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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
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Citi Custom Cash® Card
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Award winners from past years
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 has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
This page includes information about the Discover it® Secured Credit Card which is no longer 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.
