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In the market for a new, inexpensive credit card? Many card issuers provide no annual fee cards, which can be convenient, low-obligation ways to take advantage of credit card features. As long as you avoid paying interest and other fees, they can be completely free and any value you get from rewards and benefits will be all profit.
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The information related to Capital One Spark Classic for Business, Amex EveryDay® Credit Card, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business, Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business, American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express have been collected by Credit Card Insider and have not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of these products.
It’s got what you need: Look for a set of terms and features that suits your current needs, whether you want a decent rewards rate on certain purchases, a long intro APR, a card to travel with, or a way to build your credit.
Bonus reward categories: The rewards program should fit your spending habits, offering points or cash back for the types of purchases you make most.
Introductory bonuses: Many no annual fee reward cards include valuable intro bonuses, letting you spend a thousand or so to get a nice point or cash back bonus.
Introductory APRs: Quite a few cards without annual fees come with 0% introductory interest rates on new purchases and/or balance transfers, letting you pay off your balance over time without accruing interest. After the intro offer expires you’ll get a regular APR, which is typically quite high (so pay your statement balance in full each month).
Additional perks and benefits: You won’t find the best extra perks on cards without annual fees, but you can still do pretty well with extra reward opportunities, shopping and travel protections, free credit scores, and the occasional discount or special event access.
Is a No Annual Fee Card Right for You?
There’s a wide variety of credit cards without annual fees. They tend to be a bit more basic than cards with annual fees, but they still offer valuable rewards, benefits, and introductory APRs that make them every bit as useful as more expensive options.
Credit cards with annual fees tend to have better reward programs and extra perks. They might offer more points per dollar, bigger signup bonuses, and better perks like lounge access and travel credits.
Still, it’s a good idea to have a no annual fee card (or a few). Many of them are perfect for everyday purchases, but they’re also handy for building credit. If you tend to go for more valuable or premium cards, no annual fee cards can serve as handy backups.
Even experienced credit card users keep cards without annual fees in their wallets. Here are some common reasons why you might want one:
Just getting into credit cards: Many people will find it less stressful to jump into the credit card game with a no annual fee card.
Useful for building credit: Getting some cards without annual fees early on can be an excellent credit-building strategy. You can typically keep them open indefinitely, and they can help improve your credit utilization and boost the average age of accounts on your credit reports more and more over time.
Great for everyday spending: You’ll find cards for groceries, gas, dining out, online shopping, and more. There are also plenty of flat-rate rewards cards that are perfect for any spending that doesn’t fit the bonus categories of your other cards.
Simple rewards programs (usually): Cards without annual fees usually have fairly straightforward rewards, with a one-time signup bonus and cash back or points you can redeem for statement credits. Rewards typically don’t expire for the life of the account, and in many cases there are no blackout dates for travel redemptions.
No annual fee to worry about (duh): For cards with annual fees, you have to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth each year, which could involve traveling in certain ways or shopping at specific retailers. No annual fee cards can sit in the proverbial (or literal) sock drawer until you need them (or until you need to keep them active), and they can be completely free to use, if you use them wisely.
As a downgrade option: If you have a card with an annual fee now and it’s not serving you well, you may be able to downgrade to a card with no annual fee. This is often a better idea than just closing the card because you can keep the same account on your credit reports.
An easy and cheap payment method while abroad: International travelers can use no annual fee cards without foreign transaction fees to avoid extra charges and trips to the money changer.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ (Review) is one of the most rewarding cash back cards available — not only does it have a set of rotating bonus categories, like the old Freedom card, it also features a great set of new static categories.
Spending Rewards
5% cash back on:
Travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Lyft rides (through March 2022)
5% cash back in rotating categories, up to $1,500 in spending each quarter, then 1%
3% cash back at:
Restaurants
Drugstores
1% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
$200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
DoorDash membership: A free membership (DashPass) for three months, and a 50% discount for the next nine months; a DashPass provides free delivery and reduced service fees on orders over $12.
One card to rule them all? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Review) has you covered for dining and basic drugstore purchases, along with travel (if you use Chase Ultimate Rewards). But it also gives more than the standard 1% for non-category purchases, making it more flexible than your average reward card.
Spending Rewards
5% cash back on:
Travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Lyft rides (through March 2022)
3% cash back at:
Restaurants
Drugstores
1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
$200 bonus for spending $500 in the first 3 months
DoorDash membership: A free membership (DashPass) for three months, and a 50% discount for the next nine months; a DashPass provides free delivery and reduced service fees on orders over $12.
Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Protection; Extended Warranty Protection; Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver; and more
Purchase APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months, then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (Review) is an excellent no-fee travel rewards credit card you can use to pay for an upcoming vacation or trip, with the ability to transfer points to a variety of airline partners.
Spending Rewards
5X miles per dollar with Uber Eats (through 1/31/21)
1.25X miles per dollar spent on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
20,000 bonus miles for spending $500 in the first 3 months after account opening
Mile transfer: Transfer mile to a variety of airline partners at a rate of either 2:1.5 or 2:1, depending on the airline.
Luxury Hotel Collection: Get perks for eligible hotel stays, including a $25 food and beverage credit, room upgrades when available, complimentary in-room WiFi, and more.
Visa Signature Concierge: Call any time for non-emergency assistance, like help making reservations or finding gifts.
Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Security, Extended Warranty, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Travel Accident Insurance
Purchase APR: 0% for for 12 months, then 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer (Review) is one of the few no annual fee cards to offer this much cash back for every purchase. It’s even got an intro balance transfer rate that’s one of the longest on the market.
Spending Rewards
2% cash back for every purchase you make (must pay at least the minimum due on time):
1% back when you make a purchase
1% back when you pay for that purchase
2% back for every purchase is rare, but you can get close to that with the new Apple Card. You’ll need an iPhone but you’ll earn 2% cash back for every purchase made with Apple Pay, so if the merchants you frequent take contactless payments you’ll be in the clear. You’ll also get 3% back for Apple, iTunes, and App Store purchases.
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% – 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% – 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card (Review) is one of the most useful and rewarding cards around, with an excellent dining bonus category accompanied by a set of other handy reward options.
Spending Rewards
4X points per dollar at Restaurants
2X points per dollar for:
Grocery stores
Grocery delivery
Streaming services
Gas stations
1X point per dollar on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
25,000 bonus points for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
The Discover it® Cash Back (Review) is our top pick for rotating cash back categories thanks to its unique Cashback Match.
Spending Rewards
5% cash back in rotating categories (up to $1,500 spent per quarter, then 1%; activation required):
January – March: Grocery Stores, Walgreens, CVS
April – June: Gas Stations, Wholesale Clubs, Select Streaming Services
July – September: Restaurants, PayPal
October – December: Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com
1% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
Cashback Match: Get double cash back for the first year, provided at the end of the first year
Take note that you must manually activate your 5% cash back rewards every quarter, and you won’t earn at the 5% rate until you do. This is as simple as logging in and clicking “Activate.” You can activate months in advance, so be sure to do so.
Check out the gift card redemption options to get at least $5 added to each redemption.
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One (Review) is marketed as a student card, but anyone can actually apply for it. This makes it a good option to help build or rebuild your credit, for students and non-students alike. It even offers a bit of cash back, with a bonus for paying by the due date.
$60 streaming credit: $5 per month for 12 months on select streaming services, when you pay on time
Access a higher credit line: You may be automatically considered for a higher credit line after six months.
Capital One CreditWise: Monitor your VantageScore 3.0, based on your TransUnion credit report, and see data from your report as well (available to anyone).
Shopping and travel protections: Extended Warranty, Travel and Emergency Assistance, Travel Accident Insurance, and more.
You still have a shot at approval, even with no credit scores. Petal will ask to connect to your bank account to see how you handle your finances, as an alternative to checking your credit. If you do have some credit established, Petal will likely run a hard inquiry to check it out.
The Petal card doesn’t just have no annual fee — it has no fees of any kind, apart from possible interest charges. And you can even avoid interest by paying your statement balance in full each month, potentially making this card completely free to use.
This Bank of America secured card will take a security deposit of $300 to $4,900. Your credit limit will be determined based in part on the deposit you make. Every now and then, Bank of America will review your account and creditworthiness. If it deems you a responsible credit user, your deposit may be refunded and you can continue using the card.
Secured cards are designed for people with bad, limited, or no credit, so they sometimes come with pretty unfavorable terms. But the BofA Cash Rewards Secured card is different, and even provides a decent rewards program.
Purchase APR: 0% for 18 months, then 14.74% – 24.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months, then 14.74% – 24.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer fee: 3%, $5 minimum
That transfer fee could add up to quite a lot, so you may want to check out our runners up, some of which have slightly shorter intro periods but no transfer fees. And take a look at the 0% purchase APR cards above, which may feature great offers for balance transfers as well.
0% Intro APR for 18 months on purchases from date of account opening and 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer. After that the variable APR will be 14.74% – 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening.
There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Get free access to your FICO® Score online.
With Citi Entertainment®, get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.
Shop with confidence knowing that you have dependable protection benefits, including $0 Liability on Unauthorized Purchases and Citi® Identity Theft Solutions.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 14.74% – 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.
A lot of hotel credit cards have high annual fees in return for their next-level perks and the comforts they provide. The Hilton Honors American Express Card (Review) has no annual fee, and doesn’t offer too much; but if you like Hilton and don’t travel too often, it could fit the bill quite well.
Spending Rewards
7X Hilton Honors Bonus points per dollar for eligible purchases charged on your Card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Portfolio
5X Bonus points per dollar at:
U.S. supermarkets
U.S. restaurants
U.S. gas stations
3X Bonus points per dollar for all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
80,000 bonus points for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you use your new Card to make $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
Earn 7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
Earn 5X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. gas stations.
Earn 3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors Silver status with your Card. Plus, spend $20,000 on eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year and you can earn an upgrade to Hilton Honors Gold status through the end of the next calendar year.
No Annual Fee.
Terms Apply.
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
The JetBlue Card is inexpensive, but it can save you a tidy sum with 50% off in-flight purchases with JetBlue. Most airline credit cards only give 25% off at most, so this is a steal if cocktails are a regular flight companion.
Spending Rewards
3X points per dollar spent on JetBlue purchases
2X points per dollar spent at:
Restaurants
Grocery stores
1X point per dollar spent on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
Earn 3X points per dollar spent on JetBlue purchases, 2X points per dollar at restaurants and grocery stores and 1X point per dollar on all other purchases
Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
No blackout dates on JetBlue-operated flights & redeem for any seat, any time on JetBlue-operated flights
Points awarded in your TrueBlue account don’t expire
Earn and share points together with Family Pooling
50% savings on eligible inflight purchases like cocktails and food on JetBlue-operated flights
New to credit, and credit cards? The Discover it® Student Cash Back (Review) can get you started out right. It’s low on fees and provides ample rewards — what more do you want?
Spending Rewards
5% cash back in rotating categories (up to $1,500 spent per quarter, then 1%; activation required):
January – March: Grocery Stores, Walgreens, CVS
April – June: Gas Stations, Wholesale Clubs, Select Streaming Services
July – September: Restaurants, PayPal
October – December: Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com
1% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
Cashback Match: Double all cash back rewards earned in the first year
One year of Amazon Prime Student for spending $500 in the first 3 billing cycles
A better chance of approval because Deserve checks factors like education and income potential
Limited 12-month Priority Pass Select membership: For spending $1,000 in 120 or 155 days; $27 fee per lounge visit (offer for select applicants and cardholders only)
No foreign transaction fee
Take note that Deserve will need to connect to your bank account to verify your balance, because Deserve bases its decision on more than the typical credit approval factors.
$50 bonus after your first purchase within 3 months of account opening
Perks: $20 Good Standing Rewards once per year, up to five years; Three-month DoorDash membership; Potential for credit limit increase after five on-time monthly payments
When you’re running a business, every percentage counts. So get some of those %s back with the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card (Review) — it’s one of the more rewarding business cards, despite not carrying an annual fee, with useful categories to help you meet your bottom line.
Spending Rewards
5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2022)
5% cash back on up to $25,000 spent per year at:
Office supply stores
Internet, cable, and phone services
2% cash back on up to $25,000 spent per year at:
Gas stations
Restaurants
1% cash back on all other purchases
Introductory Bonus
$750 cash bonus for spending $7,500 in the first 3 months after account opening
Choose either Tech Rewards, Life Sciences Rewards, or Remote Workforce Rewards
Perks: Thousands of dollars in statement credits, plus discounts and more, for services like Amazon Web Services, WeWork, Google Ads, SendGrid, and Twilio (explained here)
Expense management and receipt reconciliation tools
Point transfer: At a 1:1 rate to select airline loyalty programs
Employee card fee: None
No foreign transaction fee
Not available to sole proprietors, unregistered businesses, and other non-individual liability companies
Choose either Tech Rewards, Life Sciences Rewards, or Remote Workforce Rewards
Perks: Thousands of dollars in statement credits, plus discounts and more, for services like Amazon Web Services, WeWork, Google Ads, SendGrid, and Twilio (explained here)
Expense management and receipt reconciliation tools
Point transfer: At a 1:1 rate to select airline loyalty programs
Employee card fee: None
No foreign transaction fee
Not available to sole proprietors, unregistered businesses, and other non-individual liability companies
An annual fee is a yearly charge for the privilege of using a credit card. “No annual fee credit card” simply means a credit card that doesn’t come with that fee.
Annual fees are typically found on mid-range and high-end travel cards, as the price you pay for their perks. They’re also found on cards designed for bad credit, as the price you pay for having poor credit scores (it helps alleviate risk for the card issuer).
It’s also common to find credit cards that charge an annual fee, but only after the first year. The United℠ Explorer Card (Review) is a good example. It charges: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95
What’s the Best Credit Card With No Annual Fee?
There are quite a few credit cards without annual fees, so the “best” card will be the one that fits your spending habits and lifestyle. The best no annual fee cards include:
Discover it® Cash Back (Review): For valuable 5% cash back categories that switch every three months (up to $1,500 spent per quarter; activation required)
What’s the Best Cash Back Credit Card With No Annual Fee?
Cash back credit cards are easy to understand — they provide a certain percentage back for every purchase you make, like 1%, 3%, even 5% or more. Our favorites include:
Discover it® Secured (Review): Designed for bad credit; 2% cash back on gas and dining (up to $1,000 spent per quarter) and double cash back in the first year
What’s the Best Travel Credit Card With No Annual Fee?
Travel rewards cards tend to come with annual fees, to help offset their many perks. But some have no fee, such as:
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