Every card we review, by what you want it for
Ordered by our overall score. Each verdict below is the same sentence that opens the review — a complete answer to “what is this card for”, not a teaser.
4.7out of 5, Award Rate rating
The default first travel card for most people: a modest fee, transfers to fourteen airline and hotel programs, and travel protections that quietly outclass cards costing four times as much — but its best transfer partner now converts at a discount.
Read the Sapphire Preferred review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
4.6out of 5, Award Rate rating
The best no-fee card to pair with a Sapphire account: on its own it is a good flat-rate earner whose points are worth exactly their cash value, and combined with a premium Chase card the same points stop being cash back and start being airline miles.
Read the Freedom Unlimited review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
American Express® Gold Card
American Express
4.5out of 5, Award Rate rating
The strongest earning card in America for households that cook and eat out, provided you treat its monthly credits as recurring errands rather than free money.
Read the Amex Gold review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
American Express
4.4out of 5, Award Rate rating
The highest-paying supermarket card in the country, and the right answer for a family that buys most of its food at a regular grocery store rather than a warehouse club.
Read the Blue Cash Preferred review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One
4.4out of 5, Award Rate rating
Still the premium travel card whose credits are easiest to use — the annual travel credit and anniversary miles cover most of the fee without you changing a thing — but the free lounge access for additional cardholders that used to be its knockout argument is now a paid add-on, and a couple should re-run the math.
Read the Venture X review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
4.4out of 5, Award Rate rating
The premium travel card with the easiest credit to actually use and the longest list of ones you have to remember: the flat travel credit needs no enrollment, while most of the rest is either locked to Chase’s own booking channels or is an activation-gated promotion with an expiration date already on it.
Read the Sapphire Reserve review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
4.4out of 5, Award Rate rating
The widest set of bonus categories of any mid-fee travel card — groceries, gas, dining, air travel and hotels all earn the same elevated rate — paired with transfer partners that open cheap premium-cabin space the big three bank programs cannot reach.
Read the Strata Premier review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
The Platinum Card® from American Express
American Express
4.3out of 5, Award Rate rating
A lounge-access and statement-credit subscription dressed as a credit card: it wins outright if you fly often enough to use the lounges and are disciplined enough to claim credits on a calendar, and loses badly if you do neither.
Read the Amex Platinum review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
Wells Fargo
4.3out of 5, Award Rate rating
The best no-annual-fee card for people whose spending is spread across dining, fuel, transit, streaming and their phone bill — five elevated categories with no caps and no quarterly activation, plus an intro purchase rate that makes it usable for a planned large purchase.
Read the Autograph review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
4.3out of 5, Award Rate rating
Hold it for the anniversary free night and the elite night credits, not for the earn rate — the certificate is capped by category rather than by cash price, which is the only hotel benefit in the market that gets more valuable exactly when hotels get expensive.
Read the World of Hyatt Card review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Bilt World Elite Mastercard®
Wells Fargo
4.2out of 5, Award Rate rating
The only card that earns transferable points on rent without a processing fee — but the rent earning is capped, requires five card transactions every statement period to trigger at all, and the card carries no welcome offer, so it is a card you hold rather than a card you open.
Read the Bilt Mastercard review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One
4.2out of 5, Award Rate rating
The simplest good travel card there is: a flat, uncapped rate on everything, miles that transfer to real airline programs, and a modest fee — bought at the cost of thin benefits and almost no bonus categories outside the issuer’s own travel portal.
Read the Venture review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
4.1out of 5, Award Rate rating
Two things at once: the longest reliable interest-free balance-transfer window from a major issuer, and afterwards a flat-rate cash-back card with no categories to track — but the second half of the rewards rate only pays as you pay the balance down, so it is the wrong card to carry debt on and earn on simultaneously.
Read the Double Cash review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
American Express
3.9out of 5, Award Rate rating
The best-value way to hold Hilton Gold status, which is worth more than the points the card earns — free breakfast on every stay quietly outperforms a currency our model values near the bottom of the market.
Read the Hilton Surpass review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
3.9out of 5, Award Rate rating
Worth holding if you fly United more than twice a year: the free checked bag for you and a companion covers the fee on a single round trip, and cardholders pay a standing discount on every award ticket they book.
Read the United Explorer review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
3.7out of 5, Award Rate rating
Worth holding only for the anniversary free night — if the hotel you would redeem it at costs more than the fee, the card pays for itself, and if it does not, nothing else here will save it.
Read the Bonvoy Boundless review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
American Express
3.4out of 5, Award Rate rating
A benefits card for people who fly Delta a few times a year — the checked bag waiver is the reason to hold it — but the miles themselves are among the weakest of any major airline currency, so earn your points elsewhere.
Read the Delta Gold review — scored on five axes, with net annual cost
The whole set, compared on the numbers
The same cards with their offers attached. Sort by whichever column is binding for you — bonus value if you are optimizing a single year, net annual cost if you are deciding what to keep.
| Welcome bonusPoints / spend / window | Apply | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapphire Preferredverified Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.24% – 27.49% variable APR | 75,000 / $5K in 3 mo | $750 – $1,1251.0¢ portal floor to 1.5¢ best partner | $95 | $15After usable credits | 4.7out of 5 | View at Chase for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card at Chase (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Freedom Unlimitedverified Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 18.24% – 27.74% variable APR | 20,000 / $500 in 3 mo | $200 – $3001.0¢ portal floor to 1.5¢ best partner | $0 | $0Credits exceed the fee | 4.6out of 5 | View at Chase for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® at Chase (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Amex Goldverified Terms Apply$325 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 100,000 / $8K in 6 moElevated offerthe ceiling of an offer American Express varies by applicant — the issuer states welcome offers vary and that you may not be eligible for one at all | $1,000 – $1,7601.0¢ portal floor to 1.76¢ best partner | $325 | $87After usable credits | 4.5out of 5 | View at American Express for the American Express® Gold Card at American Express (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Blue Cash Preferredverified Terms Apply$0 intro, then $95 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR | $300 / $3K in 6 mopaid as Reward Dollars, redeemable as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. The issuer writes the offer as a ceiling and states that welcome offers vary and that you may not be eligible for one | $300at 1.0¢/pt | $0 intro, then $95 | $47After usable credits | 4.4out of 5 | View at American Express for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express at American Express (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Venture Xverified Terms Apply$395 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 75,000 / $4K in 3 mo | $750 – $1,2001.0¢ portal floor to 1.6¢ best partner | $395 | -$191Credits exceed the fee | 4.4out of 5 | View at Capital One for the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card at Capital One (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Sapphire Reserveverified Terms Apply$795 annual fee · 19.49% – 27.99% variable APR | 100,000 / $6K in 3 moElevated offer | $1,000 – $1,5001.0¢ portal floor to 1.5¢ best partner | $795 | -$59Credits exceed the fee | 4.4out of 5 | View at Chase for the Chase Sapphire Reserve® at Chase (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Strata Premierverified Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.49% – 27.49% variable APR | 60,000 / $4K in 3 mo | $1,020at 1.7¢/pt | $95 | $45After usable credits | 4.4out of 5 | View at Citi for the Citi Strata Premier® Card at Citi (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Amex Platinumverified Terms Apply$895 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 175,000 / $12K in 6 moElevated offerthe ceiling of an offer American Express varies by applicant — the issuer states welcome offers vary and that you may not be eligible for one at all | $3,150at 1.8¢/pt | $895 | -$503Credits exceed the fee | 4.3out of 5 | View at American Express for The Platinum Card® from American Express at American Express (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Autographverified Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 20,000 / $1K in 3 mo | $300at 1.5¢/pt | $0 | -$30Credits exceed the fee | 4.3out of 5 | View at Wells Fargo for the Wells Fargo Autograph® Card at Wells Fargo (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| World of Hyatt Cardverified Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.24% – 27.74% variable APR | 45,000 / $5K in 3 moplus up to 30,000 further points by earning 2 points per dollar, instead of 1, on purchases in the first 6 months, on up to $15,000 of that spending | $855at 1.9¢/pt | $95 | -$271Credits exceed the fee | 4.3out of 5 | View at Chase for the World of Hyatt Credit Card at Chase (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Bilt MastercardmodeledTerms ApplyNo annual fee · 21.24% – 29.49% variable APR | Noneno welcome offer | $0at 1.85¢/pt | $0 | -$66Credits exceed the fee | 4.2out of 5 | Read our review |
| Ventureverified Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 75,000 / $4K in 3 mo | $750 – $1,2001.0¢ portal floor to 1.6¢ best partner | $95 | $74After usable credits | 4.2out of 5 | View at Capital One for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card at Capital One (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Double Cashverified Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 17.49% – 27.49% variable APR | $200 / $1.5K in 6 moawarded as ThankYou® Points, redeemable for cash back as a direct deposit, a statement credit or a check | $200at 1.0¢/pt | $0 | $0Credits exceed the fee | 4.1out of 5 | View at Citi for the Citi Double Cash® Card at Citi (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Hilton Surpassverified Terms Apply$150 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR | 130,000 / $3K in 6 mo | $650at 0.5¢/pt | $150 | -$113Credits exceed the fee | 3.9out of 5 | Offer not currently available |
| United Explorerverified Terms Apply$0 intro, then $150 annual fee · 19.74% – 28.24% variable APR | 50,000 / $3K in 3 moPlus 10,000 bonus miles after you add an authorized user in the first 3 months — Chase advertises the pair as "up to 60,000". The 10,000 is awarded once, for the first authorized user only, and neither half counts toward Premier status. | $675at 1.35¢/pt | $0 intro, then $150 | -$93Credits exceed the fee | 3.9out of 5 | View at Chase for the United℠ Explorer Card at Chase (opens in a new tab) We are not compensated for this card. It is here because it earned its place. |
| Bonvoy BoundlessmodeledTerms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.24% – 27.74% variable APR | 4 Free Night Awards / $3K in 3 moeach valid at a property with a redemption level of up to 50,000 points per night | $0at 0.7¢/pt | $95 | -$125Credits exceed the fee | 3.7out of 5 | Read our review |
| Delta GoldmodeledTerms Apply$0 intro, then $150 annual fee · 20.24% – 29.24% variable APR | 50,000 / $2K in 6 mo | $600at 1.2¢/pt | $0 intro, then $150 | -$42Credits exceed the fee | 3.4out of 5 | Read our review |
Rates, fees and terms for all 17 cards aboveHide rates, fees and terms
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Chase
Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.24% – 27.49% variable APR
See full rates & feesHide rates & fees
- Annual fee
- $95
- Purchase APR
- 19.24% – 27.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.24% – 27.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 29.99% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. Applies if you make a late payment.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
- Minimum interest charge
- $0.50
Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Offers, rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
Rates and fees reconciled against Chase’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Chase rates & terms
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Chase
Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 18.24% – 27.74% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $0
- Purchase APR
- 18.24% – 27.74% variable
- Intro purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months, then 18.24% – 27.74% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months, then 18.24% – 27.74% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Chase notes this account may not be eligible for balance transfers.
- Balance transfer window
- Transfers must post within 60 days of account opening to receive the intro rate
- Foreign transaction fee
- 3%
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. Applies if you fail to make a minimum payment by its due date or make a payment that is returned unpaid, and can remain in effect indefinitely. A minimum payment 60 days late also ends the introductory rate.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Offers, rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
Rates and fees reconciled against Chase’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Chase rates & terms · Chase card page
American Express® Gold Card American Express
Terms Apply$325 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $325
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.74% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you do not pay at least the minimum payment due by the payment due date, or a payment is returned. Once applied it lasts at least six months.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
- Authorized user fee
- $35 per card
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select benefits. Visit americanexpress.com to view rates and fees.
Rates and fees reconciled against American Express’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. American Express rates & terms · American Express card page
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express American Express
Terms Apply$0 intro, then $95 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $0 intro, then $95
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Intro purchase APR
- 0% for 12 months, then 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 0% for 12 months, then 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Balance transfer window
- Transfers must post within 60 days of account opening to receive the intro rate
- Foreign transaction fee
- 2.70%
- Cash advance APR
- 28.74% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you do not pay at least the minimum payment due by the payment due date, or a payment is returned. Once applied it lasts at least six months.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select benefits. Visit americanexpress.com to view rates and fees.
Rates and fees reconciled against American Express’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. American Express rates & terms · American Express card page
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Capital One
Terms Apply$395 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $395
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts at a promotional APR Capital One may offer you. No fee for balances transferred at the standard Transfer APR. Transfers cannot be requested until 10 days after the account is opened, and balances cannot be moved from another Capital One card.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
Credit cards are issued by Capital One, N.A. Offers, benefits, rates and terms are subject to change without notice and may vary by applicant.
Rates and fees reconciled against Capital One’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Capital One rates & terms · Capital One card page
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Chase
Terms Apply$795 annual fee · 19.49% – 27.99% variable APR
See full rates & feesHide rates & fees
- Annual fee
- $795
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 27.99% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.49% – 27.99% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Chase notes this account may not be eligible for balance transfers.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. Applies if you fail to make a minimum payment by its due date or make a payment that is returned unpaid, and can remain in effect indefinitely.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
- Authorized user fee
- $195 per card
Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Offers, rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
Rates and fees reconciled against Chase’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Chase rates & terms · Chase card page
Citi Strata Premier® Card Citi
Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.49% – 27.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $95
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 27.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.49% – 27.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 29.74% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you make a late payment or a payment is returned.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $41
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $41
- Minimum interest charge
- $0.50
Cards are issued by Citibank, N.A. Offers, rates, rewards, benefits and terms are subject to change and may vary by applicant. Citi is not responsible for the products or services offered by other companies.
Rates and fees reconciled against Citi’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Citi rates & terms · Citi card page
The Platinum Card® from American Express American Express
Terms Apply$895 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $895
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.74% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you do not pay at least the minimum payment due by the payment due date, or a payment is returned. Once applied it lasts at least six months.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
- Authorized user fee
- $195 per card
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select benefits. Visit americanexpress.com to view rates and fees.
Rates and fees reconciled against American Express’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. American Express rates & terms · American Express card page
Wells Fargo Autograph® Card Wells Fargo
Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $0
- Purchase APR
- 18.49% – 28.49% variable
- Intro purchase APR
- 0% for 12 months, then 18.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 18.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, for transfers made within 120 days of account opening; either $5 or up to 5% of each transfer, whichever is greater, after that. The introductory APR applies to purchases only — balance transfers carry the standard APR from the day they post.
- Balance transfer window
- Transfers must post within 120 days of account opening to receive the intro rate
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 29.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Minimum interest charge
- $1.00
Cards are issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. Offers, rates, rewards and terms are subject to change and may vary by applicant.
Rates and fees reconciled against Wells Fargo’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Wells Fargo rates & terms · Wells Fargo card page
World of Hyatt Credit Card Chase
Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.24% – 27.74% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $95
- Purchase APR
- 19.24% – 27.74% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.24% – 27.74% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Chase notes this account may not be eligible for balance transfers.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. Applies if you fail to make a minimum payment by its due date or make a payment that is returned unpaid, and can remain in effect indefinitely.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Offers, rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
Rates and fees reconciled against Chase’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Chase rates & terms · Chase card page
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Wells Fargo
Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 21.24% – 29.49% variable APRmodeled — see issuer for current rates
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- Annual fee
- $0
- Purchase APR
- 21.24% – 29.49% variable
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Late payment fee
- Up to $41
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $41
- Minimum interest charge
- $1.00
The Bilt Mastercard is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated. Rates, rewards and benefits are subject to change.
These figures model Wells Fargo’s published terms and have NOT been reconciled against Wells Fargo’s pricing-and-terms disclosure. Last edited (not verified) . Confirm current terms on the issuer’s page before you apply. Wells Fargo rates & terms
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Capital One
Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $95
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts at a promotional APR Capital One may offer you. No fee for balances transferred at the standard Transfer APR.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
Credit cards are issued by Capital One, N.A. Offers, benefits, rates and terms are subject to change without notice and may vary by applicant.
Rates and fees reconciled against Capital One’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Capital One rates & terms · Capital One card page
Citi Double Cash® Card Citi
Terms ApplyNo annual fee · 17.49% – 27.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $0
- Purchase APR
- 17.49% – 27.49% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 0% for 18 months, then 17.49% – 27.49% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, as an introductory fee for transfers completed within 4 months of account opening; either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, after that. The 0% introductory rate runs 18 months from account opening and applies only to transfers completed within that same first 4 months.
- Foreign transaction fee
- 3%
- Cash advance APR
- 29.74% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you make a late payment or a payment is returned.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $41
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $41
- Minimum interest charge
- $0.50
Cards are issued by Citibank, N.A. Offers, rates, rewards, benefits and terms are subject to change and may vary by applicant. Citi is not responsible for the products or services offered by other companies.
Rates and fees reconciled against Citi’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Citi rates & terms · Citi card page
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card American Express
Terms Apply$150 annual fee · 19.49% – 28.49% variable APR
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- Annual fee
- $150
- Purchase APR
- 19.49% – 28.49% variable
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.74% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you miss a minimum payment or a payment is returned, and once applied it stays in force for at least six months.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select benefits. Visit americanexpress.com to view rates and fees.
Rates and fees reconciled against American Express’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. American Express rates & terms · American Express card page
United℠ Explorer Card Chase
Terms Apply$0 intro, then $150 annual fee · 19.74% – 28.24% variable APR
See full rates & feesHide rates & fees
- Annual fee
- $0 intro, then $150
- Purchase APR
- 19.74% – 28.24% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.74% – 28.24% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Chase’s pricing disclosure also notes that this account may not be eligible for balance transfers at all.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. Up to 29.99%, variable. Applies if you fail to make a minimum payment by its due date or a payment to Chase is returned unpaid, and can remain in effect indefinitely.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Offers, rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
Rates and fees reconciled against Chase’s published pricing and terms on . Issuers may change offers, rates and terms at any time without notice; confirm current terms on the issuer’s own page before you apply. Chase rates & terms · Chase card page
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Chase
Terms Apply$95 annual fee · 19.24% – 27.74% variable APRmodeled — see issuer for current rates
See full rates & feesHide rates & fees
- Annual fee
- $95
- Purchase APR
- 19.24% – 27.74% variable
- Balance transfer APR
- 19.24% – 27.74% variable
- Balance transfer fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 28.49% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transaction, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. Up to this rate, if you fail to make a minimum payment by the date and time it is due, or make a payment that is returned unpaid.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Cards are issued by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Offers, rates and terms are subject to change without notice.
These figures model Chase’s published terms and have NOT been reconciled against Chase’s pricing-and-terms disclosure. Last edited (not verified) . Confirm current terms on the issuer’s page before you apply. Chase rates & terms · Chase card page
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card American Express
Terms Apply$0 intro, then $150 annual fee · 20.24% – 29.24% variable APRmodeled — see issuer for current rates
See full rates & feesHide rates & fees
- Annual fee
- $0 intro, then $150
- Purchase APR
- 20.24% – 29.24% variable
- Foreign transaction fee
- None
- Cash advance APR
- 29.99% variable
- Cash advance fee
- Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater.
- Penalty APR
- Up to 29.99%. May apply if you make a late payment or a payment is returned.
- Late payment fee
- Up to $40
- Returned payment fee
- Up to $40
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
These figures model American Express’s published terms and have NOT been reconciled against American Express’s pricing-and-terms disclosure. Last edited (not verified) . Confirm current terms on the issuer’s page before you apply. American Express rates & terms
How we review a credit card
Most card reviews describe a product. Ours are supposed to answer a decision, which means the method has to be legible enough that you can disagree with it. Here it is in full.
- We reconcile the terms first, not last. Every rate, fee, cap and intro period is read off the issuer’s own pricing-and-terms disclosure and stored in a single data file. No figure is ever typed into the prose of a review, which is why an offer change updates every page at once instead of leaving a stale number beside a live application link.
- We price the welcome offer at our own valuations. Points are multiplied by the median redemption value from our sampling model — not by the best redemption anyone has ever constructed. That makes our bonus values smaller than our competitors’ and considerably more likely to be what you actually get.
- We discount every statement credit for how hard it is to claim. A credit tied to one booking channel, one merchant list or a monthly reset window counts for a fraction of its face value. The discount for each credit is printed in the review, so if you think it is wrong for your own habits you have everything you need to redo the arithmetic.
- We publish net annual cost. Fee minus the credits we count. It is the number that decides whether to keep a card, and it is the number an issuer’s own benefits total is designed to obscure.
- We score on five fixed axes. Rewards value, perks and credits, fee justification, flexibility, and an overall judgement that is not an average of the other four. The rationale for the overall score is published with it.
- We surface the rules that get people declined. Being rejected costs a hard inquiry and returns nothing, and the cause is almost always an unpublished issuer rule rather than a credit score. Every review lists them prominently rather than in a footnote.
What we do not cover, and why
We review 17 cards. A comparison site listing eighty has not held eighty, and the marginal review on a list that long is a rewritten press release with an affiliate link attached. Keeping the set small is what makes it possible to reconcile every figure on a quarterly cycle and to print the verification date on every page.
Three things are deliberately outside the set. Business cards have different underwriting, different reporting to the consumer bureaus and different application rules, and ranking them beside consumer cards misleads more than it helps. Store cards almost never survive our fee-justification screen. And cards we have not held do not appear at all — a review written from a marketing page cannot tell you which credits are annoying to claim, and that is the only part of a premium card review that matters.
If a card you are considering is not here, the two pages most likely to help anyway are our ranked list of travel cards, which explains what we screened out and why, and our published point valuations, which let you price any card’s offer yourself using the same arithmetic we use.
Frequently asked questions
How does Award Rate review a credit card?
Every card is scored on the same five axes — rewards value, perks and credits, fee justification, flexibility, and an overall judgement — before any commercial arrangement is considered. Dollar figures come from our published valuation model rather than from issuer marketing, statement credits are discounted by how hard they are to claim, and the discount is printed in the review rather than hidden inside a conclusion. Issuers do not review, approve or see our content before publication.
Why do you review so few cards?
Because we only cover cards we have held, reconciled against the issuer’s own pricing-and-terms disclosure, and modeled end to end. A site listing eighty cards has never held eighty cards, and the marginal review is a rewritten press release. Our set is deliberately small enough that every figure on every page is verified on a quarterly cycle, and the verification date is printed on the page.
Do the cards that pay you get better ratings?
No, and the set is built so you can check rather than trust. Cards that earn us nothing are reviewed, scored and ranked identically to the ones that do, and each is labeled where it appears. Our ratings are set before any commercial arrangement is discussed, and the scoring weights are published in advance. If a card that pays us scores badly, the review says so — the cons section is the reason the pros are believable.
What is “net annual cost” and why does every review show it?
It is the annual fee minus the statement credits a realistic cardholder actually claims, with every credit discounted for how hard it is to use — a credit tied to one booking channel counts for a fraction of its face value. It is the single most useful number for deciding whether to keep a card, and almost nobody publishes it, because it makes premium cards look worse than the issuer’s own benefits arithmetic does. A negative figure means the card pays you to hold it.
How often are these reviews updated?
Card terms are reconciled against each issuer’s own pricing-and-terms disclosure on a quarterly cycle, and every review prints the date its figures were last verified. Because no card-specific figure is typed into our prose — every number resolves from a single data file at build time — an offer change updates every page that mentions it at once, rather than leaving a stale figure sitting next to a live application link.