Here Are Americans' 5 Top Credit Card Deal-Breakers

When you're looking for a new credit card, what's enough to immediately disqualify one from your list? The Motley Fool Ascent recently asked Americans that question as part of a credit card study.

Below, you'll find their answers, and the percentage that chose each one. If any of these deal-breakers are things you also want to avoid, there will also be suggestions on the best credit cards to check out.

1. An annual fee (34%)

Annual fees can be worth it, but over a third of Americans don't want anything to do with them. That's understandable. When money's tight, the last thing you want is to pay extra for a credit card. Even if you can afford an annual fee, it can be a hassle to make sure you're getting your money's worth every year.

Don't want to pay an annual fee? Check out this list of the best no annual fee credit cards.

2. A high interest rate (33%)

Another common credit card deal-breaker is a high interest rate. This one is much harder to avoid than an annual fee. Most credit cards have high interest rates -- the average rate is 21.47%, according to Federal Reserve data.

RELATED: How Does Credit Card Interest Work?

In all likelihood, you won't find a credit card with a reasonable interest rate. A low rate will still be around 20%, so carrying a balance is costly. But there are credit cards with a 0% intro APR lasting for 12 months or longer. These cards are a good choice if you need to pay off purchases over time or refinance credit card debt.

Need a low interest rate? Look at:

• 0% APR credit cards for financing purchases
• Balance transfer credit cards for refinancing credit card debt

3. A requirement for a high credit score (17%)

It's no surprise that some Americans want cards that don't require a high credit score. A quarter (25%) of Americans have a credit score below 650, according to average credit score data. With a credit score in that range, it's hard to qualify for the top credit cards. Gen Z and millennials were more likely to consider this a deal-breaker, which also makes sense -- older adults have higher credit scores, on average.

Don't have a high credit score? Here are card options to consider:

• Starter credit cards if you're in the early stages of building credit
• Secured credit cards if you have a low score because of past problems, such as missed payments on accounts

4. Non-competitive rewards/cash back program (9%)

If you have a high credit score, don't settle for less with your credit card's rewards program. A flat rate of 1% back across the board used to be OK, but it's not anymore.

Multiple cash back cards earn an unlimited 2% back. Others earn a base rate of 1%, but earn 3% to 6% in bonus categories. If you like to travel, there are travel credit cards that earn points or miles to help you go on vacations for less.

Want to maximize your credit card rewards? Here's a list of the best rewards credit cards.

5. No or non-competitive introductory offer (7%)

There's also no reason to settle for less with credit card introductory offers. Many rewards cards have welcome offers available to new cardholders, which can be worth hundreds of dollars. You typically earn them by meeting a spending requirement. For example, a travel card may have a welcome offer of 50,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first three months.

Looking for big bonus opportunities? Check out these picks for the best credit card sign-up bonuses.

The good news for consumers is that credit card deal-breakers are all avoidable. By figuring out your deal-breakers in a credit card, you'll know what to look for so you can find a card you like.