Our Best Credit Cards of October 2025

Before picking from the best credit cards, you need to consider the perks and features you want the most. That's because the right fit for your wallet depends on your credit score, financial goals, and spending habits.  

What are the best credit cards? That really depends on your credit goals, whether you want to earn cash back or travel rewards or enjoy 0% APR for a limited time.  If you're not sure where to start, this guide does the hard work for you by comparing the best cards based on their rewards offers, cardholder benefits, features and fees.

Credit Cards at a Glance

Many of the best cards on the market are cash back credit cards offering generous spending rewards without charging an annual fee. Some top credit cards also come with an intro APR offer for purchases, balance transfers, or both. While some rewards cards offer the same earning rate on all purchases, others offer enhanced rewards in bonus spending categories like dining out, groceries, or gas. Make sure to compare card costs, rewards programs, and ancillary benefits before you pick a credit card.

Before you pick the right credit card, you need to understand the types of cards on the market. Consider how the different types of cards can work for your goals.

Cash Back

These cards offer cash back rewards for spending, which you can often redeem for a check in the mail, statement credits, gift cards, and other flexible options. When finding the best cash back credit card, most experts recommend looking for options with no annual fee and the most optimal rewards rate for your spending.

Best Cash Back Credit Cards

Travel

These credit cards earn flexible points for travel, airline miles, or hotel points. Many of the best travel credit cards on the market come from programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and the Citi ThankYou program.

Best Travel Credit Cards

Balance Transfer

The best balance transfer credit cards may or may not offer rewards, but they all offer 0% APR on balance transfers for a limited time. Balance transfer fees usually apply, but people can save considerable sums on interest if they use these cards to get out of debt fast.

Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Low Interest

There are also credit cards that offer 0% APR on purchases for a limited time (and potentially balance transfers), and many offer rewards for spending. Most credit cards with 0% APR offers for purchases come with $0 annual fees.

Best Low Interest Credit Cards

The most important features of good credit cards depend on the type of card you're after. However, most top credit card offers come with at least some of the following:

Rewards Program

Most (but not all) of the best credit cards offer something back for each dollar you spend, whether that's cash back, travel rewards, or flexible points. 

Before picking the best card for you, you need to think about the rewards you want to earn and how you might redeem them.

Reasonable Fees

There are numerous $0 annual fee credit cards on the market if you prefer to keep costs down, whereas many cards with the most perks and features charge a fee each year. 

If you're considering a credit card with an annual fee, ensure you'll get enough ongoing benefits and rewards to make up for that cost.

Builds Credit

All major credit cards build credit by reporting to at least one of the credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, or TransUnion. However, some card types (like secured credit cards) are specifically geared toward individuals who need to build or rebuild their credit.

Cardholder Benefits

The best credit cards also come with their share of perks, which vary by card type. For example, many cash back cards offer extended warranties and purchase protection against theft or damage. 

Meanwhile, travel credit cards tend to offer travel insurance coverage, annual travel credits, or airport lounge access.

The path to the right credit card looks different for everyone, mostly because we all have different goals. These steps can help you compare cards to find the perfect fit.

Know Your Credit Score

The best travel and rewards credit cards require good-to-excellent credit (FICO scores of 700 or higher), which means not everyone can qualify. If you have a fair credit score (FICO score from 580 to 669) or poor credit (FICO score of 579 or below), you must pick from credit cards geared to that credit rating.

Fortunately, credit cards offer a way to build credit with regular spending and bills. To make the most of cards that build credit, you must avoid using too much of your available credit limit and always pay your monthly bill on time. 

Pick a Card Type

Once you have a general idea of the cards you can qualify for based on your credit rating, you can narrow down a specific niche of cards to suit your goals. These niches could include credit cards that earn cash back or travel rewards, or perhaps you want a 0% APR credit card to save on interest for a while. Whatever your goal is, start looking at the best credit cards within that category.

Consider Annual Fees

There's nothing wrong with paying a credit card annual fee, but make sure you're getting enough in return to justify the cost. Factors that help make up for annual fees include credit card sign-up bonuses, rewards you earn throughout a year, statement credit offers, and other perks.

Compare Rewards Programs

Ensure you understand the rewards programs associated with the cards you're considering and the redemption options each offers. This part can be tricky since reward redemptions vary significantly from card to card.  For example, there are cash back credit cards that only let you redeem for statement credits. In contrast, others allow you to redeem for cash back, statement credits, gift cards, merchandise, or travel redemptions.

Decide Which Perks You Want

Remember how credit cards all have their selection of benefits, from consumer protections for purchases to perks that apply when you travel. Look at credit card benefits for offers you're considering and decide if they make sense. Also remember that you'll get more cardholder benefits overall if you're willing to pay a higher annual fee.

Narrow Your Options

Once you consider your credit rating, credit card annual fees, the perks you want, and the ways you can redeem rewards, narrow down your options to a list of cards. The best card for you should offer a package of perks and benefits you want for an annual fee you can afford, or even no annual fee.

Once you find the credit card you want, applying is a breeze. These tips can help you get to the finish line.

1. Find the credit card you want online. You can apply for the best credit cards via links directly on this page or by finding the card issuer and product online. Once you find the right credit card, look for a button that says "apply now."

2. Fill out the credit card application. Complete the application for the card by providing your full name, address, household income, date of birth, employment information, Social Security Number, and monthly housing payment.

3. Double-check your information. Review your application to ensure the details are correct before submitting it. Once you're sure you've honestly answered all the questions, go ahead and click.

4. Wait for the results. The good news about applying is that you can usually find out if you're approved for a new credit card right away. If you don't get a fast notification about your approval or denial, expect to hear from the card issuer one way or the other within 30 days.

Ways to get the most bang for your buck with a credit card depend on the type of card you have and the goal(s) you're trying to accomplish. For example, someone with a balance transfer credit card will likely focus on debt repayment instead of rewards. In contrast, someone with a travel credit card is probably trying to maximize rewards for free travel.

Consider these expert tips and tricks to help you get the most out of different card types.

Assess Your Spending

"Look for options that can offer you more total cash back in those categories,” Hurd adds. “Remember that you could hold both a 2% cash back credit card and a card that earns rewards in useful bonus categories like groceries, gas, or dining.”

Don't Neglect Your Credit

"Never buy more than you can afford just because you have extra credit available," says travel rewards expert Kheel. "If you want to build a good credit score, you'll also want to avoid spending more than about 30% of your available credit at any given time. When you start using more than that on a regular basis, your credit utilization ratio increases, which can cause your overall credit score and credit health to go down."

Look for Bonus Offers

"Chasing after sign-up bonuses (SUBs) beats out any category on a credit card. Most SUBs can earn 10%-plus back on your spend compared to half that in normal credit card spending," says travel rewards expert Matthew Dong of Wuhoo Group.

While the best credit card sign-up bonuses vary by card type, you can expect to earn $200 to $1,000 or more if you meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months of account opening. However, ensure this minimum spend won't put you over budget.

Not sure you want a credit card? Consider these alternatives.

• Buy now, pay later (BNPL): BNPL payment options from companies like Affirm and Klarna let consumers set up payment plans for eligible purchases at the source. However, costs vary for these plans and you can pay interest, fees, or both.

• Debit cards: Debit cards let you pay for purchases with funds from a connected checking account. Since debit cards don't rely on a line of credit, they don't help consumers build their credit history or scores.

• Prepaid cards: Many prepaid cards are offered at stores and online. These cards let users "load" them with funds they can use for in-person or online purchases.

• Personal loans: If you need to borrow money but aren't sure you want a credit card, consider personal loans from the best lenders. These loans let you borrow a set amount of money and pay it back with a fixed interest rate and set monthly payment that doesn't change.

While all rankings for the "best credit cards" are subjective, we conducted considerable research to create this guide. Beyond considering credit card offers in various categories, we compared cards based on factors consumers care about. These include credit card rewards programs, rates and fees, features and benefits, account security, user experience, and customer service.

We also surveyed consumers and credit card experts to get their opinions on the best credit cards for achieving different goals. Finally, we assessed consumer sentiment on credit card usage and preferences across user platforms like myFICO.com, Reddit, and Quora.

What Is the Best Credit Card?

The best credit card depends on a range of factors that vary from person to person. Where one person might benefit more from a 0% APR credit card or balance transfer credit card, another could be better suited to a cash back or travel credit card. 

What Is the Best Credit Card Company?

Some credit card issuers receive better rankings for their customer service and satisfaction each year. As an example, American Express earned the top ranking for credit card satisfaction in J.D. Power's 2024 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, followed by Discover, Capital One, and Chase.

What's the Best Credit Card to Build Credit?

The best credit card to build credit is often a secured credit card that requires a cash deposit as collateral. These cards let users secure their line of credit with a security deposit, and the issuers report payments and balances to the credit bureaus to build credit over time. Users can also get their deposit back when they close or upgrade their account in good standing.

How Many Credit Cards Should You Have?

The right number of credit cards varies from person to person. Some individuals are better off having a single card to keep track of each month, whereas others can successfully pair cards to earn more rewards or enjoy more benefits without ending up in debt.

What Credit Card Is the Most Elite?

There are several genuinely elite credit cards on the market, although these cards are primarily geared to big spenders and some are offered on an invite-only basis.

Bank of America

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

Wells Fargo

Disclosure: This content is not provided by the issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of BestMoney alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the issuer.