The Best Credit Cards of 2020

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply Now

• On Chase's Secure Website

Annual Fee

$95

APR

15.99% - 22.99% Variable

Credit Needed

?

Excellent

Editor's Rating

?

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
• 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
• Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on orders over $12 for a minimum of one year on qualifying food purchases with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
• Earn 5X points on Lyft rides through March 2022. That's 3X points in addition to the 2X points you already earn on travel.

+ see card details

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American Express® Gold Card

Apply Now

• See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply.
• On American Express' Secure Website

Annual Fee

$250

APR

See Rates & Fees

Credit Needed

?

Good/Excellent

Editor's Rating

?

• Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 3 months.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points when you dine at restaurants worldwide. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
• $100 Airline Fee Credit: up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees at one selected qualifying airline.
• Choose to carry a balance with interest on eligible charges of $100 or more.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Terms Apply.

+ see card details

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Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Apply Now

• On Chase's Secure Website

Annual Fee

$550

APR

16.99%-23.99% Variable

Credit Needed

?

Excellent

Editor's Rating

?

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
• 3X points on travel immediately after earning your $300 travel credit. 3X points on dining at restaurants & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases. $0 foreign transaction fees.
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,000+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select
• Up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®
• One Year Complimentary Lyft Pink ($199 minimum value). Complimentary DashPass subscription from DoorDash after activating by 12/31/21.

+ see card details

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Citi® Double Cash Card

Apply Now

• On Citi's Secure Website

Annual Fee

$0

APR

13.99% - 23.99% (Variable)

Credit Needed

?

Excellent, Good

Editor's Rating

?

• Earn cash back twice. Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% – 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.

+ see card details

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Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Apply Now

• See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply.
• On American Express' Secure Website

Annual Fee

$95

APR

12.99%-23.99% Variable

Credit Needed

?

Good/Excellent

Editor's Rating

?

• Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
• 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.
• Don't wait for your Card in the mail. Start earning cash back before your card even arrives, if eligible for Instant Card Number.
• Low intro APR: 0% for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, currently 12.99% to 23.99%
• Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
• $95 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

+ see card details

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These are the best credit card offers currently available. Continue below to see our top picks along with an explanation of each card's benefits and any potential things to watch out for before applying.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply Now

• On Chase's Secure Website

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Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has one of the best earning structures of any credit card on the market. Cardholders earn 2 points per dollar spent on dining and travel purchases and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. What makes the card special is that the points you earn are part of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program, which is considered by some to be the premier card rewards program. Within the program, users can transfer their points to 13 travel programs, ranging from United Airlines to Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

If you're thinking about applying for this card, now may be the perfect time to do so, as the card is offering a more generous sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The offer previously stood at 50,000 points. There's no telling how long Chase will offer the current bonus.

Things to watch out for: You'll need to have excellent credit to qualify for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. The card also comes with a $95 annual fee. We imagine that most people will earn enough rewards to offset that annual fee.

2. Discover it® Cash Back

Why we like it: Many credit cards in the cash-back space only offer up to 1.5% cash back. Unlike those cards, the Discover it® Cash Back offers cardholders up to 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories up to $1,500 in spending each quarter. Cardholders will have to activate the categories in their account, and any spending that falls outside of the quarterly categories will earn 1% cash back.

Another great thing about the Discover it® Cash Back is that Discover is currently matching the cash back you earn in the first year of having the card. This means, at worst, you'll earn 2% cash back on most purchases during your first year and 10% cash back on purchases in the bonus categories. No other cash-back credit cards reward users within that range. If you're interested in other cash-back options, make sure to read our in-depth guide.

Things to watch out for: There are two main things to watch out for here: category activation and the rotating calendar. Activating the 5% categories on the Discover it® Cash Back is pretty straightforward and you can do it online, but if you forget to do so, you'll only earn 1% cash back in those spending categories for the quarter. Before applying, make sure your spending aligns with the cash-back calendar; otherwise, you won't be able to maximize your cash-back rewards.

If you typically spend in different categories, consider opting for the Chase Freedom®, a similar card with a similar cash-back calendar. One thing worth noting is that Target and Walmart.com were recently added to the Discover it® Cash Back 5% cashback bonus calendar. Since they are available in the fourth quarter, this addition could help you save money on the upcoming holiday season.

3. American Express® Gold Card

Apply Now

• See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply.
• On American Express' Secure Website

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Why we like it: The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best premium cards on the market due to its high rewards-earning potential. Cardholders earn 4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year), 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or on amextravel.com, and 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere.

On top of a great rewards structure, the American Express® Gold Card also offers worthwhile perks. Cardholders get a $100 airline fee credit every calendar year and a monthly $10 in statement credits when you use the card for purchases at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. When you combine the statement credits with the high points potential, it becomes obvious this is one of the best credit cards for foodies.

Things to watch out for: In the past, this card has offered a 50,000-point bonus. Right now, its offer is much lower: Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 3 months. There's no telling whether the 50,000-point welcome bonus will come back. Regardless, the card offers a strong enough rewards structure to justify applying even with a relatively low welcome bonus.

For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

4. Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

This product is not available through ValuePenguin.

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Why we like it: With the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, cardholders earn an unlimited 2 miles on every dollar spent, which is great if you want a simple yet high-earning travel rewards credit card. The miles you earn with this card can be transferred to 15+ travel loyalty programs, meaning you can get a higher value for your miles.

The Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card is one of the only cards to offer an application fee credit for TSA Precheck/Global Entry at this price point. For reference, most other cards that offer a TSA Precheck or Global Entry voucher charge an annual fee of more than $200. Therefore, if you're already considering applying for one of those programs, then it could make sense to apply for this card and use it to apply for one of those programs.

While the transfer partners in the Capital One program still aren't as strong as those in the Chase and Amex programs, Capital One continues to add partners to the list, including the recent addition of two hotel partners — Accor ALL and Wyndham Rewards. Things to watch out for: There aren't many downsides with this card, especially if you plan to redeem your miles for travel. That said, if you're interested in cash-back rewards, we would suggest a different card. When you redeem miles for cash using the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, they may be less valuable.

5. Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Apply Now

• On Chase's Secure Website

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Why we like it: Hands down, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the most talked-about cards among travel rewards enthusiasts — and for good reason. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers 3 points for every dollar spent on dining and travel purchases, 1 point per dollar spent elsewhere and a $300 annual travel credit. The 3 points on travel applies after earning the entire $300 travel credit. Currently, it offers the following sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Points carry 50% value when redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal, meaning the sign-up bonus can be worth $750 when redeemed for travel.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® also grants cardholders access to Priority Pass airport lounges. It's worth noting that many recent travelers have complained about lounges rejecting them due to capacity constraints, so we wouldn't recommend this card if you're primarily interested in lounge access. The best reason to get this card is if you want to transfer miles to airline or hotel partners and maximize the value of your points.

Things to watch out for: There's no denying that a $550 annual fee is hard to swallow. To make matters worse, the $550 will be due with your first billing statement. But if you typically spend at least $300 in travel per year, then the card's annual fee is effectively $250. Also, the card offers up to $60 in credits toward DoorDash (and a free membership) each year. If you make frequent use of food delivery, you could potentially lower the fee to $190. Still, while the Chase Sapphire Reserve® definitely offers a lot of value, it's still one of the highest annual fees around.

6. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

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Why we like it: The worst cash-back rate you can earn with the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is 1.5%, which is in line with some of the best cash-back cards. The card doesn't have categories to activate, making it ideal for someone who just wants a flat-out competitive rate but doesn't want to think about rotating categories. Plus, the card is offering a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, making it ideal for financing a pricey purchase or paying off a balance on another high-interest card for more than a year before the regular APR kicks in.

Things to watch out for: The most disappointing feature about the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is that it doesn't offer a bigger sign-up bonus. Most no-annual-fee cash-back cards offer enticing bonuses that can be worth up to $300. Regardless, the card offers a decent sign-up bonus: $150 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

7. Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever

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Why we like it: The Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever is one of the best options for anyone looking to pay down existing credit card debt. That's because the card comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening and 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from date of first transfer. After the intro period, your APR will be 14.74% - 24.74% (Variable), depending on your creditworthiness. The intro offer on this card is one of the most competitive balance transfer offers that we've seen.

Things to watch out for: While the card does come with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers, there's also a balance transfer fee of 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum on each transfer. While some balance transfer cards don’t charge this fee, their introductory periods are typically much shorter than 21 months. Despite the balance transfer fee, most people will come out ahead if they save enough on interest costs.

8. Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Why we like it: The Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the few great cards available to those with a fair or average credit score. We consider it among the best cards because it offers a strong 1.5% cash-back rate on all purchases, when most competitors typically provide meager cash-back rates and charge high fees for people with low credit scores.

Things to watch out for: Don't confuse this card with the significantly better Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card. The two have similar names, but the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card is only available to those with excellent credit. If your credit score improves with the Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card, we suggest you upgrade your card to take advantage of the sizable cash-back bonus and $39 annual fee.

9. Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

Apply Now

• On Citi's Secure Website

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Why we like it: The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer is our top pick for users who simply want a highly rewarding card that doesn't require much additional thought. That's because the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer offers 1% cash back twice (for an effective 2% rate), while most other cash-back cards top out at 1.5% cash back. You'll get 1% cash back when you make a purchase and an additional 1% back as you pay for your purchases. While other cards can get you higher cash-back rates, they require you to keep track of rotating categories.

Things to watch out for: There are two main drawbacks to the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer: It charges a foreign transaction fee and doesn't offer a sign-up bonus. Most other cash-back cards offer cardholders the opportunity to earn sign-up bonuses ranging from $150 to $300 for meeting certain spending requirements. Unfortunately, that's not the case with the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer. Furthermore, you'll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee anytime you use the card while abroad. If you can get over those hiccups, then the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer can prove one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market.

10. Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

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Why we like it: The Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is a winner for Prime loyalists. This card can't be beat with a year-round rate of unlimited 5% back on Amazon.com and Whole Foods, plus 2% on restaurants, gas stations and drugstores and 1% on everything else. For comparison, the other cards that earn bonus rewards on Amazon purchases limit them to one quarter per year with a spending cap of $1,500. In addition, this is a great card for travel as it charges zero foreign transaction fees.

While the card has no annual fee, you do have to be a Prime member ($119 a year or $59 for students). If you're not currently a Prime subscriber, this would be a great time to take the leap; one-day shipping and 5% on all purchases with the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card is competitive with any other retail offer available.

Things to watch out for: Compared to other top no-fee options, the Amazon gift card sign-up bonus is just average. Regardless, the ongoing spending rewards you'll get with this card far outweigh the weak welcome offer if you’re a regular Amazon Prime shopper. Consider that you'll get more than $400 cash back per year if you spend $500 at Amazon and Whole Foods per month, $500 at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores per month and $300 on other purchases per month.

11. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Apply Now

• See Rates & Fees. Terms Apply.
• On American Express' Secure Website

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Why we like it: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one of the best cards for shopping at U.S. supermarkets. The card offers 6% cash back in the grocery category on up to $6,000 in purchases per year and 1% thereafter.

In addition to a strong rewards rate at U.S. supermarkets, the card offers 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. While the card does charge an annual fee, we suspect most users will earn enough cash back rewards to offset the cost.

Things to watch out for: There's not much to dislike about the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. If we were forced to nitpick, we'd say the welcome offer could be stronger for a card with an annual fee. Still, this is one of the best cards around for earning cash-back rewards, specifically if you spend a lot at U.S. supermarkets, streaming services, tolls and gas stations.

For rates and fees on the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, click here.

Summary of the Best Credit Cards of 2020

Honorable Mentions: More of the Best Credit Cards of 2020

Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card

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Why we like it: The Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card is one of the most robust cash-back rewards cards that's available. You'll earn 3% cash back on a category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% cash back everywhere else. The 3% and 2% cash-back rates are restricted to the first $2,500 you spend in the category of your choice and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs combined every quarter. After that, you'll earn 1% cash back in these categories until the next quarter begins.

Why it missed our list: While the cash-back rewards are quite high, the $2,500 spending cap is actually quite low. For example, assuming you maxed out the $2,500 limit in the 3% category, you would only earn $75 in cash back rewards every quarter. Some readers may fare better with a simpler card, like the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer, which offers 2% cash back on all purchases with no spending cap.

Here are your choices for the 3% category:

Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Why we like it: The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores, and 1% on all other purchases, making it a premier cash-back credit card. On top of that, the card doesn't charge users a foreign transaction fee, so you’ll earn competitive rewards abroad without paying extra.

Why it missed our list: This card charges an annual fee of $0 intro for first year; $95 after that. To get the most out of this card, you'll have to be sure your budget constantly hits certain categories, like dining, entertainment and grocery expenses.

FAQs About Credit Cards

Before you apply for any credit card, we always recommend you research and compare options. Below are some questions many of our readers have about credit cards.

1. What are the easiest credit cards to get approved for?

The easiest credit cards to get approved for are usually secured cards or credit cards geared toward people with no or limited credit histories. Secured credit card holders pay a deposit upfront, which acts as the credit line and protects the card issuer in case the cardholder defaults. Below, we provide our thoughts on the best credit cards for people with no or limited credit.

2. What is a good number of credit cards to have?

There's no rule of thumb for how many credit cards you should have. The average person has 3.1 credit cards, but you should focus on how you use and manage them. You can have a great credit score whether you have one or a dozen credit cards.

3. How do I compare credit cards?

The best way to compare credit cards is to consider the rewards, benefits and costs of each card. To help readers in their search for a credit card, our team developed a credit card comparison tool. It shows the rewards you stand to earn with each card over a two-year period. It's also fully customizable to your spending. You can use the tool here.

4. Which credit cards give the best travel rewards?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the American Express® Gold Card are the best travel rewards cards for most people. With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you'll earn 2x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining and travel. With the American Express® Gold Card, you'll earn 4x Membership Rewards points on U.S. restaurant and supermarket purchases and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines. The Chase Ultimate Rewards program and American Express Membership Rewards program both allow you to transfer your rewards to numerous travel loyalty programs, which is why these cards provide outsized value.

5. Are points credit cards worth it?

Points are worth it for responsible credit cardholders who pay their bill on time every month and don't rack up interest charges. Earning points is a great way to get free rewards on your everyday spending, but it shouldn't cause you to go into debt. It's important to note that you should only open a card with an annual fee if the benefits and points-earning potential make it worth it for you.

6. What is the best Visa credit card?

Both Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted around the world, so you shouldn't choose your credit card based on the network it operates on. However, Visa is the card network for a host of options on this list, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Uber Visa Card and Chase Sapphire Reserve®. For most people, we recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which comes with a moderate annual fee of $95, and the following welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. It also earns 2x points on dining and travel purchases.

7. What is the best Mastercard credit card?

While credit card networks aren't all that important due to Mastercard and Visa's widespread acceptance, you may still want a card on a specific network for a certain benefit. If you're looking for a Mastercard, we recommend the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer. This card provides an effective 2% back on every purchase (1% when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay your bill) and comes with no annual fee.