Top Recommended Credit Card Offers From Our Partners

By JL Collins

In my foreword for her book, “Quit Like a Millionaire” I quote Kristy Shen saying:

“If you understand money, life is incredibly easy. If you don’t understand money, life is incredibly hard.”

So, too, with credit cards.

If you understand them and use them well, they are an incredible tool that can simplify your life and yield lucrative bonus benefits every time you spend money.

If you fail to understand them and use them poorly, they can become an endless source of misery and debt.

Using them well is not hard. Here’s the core rule: Pay them off in full every month and never carry a balance.

With that understood, the right cards can offer lucrative signup/welcome bonuses, cash rewards, points for flights and hotels, awesome perks, and are great for everyday purchases.

This is precisely how we use them ourselves.

With guidance from our friends at CardRatings, and noting that the following are affiliate links that will result in this blog earning a commission if you sign up, here are the JL Collins picks for the best of the best.

Choose a category that best suits your needs

 
Travel Rewards
 
Cash Back
 
Small Business

About Our Ratings

All credit cards are rated objectively based on the features the credit card offers, the fees and interest rates, and how a credit card compares with other cards in its category. The ratings are the expert opinion of our editors, and not influenced by any remuneration this site receives from card issuers.

Travel Rewards Cards

CardName

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Welcome Offer 60,000 bonus points*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

*Earn a bonus of 60,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of signing up for this card, worth $750 towards travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Ongoing benefits include 5 points per $1 on travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal; 3 points on dining (including eligible takeout and delivery), on select streaming services, on online grocery store purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs); 2 points on travel; and 1 point per $1 on everything else. This is a great and recommended starter travel card with a low annual fee.

CardName

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Welcome Offer 75,000 bonus miles*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR  RegAPR

Key Benefits

*Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. This card has a low annual fee and earns an easy 2x miles on all purchases without worrying about any categories. You can get up to $100 fee credit towards your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

CardName

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Welcome Offer 60,000 bonus points*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

*Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of owning the card. Plus, for a limited time, earn 10 points per $1 on hotels, car rentals and attractions (excluding air travel) booked via the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024. You will earn 3x points per $1 on your restaurant, supermarket, gas station, hotel and air travel purchases as well as one point per $1 on your other purchases. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser

CardName

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Welcome Offer 60,000 bonus points*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

*Earn 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of card ownership. Earn 5 points on flights and 10 points on car rentals and hotels when you book through the Ultimate Rewards portal (on purchases after earning your $300 annual travel reimbursement); earn 3 points per $1 on all dining and on other travel (after the travel credit). Earn 1 point per $1 elsewhere. Points are worth 1.5 cents each when redeemed for travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal.

CardName

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Welcome Offer Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

Earn 2 points per $1 on Southwest purchases; local transit and commuting (including rideshares); and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming. Earn 1 point per $1 on other eligible purchases. Enjoy 3,000 bonus points each year after your cardholder anniversary.

CardName

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Welcome Offer Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Annual Fee AnnualFees

Intro APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

Earn three points per $1 on Southwest purchases as well as two points per $1 on local transit and commuting (including rideshares) and on internet, cable, phone services and select streaming and one point per $1 on other eligible purchases. Receive 6,000 bonus points each year after your cardholder anniversary.

Cash Back Rewards Cards

CardName

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Special Offer Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!

Annual Fee AnnualFees

Intro APR 0% intro APR on purchases and balance
transfers for 15 months (then, RegAPR)

Key Benefits

Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on Chase travel; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining; and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

CardName

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Welcome Offer $200 cash back bonus*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

Intro APR 0% intro APR on purchases and balance
transfers for 15 months (then, RegAPR)

Key Benefits

*Earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months of owning your card.  On an ongoing basis, earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in quarterly rotating categories (quarterly activation required), 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% back at restaurants (including takeout and delivery), 3% at drugstores, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases.

Information related to Chase Freedom FlexSM has been collected independently by CardRatings and was neither reviewed nor provided by the card issuer

CardName

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Rewards 2% back on every purchase*

AnnualFees AnnualFees

Balance Transfer Offer 0% intro APR on balance transfers
for 18 months (then, RegAPR

Key Benefits

*You can earn an ongoing and unlimited 2% back on every purchase – 1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay for your purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. Take advantage of a lengthy 18 months intro 0% APR on balance transfers. No annual fee. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.

CardName

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Welcome Offer N/A

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

Earn 4% cash back on your eligible gas and EV charging purchases (up to $7,000 spent annually); 3% cash back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases; 2% back on your Costco and Costco.com purchases and 1% back on your other purchases. Citi is a CardRatings advertiser.

Small Business Rewards Cards

CardName

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Limited Time Offer 100,000 bonus points*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

APR RegAPR

Key Benefits

*Separate your personal expenses from your business expenses with a small business card. This card offers a 100,000-point bonus after spending $8,000 within the first 3 months, worth $1,250 towards your travels when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards. With a low annual fee, you earn 3x points per $1 on travel and selected business categories on the first $150,000 spent each anniversary year.

CardName

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Welcome Offer Earn $350 when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.

Annual Fee AnnualFees

Intro APR 0% intro APR for IntroAPRDuration on purchases
(then, RegAPR)

Key Benefits

Earn 5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services on up to $25,000 combined spending each anniversary year. Earn 2% back on the first $25,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each year. No annual fee.

CardName

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Rewards Earn 2% cash back (up to a cap)*

Annual Fee AnnualFees

Intro APR 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases (then, RegAPR)

Key Benefits

Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in your first three months. Take advantage of a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 12 months (then RegAPR). Earn 2% cash back on up to $50,000 spent each year across all categories, then 1% after reaching the cap.


For rates and fees of American Express cards mentioned in this article, please see the following links: CardName (See Rates and Fees)

Disclaimer: The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.

This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.