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When you apply for any of the best credit cards, your credit score will temporarily decrease.
That’s because credit card issuers perform a hard credit inquiry (sometimes called a hard pull) to view your credit score and decide if you’re a good candidate for their cards.
If you’ve got a lot of credit inquiries, issuers may consider that a red flag. That’s why credit card preapproval is so handy. If you’re preapproved for a card, you have a fair idea of whether or not you’ll be approved. It helps you to ensure you won’t waste a credit pull on a card you won’t get (though note that even if you’re preapproved, that does not guarantee you’ll get the card).
Not all banks offer credit card preapproval. But the ones that do issue some of the best cards on the market.
The 7 Best Credit Cards That Offer Preapproval of February 2023
The 7 Best Credit Cards That Offer Preapproval
Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Product Name Only: Best premium credit card that offers preapprovalCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – Product Name Only: Best mid-tier travel credit card that offers preapprovalDiscover it® Cash Back – Product Name Only: Best cash-back credit card that offers preapprovalChase Freedom Unlimited® – Product Name Only: Best no-annual-fee credit card that offers preapprovalCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card – Product Name Only: Best 0% intro APR credit card that offers preapprovalBank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students – Product Name Only: Best student credit card that offers preapprovalCapital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card – Product Name Only: Best secured credit card that offers preapproval
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Methodology
Personal Finance Insider takes a close look at factors including welcome bonuses, annual fees, rewards rates, the ease of using rewards, and benefits to figure out which credit cards are the best options for different needs, whether that’s building credit, travel rewards, or pre approval. We dig into the fine print to explore everything a card offers, and break down the pros and cons.
We chose the best credit cards with pre approval with not only these factors in mind, but also the ease of finding preapproved offers. We’ve included banks that make it simple to see your preapproval status online and choose from a wide variety of cards geared to different consumers.
See the full methodology for how Insider rates credit cards »
Best Credit Card Preapproval FAQs
What does being preapproved for a credit card mean?
If you’re preapproved for a credit card, the bank has examined a handful of factors (such as employment income, history of bankruptcies, etc.) and decided that your profile would be a good fit for its credit card. It does not guarantee that you’ll be approved when applying, but it lets you know that you’ve got a good chance.
What’s the difference between prequalified and preapproved for a credit card?
Definitions vary depending on who you ask, but to be prequalified and preapproved are nearly the same thing. Credit card preapproval often means that the bank has determined that your information more strongly meets the criteria of approval, implying that your odds are even stronger than a prequalified offer.
Preapproved offers also may tend to more frequently come from a bank with which you’ve already got a relationship, as they know you better.
Which banks offer credit card preapproval?
Nearly all banks offer some form of preapproval — but not all give you the ability to initiate the process.
For example, while Barclays may send out targeted mailers, there is no webpage for US citizens to visit to see if they’re preapproved for offers. Citi also has (temporarily?) deactivated the ability to check for preapprovals online.
Most major banks (Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, and Discover) currently allow you to check for preapproved offers (or prequalified offers — again, these terms are basically interchangeable). And American Express offers its own flavor of preapproval for new cardholders with its “Apply with confidence” feature.
It’s also worth noting that banks generally will not offer preapprovals for small-business credit cards.
How do you check for preapproved credit cards?
To see if you’re preapproved for a specific card, many banks provide a landing page on their website which allows you to input some quick details (name, address, and last four digits of your Social Security number, usually) to view a list of offers targeted to you.
Best Premium Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Chase Sapphire Reserve® – Product Name Only
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with Chase Sapphire Reserve®. That’s worth an average of Chase Sapphire Reserve® in travel, per Insider’s points and miles valuations. This value comes from transferring your points to partner airlines and hotels like Hyatt, Southwest, United Airlines, and more for free hotel stays and award flights.
This is a premium credit card with a Chase Sapphire Reserve® annual fee to prove it. If you’re able to use the card’s benefits regularly, the annual fee is easy to justify. You’ll get perks like:
Up to $300 in statement credits each cardmember year toward travel purchasesGlobal Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS application fee credit (up to $100)Airport lounge access (Priority Pass Select membership with access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, Chase Sapphire Lounge access)Some of the best travel insurance of any credit cardTwo years of free Lyft Pink All Access membership — and a 50% discount on year three (15% discount on rides, cancellation forgiveness, free 45-minute bike rentals, etc.)10 points per dollar on hotel stays and car rentals reserved through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® Travel Portal
If you travel by car or plane regularly, this is one of the best cards you can open. The card’s annual travel credit will automatically reimburse you for travel spending — meaning if you spend at least $300 per year on travel, the card’s annual fee is effectively $250. And the Priority Pass airport lounge access it offers is worth over $400 each year.
You’ll also get a handful of temporary benefits which can amount to several hundred dollars in value. For example, through December 31, 2024, you’ll get free DoorDash DashPass membership (waived delivery fees, reduced service fees on orders of $12 or more) and a $5 in-app credit each month. You’ll also get a year of free Instacart+ membership and up to $15 per month in credits on Instacart purchases when you activate by July 31, 2024.
You can see if you’re preapproved for Chase credit cards here.
Review: Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card review
Best Mid-Tier Travel Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card – Product Name Only
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. That’s worth an average of Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card in travel when you transfer your points to airline and hotel partners such as Turkish Airlines, British Airways, Wyndham Rewards, and more for (nearly) free travel.
This Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card-annual-fee card is an excellent card for beginners to the miles and points hobby. For starters, the card has a simple earning structure:
5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel5 miles per dollar when you book Turo (through May 16, 2023)2 miles per dollar on all other purchases
In short, you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar for almost all spending. Because Insider estimates that Capital One miles are worth an average of 1.7 cents each when converted to airline miles and hotel points, you’re getting effectively 3.4% back on all purchases.
This card comes with up to $100 in reimbursement when applying for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. You’ll also get two free visits to Capital One Lounges each year (you’ll pay a discounted price on any additional visits).
You can see if you’re preapproved for Capital One cards here.
Review: Capital One Venture Card review
Best Cash-Back Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Discover it® Cash Back – Product Name Only
The Discover it® Cash Back-annual-fee Discover it® Cash Back doesn’t come with a traditional welcome bonus. Instead, it comes with something called Discover it® Cash Back.
Here’s why that’s powerful. The card’s normal earning rates are:
5% cash back on rotating categories Discover It Cashback rotation1% cash back on everything else
That’s a solid earning rate by itself — the ability to earn 5% back on common purchases is well above average. But with Discover matching the cash back you earn during the first year, those 5% rotating bonus categories turn into 10%, and you’ll receive a minimum of 2% on all other purchases in year one.
The card doesn’t offer much more in the form of ongoing benefits other than waived foreign transaction fees, a free FICO score (a common credit card perk), and no late fee on your first late payment.
The card also comes with Discover it® Cash Back, then a Discover it® Cash Back APR.
You can see if you’re preapproved for Discover credit cards here.
Review: Discover it Cash Back card review
Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Chase Freedom Unlimited® – Product Name Only
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers Chase Freedom Unlimited®. On the surface, that looks like a solid bonus — but it gets even better.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® isn’t a true cash-back credit card. It actually earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points, which are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for cash back. But you can get an average of 1.8 cents each from them if you convert them into airline miles or hotel points for cheap (or free) travel. To do this, you must have either the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, or Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. You can then transfer your points from the Freedom Unlimited to one of these cards, and onto various travel partners.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers the following earning rates:
5% cash back (5 points per dollar) on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Portal5% back (5 points per dollar) on Lyft rides through March 20253% cash back (3 points per dollar) on dining and drugstore purchases1.5% cash back (1.5 points per dollar) on everything else
This card has a Chase Freedom Unlimited® annual fee, so it’s free to try — and keep.
You can check for preapproved offers from Chase here.
Review: Chase Freedom Unlimited review
Best 0% Intro APR Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card – Product Name Only
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card comes with a welcome bonus of Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.
The real meat and potatoes of this card are in its earning rate for everyday spending, however. You’ll get:
10% cash back with Uber and Uber Eats (through November 14, 2024)8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel3% cash back on dining, grocery stores (except at superstores like Walmart® and Target®)3% cash back on eligible streaming services3% cash back on entertainment1% cash back on all other purchases
For a Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card-annual-fee card, that’s pretty amazing. The card even comes with complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through November 14, 2024. Uber One normally costs $9.99 per month, and gives you $0 delivery fees, up to 10% off eligible Uber Eats, and more.
It’s also worth noting that if you’ve got a Capital One miles-earning credit card, such as the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, you can convert your cash back into Capital One miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can then transfer them to Capital One airline and hotel partners for outsized value.
You can see if you’re preapproved for Capital One cards here.
Review: Capital One SavorOne card review
Best Student Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students comes with a Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students. That’s an excellent bonus for a student credit card.
The earning rate of this Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students-annual-fee student card is also above average. You can select to earn 3% back on one of the following categories:
GasOnline shoppingDiningTravelDrugstoresHome improvement/furnishings
You can change your bonus category month to month.
You’ll also earn 2% back on groceries and at wholesale clubs — and 1% back on everything else. The only restriction is that you can only earn bonus points on up to $2,500 in combined spending across 3% and 2% categories each quarter.
This card also aids students with a Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students (then a Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students APR). This is great for initial college purchases like course materials, dorm furniture, etc.
You can see if you are preapproved for Bank of America credit cards here.
Best Secured Credit Card That Offers Preapproval
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card-annual-fee Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t offer a welcome bonus at the moment. The tradeoff is even if your credit score is subpar or you have less than three years of credit history, you can still be eligible for this card.
To get it, you’ll need to make a minimum deposit of $200. Based on your credit, you may be able to get a credit line higher than this. Your amount of available credit will match your deposit. After six months of on-time payments, you’ll be eligible for a raise in your credit line.
The card earns 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel and 1.5% back on all other eligible purchases. That’s a so-so return in the world of cash-back credit cards — but it’s above average for a secured credit card.
You can see if you’re preapproved for Capital One cards here.
Review: Capital One Quicksilver Secured card review
Honorable Mention: American Express Cards
American Express has what is pretty inarguably the best type of “preapproval” process — though not all customers are eligible to use it at the moment.
It offers a feature called “Apply with confidence” which will tell you with absolute certainty if you will be approved for a specific credit card before it initiates a hard pull on your credit. This is currently only available for customers who do not already have an American Express card — and it will not work for co-branded airline and hotel credit cards such as the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card or Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card.
It will work on some of the best American Express credit cards, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express and American Express® Gold Card.
If you’re already an American Express cardholder, Amex tends not to hard pull your credit when opening a new card, anyway. That’s preapproval-adjacent in that you won’t receive credit inquiries for cards you don’t open.