Best of
3 Best Credit Union Credit Cards of 2019
NerdWalletJune 24, 2019
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Our pick for
Cash back
on Alliant Credit Union's website
on Alliant Credit Union's website
Annual Fee
$0 the first year, then $99
Regular APR
12.49% - 14.99% Variable
Intro APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card boasts a best-in-class rewards rate. No foreign transaction fee also makes it a worthy travel companion.
The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card boasts a best-in-class rewards rate. No foreign transaction fee also makes it a worthy travel companion.
Pros
The standard for flat-rate cash-back cards is 1.5% back on all purchases. The Alliant Cashback Visa® Signature Credit Card seriously ups the ante, offering 3% cash back on all purchases made in the first year and 2.5% after that. Those are truly stellar rates. Additional value can be found in the card's Visa Signature benefits, which include travel accident insurance, rental car coverage and double warranty coverage, among others.Cons
There's an annual fee of $0 the first year, then $99; so after the first year, you'll have to spend more than $9,900 annually to come out ahead compared with a no-fee 1.5% card and more than $19,800 to do better than a no-fee 2% card. Unlike many competing cards, it offers no sign-up bonus. You’ll also have to be a member of Alliant Credit Union to qualify. (See membership requirements.)- Exclusively designed for those spending $50,000+ a year on their card
- Unlimited Cash Back: 3% cash back in year one & 2.5% cash back after
- No limit to the cash back awards you can earn
- No foreign transaction fees
- Generous credit line
- $99 annual fee, waived the first year
- Works with Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay
- $0 fraud liability guarantee from Visa
Our pick for
Low ongoing interest
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
8.50% Variable
Intro APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Balance carriers with excellent credit can skip an annual fee and save big on interest with the Lake Michigan Credit Union Prime Platinum Card.
Balance carriers with excellent credit can skip an annual fee and save big on interest with the Lake Michigan Credit Union Prime Platinum Card.
Pros
This card offers something truly hard to find: an ongoing APR in the single digits, if you qualify for it. The ongoing APR is 8.50% Variable. If you know you'll carry a balance consistently, that rate represents a lot of potential savings on interest, especially since the card has a $0 annual fee.Cons
You’ll need excellent credit and membership in the credit union. (See membership requirements.) There's no 0% intro APR period; the low ongoing rate is the selling point.- One of the lowest interest rates in the country, as low as Prime + 3.00%
- Rate is variable, tiered, and is linked to Prime
- No annual fee
- Credit line of up to $25,000
- Free car rental insurance
Our pick for
Bad credit
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
13.75%, Variable
Intro APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
The DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is an excellent credit-building tool. It reports to all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, companies that gather the information used to calculate your credit scores). It also offers the chance to upgrade to a regular Digital Federal Credit Union credit card if you keep up a good payment history.
The DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is an excellent credit-building tool. It reports to all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian, companies that gather the information used to calculate your credit scores). It also offers the chance to upgrade to a regular Digital Federal Credit Union credit card if you keep up a good payment history.
Pros
There's no limit on how much you can deposit — and, therefore, on your credit line. With a good payment history, you can eventually get that deposit back and possibly upgrade to a regular DCU credit card within a year. Your payment history — a key component in your credit score — will be reported to the bureaus that compile credit reports.Cons
Though there's no maximum deposit, there's a relatively high minimum of $300. Plus, you’ll have to qualify for membership at Digital Federal Credit Union. (See membership requirements.) You can get that deposit back eventually, but you’ll have to part with it for at least a year.- Secured card rates well below the national average
- Borrow against your DCU savings account
- No Annual Fee*
- No Fees or Higher Rates for Cash Advances and Balance Transfers
- Works with Apple Pay®, Google Pay™, and Samsung Pay
- Insurance, car rental, travel, and warranty benefits
- Optional Overdraft Protection On Your DCU Checking
- Buy online easily and safely with Visa Checkout
- Embedded EMV chip to protect your card information
Last updated on June 24, 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.
