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- Best Credit Cards
- Credit Cards for Good Credit
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One of the many benefits of having good credit is that it gives you more options when you’re looking for a new credit card. You'll qualify for most cards, from those with large rewards rates and bonuses to others with zero-interest offers. But with so many options, how can you know which card to choose? We've picked out the best credit cards for good credit so you can see which ones are worth considering.
Here Are The Ascent's Picks for Top Credit Cards for Good Credit:
- Sign-up bonus and cash rewards: Discover it® Cash Back
- Travel sign-up bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Travel card with no annual fee: Discover it® Miles
- Travel card with no annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
- Cash rewards flexibility: Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card
- Travel and dining: Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card
- Unlimited cash back: Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Great for: Sign-up bonus and cash rewards
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
Somehow this cash back card packs in a deep bench of perks for no annual fee. The standouts are the highest cash back rate we've come across, a lucrative bonus, and a competitive 0% intro APR offer. Read Full Review
Rewards
Cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 14 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 14 months
Ongoing APR
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Dollar-for-dollar match of all cash back earned the first year
Highlights
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. 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 each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem cash back in any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
- #1 Most Trusted Credit Card according to Investor’s Business Daily.
- No annual fee.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
Great for: Travel sign-up bonus
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
With a leading sign-up bonus, the sky’s the limit for this top-rated travel rewards card. Plus, the premium points program for travel and dining make it a no brainer for travel enthusiasts everywhere. Read Full Review
Rewards
2x points on travel and dining, 1x points on all other purchases. 25% more points for travel booked through Chase's portal.
Annual Fee
$95
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
15.99% - 22.99% Variable
Welcome Bonus
60,000 points after spending $4,000 within 3 months
Highlights
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Great for: Travel card with no annual fee
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
A no-nonsense, no-annual-fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited 1.5 Miles takes the hassle out of tracking categories and all of your miles get matched in the first year. Read Full Review
Rewards
Miles per dollar on all purchases
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 14 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 14 months
Ongoing APR
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Mile-for-Mile match of all Miles earned the first year
Highlights
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Only Discover will automatically match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
- Earn unlimited 1.5x Miles for every dollar spent on all purchases - with no annual fee.
- Turn Miles into cash in any amount, any time. Or redeem as a statement credit for travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more with no blackout dates. However you redeem, Miles keep the same value. And Miles never expire.
- New! Redeem Miles for cash in any amount to pay your bill, including your minimum payment.
- No Blackout Dates. Simply pay for travel purchases like airlines, hotels, rental cars, and more with your Discover it® Miles card.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- Freeze your account in seconds with an on/off switch either on the mobile app or website to prevent new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
Great for: Travel card with no annual fee
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
No-annual-fee travel cards typically skimp on the sign-up bonus, but this card delivers with its market-leading intro bonus offer, unlimited rewards on purchases, and other wallet-friendly perks. Read Full Review
Rewards
Unlimited 1.5 points per $1 on purchases, 25%-75% more points for Bank of America Preferred Rewards members
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 12 billing cycles
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
14.99% - 22.99% Variable
Welcome Bonus
25,000 points after making at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening
Highlights
- 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
- 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
- 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% Introductory APR for 12 billing cycles for purchases. After the intro APR ends, 14.99% - 22.99% Variable APR will apply
- If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25% - 75% more points on every purchase
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap
Great for: Cash rewards flexibility
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
Includes a market-leading bonus in the no-annual fee category and a flexible cash rewards program that enables you to earn premium cash back in a category of your choice. Plus, the long intro APR offer makes this card a standout among its peers. Read Full Review
Rewards
3% cash back in your choice category, 2% at grocery stores & wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), 1% on all other purchases.
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 12 billing cycles
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 12 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
Ongoing APR
13.99% - 23.99% Variable
Welcome Bonus
$200 after making at least $1,000 in purchases within 90 days of account opening
Highlights
- No annual fee
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
- 0% Introductory APR for 12 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to all balance transfers
- No expiration on rewards
- If you're a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25% - 75% more cash back on every purchase
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap
Great for: Travel and dining
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
This no-annual-fee rewards card enables you to earn 3X points for dining out, travel, gas stations, and more, plus a big sign-up bonus. The addition of a 0% Intro APR offer makes it even more surprising that there's no annual fee. Read Full Review
Rewards
3X points for eating out and ordering in, gas stations, rideshares, transit, flights, hotels, and more, 1x points on all else
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 12 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 12 months
Ongoing APR
14.49% - 24.99%, variable
Welcome Bonus
20,000 points after spending $1,000 within 3 months
Highlights
- Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months – that’s a $200 cash redemption value
- $0 annual fee and no foreign currency conversion fee
- Earn 3X points on eating out and ordering in
- Earn 3X points on travel including flights, hotels, homestays and car rentals
- Earn 3X points on gas stations, rideshares and transit
- Earn 3X points on popular streaming services
- Earn 1X points on other purchases
- Select "Apply Now" to learn more about the product features, terms and conditions
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card is temporarily unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently from the issuer. Some items may be out of date.
Great for: Unlimited cash back
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
What We Like About The Card
This may be the most versatile and flexible cash-back card on the market. The long 0% intro APR makes the offer hard to pass up, especially if you're wanting to keep a one-card wallet that packs in a rich rewards program. Read Full Review
Rewards
Unlimited 1.5% cash back, no minimum to redeem
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, for 15 months
Balance Transfers: N/A
Ongoing APR
15.49% - 25.49%, variable
Welcome Bonus
$150 after spending $500 within 3 months
Highlights
- One-time $150 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49%-25.49% variable APR after that
- 15.49%-25.49% variable APR on balance transfers; No transfer fee
- Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card is temporarily unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently from the issuer. Some items may be out of date.
What's a good credit score?
A good credit score is a FICO® Score between 670 and 739 or a VantageScore between 661 and 780. In both scoring systems, the full score range is 300 to 850.
You likely have good credit if you've used credit for one to two years, always make your debt payments on time, and keep your credit utilization below 30%. You may also be in this range if you've used credit for more than two years with only the occasional issue, such as one missed payment or high credit utilization.
However, keep in mind that not all good credit scores are created equal. Scores of 675 and 730 both fall in the good credit range. But the latter would help you get better terms on a mortgage and would make approval on credit card applications more likely.
Tips for a successful credit card application
There are three ways to give yourself a better shot at the best credit cards:
- Reduce your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. Your DTI ratio is your monthly debt payments compared to your income, and it's best to keep this below 35%. Although this is generally a bigger factor when it comes to mortgages, it can also affect credit card applications. Even if your credit score is a bit lower than what the card issuer wants, a low DTI ratio could convince the company that you'd be a responsible cardholder.
- Minimize credit inquiries. Card issuers tend to become cautious when you have multiple recent hard credit inquiries on your report. They'll wonder why you're trying to get all these new lines of credit. An approval is more likely if it has been at least three to six months since your most recent credit card application.
- Be persistent. The difference between a denial and an approval sometimes boils down to contacting the card issuer a couple of times. Consumers who are willing to call the reconsideration line after a denial may see the decision reversed. Even if one representative tells you no, you could have better luck by calling again later and speaking to someone else.
When to wait and apply
If you want a new credit card but aren’t sure your credit is good enough, you'll have to make a decision: Do you apply now or wait until you've improved your credit score?
It's usually smart to go ahead and apply if you're in the suggested credit score range for the card, because you have a good chance of approval. Even in a worst-case scenario in which you're declined, the only effect on your credit will be one hard inquiry from the application. Most consumers will see their FICO® Scores drop fewer than five points from a hard inquiry.
That said, there are two notable exceptions when it's better to wait:
When your credit utilization is over 30% and you can pay it down
Paying down high balances is the closest you can get to supercharging your credit. Here's why:
- Credit utilization (debt divided by available credit) makes up 30% of your FICO® Score.
- Card issuers report your card balances every month.
- Only your current credit utilization affects your credit score.
Let's say you have high credit utilization impacting your score, but you also have the money to pay down your balances. You go from 60% utilization, which is very high, to 10%, which is ideal. When your card issuers report your new-and-improved utilization, your score should increase.
Considering how quickly you can improve your credit this way, it makes sense to do so. Once you've seen that your credit score has gone up, you can apply for the card you want.
When you have had any hard credit inquiries within the last three months
If you're on the edge of a card issuer's qualifications, a recent hard credit inquiry could be more of an issue. These inquiries become less important the older they are, so a little patience goes a long way.
Going from good credit to excellent credit
Although there's nothing wrong with good credit, it's important to keep building it. With excellent credit, it's easier to get approved for any credit card you want. You can secure lower interest rates on loans, and depending on where you live, you may even pay less for car insurance.
At this stage of the game, avoiding mistakes is crucial. You can damage your credit much faster than you can improve it. To stay on the right track, you should:
- Avoid overspending: Once you've reached a good credit score, you'll gain access to larger credit lines. Don't let those big numbers convince you to spend more than usual. If your balances get too high, it can be bad for your credit utilization or get you into debt.
- Pay everything by the due date: A single missed payment can undo all your hard work. That means a missed payment on anything -- a credit card, a cell phone bill, or an overdue library book. Set up automatic payments or payment alerts so you always know when a bill's due.
- Watch your credit utilization: One way to do this is by calculating 30% of your total available credit (the credit limits on all your credit cards added together). Then make sure your balances don't exceed that number.
- Keep credit cards open: A common consumer mistake is closing credit cards for no reason. You'll be losing that card's credit line, so if you're carrying balances on any other cards, your credit utilization will increase. Of course, canceling a credit card that charges a high annual fee isn’t a bad idea. You can always call the issuer and ask to downgrade your card to one with no annual fee if possible.
- Don't go on application sprees: While one card application isn't a big deal, at least one per month will keep you from making progress on your credit. You'll have too many hard credit inquiries, and every time you're approved for a card, your average account history will decrease.
- Guard your credit: It doesn't get much worse than doing everything right, only for an identity thief or an error to ruin your credit. To avoid this, use a free credit monitoring service for notification of changes on your credit file. Don't forget to check your credit reports for errors each year as well.
Which credit cards are best for building credit?
Consumers often wonder if some credit cards will improve their credit faster than others. The truth is that the credit card you have doesn't matter. How you use it is what impacts your score.
You may have heard that there are credit cards that are great for building credit. That's because those cards are easier for people with low credit scores or limited credit histories to get. It doesn't mean the cards speed up the credit-building process. There's no difference in how on-time payments affect your credit based on the card you're using.
The bottom line is that the best credit card for building credit is whichever card you want that you can qualify for.
Moving forward financially
A good credit score is something to be proud of. It signifies that you've been handling your money properly.
The two things to focus on when you have good credit are getting the right credit card and progressing into the excellent credit range. The right credit card will help you as you work toward your current financial goals, whether they include paying off debt or accumulating rewards. Once you have that excellent credit score, you'll be in an optimal financial position, and you'll qualify for the top offers and the cheapest interest rates.
To recap, here are the best credit cards for good credit
| Card | Rating | Great For |
|---|---|---|
|
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Sign-up bonus and cash rewards |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel sign-up bonus |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel card with no annual fee |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel card with no annual fee |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Cash rewards flexibility |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel and dining |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
|
Great For: Unlimited cash back |
About the Author
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
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We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
