Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards of February 2022
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ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2022 || Best cash back credit cards || Best 0% credit cards || Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards
Paying an annual fee on a credit card can be worth it if it gets you substantially higher rewards. But in many cases, credit cards that don’t charge annual fees offer better long-term value than those that do. No-annual-fee credit cards make it easy to come out ahead, regardless of your spending. Plus, you’ll be able to keep your card open for a long time at no cost, increasing the average age of your accounts, which has a positive effect on your credit score.
ALSO CONSIDER: Best credit cards of 2022 || Best cash back credit cards || Best 0% credit cards || Best no-annual-fee travel credit cards
Paying an annual fee on a credit card can be worth it if it gets you substantially higher rewards. But in many cases, credit cards that don’t charge annual fees offer better long-term value than those that do. No-annual-fee credit cards make it easy to come out ahead, regardless of your spending. Plus, you’ll be able to keep your card open for a long time at no cost, increasing the average age of your accounts, which has a positive effect on your credit score.
Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
Our picks for
Flat-rate cash back
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Wells Fargo's website
You'll earn 2% cash back on all purchases, among the best rates on the market for products in its class. But the card also features a generous sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.. On top of that, it also offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 14.99%-24.99% Variable APR.
You can find higher cash-back rates in specific, popular spending categories, if you're OK with keeping track of tiered or rotating reward structures. And like many cash-back cards, this one's not ideal for traveling abroad, thanks to its foreign transaction fee.
4.6
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Citibank's application
The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer earns 1% back on every dollar you spend and another 1% back when you pay off those purchases. That adds up to a best-in-class 2% rate.
There's no sign-up bonus or 0% APR period on purchases, nor is there a chance to earn higher rewards in different categories, which you might find on some other cards. You have to accrue a minimum of $25 in rewards before you can redeem them. It charges a foreign transaction fee, so it's not ideal for using internationally.
Our picks for
Bonus category cash back
4.9
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264
The bonus categories have historically included popular everyday spending areas like supermarkets, gas stations and restaurants. It comes with a good 0% intro APR period as well as Discover's unique bonus for new cardholders: INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
You have to remember to activate the bonus categories each quarter. If your spending doesn't match the bonus categories or you tend to spend significantly above the $1,500 quarterly cap, you might fare better with another card.
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Chase's website
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 a great sign-up bonus and enjoy a 0% intro APR period.
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.
Our pick for
Travel rewards
3.8
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Bank of America's website
Rewards are flexible and can be used to wipe out the cost of any type of travel you book with the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card. Bank of America®'s definition of travel is extremely broad and includes not just airlines, hotels and car rentals, but also campgrounds, zoos and amusement parks, to name just a few options. If you bank with Bank of America® or invest with Merrill, you may be eligible for a rewards boost, too, via the Preferred Rewards program.
While points are worth a penny apiece when redeemed against travel purchases, they're worth only a little over half a cent each when redeemed for cash.
Our picks for
0% intro APR period
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Wells Fargo's website
This card offers a 0% intro APR for 18 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, and then an ongoing APR of 12.99%-24.99% Variable APR. Intro APR extension of up to 3 months with on-time minimum payments during the intro and extension periods. It also offers cell phone insurance.
The card doesn't earn ongoing rewards on everyday spending. (It's possible to earn rewards through the issuer's "My Wells Fargo Deals" feature, but those are one-off deals that require activation.) There's also a balance transfer fee.
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingon US Bank's website
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers a long interest-free period on both purchases and balance transfers. When that offer ends, the annual fee of $0 lets you keep it open. Plus, it comes with cell phone insurance.
There's a balance-transfer fee of 3% (minimum $5). That's at the low end of the industry's typical range, but you still can find cards with a fee of $0. There are also no rewards on this card, giving you little incentive to keep using it after the 0% period.
Our pick for
Dining and entertainment rewards
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Capital One's website
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 3% cash back on dining out, grocery stores and entertainment, including streaming services. All other spending earns 1%.
Although it clearly has it charms in the rewards department, the benefits of the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card are sweet mostly if you frequently spend in the card's bonus categories.
Our pick for
Dining rewards
4.9
/5 NerdWallet ratingon US Bank's website
You'll get 4X points on dining purchases; 2X points at grocery stores (including grocery delivery), gas stations, EV charging stations and on streaming services; and 1X points on other eligible purchases. There's also a bonus, an intro APR period and an annual credit on eligible streaming services.
Unlike some other dining rewards cards, this one doesn't feature an "entertainment" bonus category. Also, you can't pool your rewards with other U.S. Bank products.
Our pick for
Airline card
3.9
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Citibank's application
The card earns 2 AAdvantage miles per $1 spent at grocery stores and on eligible American Airlines purchases, and 1 AAdvantage mile for every $1 spent on other purchases. It also offers a sign-up bonus, plus a discount on in-flight food and beverage purchases made with the card. Starting in January 2022, it also earns loyalty points toward elite status on the airline.
The card doesn't offer free checked bags, and its 3% foreign transaction fee could get costly if you frequently travel internationally.
Our pick for
Hotel card
4.1
/5 NerdWallet ratingon American Express's website
The card earns 7 bonus points per dollar spent on eligible Hilton purchases; 5 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations; and 3 points per dollar elsewhere. There's a super bonus offer and automatic Silver status. Terms apply.
Although you earn a lot of points per dollar spent, the per-point value is relatively low. There's no annual free night like you'd find on many cards with annual fees (a perk which can essentially offset the fee).
Our pick for
Small business
5.0
/5 NerdWallet ratingon Chase's website
Bonus rewards of 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at office supply stores and on cable, internet and phone service. Also, earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases each account anniversary year at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% cash back on all other spending. There's also a sweet sign-up offer: Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $7,500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
If you aren't spending much in the bonus categories, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card isn't a good fit. And if your business spends well above that $25,000 bonus category cap, you'll fare better with a different card, potentially one that offers unlimited flat-rate rewards.
FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST NO ANNUAL FEE CREDIT CARDS
Click the card name to read our review. Before applying, confirm details on the issuer’s website.
Our pick for: Flat-rate cash back
Among flat-rate cash-back cards, you'll be hard-pressed to beat the Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card. It earns an unlimited 2% back on all purchases, which is excellent. But in addition, the card offers a rich sign-up bonus and a generous 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. That's an impressive, hard-to-find combination of features on a card with a $0 annual fee. Read our review.
Our pick for: Flat-rate cash back
Year after year, the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer has been our choice for the best flat-rate cash-back card. 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 sign-up bonus, 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 Discover it® Cash Back earns bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate. In past years, those categories have included common spending areas like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and Amazon.com. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending aligns with those categories (and for most households, it probably will), you can rake in serious rewards. You also get the issuer's signature "cash-back match" bonus in your first year. 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: Dining rewards
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is perhaps the most cost-effective restaurant card on the market, earning a whopping 4 points per dollar on dining purchases including takeout and delivery. You can find higher rates on dining, but not on cards with no annual fee. Read our review.
Our pick for: Travel rewards
The BankAmericard® credit card isn't flashy, nor does it aim to be. You get a decent 0% introductory APR period to whittle down debt or finance a large purchase. And that's about it. Read our review.
Our pick for: 0% intro APR period
The Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card has one of the longest 0% intro APR periods on the market — potentially approaching almost two years, if you meet on-time minimum payment requirements. You'll be hard-pressed to find a longer interest-free promotion, and it applies to both purchases and balance transfers. Read our review.
Our pick for: 0% intro APR period
A lengthy 0% introductory APR period for both purchases and balance transfers has made the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card a NerdWallet favorite. Read our review.
Our pick for: Dining and entertainment rewards
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.
Our pick for: Airline card
To unlock the most valuable perks of airline credit cards, you'll have to pay an annual fee. But if you're a leisure traveler just hoping to earn airline miles in the background, it's hard to do better than the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. Read our review.
Our pick for: Hotel card
The Hilton Honors American Express Card earns bonus rewards on Hilton stays and in common everyday categories. You also get automatic Silver status. Terms apply. Read our review.
Our pick for: Small business
If your business's spending matches the bonus categories on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, you can rack up some serious cash back. (If not, then look elsewhere.) There's an excellent sign-up bonus for a no-annual-fee cash-back card, plus an introductory APR period for purchases. Read our review.
To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, see this page.
The information related to the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
Last updated on January 25, 2022
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.
