Finder’s expert credit card team spends over 200 hours each week reviewing more than 500 credit cards. We ranked the top credit cards without a yearly fee across seven categories, considering perks such as travel insurance, a large signup bonus or higher-than-average reward rates. Finder’s experts provide unbiased, trustworthy evaluations of all best no annual fee credit cards and providers, not just those we partner with on the site.
Quick look at the best no-annual-fee credit cards
Though annual-fee cards tend to offer the best features, you’ll find a wealth of top-notch no annual fee cards. Here are our picks for the cream of the crop.
Cards that offer 1.5% or 2% cash back on all purchases rarely offer a higher cashback rate on any other category. That's where the Chase Freedom Unlimited® shines. Aside from an unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases, you get to earn 5% back on select travel and 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases. This catapults the Freedom Unlimited's value to the top of the cashback pack.
Welcome Offer
$250
Rewards
Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
Cards that offer 1.5% or 2% cash back on all purchases rarely offer a higher cashback rate on any other category. That's where the Chase Freedom Unlimited® shines. Aside from an unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases, you get to earn 5% back on select travel and 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases. This catapults the Freedom Unlimited's value to the top of the cashback pack.
Pros
Earn cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back, 3% cash back on dining at restaurants including takeout and eligible delivery service, on drugstore purchases, as well as 5% cash back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® where you can redeem rewards for travel, gift cards and more.
Intro APR on purchases. Enjoy 15 months of 0% intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers. After that, a variable APR of 19.74% to 28.49% applies.
Signup bonus. Earn a signup bonus of $250 after you spend $500 in the first 3 months from account opening.
Cons
Foreign transaction fee. All purchases made abroad or online with foreign merchants cost 3% of the amount.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.74% to 28.49% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.74% to 28.49% variable) $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a wunderkind of flexibility, as it earns 5% back on your top eligible spending category each month on up to $500 total for that month. This means you can earn the same maximum cashback value you'd find on a 5% rotating category cashback card without needing to worry about keeping track of a quarter's specific categories.
Welcome Offer
$200
Rewards
Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is a wunderkind of flexibility, as it earns 5% back on your top eligible spending category each month on up to $500 total for that month. This means you can earn the same maximum cashback value you'd find on a 5% rotating category cashback card without needing to worry about keeping track of a quarter's specific categories.
Pros
Flexible rewards. The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card earns 5% back on your highest eligible spending category each billing cycle, on up to $500 that cycle. After meeting the cap you’ll earn 1% back until the next billing cycle. Eligible categories are grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, drugstores, live entertainment, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, travel, transit and streaming services.
Signup bonus. The card’s $200 bonus after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months is higher than the average you’d find on a 5% cashback card.
No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card.
Cons
High penalty APR. Missing payments on this card can result in a hefty penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.
Foreign transaction fees. This card isn’t great for travelers abroad. You’ll pay 3% on transactions made outside of the US.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.99% to 28.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.99% to 28.99% variable) Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Welcome Offer
$200 cash back after spending $1,500 in the first 6 months. Fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a simple and straightforward everyday cashback card. It lets you earn 3% back on groceries from U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases annually, reverting to 1%. This is one of the best rates dedicated to groceries you'll find on the market without paying an annual fee.
Welcome Offer
$200
Rewards
Up to 3% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is a simple and straightforward everyday cashback card. It lets you earn 3% back on groceries from U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases annually, reverting to 1%. This is one of the best rates dedicated to groceries you'll find on the market without paying an annual fee.
Pros
Intro APR period on purchases and balance transfers. The intro APR on purchases and balance transfers can help with holiday spending or other family needs. Get a 0% intro APR period for 15 months following your account opening. After that, your rate reverts to 18.24% to 29.24% variable.
Earn cash back. Earn 3% cash back on U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. Plus 3% on U.S. online retail purchases on up to $6,000 per year, then 1% after that. Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout
Welcome offers. You'll earn $200 as statement credit when you use your card to make $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.
Cons
Cap on 3% cashback categories. Your accelerated rates in these categories only last until you spend $6,000 in each category, each year.
Foreign transaction fees. You'll pay a 2.7% fee on purchases made abroad.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.24% to 29.24% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 18.24% to 29.24% variable) Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Welcome Offer
Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout.
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is well known for its lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers. However, the card also features an intro period on purchases. Though shorter in length than the balance transfer period, the combination of both for no annual fee along with Citi's backing makes this card one of the ideal choices for saving on interest.
Welcome Offer
n/a
Rewards
None
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
The Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card is well known for its lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers. However, the card also features an intro period on purchases. Though shorter in length than the balance transfer period, the combination of both for no annual fee along with Citi's backing makes this card one of the ideal choices for saving on interest.
Pros
Intro APR for purchases and balance transfers. Get a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for an impressive 21 months after account opening, then 18.24% to 28.99% variable after that. You'll also get a 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months following your account opening. After the intro period passes, your rate reverts to an APR between 17.49% to 28.24% variable.
No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card.
Longer than average period to transfer balance. You have 4 months from account opening to transfer your balance and receive the intro offer.
Cons
No rewards. The card is excellent for saving money on interest, but you won't earn any rewards on your purchases.
No signup bonus. There's no bonus to earn upon signup.
Balance transfer fees. This card doesn't offer an intro period for balance transfer fees.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 17.49% to 28.24% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 21 months (then 18.24% to 28.99% variable) Balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Chase Freedom Flex fulfills all you'd expect from a rotating category card and more. It earns the same 5% back on select travel and 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases you'll find on the Unlimited in addition to the quarterly categories. And both cards can transfer points into a Chase Sapphire card for even greater value.
Welcome Offer
$200
Rewards
Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Chase Freedom Flex fulfills all you'd expect from a rotating category card and more. It earns the same 5% back on select travel and 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases you'll find on the Unlimited in addition to the quarterly categories. And both cards can transfer points into a Chase Sapphire card for even greater value.
Pros
Cash back. Earn 5% cash back in select rotating categories on up to $1,500 each quarter you activate, then 1%. You'll also earn 5% back on travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards and on Lyft through March 2022, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores and 1% back on all other purchases.
Signup bonus. Earn $200 cash back after you make $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months from account opening, then 19.74% to 28.49% variable.
Cons
You'll need to keep track of rotating categories. You won't get the 5% cashback rate on the same categories each quarter. Also, you'll need to activate your cashback categories, or you won't receive the bonus rate.
Categories not always known. Often, Chase won't reveal the whole year's rotating categories until they're close to launching.
Foreign transaction fees. You'll pay a 3% fee on transactions made abroad.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.74% to 28.49% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.74% to 28.49% variable) $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days
If you're just getting your startup off the ground, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a lot to love. The lack of annual fee helps keep your costs down and the strong rewards and intro APR on purchases can give you plenty of breathing room as you grow. This card can be especially rewarding if you spend up to $25,000 annually on office supplies.
Welcome Offer
$350
Rewards
Up to 5% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
If you're just getting your startup off the ground, the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a lot to love. The lack of annual fee helps keep your costs down and the strong rewards and intro APR on purchases can give you plenty of breathing room as you grow. This card can be especially rewarding if you spend up to $25,000 annually on office supplies.
Pros
Cash back. Up to 5% cash back on business spending. Spending on Internet, cable and phone services earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend annually in combined purchases — and 1% after. In gas stations and restaurants, you’ll earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 you spend annually in combined purchases — and 1% after. On everything else, you’ll earn 1% cash back.
Signup bonus. After you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of opening your account, you’ll earn $350 bonus cash back.
Annual fee. A $0 annual fee makes it easy to keep the card long-term and lets you keep all the rewards you earn.
Intro APR. 0% on purchases for the 12 months. For the first 12 months after opening your account, you’ll receive a 0% intro APR on purchases. After that, your purchase APR will be 17.74% to 25.74% variable.
Cons
Your intro APR expires after the 12 months. Once your intro APR expires, you’ll start accruing interest on all outstanding balances.
Penalty fees. You’ll pay fees of up to $40 if you make a late or returned payment.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 17.74% to 25.74% variable)
Balance transfer APR
17.74% to 25.74% variable
Welcome Offer
Earn up to $750 bonus cash back. $350 cash back after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months and an additional $400 when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months after account opening.
The Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card is notable in the industry for its complete lack of fees. When combined with a respectable cash back rate, and the ability to apply without a credit score, the Petal 2 is a far friendlier card than many of its competitors.
Welcome Offer
n/a
Rewards
Up to 10% cash back
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
New / limited credit
The Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card is notable in the industry for its complete lack of fees. When combined with a respectable cash back rate, and the ability to apply without a credit score, the Petal 2 is a far friendlier card than many of its competitors.
Pros
Cashback rewards. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all eligible purchases. To reward responsible spending, that cashback value will be bumped to 1.25% after six on-time payments and 1.5 after 12 on-time monthly payments. The Petal 2 also earns 2% to 10% back at select retailers, including Gap, Old Navy, Casper and more.
No credit history required. If you have no credit score or limited credit history, your income and financial records, including your checking accounts and bill payments, may be analyzed to determine your eligibility. You can still apply if you already have a good credit history and you want to take advantage of the card’s generous fee structure.
No fees. There’s no annual, foreign transaction, overlimit or even late fees.
Cons
No intro APR period. Most cashback cards come with a 0% intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both. Unfortunately, that’s one perk you won’t get with the Petal 2.
No signup bonus. Unlike many of its competitors that offer signup bonuses or introductory offers, Petal has no such offer.
This card is a rarety among reward cards because it offers 4x points on dining, takeout and delivery without an annual fee. The only other card that earns 4% back on dining costs almost $100 annually. On top of that, you earn a generous signup bonus and get a 0% intro APR period on purchases, which only sweetens the deal.
Welcome Offer
$200 points
Rewards
Up to 4x points
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
740
This card is a rarety among reward cards because it offers 4x points on dining, takeout and delivery without an annual fee. The only other card that earns 4% back on dining costs almost $100 annually. On top of that, you earn a generous signup bonus and get a 0% intro APR period on purchases, which only sweetens the deal.
Pros
Earn rewards. Earn 4x points on dining, including takeout and delivery. Earn 2x points at grocery stores, for grocery delivery and streaming services. You'll also earn 2x points at gas stations. and even EV charging stations. Earn 1x points on every other eligible purchase.
No annual fee. You won’t pay an annual fee to use this card. This is a steal given the value the card offers.
Intro APR. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, reverting to 17.49% to 28.49% variable.
Perks. Get travel and emergency assistance, car rental insurance coverage and roadside dispatch. You also get an annual streaming credit worth $15.
Signup bonus. Earn 20,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. This isn’t the greatest signup bonus available, though it’s not the worst either.
Cons
Excellent credit score required. You’ll need an excellent credit score to qualify for this card. This isn’t surprising given the quality of the card.
No entertainment category. If you’re looking for a card that offers perks and rewards on movies, sports and other purchases, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 17.49% to 28.49% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 17.49% to 28.49% variable)
Welcome Offer
20,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5x points on all purchases. Redeem these points as statement credits on all travel purchases, including flights, hotels, cruises and more. The card also comes with a signup bonus worth $250, which is quite generous for a card without an annual fee.
Welcome Offer
25,000 points
Rewards
From 1.5x points
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
670
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card offers 1.5x points on all purchases. Redeem these points as statement credits on all travel purchases, including flights, hotels, cruises and more. The card also comes with a signup bonus worth $250, which is quite generous for a card without an annual fee.
Pros
Intro APR period on purchases. Get a 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles your account is open. A variable 18.49% to 28.49% APR applies after the intro period expires.
Signup bonus. Get 25,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days your account is open. Paired with the intro APR, this is quite the deal.
0% foreign transaction fee. Use the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card abroad without paying additional fees on your purchases.
Cons
No intro APR period on balance transfers. You won't be able to save money on interest if you make a balance transfer with this card.
Penalty APR. If you miss a payment, Bank of America may impose a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 15 billing cycles (then 18.49% to 28.49% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 18 billing cycles (then 18.49% to 28.49% variable)
Welcome Offer
25,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
If you need a simple card card with few fees and the lowest interest on the market, the Simmons Visa® is your best bet. While it's generally wise not to carry a balance on a credit card, the Simmons Visa® APR is practically half of the average at 23.5%, making it a safer option for holding that balance.
Welcome Offer
n/a
Rewards
None
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
740
If you need a simple card card with few fees and the lowest interest on the market, the Simmons Visa® is your best bet. While it's generally wise not to carry a balance on a credit card, the Simmons Visa® APR is practically half of the average at 23.5%, making it a safer option for holding that balance.
Pros
Low APR. You get variable APR on purchases, which is the lowest you can find.
No annual fee. There's no annual fee for the card.
Intro APR period on balance transfers. Get 0% intro APR period on balance transfers within your first 12 months when you open your account. After that, a variable APR of applies.
Cons
No intro APR period on purchases. You only get 0% intro APR period on balance transfers, but not on purchases.
Foreign transaction fees. Every transaction made abroad or online with foreign merchants will cost you 2% of the amount.
Annual fee
$0
Purchase APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 15.5% to 23.5% variable)
Balance transfer APR
0% intro for the first 12 months (then 15.5% to 23.5% variable) $10 or 3% of transfer during promo or $0 after promo
Welcome Offer
N/A
Rewards
None
Welcome Offer
n/a
Rewards
None
Annual fee
$0
Minimum credit score
740
Compare all no-annual-fee credit cards
If you’re not seeing a product that best suits your needs on our list, compare more options. Browse even more credit cards with no annual fee to find the right one for your financial situation.
How to choose the best credit card with no annual fee
Each card may work best in different situations. To find the right one for your needs, here’s what to consider:
Rewards. A lot of no-annual-fee cards offer rewards. Consider where you spend most of your money. For rewards on groceries, gas and dining, a cashback card works best. For travel rewards, consider an airline, hotel or a general travel card.
Signup bonus. No-annual-fee cards rarely offer a signup bonus worth more than $300 in value. Some cards don’t offer a signup bonus at all. Consider whether rewards boost like this will help you out during your first months of card membership and choose a card accordingly.
Intro APR period. Cashback cards often come with a 0% intro APR period on purchases, balance transfers or both. The length of the period, though, is rarely above 15 months. If you need more than that, a dedicated 0% intro APR credit card can have up to 20 months of the interest-free period. Sometimes, this can be more than enough to pay off your balance.
Credit score. To get the best no-annual-fee cards, you’ll need at last a good credit score of 670 or higher. If you’re not there yet, consider a secured card to build your credit. Once you improve your score, your card issuer may upgrade your account to an unsecured one or you can go ahead and apply for one yourself.
How do no-annual-fee credit cards work?
This type of card works just like any other card, except you won’t pay an annual fee. This makes it one of the best credit card options — especially if it comes with rewards — because you can use it whenever you want and not worry about the card’s cost.
Does no annual fee mean these cards are free?
No. Cards that advertise no annual or monthly fees may still carry other fees, including late fees, chargeback fees, balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees, cash advance fees and more. In fact, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns that some credit card companies charge a late fee if your payment is received after 5 p.m. on the due date.
The bottom line is that there are numerous credit card fees that could crop up on your monthly statement and eat into your available credit — not to mention ongoing interest charges on anything you borrow. Carefully read the card’s fine print before you sign up and take note of any fees you may potentially encounter.
Pros and cons of a no-annual-fee card
It’s always good to get a full picture of a card type before you submit an application. Here are a few things to consider before getting a no-annual-fee card.
Pros
It’s low-maintenance. You can keep a no-annual-fee card for as long as you want without worrying about a yearly cost. Besides giving you credit to help decrease your credit utilization, this also lets you increase your average age of accounts. Both are factors that help determine your FICO score.
Keep more of your rewards. An annual fee eats into any rewards you earn. For example, if you earn $100 in cash back but have to pay a $95 annual fee, you’ve effectively earned just $5 in cash back. With a $0 annual fee, any rewards you earn are all upside.
Signup bonus might be easier to obtain. While signup bonuses tend to be smaller than you’ll find with annual-fee cards, you often have to meet lower spending requirements. You might, for instance, earn a bonus worth $150 after you meet a spending requirement of just $500 within the first three months.
Cons
Lower rewards rates. There are many no-annual-fee cards that offer good rewards. But you’ll often find the best rewards with annual-fee cards.
Fewer benefits. No-annual-fee cards tend to have fewer features. For example, you might not find features such as airport lounge access, free checked baggage or travel credits.
You asked, we listened: Top common questions
What kind of credit do you need to get a no-annual-fee credit card? There are no-annual-fee credit cards that target everyone from excellent to fair credit. People with bad credit scores, however, will find limited options for no-annual-fee credit cards. If you’ve had trouble getting approved for credit in the past or you have a bad credit history, you may have to start with a no-annual-fee secured card.
Can the card issuer begin charging an annual fee later on? Your credit card issuer can start charging an annual fee 12 months after you become a cardmember. If your card issuer plans to introduce an annual fee, they’re required to let you know well in advance of the time the annual fee will become effective. You’ll have the opportunity to opt out, or reject, the addition of the annual fee.
Your credit card issuer will have to allow you to pay your credit card off under the current terms (no annual fee) but may cancel your account or suspend your purchasing privileges. Unless your credit card has great rewards, opting out of the new fee is typically best.
Are no-annual-fee credit cards completely free? A no-annual-fee credit card can be completely free, but it depends on how you use the credit card. Paying on time and in full will help you avoid late fees and interest. Most other fees are transaction-based, which means you’ll have to avoid specific transactions to avoid paying fees. This includes balance transfers, cash advances and purchases made in foreign currencies.
How can I tell if a credit card charges an annual fee? Most no-annual-fee credit cards will prominently advertise that there’s no fee for the card. It’s one of the biggest selling points for a credit card. If you see the phrase “No annual fee” followed by an asterisk (*), check for a caveat in the fine print. You may learn that the annual fee is only waived in the first year of the credit card.
The best way to figure out whether a credit card charges an annual fee is to read through the credit card pricing disclosure. All credit cards are required to list the pricing associated with a credit card with each credit card offer.
Bottom line
A card with no annual fee can offer great rewards and benefits while keeping costs low. But the best card for you will depend on what perks you’re looking for and how you plan to use it.
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.
Steven Dashiell is an editor for Bankrate and CreditCards.com and formally a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, banking and growing and protecting your income. His insights and expertise has been featured on Nasdaq, U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, ABC, Fox Business, Lifehacker and Martha Stewart Living, among other top media. Steve holds a BA in English from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, minoring in composition and rhetoric. In his spare time Steve nerds out on birds, paints and plays a whole lot of Street Fighter. See full bio
Steven's expertise
Steven has written 60 Finder guides across topics including:
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Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
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