Quick answer: There is no single best credit card in the USA. The right card depends on how you spend, whether you pay your bill in full each month and how much annual fee you are willing to pay. Popular choices include travel cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture Rewards, flat-rate cash back cards such as the Citi Double Cash, and category cards such as the Blue Cash Preferred from American Express. Three cards from our original list have since been discontinued or replaced, so always check the issuer’s current terms before you apply.
We first published this list with sign-up bonuses, reward rates and introductory offers for each card. Those details change often, sometimes several times a year, and several had changed by October 2026. We now describe what each card is designed for, give annual fees only where we confirmed them on the issuer’s own website, and mark cards that are no longer available. Nothing here is a paid recommendation.
How we chose and how to compare cards
The list keeps the ten cards from the original article. We checked each one on the issuer’s website in October 2026. When you compare cards yourself, look at:
- Your spending pattern: a flat-rate card suits mixed spending; a category card pays more only if you spend a lot in its bonus categories.
- Annual fee versus value: a fee is worth paying only if the rewards and credits you will actually use exceed it.
- APR: if you sometimes carry a balance, a low interest rate or a long 0% introductory period matters more than rewards.
- Fees: balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees and late fees.
- Approval odds: premium rewards cards usually require good to excellent credit.
Every US card application must show the key rates and fees in a standard table, often called the “Schumer box”. Read it before you apply.
The ten cards at a glance
| Card | Issuer | Best suited to | Annual fee (Oct 2026) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | Chase | Travel and dining rewards | $95, per issuer site | Available |
| Capital One Venture Rewards | Capital One | Simple travel miles on every purchase | $95, per issuer site | Available |
| The Platinum Card from American Express | American Express | Frequent travellers who use premium perks | $895 (raised in September 2025) | Available |
| Citi Double Cash | Citi | Flat-rate cash back | None, per issuer site | Available |
| Discover it Cash Back | Discover (now part of Capital One) | Rotating 5% categories | None, per issuer site | Available |
| Blue Cash Preferred | American Express | US supermarket and streaming spending | Check issuer site | Available |
| Wells Fargo Propel American Express | Wells Fargo | (Discontinued) | Not applicable | Replaced in 2023 |
| Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards | Bank of America | Choose-your-category cash back | None, per issuer site | Available (renamed) |
| Prime Visa | Chase | Amazon and Whole Foods shoppers with Prime | None, per issuer site (Prime membership needed for 5%) | Available (renamed) |
| U.S. Bank Visa Platinum | U.S. Bank | (Discontinued) | Not applicable | Replaced in 2025 |
The cards in detail
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
A mid-tier travel rewards card. In October 2026, Chase’s site listed bonus points on travel booked through Chase Travel, on dining and on other travel, with 1 point per dollar on everything else, and a $95 annual fee. The original article said 2x points on travel and dining; dining now earns more than that. Sign-up bonuses change often, so check the current offer on Chase’s site.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
A straightforward travel card. Capital One’s site lists unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, extra miles on some bookings through Capital One Travel, no foreign transaction fees and a $95 annual fee. The 2x rate in the original article still holds; the welcome bonus has changed.
The Platinum Card from American Express
A premium travel card with airport lounge access, 5x points on eligible flights and prepaid hotels booked as Amex describes, and a long list of statement credits that require enrolment or specific use. American Express raised the annual fee from $695 to $895 in September 2025, as reported by Bloomberg and the Associated Press. For existing cardholders, the higher fee applied from renewals on or after 2 January 2026. The card makes sense only if you will use enough of the credits and benefits to cover that fee.
Citi Double Cash Card
A flat-rate cash back card with no annual fee. Citi’s site describes it as earning 2% on purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. Rewards are earned as ThankYou points. The original article mentioned an 18-month 0% balance transfer offer; check Citi’s pricing information for the current introductory APR and balance transfer fee.
Discover it Cash Back
This card earns 5% cash back in categories that change each quarter, up to a quarterly maximum, after you activate them, and 1% on other purchases. New cardholders get a Cashback Match: Discover matches all the cash back earned in the first year. There is no annual fee. Capital One completed its acquisition of Discover in 2025, and the card’s webpage is now a Capital One page, so watch for any changes to the terms.
Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
A cash back card aimed at households that spend heavily at US supermarkets. It pays its highest rate at US supermarkets (up to an annual spending cap) and on select US streaming subscriptions, a middle rate on US gas stations and transit, and 1% elsewhere. The original article mentioned department stores; that category is no longer part of this card’s bonus rates. The card has an annual fee after an introductory period; check American Express’s rates and fees page for the current amount and welcome offer.
Wells Fargo Propel American Express card (discontinued)
Wells Fargo stopped taking applications for the Propel card and moved cardholders to other Wells Fargo cards in 2023, most of them to the Wells Fargo Autograph card. We have kept this entry so readers who remember the Propel know what happened to it. If you want a Wells Fargo rewards card today, check the Autograph’s current terms on Wells Fargo’s site.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
This is the current name of the card our original article called the Bank of America Cash Rewards card. Bank of America’s site lists 3% cash back in a category you choose (such as gas and EV charging, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement), 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% on everything else. The 3% and 2% rates apply to the first $2,500 of combined purchases in those categories each quarter. There is no annual fee.
Prime Visa
Chase issues this card, which was previously called the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card. Chase’s site lists 5% back at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel for eligible Prime members, 2% at gas stations, restaurants and on local transit, and 1% on other purchases. The card has no annual fee, but the 5% rate depends on an Amazon Prime membership, which costs extra. In October 2026, Chase was offering an Amazon gift card on approval; the original article’s $70 figure is out of date.
U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card (discontinued)
This card was known for a long 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers. U.S. Bank closed it to new applicants in March 2025 and launched the U.S. Bank Shield Visa Card as its new balance transfer card. Existing Visa Platinum cardholders can keep using their cards. Check U.S. Bank’s site for the Shield card’s current introductory period and fees.
What a credit card is and why it matters
A credit card lets you borrow from the issuer up to a set limit to make purchases. If you pay the full statement balance by the due date, most cards charge no interest on purchases. If you carry a balance, interest is charged at the card’s APR, which is usually much higher than the rate on most other types of borrowing.
Used carefully, a credit card can:
- Build your credit history. Paying on time and keeping your balance low relative to your limit helps your credit score, which lenders use to decide whether to lend to you and at what rate.
- Protect you against fraud. Under US federal law, your liability for unauthorised credit card charges is capped at $50, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) notes that you owe nothing if you report a lost card before it is used. Many issuers offer zero liability. Debit cards have weaker protection: your liability can rise to $500, or more, the longer you wait to report a problem.
- Help you track spending. Issuer apps let you see transactions, set payment reminders and get balance alerts.
- Earn rewards. Points, miles or cash back are only worth having if you avoid interest charges.
Using credit cards responsibly
- Pay the full balance every month if you can. Interest will almost always cost more than any reward you earn.
- Set a monthly budget for card spending and track it in your issuer’s app or a spreadsheet.
- Check your credit reports for errors. You can get free reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion through AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Match the card to your life: frequent travellers may get value from a travel card, while a household with large grocery bills may do better with a supermarket cash back card.
- Watch for annual fees, balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees.
If you already have card debt, our guide to refinancing credit card debt explains the options. If you hold a Destiny card, see our Destiny Mastercard login and payment guide. For background on the companies behind many of these cards, see our list of top US finance companies.
This article is general information, not financial advice, and we are not paid by any card issuer. Rewards, fees, APRs and bonuses change often; confirm the current terms on the issuer’s website before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Which credit card is best for beginners?
A no-annual-fee card with simple rewards, such as a flat-rate cash back card, is usually the easiest place to start. If you have little or no credit history, you may need to start with a card designed for building credit. Compare the APR and fees in the card’s rates table before you apply.
Is a card with an annual fee worth it?
Only if the rewards and benefits you will actually use are worth more than the fee each year. Add up the credits and perks you would realistically use, not the issuer’s headline value.
What happened to the Wells Fargo Propel card?
Wells Fargo discontinued it in 2023 and moved most cardholders to the Wells Fargo Autograph card, with some moved to other Wells Fargo cards.
Is the Discover it card still available after the Capital One deal?
Yes. In October 2026, the Discover it Cash Back card was still offered, with its webpage now run by Capital One. Check the current terms, as the issuer may change them.
How much can I lose if my credit card is stolen?
Under federal law, no more than $50 for unauthorised charges, and nothing if you report the loss before the card is used, according to the FTC. Report a lost or stolen card to your issuer straight away.
Checked in October 2026 against the issuers’ own card pages (Chase, Capital One, Citi, Discover, Bank of America), reports of the September 2025 Amex Platinum changes, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank product changes as reported at the time, and the FTC’s guidance on lost or stolen cards.
