3 Credit Cards You'll Want to Keep Forever -- Even in 2025

Updated - First published on May 4, 2025

Ryan Wilcox

By: Ryan Wilcox

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation.

KEY POINTS

  • The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers strong travel benefits and flexible rewards options.
  • The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card comes with unlimited 2% cash rewards for a $0 annual fee.
  • The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card provides simple, valuable rewards on every purchase.

It's easy to get suckered in by a credit card's flashy welcome offer or short-term promotion. But what if you're looking for a card that's built for the long haul?

These three cards offer some of the best recurring benefits and earning rates we've ever seen. Here's why once you add them to your wallet, you'll use them forever.

1. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
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= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

On Chase's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. N/A

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases

Annual Fee

$95

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 bonus points

  • This card easily justifies the (very reasonable) annual fee with benefits that deliver real value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months, which we estimate is worth $750 in Chase Travel℠ value. Plus, enjoy bonus travel and dining rewards, a $50 annual hotel credit, and 25% more value when booking through Chase Travel. With added travel protections like rental car insurance and trip reimbursement, we think this card is a game-changer for any traveler.

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    • Big sign-up bonus
    • Travel rewards
    • Dining rewards
    • Flexible travel points
    • Consumer and travel protections
    • Annual fee
    • Limited-time perks
    • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
    • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
    • Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
    • 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
    • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
    • Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
    • Member FDIC

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) is one of the most popular credit cards. It has a $95 annual fee, but a yearly $50 hotel credit effectively bumps that down to $45.

You'll also enjoy:

  • 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
  • 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries
  • 2X points on all other travel
  • 1X points on other purchases

Plus, with ongoing travel protections like trip cancellation insurance, primary rental car coverage, and no foreign transaction fees, most people can easily justify its annual price tag.

Ready to pull the trigger? Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred now (see rates and fees) and, upon approval, get 60,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

2. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Ratings Methodology
Award Icon 2025 Award Winner

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular APR

19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

2% cash rewards

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

$200 cash rewards

  • This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus and a decent intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before.

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    • Unlimited 2% cash rewards
    • Long 0% intro APR offer
    • Generous cash rewards welcome bonus
    • No annual fee
    • Cellphone protections
    • No bonus categories
    • Foreign transaction fees
    • Balance transfer fee
    • Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
    • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
    • Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
    • 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
    • $0 annual fee.
    • No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
    • Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
    • Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.

If you prefer straightforward cash back over travel rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (see rates and fees) is probably the best long-term option on the market. For a $0 annual fee, you'll get unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases -- no need to worry about bonus categories or other bells and whistles.

Other long-term benefits include cellphone protection and Visa Signature® benefits like roadside dispatch and concierge services.

For everyday purchases and simple cash rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is hard to beat. Apply now for the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card (see rates and fees) and get a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months after approval.

3. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is built for travelers who value simplicity. For a $95 annual fee, it offers:

  • 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2X miles on every purchase

And if you're looking to justify the annual fee, now's the perfect time to apply.

Which card is right for you?

All three of these cards are built to offer long-term value -- but as with any credit card, you'll only benefit from it if it aligns your spending habits and lifestyle.

If you still haven't found the card for you, check out the full list of our favorite credit cards and apply today.

Our Research Expert

Ryan Wilcox
Ryan Wilcox

Ryan is a full-time personal finance writer at Motley Fool Money. He’s been covering topics like credit cards and savings since 2022, focusing on helping people who are new to the world of personal finance.