Best of
Best Chase Credit Cards of 2019
NerdWalletAugust 28, 2019
At NerdWallet, we strive to help you make financial decisions with confidence. To do this, many or all of the products featured here are from our partners. However, this doesn’t influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.
Show summary
Our pick for
Travel
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual Fee
$95
Regular APR
17.99% - 24.99% Variable APR
Intro APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has long-been a must-have for serious travelers. It earns elevated rewards on travel and dining and boasts a fantastic sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
Pros
Earn 2 points per dollar on travel and dining, and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Airfare, hotels, cruises, taxis, rental cars and train tickets are all categorized as travel purchases. Consistent with all Chase rewards cards, you can earn unlimited points, and the points don’t expire. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase’s booking tool. Or you can transfer points to several frequent traveler programs at a 1:1 rate. There’s also no foreign transaction fee — always a perk for world travelers.Cons
The card has an annual fee of $95. There is no introductory 0% APR period.- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- No foreign transaction fees
Our pick for
Premium travel perks
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual Fee
$450
Regular APR
18.99% - 25.99% Variable APR
Intro APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
The high potential value of points earned with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® make its sign-up bonus outstanding: Earn 50K bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® . You'll also get generous ongoing rewards and a slew of travel benefits.
Pros
Earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining and travel purchases, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Points are worth 1.5 cents apiece when redeemed for travel booked through Chase. The card offers $300 in credit each year for travel purchases. You'll be reimbursed for your application fee for Global Entry or TSA Precheck, you can transfer points to travel partners at a 1:1 ratio, and there are no foreign transaction fees. You'll also get access to more than 1,000 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary membership to Priority Pass Select.Cons
The $450 annual fee isn't something to take lightly. If you travel often, the annual $300 travel credit can offset the fee considerably. Infrequent travelers may want a card more in line with their spending.- Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Named "Best Premium Travel Credit Card" for 2018 by MONEY® Magazine
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
- 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. $0 foreign transaction fees.
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select
- Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
Our pick for
Cash back
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
16.99% - 25.74% Variable APR
Intro APR
0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Recommended Credit Score
The Chase Freedom® is an ideal card for everyday spending: versatile, rewarding and widely accepted. It’s a solid first card, next card, backup card — anytime card.
Pros
You earn 5% cash back in rotating bonus categories that you activate, on up to $1,500 spending per quarter, and 1% back on everything else. (See the current categories here.) You get a lengthy 0% APR period and a nice sign-up bonus: Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Not bad for a $0 annual fee.Cons
A rotating-bonus-category card requires some work; you'll have to keep track of the categories and make sure you opt in each quarter. If simplicity is more your style, consider this card's fraternal twin, the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. It offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases and has a comparable annual fee, 0% intro APR period and sign-up bonus.- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.99-25.74%.
- 3% intro balance transfer fee when you transfer a balance during the first 60 days your account is open, with a minimum of $5.
- No annual fee
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
Our pick for
Small-business cash back
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
15.24% - 21.24% Variable APR
Intro APR
0% on Purchases for 12 months
Recommended Credit Score
The problem with many cash-back cards for small business is that they come with bonus categories that don't align with many businesses' spending. The Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card solves that problem: It offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, for a $0 annual fee.
Pros
In addition to its simple, unlimited rewards, this card comes with a stellar sign-up bonus for a cash-back card: Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. If you have a big purchase you'd like to finance, there's a pretty good introuctory 0% APR period, too.Cons
On the other hand, if your spending does fit into traditional "business" categories, a bonus-rewards card might be better for you. Spend a lot on office supplies, telecommunications, gas and restaurants? Take a look at the Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card.- Earn $500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- No Annual Fee
Our pick for
Small-business travel
on Chase's website
on Chase's website
Annual Fee
$95
Regular APR
17.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
Intro APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
High rewards on travel, high-value points and one of the biggest sign-up bonuses available on any card anywhere make the Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card a valuable companion.
Pros
Earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 per year in combined spending on travel and select business categories (shipping purchases; Internet, cable and phone services; and advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines). All other spending earns 1 point per dollar. Points are worth 1.25 cents apiece when redeemed for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them on a 1:1 basis to popular airline and hotel programs. Here's where we mention the mega sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.Cons
There's an annual fee of $95. If you don't travel much, you'd probably be better off with a cash-back card.- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
- Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn
- Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
- No foreign transaction fees
- Employee cards at no additional cost
- $95 Annual Fee
Last updated on August 28, 2019
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen in multiple categories.
