The 3 Best Welcome Offers for First-Time Cardholders in January 2026
Image source: Getty Images
The best welcome offers aren't necessarily the biggest dollar figures. They're the easiest wins for you to score just for doing the spending you were already planning to do.
If you're ready to open your first (or second) credit card and want a little upfront boost in rewards or cash back, these three cards are worth a look.
Oh, and they all have no annual fees. 🙌
1. Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card: A low-hassle intro to points
If you already bank with Bank of America, this is a great beginner card to get.
The welcome offer is straightforward: Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
Plus, the ongoing rewards are great also:
- 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases
- 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
A lot of folks get into credit cards because they want to save money on travel. And this card's a perfect entry point to learn the game, with no annual fee and an easy-to-earn bonus.
On Bank of America's Secure Website.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorOn Bank of America's Secure Website.
Earn 25,000 bonus points when you spend just $1,000 in your first 90 days — that’s worth $250 toward travel with this favorite card!
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% - 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Regular APR
17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
1.5-3 points per dollar
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
25,000 points (worth $250)
-
If you’re looking for a top travel card without an annual fee, this one is tough to beat. It offers a generous welcome bonus worth $250 after spending just $1,000 within 90 days of account opening, plus a simple yet valuable rewards structure: unlimited 1.5X points on all purchases and 3X points on travel booked through Bank of America.
A 0% intro APR period of 15 billing cycles for both purchases and balance transfers (then 17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)) allows you to avoid interest for over a year – a very rare perk for a travel card. And while many travel cards charge hundreds of dollars in annual fees, this one charges $0 – making it one of our top value picks.
Read Full Review -
- Big sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Competitive rewards rate on purchases
- Great intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers
- Limited ways to use points
-
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 17.49% - 27.49% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases. You could earn 3.75-5.25 points for every $1 you spend on travel purchases made through the Bank of America Travel Center.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
2. Prime Visa: Instant $150 Amazon Gift Card
If you buy stuff on Amazon (let's be real -- who doesn't?), the Prime Visa (see rates and fees) is kind of a no-brainer.
The welcome offer is: Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members. There's no spending required or waiting period. Once you get approved the gift card just gets added right to your account balance.
The one catch is you have to be a current Prime Member.
Beyond the sign-up bonus, the Prime Visa is a long-term cash back machine. Here's what it gets you:
- 5% cash rewards on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- 2% cash rewards at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% cash rewards on all other purchases
- $0 annual fee (Prime membership required)
For anyone trying to juggle food, fuel, and fun, those 2% categories cover a big chunk of monthly spending.
All the cash back you earn can be redeemed as statement credits, or you can just apply rewards directly to your Amazon purchases at checkout.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
18.74% – 27.49% Variable
Rewards Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
1% - 5% back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card
-
If you have an Amazon Prime account, do we have the card for you! This one is part of Chase's lineup, and earns a whopping 5% cash back on Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases. Best of all, that cash back is available to you as soon as the next day -- so if you make frequent Amazon purchases and have a Prime membership, you'll easily save.
Read Full Review -
- Big Amazon.com and Whole Foods rewards
- Instant Amazon gift card
- No annual fee
- Consumer and travel protections
- No 0% intro APR offer
- Requires Prime membership
-
- Get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
- Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
- Prime Card Bonus: Earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership
- Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
- Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
- No annual credit card fee
- No more waiting. Redeem daily rewards at Amazon.com as soon as the next day
- Member FDIC
3. Discover it® Cash Back: A wildcard that can double your rewards
This one's a little different -- but if you're the type who likes to strategize and maximize rewards, it can pay off big.
For new cardholders, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. It can work out pretty big depending on how much you swipe your card during the year.
Here's how the rewards work:
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate
- Get 1% cash back on all other purchases
- At the end of your first 12 months, Discover doubles every dollar you earned.
Play it right, and that could turn $150 in cash back into $300. Or $300 into $600.
Plus, the card comes with no annual fee and a great intro APR offer. It's perfect for someone who's organized enough to activate bonus categories and optimize spending without feeling overwhelmed.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= PoorGood/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
1% - 5% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
-
We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for cards with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches all the cash back new cardholders have earned at the end of the first year. That cash back can seriously add up when you earn 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter (when you activate them, up to the quarterly maximum) and 1% on other purchases.
Read Full Review -
- Rotating bonus categories
- Welcome bonus offer
- Great intro APR offer
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee
- No fixed bonus categories
-
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem cash back for any amount. No annual fee.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Your first card can set the tone for years
Starting off with a solid welcome offer doesn't just give you quick bucks in your pocket -- it sets you up with a card that's easy to manage and keeps rewarding you long term.
Major issuers like Bank of America, Chase, and Discover are great starting points to build credit, rack up points or cash back, and learn how to use cards to your advantage.
See our full list of 2026's top credit card sign-up bonuses, for beginners and beyond.
Our Research Expert
Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.