guide to Picking the Best Credit Card
If you’re thinking of applying for a credit card there are various factors you should consider prior to submitting your application. There isn’t a definitive superior card on the market – the best credit card deal for you will depend on your particular situation. You should ensure you consider all aspects of prospective cards prior to applying – applying for cards can impact your credit score and should not be done without substantial research.
In this guide, we will describe four quick steps you should take prior to making a decision on which card to apply for. And if you've been searching for “credit cards near me” then we can help you with local options too.
1. Credit Score Check
Before you apply for a card you should make sure to check your credit score so you know which credit cards you are likely to be eligible for. You don’t want to waste your time applying for a card that you will never be approved for, it will negatively impact your score and affect your ability to receive credit in the future. If you want to check your credit score there are two primary ways to do so:
- If you already have a credit card most lenders will provide you with your score free of charge – contact them if you don’t know how to access this feature.
- The three major credit reporting agencies will sell you your score for a relatively low fee. These agencies include Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
If you find that your score is lower than needed to apply for most major cards, you should begin steps to improve your score. There are various ways to help improve your score, including paying down current debt, and reducing your current expenditure. In addition, you can often contract credit repair companies to help you remove unwanted items from your report – it’s a great way to immediately improve your score.
2. Determine Which Card is Best for You
There are three primary categories of credit card:
1. Cards that you can use to build or rebuild your current credit score
2. Cards that have low-interest and save you money over time
3. Cards that allow you to accumulate awards (travel, cashback, etc.)
Don’t apply for a card that doesn’t provide for your needs. If you don’t travel, applying for a travel card will be a both a waste of time and money.
BUILD OR REBUILD CREDIT
If you’re currently studying at college you can most likely receive a student credit card which can help you start building your credit – these cards typically require little to no credit history. If you have a poor credit score you can access a secured credit card which requires you to make a deposit equal to the credit limit on the card. This ensures that you won’t be able to default on the card’s balance.
LOW INTEREST
Many cards offer lower interest than some of the rewards cards which typically have much higher interest rates. In addition, plenty of credit cards offer introductory interest free periods which will make sure you aren’t charged interest on initial charges. Some cards will also allow you to transfer your current credit card balance to a new credit card in order to take advantage of low interest and interest free introductory offers.
REWARDS CARDS
Rewards cards allow you to accumulate rewards points which can be redeemed for flights, travel, and other items. You will only want to use one of these cards if you are able to pay off most of your balance in full each month – they have high interest rates and annual fees.
3. Determine the Best Choice by Asking Honest Questions
It’s easy to convince yourself of something that is untrue – that’s why it’s important to be honest with yourself when it comes to choosing a credit card. You don’t want to end up wasting money on a certain type of card purely because you thought the offer sounded enticing. We’ve compiled some questions to ask about each type of card before submitting your application.
BUILD OR REBUILD CREDIT
Is this card accessible?
- Because you lack a credit score, you should be sure that you can receive the card prior to applying – have a look online at what common past scores have been accepted for the card you want to apply for.
What are the associated costs?
- Make sure to check how much the annual fee is, as well as the amount of money you will owe in interest should you carry a balance on the card.
Can I move on to a better card at a later date?
- Choose a card that will reflect positively on your credit report – the aim should be to move onto a better card later on.
LOW INTEREST
Length of interest free period and regular interest rate?
- Check out how long the interest free period is, also make sure to compare the interest rate with other recommended cards.
What are the balance transfer terms?
- You’ll want to make sure the card has a balance transfer function. You also need to be aware of any fees associated with balance transfers.
Are there additional benefits?
- Most low interest cards don’t come with additional benefits, but make sure you compare all cards before deciding on a lender because sometimes promotions will include rewards for low interest cards.
REWARDS CARDS
Am I a big spender?
- If you’re a big spender a rewards card may be justified. You will be able to accumulate enough points to offset the cost of the annual fee and higher interest rates.
Is the card too complicated?
- Some rewards cards require you to book with certain airlines and at specific times, it can often be too hard to redeem your rewards if you use an overly complicated card.
What are my points worth?
- Depending on the card you have, the value of your points will differ. Make sure to check out the level of reward redeemable for your points so that you know the true value of your rewards.
4. Seek a Card That Gives You the Most Personal Value
It can be easy to spot a bad card, but choosing between your top choices can be quite difficult. That’s why it’s important to ask you a few more questions if you’re having problems making your final decision. Think about the following things for each card when deciding on which to apply for.
BUILD OR REBUILD CREDIT CARDS
- You should prioritize cards that allow you to increase your credit limit over time.
- If you have a secured card, some providers will allow you to earn interest on your deposit.
LOW INTEREST CREDIT CARDS
- Some lenders provide debt management tools which can help you pay off your current credit card balance quickly.
- Some lenders have reduced or waived late fees for payments – this can save you money if you end up needing extra time to pay your bill.
REWARDS CREDIT CARDS
- Some cards require very little spending to trigger bonuses, these should prioritized if you’re a lower spender.
- Some lenders have expiration dates on their rewards, opt for those who don’t.
Remember you can include household income on your credit card application. In addition, your student loans count as income for many lenders.
Also remember that not all cards offer rental car coverage. If the card you choose doesn't offer this coverage then you'll either need to make sure your personal insurance covers it or pay for the extra coverage at the time of rental.
Next Steps After Your Application?
After you receive your credit card you should use it as a tool to maintain or build your credibility with lenders. Use your card effectively, pay it off on time, and avoid as much interest as possible.