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Last year was full of uncertainty. Since tariffs were announced at the beginning of the year, the threat of inflation loomed over most of 2025. And while some signs pointed to a strong economy, unemployment did rise, leading to general economic anxiety.
Meanwhile, the credit card industry saw several significant shakeups, especially with travel credit cards. Several airlines completely revamped their credit card portfolios. And both American Express and Chase increased annual fees on their premium travel cards, in exchange for additional perks. We kept all of this in mind when we chose the credit card winners for the NerdWallet Best-Of Awards for 2026.
Thankfully, credit cards continue to offer valuable perks and rewards that can help you meet your 2026 goals, whether you’re planning on finally taking that big trip or just aiming to defray everyday household expenses.
Here are our top credit card picks for 2026.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
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Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
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Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
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Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
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Citi Simplicity® Card
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Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
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United℠ Explorer Card
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Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
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Discover it® Student Chrome
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Discover it® Secured Credit Card
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Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
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Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card
(This card is no longer available to new cardholders. Wells Fargo stopped accepting applications on June 15, 2026.) | |
Citi Custom Cash® Card
(This card is no longer available to new cardholders. Citi stopped accepting applications on May 28, 2026.) |
Award winners from past years
2026 award winners
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for simple cash back
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best all-purpose travel rewards card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best premium travel card
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card: Best travel card with no annual fee
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best balance transfer card
United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Best hotel card
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best card for college students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best card for building credit
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for groceries
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for streaming
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for dining
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best 0% APR card for purchases
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best card for online shopping
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best card for gas
Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card: Best card for entertainment
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Best small-business credit card
2025 award winners
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for simple cash back
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for bonus cash back
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best all-purpose travel rewards card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best premium travel card
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card: Best no-annual-fee travel card
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best balance transfer card
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best 0% APR card for purchases
United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Best hotel card
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best card for college students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best card for building credit
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card: Best small-business credit card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for groceries
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for restaurants
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best card for gas
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: Best card for online shopping
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for streaming
2024 award winners
Top 11 credit card offers of 2024
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for bonus cash back
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for all-purpose travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best premium travel card
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card: Best no-annual-fee travel card
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best balance transfer card
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card: Best 0% APR card for purchases
United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best hotel card
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best card for college students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best card for building credit
2024's best credit cards for specific needs
The American Express Blue Business Cash® Card: Best small-business cash-back card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for groceries
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best card for dining
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for entertainment
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best card for gas
2023 award winners
Top 10 credit offers of 2023
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for bonus cash back
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for all-purpose travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for travel perks
BankAmericard® credit card: Best for balance transfers
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for 0% intro apr on new purchases
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best hotel card
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for students (at the time this card was chosen, it was known as the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card)
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2023's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for entertainment (at the time this card was chosen, it was known as the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card)
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for dining
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for groceries
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for gas
The American Express Blue Business Cash® Card: Best for small business
2022 award winners
Top 9 credit card offers of 2022
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card : Best for simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for bonus cash back
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for basic travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for travel perks
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card : Best for intro 0% APR and balance transfer
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card : Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best hotel card
Discover it® Chrome : Best for students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card : Best for building credit
2022's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (no longer available): Best for entertainment (this was the annual-fee version of the Savor card, which has since been discontinued; the no-annual fee card formerly known as SavorOne now bears the "Savor" name)
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card : Best for dining
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express : Best for groceries
The American Express Blue Business Cash® Card : Best for small business
2021 award winners
Top 10 credit card offers of 2021
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Chase Freedom Flex®: Best for bonus cash back
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate travel rewards
American Express® Gold Card: Best for bonus travel rewards
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best for no-annual-fee travel rewards
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% intro APR and balance transfer
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best hotel card
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best for college students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2021's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Spark Cash: Best for small-business cash back
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for groceries
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for dining out or ordering in
Prime Visa: Best for staying at home
2020 award winners
Top 10 credit card offers of 2020
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Discover it® Cash Back: Best for bonus category cash back
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for bonus travel rewards
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best for no-annual-fee travel rewards
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card: Best for balance transfers
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% intro APR
American Express Platinum Card®: Best premium card
ABOC Platinum Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card: Best for fair credit
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2020's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Spark Cash: Best for small-business cash back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for small-business travel
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best for college students
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students: Best for international students
United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best hotel card
Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Mastercard®: Best store card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for families
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card (no longer available): Best for dining and entertainment (this was the annual-fee version of the Savor card, which has since been discontinued; the no-annual fee card formerly known as SavorOne now bears the "Savor" name)
Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa® Card: Best for gas
2019 award winners
Top 10 credit card offers of 2019
Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard®: Best for flat-rate travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for bonus travel rewards
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best for no-annual-fee travel
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Discover it® Cash Back: Best for bonus cash back
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card: Best for balance transfers
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% interest
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best premium card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for fair credit
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2019's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Spark Cash: Best for small-business cash back
American Express Platinum Card®: Best for small-business travel
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students: Best for college students
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card: Best airline card (this card has since been replaced by the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card)
Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card: Best hotel card
Prime Visa: Best store card
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best gas card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for families
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment (at the time this card was chosen, it was known as the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card)
2018 award winners
Top 10 credit card offers of 2018
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best flat-rate travel rewards card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best bonus category travel rewards card
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best flat-rate cash back card
Discover it® Cash Back: Best bonus category cash back card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best family card
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best 0% Intro APR card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for fair/average credit
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best card for building credit
Discover it® Student Cash Back: Best card for college students
SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express: Best small business card
2017 award winners
Top 10 credit card offers of 2017
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best flat-rate travel rewards card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best bonus category travel rewards card
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best flat-rate cash back card
Chase Freedom®: Best bonus category cash back card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for everyday spending
Chase Slate®: Best card for balance transfers
Citi Simplicity® Card: Longest 0% Intro APR period
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for fair/average credit
Discover it® Student Cash Back: Best card for college students
Capital One Spark Cash: Best small business card
2016 award winners
Top 10 credit card offers of 2016
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for travel
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard® (TIE): Easiest travel redemption
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for cash back
Chase Freedom®: Best for bonus categories
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for everyday spending
Chase Slate®: Best for balance transfers
Citi Simplicity® Card: Longest 0% Intro APR period
Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card for College Students: Best for students
Ink Plus® Business Credit Card: Best for business
Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®: Best for fair/average credit
To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, see this page.
The information related to the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuers or providers of these products.
This page includes information about the Discover it® Secured Credit Card which is not currently available, and the offer details may be out of date.
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.
