Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
We review credit cards that earn cash back, airline miles, hotel points, and flexible rewards to help you find the right one for your wallet.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Credit cards are one of the most powerful tools you can wield in life. Responsible use can result in a good credit score which opens the door to auto loans, mortgages, and even favorable health insurance. Some of the most important things in life are made possible thanks to credit cards.
There are dozens of credit cards to choose from. Whether you’re after cash back, free hotel stays, super cheap airfare, a tool to help grow your small business, or even if you’ve got poor/no credit and would like to improve your credit score, there’s a card for you.
Insider’s ultimate credit card reviews guide will help you find the exact product you’re looking for.
Best cash back credit card reviews
Cash-back credit cards can earn you anywhere from 1% to 10% back on your everyday spending.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider a cash back credit card if:
Your aim is to effectively discount all your purchasesYou value the simplicity and flexibility of cash over potentially more valuable rewards
In terms of flexibility, cash back is the king of credit card rewards. Many cash back credit cards give you the option to redeem your accrual as either cash, a statement credit, or a transfer to your bank account.
Flat-rate cash-back cards are best for those who don’t want to keep track of multiple bonus categories and just want a simple earning structure. But choosing a card that earns bonus cash back in categories where you spend a lot — like groceries, dining, or gas — can make a huge difference in your rate of return.
Best cash back credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
Citi® Double Cash Card
Citi® Double Cash CardCiti Double Cash card review
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Discover it® Secured Credit CardDiscover it Secured credit card review
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Chase Freedom Flex℠Chase Freedom Flex card review
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®Chase Freedom Unlimited card review
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American ExpressAmex Blue Cash Preferred Card review
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One Savor credit card review
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ CardWells Fargo Active Cash card reviewWells Fargo Autograph℠ CardWells Fargo Autograph℠ CardWells Fargo Autograph Card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best cash-back credit cards guide.
Other cash back credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®
AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®AARP Credit Card review
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature card review
American Express Cash Magnet® Card
American Express Cash Magnet® CardAmex Cash Magnet Card review
AT&T Points Plus℠ Card
AT&T Points Plus℠ CardCiti AT&T Points Plus card review
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit CardBank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card review
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American ExpressAmex Blue Cash Everyday Card review
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One Quicksilver credit card review
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One SavorOne credit card review
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®Capital One Walmart Rewards Card review
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Citi Custom Cash℠ CardCiti Custom Cash card review
Citi Rewards+® Card
Citi Rewards+® CardCiti Rewards+ card review
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Cash BackDiscover it Cash Back credit card review
Discover it® chrome
Discover it® chromeDiscover it Chrome credit card review
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® CardFidelity Rewards Visa Signature card review
Instacart Mastercard®
Instacart Mastercard®Chase Instacart Mastercard card review
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® CardUS Bank Cash+ Visa Signature card review
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards™ Visa Signature® CardUS Bank Shopper Cash Rewards card review
Navy Federal Credit Union® cashRewards Credit Card
Navy Federal Credit Union® cashRewards Credit CardNavy Federal cashRewards card review
PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® CardPenFed Power Cash Rewards card review
PNC Points® Visa® Credit Card
PNC Points® Visa® Credit CardPNC Points Visa card review
Save Wealth Premium
Save Wealth PremiumSave Wealth Premium card review
Best airline credit card reviews
Airline credit cards aren’t just for earning airline miles; most come with additional perks like free checked bags and priority boarding.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider an airline credit card if:
You want free checked bagsYou want to board the plane before most other passengersYour travel plans are flexible (either travel dates or destination)
If you want to use travel rewards to save money on flights, an airline credit card is a must. You can choose between credit cards that earn airline miles, or cards that earn more flexible rewards points that you can transfer to various frequent flyer programs.
Airline cards also often come with valuable ongoing benefits like a free checked bag, priority boarding, or an airline companion ticket.
Best airline credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Preferred review
Aeroplan® Credit Card
Aeroplan® Credit CardAeroplan Credit Card review
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select credit card review
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Platinum American Express card review
United℠ Explorer Card
United℠ Explorer CardUnited Explorer card review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards Priority card review
Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit Card
Alaska Airlines Visa® Credit CardAlaska Airlines Visa card review
JetBlue Plus Card
JetBlue Plus CardJetBlue Plus credit card review
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressAmex Platinum credit card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best airline credit cards guide.
Other airline credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard®
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red Mastercard®
AAdvantage Aviator Red card review
Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card
Aer Lingus Visa Signature® Card
Aer Lingus Visa Signature card review
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card
American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ CardCiti American Airlines MileUp card review
British Airways Visa Signature® Card
British Airways Visa Signature® CardBritish Airways Visa Signature card review
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®Citi AAdvantage Executive credit card review
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Blue American Express card review
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Gold American Express card review
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Reserve card review
Iberia Visa Signature® Card
Iberia Visa Signature® CardIberia Visa Signature card review
JetBlue Card
JetBlue CardJetBlue card review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards Plus card review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit CardSouthwest Rapid Rewards Premier card review
United Quest℠ Card
United Quest℠ CardUnited Quest card review
United Club℠ Infinite Card
United Club℠ Infinite CardUnited Club Infinite card review
United Gateway℠ Card
United Gateway℠ CardUnited Gateway card review
Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard®
Virgin Atlantic World Elite Mastercard®Virgin Atlantic card review
Best travel and flexible points credit card reviews
Travel and flexible points credit cards can help you earn rewards you can use for almost any kind of adventure.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider a travel/flexible points credit card if:
You’re interested in (nearly) free travelYou want a card that compensates you for baggage delays, rental car accidents, flight delays, etc.You’d like to upgrade your travel experience with benefits such as airport lounge access, expedited airport security, and free food at select airport restaurants.
While it takes more effort to redeem points or miles compared to cash back, the upside is that you can get much more value for your points compared to simply cashing in your rewards for a statement credit or check at a rate of 1 cent per point.
In fact, it’s possible to receive double, triple, or even more than that amount when you’re strategic about how you redeem your rewards, particularly if you book expensive luxury hotels or first-class flights.
Read Insider’s latest points and miles valuations to find out how much your rewards are worth, and find out how we calculated these values in our methodology guide.
Best travel credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Preferred card review
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®Chase Sapphire Reserve card review
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressAmex Platinum card review
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One Venture X card review
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardCapital One Venture card review
American Express® Gold Card
American Express® Gold CardAmex Gold card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best travel rewards credit cards guide.
Other travel credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
American Express® Green Card
American Express® Green Card
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express
Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express
Amex EveryDay® Preferred Credit Card from American Express
Amex EveryDay Preferred card review
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit cardBank of America Travel Rewards credit card review
Bilt Mastercard®
Bilt Mastercard®
Bilt Rewards Mastercard review
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne card review
Citi Premier® CardCiti Premier® Card
Discover it® MilesDiscover it® Miles
Discover it Miles credit card review
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card
PenFed Pathfinder Rewards card review
PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® CardPenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card
PenFed Platinum Rewards card review
PNC Premier Traveler Visa Signature
PNC Premier Traveler Visa Signature
PNC Premier Traveler card review
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
US Bank Altitude Connect card review
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
US Bank Altitude Go card review
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card
US Bank Altitude Reserve card review
Best hotel credit card reviews
Hotel credit cards often comes with additional benefits like automatic elite status and free nights on your card anniversary.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider a hotel credit card if:
You want free hotel staysYou value hotel elite status (free breakfast, upgraded rooms, bonus points, etc.)You stay at one specific hotel chain a lot
If you’re thinking about opening a hotel credit card, the first step is to analyze your travel goals.
Are you a road-tripper who wants to book cheap hotels along the highway? Do you mostly use small-town hotels during trips to grandma’s for Thanksgiving? Do you want a five-star vacation in the Maldives?
It’s also important to consider the card’s welcome bonus, recurring benefits, ease of earning free nights via credit card spending, category bonuses, and elite status perks (if any).
The best hotel credit cards offer a free night after each account anniversary or for meeting spending thresholds. These nights can be worth much more than the cards’ annual fees, and make them worth keeping year after year.
Best hotel credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Preferred card review
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Chase Sapphire Reserve®Chase Sapphire Reserve card review
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card® from American ExpressAmex Platinum card review
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire CardAmex Hilton Aspire card review
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Premier Credit CardIHG Rewards Premier card review
The World Of Hyatt Credit Card
The World Of Hyatt Credit CardWorld of Hyatt card review
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit CardMarriott Bonvoy Boundless card review
Wyndham Rewards® Earner Plus Card
Wyndham Rewards® Earner Plus CardWyndham Rewards Earner Plus credit card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best hotel credit cards guide.
Other hotel credit cards
Hotel credit cardWelcome bonusCard review
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card reviewMarriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card reviewChoice Privileges Visa Signature Card
Choice Privileges Visa Signature Card
Choice Privileges Visa Signature card reviewHilton Honors American Express Card
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Amex Hilton Honors card reviewHilton Honors Surpass® Card
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Amex Hilton Surpass card review
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit CardIHG Premier Business Credit Card review
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Traveler Credit CardIHG Rewards Traveler card reviewMarriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
Marriott Bonvoy Bold card reviewMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card review
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
World of Hyatt Business Credit CardWorld of Hyatt Business Card review
Best small business credit card reviews
Whether you own a large corporation or have a part-time side gig, opening a small business credit card is a smart move.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider a small business credit card if:
You have a full-time small business or even a part-time side gig (like Lyft driving, petsitting, freelance writing, Instacart delivery, etc.)You want to keep personal and business expenses separateYou tend to cycle your credit limit each billing period
You’d be surprised at what qualifies you for a small business credit card. Small businesses aren’t always multi-million dollar operations — whether you’re a freelancer, an Uber driver, a dog-walker, or have any other side hustle, you could qualify for a small business credit card.
If you’ve got a sizable business, keeping your personal and business finances separate is vital. Things can get murky quickly when you’re cutting personal and business checks from the same account — a business credit card will not only help separate expenses, but also help you establish business credit, so that you have flexibility later on with loans and leases.
Best small business credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred® Credit CardInk Business Preferred card review
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American ExpressAmex Business Platinum card review
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American ExpressAmex Blue Business Plus card review
Spark 2% Cash Plus
Spark 2% Cash PlusCapital One Spark Cash Plus card review
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Spark Miles for BusinessCapital One Spark Miles for Business card review
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit CardInk Business Unlimited card review
American Express® Business Gold Card
American Express® Business Gold CardAmex Business Gold card review
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Ink Business Cash® Credit CardInk Business Cash card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best small business credit cards guide.
Other small business credit cards
Welcome bonusCard review
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®
AAdvantage® Aviator® World Elite Business Mastercard®AAdvantage Aviator Business card review
Alaska Airlines Business Credit Card
Alaska Airlines Business Credit CardAlaska Airlines Business Credit Card review
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
American Express Blue Business Cash™ CardAmex Blue Business Cash card review
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit Card
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit CardBank of America Business Advantage Unlimited Cash review
Bank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
Bank of America® Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Credit CardBank of America Business Advantage Customized Cash review
Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit Card
Bank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® Credit CardBank of America Business Advantage Travel Rewards review
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®
CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®CitiBusiness AAdvantage Platinum Select card review
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi
Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by CitiCostco Anywhere Visa Business card review
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Gold Business card review
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Platinum Business card review
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express CardDelta SkyMiles Reserve Business card review
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit Card
IHG® Rewards Premier Business Credit CardIHG Rewards Premier Business card review
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® CardMarriott Bonvoy Business card review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit Card
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business Credit CardSouthwest Performance Business card review
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card
Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit CardSouthwest Premier Business card review
Spark 1.5% Cash Select for Excellent Credit
Spark 1.5% Cash Select for Excellent CreditCapital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit card review
Spark 1.5% Cash Select for Good Credit
Spark 1.5% Cash Select for Good CreditCapital One Spark Cash Select for Good Credit card review
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
The Hilton Honors American Express Business CardAmex Hilton Honors Business card review
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard®
U.S. Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard®US Bank Business Triple Cash Rewards card review
United℠ Business Card
United℠ Business CardUnited Business Card review
World of Hyatt Business Credit Card
World of Hyatt Business Credit CardWorld of Hyatt Business card review
Wyndham Rewards® Earner Business Card
Wyndham Rewards® Earner Business CardWyndham Rewards Earner Business card review
Best credit cards for building credit reviews
If you’re new to credit or rebuilding your score, a credit card for bad/no credit is a good starting point.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider a credit card for poor/no credit if:
You’re young and/or just beginning your credit journeyYou’ve recently immigrated to the US and have no credit historyYou’re rebuilding your credit
Having a low credit score makes it harder to get approved for a new credit card and other types of loans, and it means that when you do get approved for, say, a mortgage, you’ll generally get less-favorable terms like the highest variable interest rates. A bad credit score is defined as anything below 580, according to the FICO scoring model.
It may seem counterintuitive, but opening and using a credit card responsibly is one of the best ways to build your credit history and score.
Best credit cards for poor/no credit
Welcome bonusCard reviewDiscover it® Secured Credit CardDiscover it® Secured Credit Card
Discover it Secured credit card review
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One Quicksilver Secured credit card
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Credit CardCapital One Platinum credit card review
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit CardPetal 2 credit card reviewDiscover it® Student Cash BackDiscover it® Student Cash BackDiscover it Student Cash Back card review
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card
Wells Fargo Reflect® CardWells Fargo Reflect card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best credit cards for bad credit guide.
Other credit cards for poor/no credit
Welcome bonusCard review
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One VentureOne review
Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card
Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit CardPetal 1 Visa credit card reviewPenFed Gold Visa® CardPenFed Gold Visa® Card
PenFed Gold Visa credit card review
Best student credit card reviews
College students can earn rewards and build their credit history by using a student credit card responsibly.
Alyssa Powell/Insider
Consider a student credit card if:
You are a college student without established creditYou don’t want a secured credit cardYou want benefits that cater to student expenses
Applying for your first credit card is an exciting milestone regardless of age, but young adults can find it hard to get approved with limited income and credit history. Some parents add their children as credit card authorized users while they’re still minors to get a head start on building credit, but this strategy isn’t a good fit for everyone.
If you’re a student without established credit, there are still plenty of credit cards that you can qualify for. Then, once you’ve improved your credit score by using a credit card responsibly, it can be easier to upgrade to more lucrative rewards credit cards.
Best student credit cards
Student credit cardWelcome bonusCard review
Chase Freedom® Student credit card
Chase Freedom® Student credit cardChase Freedom Student card reviewCapital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card review
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Discover it® Student Cash BackDiscover it Student Cash Back card review
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards card review
Discover it® Student chrome
Discover it® Student chromeDiscover it Student Chrome card review
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
Journey Student Rewards from Capital OneCapital One Journey Student Credit Card review
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit CardPetal 2 credit card review
This table reflects our current picks from the best student credit cards guide.