Best Credit Cards Of April 2025

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a simple travel solution with valuable rewards earning and redeeming rates and a reasonable annual fee.

Why We Like It

You have access to all types of redemptions with this card like a fantastic 1:1 rate when transferring Ultimate Rewards® to travel partners. But you also have the ability to pay with points through Chase Travel℠ for 25% more value if transfers aren’t your preference.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card also offers comprehensive travel protections. These alone can outweigh the cost of the annual fee and make it one of the best credit cards for travel.

What We Don’t Like

Though the card comes with up to $50 in statement credits annually toward hotel stays, you can only book through Chase Travel to use them.

Who It’s Best For

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is readymade for frequent travelers wary of an expensive annual fee. If you’re looking for even more travel perks, you may prefer a more premium travel rewards card.

The Chase Freedom Flex® offers up to 5% in cash-back earnings without rewards expiration dates or an annual fee. With an exceptional number of bonus categories, it’s one of the best cash-back cards on the market.

Why We Like It

It’s rare to find 5% rewards on a credit card without an annual fee, but the addition of a few 3% categories makes it even more rewarding. Plus, when paired with select Ultimate Rewards® cards, you’ll have access to additional redemption choices beyond cash back.

Cardholders can receive cellphone protection of up to $800 per claim and $1,000 per year (a $50 deductible applies).

What We Don’t Like

Elevated earning rates require activation and cap out at $1,500 in spending each quarter. For earning without spending limits, consider the other best cash-back credit cards.

This card does charge a foreign transaction fee, so it’s not a good choice if you plan to travel abroad.

Who It’s Best For

The Chase Freedom Flex® offers a lot of value to customers who can maximize the 5% cash-back categories and who are willing to track the card’s bonus categories.

Customers with fair credit may be eligible for the Citi Double Cash® Card, making it a good card to get back in the game or to enter it for the first time. But the card’s also good enough to hold onto long after you’ve improved your credit since it offers generous flat-rate cash rewards without an annual fee.

Why We Like It

The Double Cash allows cardholders to earn 2% cash back on all purchases—1% when purchases are made and another 1% when they’re paid off, and earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25, giving you an extra incentive to pay your credit card bill in full. Those are strong rewards—and you’re not penalized for having less-than-perfect credit. You can also combine your earnings with other Citi cards, which can open up additional redemption options through Citi ThankYou® Points.

And if you’re working toward paying off existing debt from past charges, you’ll also appreciate its introductory APR on balance transfers: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the standard variable APR will be 18.24% to 28.24%, based on creditworthiness. An intro balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3%, whichever is greater, applies to transfers completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, the fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

What We Don’t Like

Outside of the rewards, the card is extremely basic: You won’t find many specialty benefits, perks or anything beyond standard protections. Also, the generous intro APR is only valid for balance transfers and not new purchases. Other beginner credit cards to build credit may offer a different combination of rewards and features.

Who It’s Best For

The simple flat-rate rewards and more relaxed approval requirements can make the Citi Double Cash® Card an excellent introduction to credit cards for first-timers as well as customers looking to try again.

With the Discover it® Student Cash Back students can earn excellent cash back on rotating categories and access a fantastic first-year welcome offer with no annual fee.

Why We Like It

It’s a beginner card with advanced benefits that could please long-time credit card users. In fact, there’s a nearly identical card available without the student label—proof there’s lasting value long after graduation.

What We Don’t Like

To get the best rewards, cardholders need to activate the rotating quarterly bonus categories and watch for the $1,500 quarterly spending limit.

Discover is not as widely accepted outside the U.S. as Mastercard, Visa or even American Express, so keep that in mind if you plan to use this card overseas. You’ll find other student credit cards with broader acceptance if that’s important to you.

Who It’s Best For

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is best for college students who are motivated and disciplined enough to track its quarterly bonus categories.

The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card makes our top 10 credit card list because it offers above-average earning rates on common household spending categories, including supermarkets, gasoline and EV charging stations. It also offers flexible redemption options including points transfers to 15-plus travel partners.

Why We Like It

The bonus categories cover such a wide breadth of charges that this could easily be a one-card solution for some households. There’s also an annual $100 credit for a single hotel stay of $500 or more (not including taxes and fees) booked through CitiTravel.com.

The Citi Strata Premier provides solid travel protections including trip delay protection, common carrier trip cancellation and interruption protection, lost or damaged luggage and MasterRental coverage (car rental insurance).

What We Don’t Like

Though the card includes basic travel protections and a once-annual hotel discount, it doesn’t offer premium perks.

Who It’s Best For

If you spend a lot of money on flights, hotels, dining, groceries or gas, you can earn a ton of points and then redeem them for outsized rewards via the Citi ThankYou® program. But if you’re specifically looking for the best grocery credit cards or best credit cards for gas, you’ll find options with even higher rewards—but not in the same breadth of categories.

Since Amazon.com is such a ubiquitous part of everyday life in many households, the Prime Visa barely even feels like it should be labeled as the best store credit card rather than a catch-all solution. With this card, you’ll earn competitive rates on Amazon purchases that are unmatched by other cards.

Why We Like It

Cardholders can choose between earning generous rewards or paying over time without interest on select Amazon purchases. You can redeem your rewards on Amazon.com as soon as the next day or at Chase.com for cash back, travel or gift cards.

What We Don’t Like

The rewards rate on everyday purchases outside Amazon is not particularly lucrative. If you’re looking to earn rewards for shopping with other retailers, you’ll find other top store card choices with fantastic branded perks, rewards and discounts.

Who It’s Best For

Only Amazon Prime members are eligible for this card. The Prime Visa is best for Prime members who shop with Amazon frequently as the other bonus categories are limited.

The U.S. Bank Shield™ Visa® Card* offers an intro APR to both purchases and balance transfers for two full years.

Why We Like It

Cardholders get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 24 billing cycles, then a standard 17.74% to 28.74% variable APR applies. A balance transfer fee of 5% ($5 minimum) applies and balances transferred must be completed within 60 days from account opening. The duration of that offer gives you an impressively long runway to pay off your balance without interest hanging over your head.

The card also has no annual fee and includes a handful of extra consumer benefits, including a $20 statement credit once per year after making purchases for 11 consecutive months. You’re also eligible for cellphone protection worth up to $600 when you use your card to pay your monthly mobile bill.

What We Don’t Like

Balance transfers carry a 5% of each transfer amount ($5 minimum) fee. You’ll also need to initiate the balance transfer soon after opening the card to qualify for the intro rate—though new purchases will have an intro APR through the entire introductory period.

The card technically earns rewards, but only for an extremely limited subset of purchases. If you don’t need as long of an introductory APR period, you may want to consider intro 0% APR credit cards with better earnings.

Who It’s Best For

The Shield is a strong fit for anyone who needs the maximum amount of time possible to pay down new purchases or balance transfers without accruing interest.

Even if a secured card isn’t your top choice, you might be swayed by the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card. It offers excellent cash-back rewards on every purchase with no annual fee (rates & fees) and may be available to applicants with less-than-perfect credit history.

Why We Like It

Limited credit applicants sometimes get the short end of the stick when it comes to card benefits but not so here. The card offers a rewards and fee structure incredibly similar to unsecured cards but with the ability to build your credit from where you currently stand.

The Quicksilver Secured tries to set you up for success by offering the potential to earn back your security deposit as a statement credit after you show a track record of responsible use. Also, automatically be considered for an increase to your credit line in as little as six months with no additional deposit needed.

What We Don’t Like

Like all secured cards, you’ll need to provide a refundable security deposit after approval before you can begin using your card. The minimum deposit is $200. Not all of the best credit cards for bad credit require a deposit, so you do have options if you need them.

Who It’s Best For

This Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is designed for people who want to build their credit and earn cash back along the way.

The Aeroplan® Credit Card may seem an odd choice for U.S.-based flyers, but it doesn’t just benefit Air Canada flyers—its Aeroplan points can be used to book United and other Star Alliance award flights. And its earning categories are among the best-in-class for daily spending.

Why We Like It

The Aeroplan® Credit Card comes with the Air Canada benefits you expect from an airline card like a free first checked bag. Plus, it bestows a lot of extras like status boosts and even discounts on select awards.

The card offers a comprehensive set of travel insurances, auto rental coverage and purchase protection. In addition to having the opportunity to earn the welcome bonus, new cardmembers receive automatic 25K elite status for the remainder of the calendar year plus the following year.

What We Don’t Like

Except for transactions with Air Canada, there are no extra rewards for travel purchases.

Who It’s Best For

You’ll need to be somewhat savvy with miles and points to get the best value when redeeming Aeroplan points. Other airline credit cards might fit your travel style more organically.

On top of providing a free night each year, The World of Hyatt Credit Card makes it easier to earn World of Hyatt points and get closer to earning elite status at a much-loved brand.

Why We Like It 

The annual free award night is valid at any Category 1 through 4 hotel—and you can get another one for spending $15,000 on the card in a calendar year. Also, there aren’t many options to earn World of Hyatt points from credit cards, so this one stands out as an easy way to bolster your account balance. It’s also one of the few cards that offers bonus rewards on fitness and gym memberships.

What We Don’t Like

The card only automatically provides low-tier Discoverist status, which doesn’t include breakfast or suite upgrades.

Who It’s Best For

You need to be a Hyatt enthusiast to be a good fit for this card since several benefits (including earning tier-qualifying nights) won’t be relevant to casual travelers.