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7 Excellent Rewards Credit Cards of 2023

A rewards credit card can help you earn cash back, travel rewards, and other perks with everyday purchases. Compare these products from our partners to find the one for you.

NerdWallet's Excellent Rewards Credit Cards of 2023

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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.

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Excellent Rewards Credit Cards From Our Partners

Excellent for: Cash Back — High Flat Rate + Incentives

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on Wells Fargo's website

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
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on Wells Fargo's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

2%

Cashback

Intro offer

$200

Recommended Credit Score
  • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

  • Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

  • 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% variable APR; 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

  • Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge

  • Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).

  • Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions

  • View Rates & Fees
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on Wells Fargo's website

  • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months

  • Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

  • 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% variable APR; 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

  • Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge

  • Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).

  • Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions

  • View Rates & Fees
Apply Now

on Wells Fargo's website

Pros

  • High rewards rate

  • No annual fee

  • Intro APR period

Cons

  • No bonus categories

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Excellent for: Flat-Rate Travel Rewards

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on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

4.7

NerdWallet rating 
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on Capital One's website

Annual fee

$95

Rewards rate

2x-5x

Miles

Intro offer

75,000

Miles

Recommended Credit Score
  • 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

  • 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 $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®

  • Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network

  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel

  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

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on Capital One's website

Pros

  • High rewards rate

  • Flexible rewards redemption

Cons

  • High annual fee

  • Rewards have limited flexibility

  • Requires good/excellent credit

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Excellent for: Dining and Groceries + No Annual Fee

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on Capital One's website

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
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on Capital One's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1%-10%

Cashback

Intro offer

$200

Recommended Credit Score
  • Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 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; 19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months

  • No foreign transaction fee

  • No annual fee

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on Capital One's website

Pros

  • No annual fee

  • Intro APR period

  • Bonus categories

  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • Requires good/excellent credit

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Excellent for: Cash-Back Pairing with Chase Sapphire Preferred®

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on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
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on Chase's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1.5%-6.5%

Cashback

Intro offer

$300

Recommended Credit Score
  • INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

  • Enjoy 6.5% 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; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).

  • After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% 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!

  • Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.49% - 28.24%.

  • 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, real-time alerts, and more.

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on Chase's website

Pros

  • No annual fee

  • Intro APR period

  • High rewards rate

  • No minimum redemption amount

Cons

  • Requires good/excellent credit

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Excellent for: Airline Miles and a Large Bonus

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on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
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on Chase's website

Annual fee

$95

Rewards rate

1x-5x

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Points

Recommended Credit Score
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

  • Enjoy benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases, plus more.

  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.

  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.

  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.

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on Chase's website

Pros

  • New cardholder bonus offer

  • Bonus categories

  • Primary rental car coverage

  • Flexible rewards redemption

  • Transfer partners

Cons

  • Has annual fee

  • Requires good/excellent credit

  • Complicated rewards

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Excellent for: Big Rewards on Everyday Spending

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on American Express' website

American Express® Gold Card

4.6

NerdWallet rating 
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on American Express' website

Annual fee

$250

Rewards rate

1x-4x

Points

Intro offer

60,000

Points

Recommended Credit Score
  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.

  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).

  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.

  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.

  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.

  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.

  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.

  • Annual Fee is $250.

  • Terms Apply.

  • View Rates & Fees
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on American Express' website

Pros

  • Bonus categories

  • Transfer partners

  • Flexible rewards redemption

Cons

  • Has annual fee

  • Complicated rewards

  • Requires good/excellent credit

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Excellent for: Bonus Rewards + No Annual Fee

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on Wells Fargo's website

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
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on Wells Fargo's website

Annual fee

$0

Rewards rate

1x-3x

Points

Intro offer

20,000

Points

Recommended Credit Score
  • Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value

  • Earn unlimited 3X points on the things that really add up - like restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. Plus, earn 1X points on other purchases

  • $0 annual fee

  • 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases. 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% variable APR thereafter

  • Get up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly cell phone bill with your eligible Wells Fargo card (subject to a $25 deductible).

  • Redeem your rewards points for travel, gift cards, or statement credits. Or shop at millions of online stores and redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal.

  • Enjoy a premium collection of benefits at a selection of the world's most intriguing and prestigious hotel properties with Visa Signature Concierge.

  • Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions.

  • View Rates & Fees
Apply Now

on Wells Fargo's website

Pros

  • No annual fee

  • Bonus categories

  • No reward caps

  • Cell phone insurance

  • New cardholder bonus offer

Cons

  • No free checked bags

  • No free anniversary night

  • No luxury perks

  • Requires good/excellent credit

Read full review