Why Chase Credit Cards Offer Excellent Value for Every Consumer

This article was updated on June 24, 2018.

From high reward rates on purchases to 0% intro APRs for transferring balances, Chase has stepped up its promotions and reward offerings to give it a top spot in virtually every credit card category. Here are three Chase® credit cards that offer a compelling balance of low or no fees, long 0% into APR periods, and ample opportunity to earn bonuses and ongoing rewards.

Get a fast start on rewards

From everyday spenders to travel hackers, there seems to be a consensus that the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is one of the best cards for sign-up bonuses. Qualifying cardholders receive a new cardholder bonus of 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 90 days after account opening.

The new cardholder bonus is worth as much as $625 in travel value when redeemed through Chase's redemption portal, but cardholders may be able to do better by transferring their points to loyalty programs offered by major airlines and hotel chains. This is where the Chase Sapphire Preferred® really shines, offering a long list of transfer partners that's virtually unmatched by any other card issuer.

Ongoing rewards are generous, too. The card offers 2 points on restaurant and travel purchases and 1 point on all other spending. Frequent rental-car users will also like that it offers free primary collision-damage waiver protection that acts as primary insurance. Thus, cardholders who pay for a rental car with their card will enjoy free coverage for damage that steps in before their personal insurance does, potentially saving renters thousands of dollars in deductibles and higher premiums from a claim on a rental car. Most credit cards in this category only offer insurance that steps in after your personal auto insurance policy.

The only downside is that high sign-up bonus rewards and added perks don't come free. The card carries an annual fee of $95, which is waived in the first year. Thus, it's best for big spenders (or frequent rental-car shoppers), who can extract more value from the card than they pay in fees each year.

Fool.com ranks credit cards from Chase as among the best in virtually every category. Image source: Getty Images.

0% intro APRs

Two cards from Chase offer a compelling 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers that can save cardholders $600 or more in interest, compared with a $5,000 balance on a competing card with a standard APR of 18%.

For balance transfers, look no further than Chase Slate®, which offers qualifying cardholders a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 billing cycles. Importantly, qualifying cardholders also benefit from the fact it waives balance-transfer fees on balance transfers completed in the first 60 days after approval. Thus, one could theoretically transfer a balance to Chase Slate® and avoid any and all fees and interest on a balance for a full 15 billing cycles (roughly 15 months).

Those who need a credit card to finance a major purchase should instead turn to Chase Freedom Unlimited®. This card offers qualifying cardholders 0% intro APRs on new purchases for 15 billing cycles. In addition, cardholders may qualify for a $150 new-cardholder bonus and earn cash back at a rate of 1.5% on all of their purchases.

Simple cash-back rewards

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card we already introduced isn't just a good 0% intro APR purchase card. It's also a compelling cash-back card for everyday spending. The card earns unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases, putting it among the best no-annual-fee cash-back cards.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® also scores high marks for the fact it offers an easy-to-obtain new cardholder bonus of $150 to qualifying cardholders, plus easy-to-use redemptions that have no minimum redemption requirement. Qualifying cardholders receive a $150 new-cardholder bonus after spending $500 in the first 90 days after account opening.

The typical cash-back or travel card frequently requires cardholders to accumulate as much as $25 to $100 in rewards before making a redemption. Thus, cardholders may wait many months -- even years -- before they collect enough in rewards to cash them in. The no-minimum policy also extends to Amazon.com purchases, which may be a decision-maker for frequent online shoppers.

Why Chase® credit cards

It wasn't all that long ago that American Express was the clear-cut leader in rewards cards, but Chase's new and improved card offerings give it top spots in the most competitive card categories. As someone who uses credit cards for virtually all of my spending, I've increasingly noticed that more and more of my spending volume has gone toward Chase® credit cards, given their above-average rewards and new-cardholder bonuses.

Whether you're in the market for a good 0% intro APR card, a fat sign-up bonus, or a high cash-back rewards rate, it's likely you'll find that Chase is almost always among the top three best choices in every category.