Best Mastercard Credit Cards of June 2023
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
ALSO SEE: Best credit cards of 2023 || Visa || Mastercard || American Express || Discover || Bank of America® || Capital One || Chase || Citi || US Bank || Wells Fargo
Mastercard credit cards are accepted widely both in the U.S. and internationally. If you’re in the market for a new Mastercard, options abound — and there’s no such thing as a single “best” Mastercard card for everybody. To decide which card is best for you, consider your spending, debt and rewards preferences.
Show summary
NerdWallet's Best Mastercard Credit Cards of June 2023
Citi® Double Cash Card: Best for Simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for Bonus category cash back
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card: Best for Auto-adjusting bonus cash back
Citi Premier® Card: Best for Travel rewards
BankAmericard® credit card: Best for 0% intro APR period
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best for Balance transfers + no late fees
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Fair/average credit
Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card: Best for Small business
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Dining and entertainment
Best Mastercard Credit Cards From Our Partners
| Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for Simple cash back | $0 | 1%-2% | N/A | Apply Now on Citibank's application | |
| Best for Bonus category cash back | $0 | 1%-5% | $200 | Apply Now on Chase's website | |
| Best for Auto-adjusting bonus cash back | $0 | 1%-5% | $200 | Apply Now on Citibank's application | |
| Best for Travel rewards | $95 | 1x-3x | 60,000 | Apply Now on Citibank's application | |
| Best for 0% intro APR period | $0 | No rewards | N/A | Apply Now on Bank of America's website,or call (800) 322-7707 | |
| Best for Balance transfers + no late fees | $0 | N/A | N/A | Apply Now on Citibank's application | |
| Best for Fair/average credit | $39 | 1.5%-5% | N/A | Apply Now on Capital One's website | |
 Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card Apply Now on Bank of America's website | Best for Small business | $0 | 1.5x | 30,000 | Apply Now on Bank of America's website |
| Best for Dining and entertainment | $0 | 1%-10% | $200 | Apply Now on Capital One's website |
Simple cash back
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2%
CashbackIntro offer
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
The Citi® Double Cash Card is one of the best rewards cards on the market, partly because it’s so simple: You get straight cash back — there are no points or bonus categories to keep track of. Cardholders can shop as they normally would and get a high rewards rate on every purchase.
The card offers a 2% cash-back rate on all purchases: You get 1% back on every dollar you spend and another 1% back when you pay off your purchases, for an annual fee of $0.
This offer does not include a 0% intro APR period on purchases or a sign-up bonus, nor does the card have any bonus categories. Higher cash-back percentages can be had on different cards for specific categories.
The Citi® Double Cash Card is one of the best rewards cards on the market, partly because it’s so simple: You get straight cash back — there are no points or bonus categories to keep track of. Cardholders can shop as they normally would and get a high rewards rate on every purchase.
Bonus category cash back
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5%
CashbackIntro offer
$200
Recommended Credit Score
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers rewards as high as 5% in specific categories (some that change quarterly and some that don't), plus a generous bonus for new cardholders. If you're willing to put in a little work, it's one rich card.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.74% - 28.49%.
- No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card
- Keep tabs on your credit health - Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
This card earns 5% cash back in bonus categories that change every three months (on up to $1,500 per quarter in spending, then 1%); 5% on travel booked through Chase; 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores; and 1% on other purchases. New cardholders can snag this sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
You have to opt in to the bonus categories every quarter, which can be a hassle. The rotating 5% categories might not be a good fit for everyone, and in recent years, they've shifted a bit toward lower-spending areas: Restaurants dropped out of the rotation entirely (although dining is now a permanent 3% category), and gas stations have been included for two quarters a year.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers rewards as high as 5% in specific categories (some that change quarterly and some that don't), plus a generous bonus for new cardholders. If you're willing to put in a little work, it's one rich card.
Auto-adjusting bonus cash back
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-5%
CashbackIntro offer
$200
Recommended Credit Score
The $0-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers something unique in its class: 5% rewards that are automated based on your spending and don't require any "activation" or bonus-calendar tracking. Terms apply.
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 18.99% - 28.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
- 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. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
- No Annual Fee
- Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash℠ Card account per person.
- View Rates & Fees
The card earns 5% back automatically in your eligible top spending category per billing cycle, on up to $500 spent per cycle. All other purchases earn 1% back. Eligible 5% categories include popular line items like restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and a host of others. And you get that rate automatically; it's customized to your spending.
Note the $500 monthly spending cap for the 5% rewards rate, which means the most you can earn per month in a bonus category would be $25. Also note the low rewards rate outside of your lone bonus category for the month.
The $0-annual-fee Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers something unique in its class: 5% rewards that are automated based on your spending and don't require any "activation" or bonus-calendar tracking. Terms apply.
Travel rewards
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x-3x
PointsIntro offer
60,000
PointsRecommended Credit Score
While we’re not crazy about a card at this rewards level having an annual fee, triple points on travel is a nice feature, especially because the category includes gas.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 60,000 ThankYou® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
- View Rates & Fees
By paying 3 points per dollar on travel, the Citi Premier® Card has an edge on competitors that offer only 2 points per dollar in that category. Citi’s definition of “travel” is broad and includes gas station purchases. Citi ThankYou points are worth 1.25 cents per point when you redeem for airfare booked through Citi.
An annual fee of $95 and lackluster point-transfer options to U.S. travel partners are clear downsides.
While we’re not crazy about a card at this rewards level having an annual fee, triple points on travel is a nice feature, especially because the category includes gas.
0% intro APR period
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
No rewards
Intro offer
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
The BankAmericard® credit card is a great option for people looking for breathing room to whittle down high-interest credit card debt or finance a big purchase.
- 0% Introductory APR for 21 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 15.99% - 25.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- No annual fee.
- No penalty APR. Paying late won't automatically raise your interest rate (APR). Other account pricing and terms apply.
- Access your FICO® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
The card offers a hefty introductory APR that helps you wipe out debt: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 21 billing cycles and 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 21 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days, and then the ongoing APR of 15.99%-25.99% Variable APR. The annual fee is $0.
The card doesn't earn ongoing rewards.
The BankAmericard® credit card is a great option for people looking for breathing room to whittle down high-interest credit card debt or finance a big purchase.
Balance transfers + no late fees
- No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
- 0% Intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.99% - 29.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- There is an introductory balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater for balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening.
- Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock
- View Rates & Fees
This card is for someone who needs extra time to pay down debt. It has an annual fee of $0, and it offers an introductory APR of 0% Intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases, and then the ongoing APR of 18.99%-29.74% Variable APR, not to mention no late fees.
The card charges a balance transfer fee of 3% (minimum of $5), but only for four months following your account opening. After that, it bumps up to 5% (minimum of $5). You can’t transfer balances from other Citi accounts, and you won't earn rewards.
The long 0% intro APR period for balance transfers on the Citi Simplicity® Card makes this a solid card if you need breathing room to pay off debt.
Fair/average credit
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
- Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
The card offers a solid ongoing rewards rate. You'll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. (The card also earns 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Terms apply.) Plus, you can be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months.
The card charges an annual fee of $39. You would need to spend $2,600 per year on the card to make that back (not including any 5% travel categories). And unlike some other cash-back cards, it doesn’t allow you to boost your rewards earnings with bonus categories.
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers those with average credit a chance to earn rewards and gain access to a higher credit line.
Small business
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5x
PointsIntro offer
30,000
PointsRecommended Credit Score
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card is just right for business owners who want a travel card with robust ongoing rewards but no fee.
- Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all purchases everywhere, every time-no matter how much you spend.
- No limit to the amount of points you can earn and points don't expire.
- You can earn up to 75% more points on every purchase, if you have a business checking account with Bank of America and qualify for our highest Preferred Rewards for Business tier. That means you could earn up to an unlimited 2.62 points per $1 spent on all purchases.
- No annual fee and no international transaction fees.
- Choose how to redeem points for a statement credit to offset travel and dining purchases, travel with no blackout dates at the Bank of America® Travel Center, for cash back or gift cards.
- 0% Introductory APR on purchases for your first 9 billing cycles. After the intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that's currently 18.24% to 28.24% will apply.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This offer may not be available if you leave this page or visit our website. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
This card with an annual fee of $0 offers generous rewards of 1.5 points for every dollar spent, and 3 points per dollar spent on eligible travel purchases booked through Bank of America®. It also comes with a plum sign-up bonus for a no-fee card: Earn 30,000 online bonus points after you make at least $3,000 in net purchases in the first 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel or dining purchases. It charges no foreign transaction fees.
Higher reward rates are available on other no-fee small business cards. Other cards — especially cards with annual fees — also offer larger sign-up bonuses.
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card is just right for business owners who want a travel card with robust ongoing rewards but no fee.
Dining and entertainment
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-10%
CashbackIntro offer
$200
Recommended Credit Score
For foodies, the $0-annual-fee Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an irresistible (and hard-to-find) combo: high rates on dining AND at grocery stores.
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 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
- Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
You'll earn 3% back on dining, grocery stores, eligible streaming services and entertainment, and 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. All other purchases earn 1% back. There's also a generous sign-up bonus, not to mention an intro APR offer. That's a lot of value packed into a card with a $0 annual fee.
If your spending is more concentrated in one food category over the other — dining out or cooking at home — you might do better with a card that specializes in one of those areas.
For foodies, the $0-annual-fee Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an irresistible (and hard-to-find) combo: high rates on dining AND at grocery stores.
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST MASTERCARD CREDIT CARDS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: Simple cash back
Year after year, the Citi® Double Cash Card has been a top choice among flat-rate cash-back cards. You earn 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% when you buy something and 1% when you pay it off. There's no 0% intro period for purchases and no bonus categories, but the high rewards rate more than makes up for the lack of bells and whistles. Read our review.
Our pick for: Bonus category cash back
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There's a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and a 0% intro APR period, too. Read our review.
Our pick for: Auto-adjusting bonus cash back
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card offers a lot of value for a $0 annual fee: 5% back automatically in your eligible top spending category on up to $500 spent per billing cycle (1% back on other spending). The list of eligible 5% categories is varied and includes biggies like restaurants, grocery stores and more. And unlike with its competitors, there's no activation schedule or bonus calendar to keep track of. Read our review.
Our pick for: Travel rewards
The Citi Premier® Card earns bonus points on airfare, hotels, supermarkets, dining and gas stations. There's a solid sign-up bonus as well. Read our review.
Our pick for: 0% intro APR period
The BankAmericard® credit card isn't flashy, nor does it aim to be. You get one of the longest 0% introductory APR periods available anywhere, providing plenty of time to whittle down debt or finance a large purchase. And that's about it. Read our review.
Our pick for: Balance transfers + no late fees
The Citi Simplicity® Card has an excellent 0% intro APR period on balance transfers, and an OK one on purchases. It doesn't charge an annual fee, late fees or penalty APRs either. Its balance transfer fee is on the high side, though. Read our review.
Our pick for: Fair/average credit
This card for people with fair or "average" credit pays the same cash-back rate as the regular Quicksilver card, which targets people with excellent credit. The key difference is that this version charges an annual fee while the regular one does not. Read our review.
Our pick for: Small business
This is the business version of the issuer's excellent no-annual-fee travel card. The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card pays solid rewards on every purchase and gives you wide flexibility in redeeming your points for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Learn more and apply.
Our pick for: Dining and entertainment
Love the night life but dead-set against paying an annual fee? Consider the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. It pays a lower cash-back rate on dining and entertainment than the regular Savor card, but the rewards are nevertheless quite good. The sign-up bonus is smaller than on the annual-fee version, too, but it's still solid. Read our review.
Last updated on June 1, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit 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 as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
