Best Credit Cards of June 2025
Updated: May 28, 2025+ 2 more+ 2 more
The best credit card is one that's best aligned with your specific needs. NerdWallet's credit card experts have reviewed and rated hundreds of options for the best credit cards of 2025 – from generous rewards and giant sign-up bonuses to long 0% APR periods and credit-building help, so you can find the best fit for your needs.Show More
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400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Why trust NerdWallet
400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)
80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance
27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months
Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)
NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
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Best Credit Cards of 2025: Best Offers
Discover it® Cash Back - 18 Month Intro Balance Transfer Offer: Best for Long intro period + quarterly categories
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card: Best for Longest intro APR period
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best for Balance transfers + no late fees
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for Flat-rate cash back
Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best for All-around cash back
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for Flexible redemption + big sign-up bonus
U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card: Best for Long intro period + side perks
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for Simple travel rewards
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Going out & staying in
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Food and entertainment
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best for Travel portal benefits
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for Families & households
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for Luxury travel perks
NerdWallet's Best Credit Card Offers of June 2025
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Intro offer | Rewards rate | Apply now |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apply Nowon Discover's website, on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264 | Best for Long intro period + quarterly categories | $0 | Cashback Match™ | 1%-5% | Apply Nowon Discover's website, on Discover's website, or call 800-347-0264 |
Apply Nowon Wells Fargo's website on Wells Fargo's website | Best for Longest intro APR period | $0 | N/A | N/A | Apply Nowon Wells Fargo's website on Wells Fargo's website |
Apply Nowon Citibank's application on Citibank's application | Best for Balance transfers + no late fees | $0 | N/A | N/A | Apply Nowon Citibank's application on Citibank's application |
Apply Nowon Wells Fargo's website on Wells Fargo's website | Best for Flat-rate cash back | $0 | $200 | 2% | Apply Nowon Wells Fargo's website on Wells Fargo's website |
Apply Nowon Chase's website on Chase's website | Best for All-around cash back | $0 | $200 | 1.5%-5% | Apply Nowon Chase's website on Chase's website |
Apply Nowon Chase's website on Chase's website | Best for Flexible redemption + big sign-up bonus | $95 | 60,000 points | 1x-5x | Apply Nowon Chase's website on Chase's website |
Apply Nowon U.S. Bank's website on U.S. Bank's website | Best for Long intro period + side perks | $0 | N/A | 4% | Apply Nowon U.S. Bank's website on U.S. Bank's website |
Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website | Best for Simple travel rewards | $95 | 75,000 miles | 2x-5x | Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website |
Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website | Best for Going out & staying in | $0 | $50 | 1%-8% | Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website |
Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website | Best for Food and entertainment | $0 | $200 | 1%-8% | Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website |
Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website | Best for Travel portal benefits | $395 | 75,000 miles | 2x-10x | Apply Nowon Capital One's website on Capital One's website |
Apply Nowon American Express' website on American Express' website | Best for Families & households | $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. | $250 | 1%-6% | Apply Nowon American Express' website on American Express' website |
Apply Nowon American Express' website on American Express' website | Best for Luxury travel perks | $695 | 80,000 points | 1x-5x | Apply Nowon American Express' website on American Express' website |
Find the right credit card for you.
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Best Credit Cards of 2025
Best for: Long intro period + quarterly categories

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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.
- Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
- Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with your digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- Bonus categories
- Cash rewards
- Complicated rewards
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
- Lower acceptance abroad
Best for: Longest intro APR period

Card details
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate, BT fee of 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Through My Wells Fargo Deals, you can get access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants. It's an easy way to earn cash back as an account credit when you shop, dine, or enjoy an experience simply by using an eligible Wells Fargo credit card.
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- No rewards
Best for: Balance transfers + no late fees

Card details
- No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months and on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that the variable APR will be 18.24% - 28.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- No rewards
- No new cardholder bonus offer
- Requires good/excellent credit
Best for: Flat-rate cash back

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- High rewards rate
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- No bonus categories
Best for: All-around cash back

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 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 1.5% 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!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% - 28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- High rewards rate
- No minimum redemption amount
- Requires good/excellent credit
Best for: Flexible redemption + big sign-up bonus

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Bonus categories
- Primary rental car coverage
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Transfer partners
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Complicated rewards
Best for: Long intro period + side perks

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 17.74% - 28.74%.
- 4% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center when you use your card.
- Get a $20 annual statement credit for 11 consecutive months of purchases.
- No annual fee.
- Cell Phone Protection: Your eligible cell phone can be reimbursed up to $600 in the event it is stolen or damaged when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your card.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- Rewards
- Cell phone insurance
- Requires good/excellent credit
- No bonus offer
Best for: Simple travel rewards

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- High rewards rate
- Flexible rewards redemption
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
Best for: Going out & staying in

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- 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
- Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
- Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal
- Build your credit with responsible card use
- Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Bonus categories
- No rewards caps
- Reports to the three major credit bureaus
- High APR
Best for: Food and entertainment

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- 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; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period
- Bonus categories
- No foreign transaction fees
- Requires good/excellent credit
Best for: Travel portal benefits

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- High rewards rate
- New cardholder bonus offer
- Lounge membership
- Anniversary perk
- Flexible rewards redemption
- High annual fee
- Requires excellent credit
Best for: Families & households

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
- Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments with a fixed fee. Pay $0 intro plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months from the date of account opening. Plans created after that will have a monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each eligible purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
- Low Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening. After that, your APR will be a variable APR of 20.24% - 29.24%.
- 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
- 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
- $84 Disney Bundle Credit: With your enrolled Blue Cash Preferred® Card, spend $9.99 or more each month on an auto-renewing Disney Bundle subscription, to receive a monthly statement credit of $7. Valid only at Disney Plus.com, Hulu.com or Plus.espn.com in the U.S.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- High rewards rate
- Bonus categories
- Intro APR period
- Cash rewards
- Has annual fee
- Requires good/excellent credit
- Spending caps on bonus rewards
Best for: Luxury travel perks

Rewards breakdown
Card details
- Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
- $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
- With American Express Global Lounge Collection® eligible Card Members can enjoy access to over 1,400 airport lounges globally, including The Centurion® Lounge, Unlimited Delta Sky Club® Access when flying an eligible Delta flight, Escape Lounges, Lufthansa Lounges when flying Lufthansa Group, Plaza Premium, Priority Pass™ Select Lounges, & Additional Global Lounge Collection Partner Lounges subject to visit limitations. Lounges may have their own rules, like additional access rules and guest fees, and for Priority Pass Select, you need to enroll and there are unlimited airport lounge visits for Card Members. With Delta Sky Club Access, Card Members will receive 10 Visits to the Delta Sky Club to be used from February 1 until January 31 of the next calendar year and can unlock Unlimited Delta Sky Club Access by spending $75,000 in eligible purchases on their Card in a calendar year. To find a lounge, visit the membership section in the American Express® App or visit http://www.americanexpress.com/findalounge#/loungefinder.
- A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
- $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- $199 CLEAR® Plus Credit: CLEAR® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Use the dedicated CLEAR Lane to confirm your identity without taking out your passport or ID – this can mean shorter lines, less waiting. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card®.
- Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
- Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
- $695 annual fee.¤
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- View Rates & Fees
NerdWallet's take
- Bonus categories
- Transfer partners
- Luxury perks
- Lounge membership
- Automatic elite status
- Has annual fee
- Complicated rewards
- Requires good/excellent credit
A beginner's guide to credit cards
The idea behind credit cards is simple: When you use a credit card, you are borrowing money to pay for something. Later on, you must repay what your borrowed. If you take time to pay it back (rather than pay it in full when your credit card statement comes), you'll be charged interest. The whole credit cards industry rests on this basic premise.
How credit cards work
A basic credit card transaction works like this:
1. You use your card.
You use your card at the cash register by running it through a card reader (or, if you're online, you enter your card information on the checkout page).
2. The purchase is authorized.
The card reader contacts your credit card company to make sure the card is valid for the purchase amount. Assuming everything is OK, the transaction is authorized.
3. The merchant gets paid.
The bank that issued your credit card sends money for the purchase to the merchant where the transaction took place.
4. You pay.
The transaction shows up on your credit card statement, and you repay the bank for the purchase.
» MORE: What is a credit card?
How credit card rewards work
Many of the best credit cards of 2025 give you rewards for your spending. Rewards programs come in two basic flavors (cash back and points/miles), with two basic structures (flat rate and bonus rewards).
Cash back
You can use cash back to directly reduce your balance. In some cases, you can have your cash back deposited in a bank account or sent to you as a check.
Points or miles
Points and miles can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, merchandise or other things. You may also have the option of redeeming points for credit on your statement, just like cash back.
Flat rate
You get the same rewards rate on all spending done with the card, regardless of what you spend money on. You might get 2 points per dollar on all purchases, or 1.5% cash back on everything.
Bonus rewards
You earn a base rate on all spending (typically 1 point per dollar or 1% cash back) and then higher rates in certain categories — 5% cash back at gas stations, for example, or 3 points per dollar spent on travel.
Many credit card users carry multiple cards with bonus rewards in different categories, plus a flat-rate card for purchases that fall outside those categories.
Different types of credit cards
Credit card companies in 2025 offer different kinds of cards to meet different consumer needs. Some people put a lot of money on their cards every month and then pay them off immediately; those people benefit from a card that returns a portion of their spending in the form of rewards. Others tend to carry a balance from month to month; they're better served with a card that offers a low ongoing interest rate. Still others are working to improve their credit; issuers have cards designed for those people, too.
Rewards credit cards
Interest-saving credit cards
Credit-building credit cards
Choosing the best credit card for you in 2025
If you're a beginner to credit cards, see our step-by-step guide to choosing a credit card. It starts by helping you figure out what cards you can qualify for, then walks you through deciding what kind of card best fits your needs. The process in short:
- 1.Check your credit
The higher your credit score, the more likely you are to qualify for the best credit cards of 2025. NerdWallet offers free access to credit scores.
Comparing credit card features
Every credit card delivers value in its own way, through its own unique combination of features. And there are trade-offs involved. If you want rewards, for example, you'll probably have to accept a higher interest rate. If you want high-value perks, you'll likely pay an annual fee. If you want a low interest rate and no fees, you shouldn't expect much else from the card. In other words, you're unlikely to find a single card that offers a high rewards rate, a long 0% period, a rock-bottom ongoing interest rate, generous perks and no annual fee.
Here are the main points of comparison when looking at credit cards.
Annual fee
Introductory interest rate
Ongoing interest rate
Rewards
Sign-up bonus
Perks
Credit-building help
How many credit cards should you have?
Just as there is no single best credit card for everyone, there is no perfect number of credit cards to have. It depends on your needs and how much effort you want to put into managing your credit cards.
There's no limit to how many cards you can have. Each lender evaluates your credit on its own term, but there's no hard limit where you have "too many cards."
You don't need to have multiple cards to maintain good credit score. Credit scoring formulas tend to reward you for having different types of accounts — credit cards, mortgages, loans, etc. — but it's not necessary to have multiple accounts of each type. One credit card, responsibly managed, is enough.
Advantages of carrying multiple cards
One card may pay you a higher rewards rate on groceries. Another may reward you handsomely at restaurants, or on gas purchases, or for spending on travel. Having multiple cards allows you to maximize your total rewards.
Some cards are more widely accepted than others. It’s good to have a backup in situations where one card isn’t accepted. Additionally, if a card is lost, stolen or compromised, you'll have another option while you wait for a replacement.
A key factor in your credit score is your credit utilization, or how much of your available credit you're using. Ideally, you’ll want to keep utilization below 30%. If you have a $500 balance on a card with a $1,000 limit, your utilization is 50%. If you have $500 in balances spread across three cards with limits of $1,000 each, your utilization about is 17%.
Risks of carrying multiple cards
The more cards you have, the harder it is to remember how much you’ve spent on which card.
Multiple due dates increase the risk of missing a payment, which can trigger a late fee or (if it's late enough) even damage your credit.
Methodology
NerdWallet's Credit Cards content team selected the best credit cards of 2025 in each category based on overall consumer value, as evidenced by star ratings, as well as their suitability for specific kinds of consumers. This page includes selections across multiple categories, and a single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in more than one category. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards. Factors in our evaluations include:
For cash back cards
For travel rewards cards
For balance transfer and 0% APR cards
For college student cards
For credit-building cards
For business cards
Frequently asked questions
What's the best credit card?
No single credit card is the best for everyone. It all depends on how you use credit and how strong your credit is.
A rewards credit card gives you a little something back with each purchase you make — usually cash back or travel points or airline miles. These cards are best for people who can pay their credit card bill in full each month. If you carry a balance from one month to the next, the interest you pay will eat up the value of your rewards.
A zero percent credit card is ideal if you're looking to finance a big purchase or pay down high-interest debt by way of a balance transfer. If you tend to carry a balance month to month, look for a card with low ongoing interest rate.
A credit-building card is designed for people who are just starting out with credit or are trying to bounce back from damaged credit. Rewards cards and zero-percent cards are available mostly to people with good to excellent credit; for those who aren't there yet, there are credit-building cards. There are options for bad credit, for fair or average credit and for people with no credit history.
What's the easiest credit card to get?
Secured credit cards require you to provide a cash security deposit to open an account. Because that deposit protects the card company from risk, secured cards are much easier to qualify for than other cards. You're not guaranteed approval for a secured card, but the bar is much lower than for regular cards. Store credit cards are also generally easier to qualify for than bank cards.
What's the best credit card company?
Just as there is no single best card for everyone, consumers have widely different opinions about the best (and worst) credit card issuers. One person could get the runaround from customer service rep and rate a bank zero stars as a result, while another has nothing but positive experiences and gives it five stars across the board. Still, some trends emerge in customer satisfaction surveys.
J.D. Power conducts an annual study of satisfaction among major national and regional credit card issuers. It regularly rates Discover and American Express at the top among mass-market issuers. In the most recent study, USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union had the highest ratings of all, but keep in mind that only people affiliated with the military are eligible for USAA or Navy Federal products.
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