Bankmatch
Credit cards

Best Credit Cards of 2026

We reviewed 12+ credit cards available in your market — cash back, travel, balance transfer, business, student and secured — and picked the ones our editors actually carry.

Live · US
30-yr fixed mortgage6.42%-0.03%
15-yr fixed5.71%-0.02%
Variable mortgage6.18%+0.01%
HELOC8.52%+0.04%
Personal loan (prime)9.12%-0.05%
New auto7.14%+0.02%
Used auto7.98%-0.01%
Credit card avg (APR)22.70%
Fed funds4.75%
Top savings4.60%
30-yr fixed mortgage6.42%-0.03%
15-yr fixed5.71%-0.02%
Variable mortgage6.18%+0.01%
HELOC8.52%+0.04%
Personal loan (prime)9.12%-0.05%
New auto7.14%+0.02%
Used auto7.98%-0.01%
Credit card avg (APR)22.70%
Fed funds4.75%
Top savings4.60%
All cards

12 cards to compare

CHASE
travel
•••• •••• •••• CSP•
Chase Sapphire Preferred
VISA
Chase

Chase Sapphire Preferred

4.9
Rewards
1x–5x points
Annual fee
$95
Welcome bonus
60,000 points after $4,000 in 3 months

Best for: Points transfers and travel protections

See details Apply
AMERICAN EXPRESS
travel
•••• •••• •••• AXG•
American Express Gold Card
AMEX
American Express

American Express Gold Card

4.7
Rewards
1x–4x points
Annual fee
$250
Welcome bonus
60,000 Membership Rewards after $6,000 in 6 months

Best for: Foodies and grocery-heavy households

See details Apply
CapitalOne
travel
•••• •••• •••• COVX
Capital One Venture X
VISA
Capital One

Capital One Venture X

4.8
Rewards
2x–10x miles
Annual fee
$395
Welcome bonus
75,000 miles after $4,000 in 3 months

Best for: Premium travel benefits at a lower fee

See details Apply
citi®
cashback
•••• •••• •••• CDC•
Citi Double Cash Card
Citi

Citi Double Cash Card

4.6
Rewards
2% on all purchases
Annual fee
$0
Welcome bonus
$200 after $1,500 in 6 months

Best for: Flat-rate cash back on everything

See details Apply
DISCOVER
cashback
•••• •••• •••• DIT•
Discover it Cash Back
DISCOVER
Discover

Discover it Cash Back

4.5
Rewards
5% rotating / 1% base
Annual fee
$0
Welcome bonus
Cashback Match (unlimited first-year match)

Best for: First-year rewards maximizers

See details Apply
Wells Fargo
cashback
•••• •••• •••• WFAC
Wells Fargo Active Cash
VISA
Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo Active Cash

4.4
Rewards
2% on all purchases
Annual fee
$0
Welcome bonus
$200 after $500 in 3 months

Best for: Everyday flat-rate cash back

See details Apply
CHASE
cashback
•••• •••• •••• CFU•
Chase Freedom Unlimited
VISA
Chase

Chase Freedom Unlimited

4.7
Rewards
1.5%–5% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Welcome bonus
$200 after $500 in 3 months + 5% on gas

Best for: Pairing with a Sapphire card

See details Apply
AMERICAN EXPRESS
travel
•••• •••• •••• AXP•
American Express Platinum
AMEX
American Express

American Express Platinum

4.6
Rewards
1x–5x points
Annual fee
$695
Welcome bonus
80,000 Membership Rewards after $8,000 in 6 months

Best for: Frequent travelers who value lounge access

See details Apply
U.S. Bank
cashback
•••• •••• •••• USBG
U.S. Bank Altitude Go
VISA
U.S. Bank

U.S. Bank Altitude Go

4.3
Rewards
1x–4x points
Annual fee
$0
Welcome bonus
20,000 points after $1,000 in 3 months

Best for: Dining and streaming without a fee

See details Apply
CapitalOne
student
•••• •••• •••• COQS
Capital One QuicksilverOne
Capital One

Capital One QuicksilverOne

4.1
Rewards
1.5% cash back
Annual fee
$39
Welcome bonus
None

Best for: Building credit with rewards

See details Apply
CHASE
business
•••• •••• •••• CIP•
Chase Ink Business Preferred
VISA
Chase

Chase Ink Business Preferred

4.8
Rewards
1x–3x points
Annual fee
$95
Welcome bonus
100,000 points after $8,000 in 3 months

Best for: Small businesses with travel and ad spend

See details Apply
DISCOVER
secured
•••• •••• •••• DIS•
Discover it Secured
DISCOVER
Discover

Discover it Secured

4.5
Rewards
1%–2% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Welcome bonus
Cashback Match year one

Best for: Building or rebuilding credit

See details Apply

How we choose our top credit cards

Our editorial team scores every card on five weighted dimensions: rewards value, fees, welcome bonus, benefits and issuer reputation. We refresh scores monthly and re-underwrite whenever a card changes its terms.

  • Rewards value (40%) — realistic rewards on typical spend, not just headline rates.
  • Fees (20%) — annual, foreign transaction, balance transfer, cash advance.
  • Bonus (15%) — achievability and net value of the welcome offer.
  • Benefits (15%) — insurance, credits, transfer partners, lounge access.
  • Issuer (10%) — customer service, network acceptance, mobile app quality.

FAQ

Does applying hurt my credit?

A new hard inquiry drops your FICO 3–5 points, recovering in ~3 months. Multiple inquiries in 45 days for the same product type count as one.

How many cards should I have?

There's no magic number, but 3–5 well-chosen cards typically maximize rewards while keeping utilization manageable.

When should I close a card?

Rarely — closing hurts utilization and average account age. Downgrade to a no-fee version instead.