Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards

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.

• 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

Cardholders can use the Double Cash everywhere to earn 2% back, without worrying about any bonus categories or which card might be better for which purchases.

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.

• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers, and then 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable)
• Free FICO credit score: Monitor your FICO Bankcard Score 8, based on your Equifax credit report.
• Quick customer service: Say “representative” when calling customer support to be connected with a rep more quickly.

• 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 Discover it® Cash Back (Review) is our top pick for rotating cash back categories thanks to its unique Cashback Match. You’ll earn 5% back in categories that change every three months, up to $1,500 spent per quarter (activation required).

Check out the gift card redemption options to get at least $5 added to each redemption.

• 5% cash back on the first $1,500 spent per quarter (then 1%), in categories that rotate throughout the year
• 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Cashback Match: Cash back earned in the first year is doubled

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.

• Free FICO credit score: Track your FICO Score 8 over time, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Social Security number alerts: Get notified if your SSN is found on any of thousands of risky dark web sites.
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms
• No foreign transaction fee

The Bank of America® Cash Rewards Credit Card (Review) is one of the most flexible cash back cards around, with a 3% bonus category you can change every month. Dining is one of your choices, along with quite a few other useful options, and you’ll always get grocery stores for one of your smaller categories.

• 3% cash back in one category of your choice:
  • Gas
  • Online shopping
  • Dining
  • Travel
  • Drugstores
  • Home improvement/furnishings stores
• 2% cash back at:
  • Grocery stores
  • Wholesale clubs
• Spending limit: 3% and 2% rewards only up to $2,500 per quarter, then 1%
• $200 cash rewards bonus for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days

• Free FICO credit score: Check your FICO Score 8 for free, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Shopping and Travel protections: Price Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and more.
• Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 12 billing cycles, then 13.99%–23.99% Variable APR

• No annual fee
• $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
• NEW OFFER: Maximize your cash back in the category of your choice: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement /furnishings
• Now earn 3% cash back in your choice category and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases
• You can update your choice category for future purchases once each calendar month using the Mobile Banking app or Online Banking, or do nothing and it stays the same
• No expiration on rewards
• 0% Introductory APR for 12 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 16.24% – 26.24% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee (min $10) applies to balance transfers
• If you’re a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25% – 75% more cash back on every purchase

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.

• 5X miles per dollar with Uber Eats (through 1/31/21)
• 1.25X miles per dollar on all other purchases
• 20,000 bonus miles for spending $1,000 in the first 3 months after account opening
  • Value: $200–$400 (assuming 1–2 cents per point)
  • Return on spend: 20%–40%

• Mile transfer: To a variety of airline loyalty programs.
• Luxury Hotel Collection: Provides benefits during eligible hotel stays, like a $25 food and beverage credit, complimentary WiFi, automatic room upgrades, and more.
• Shopping and Travel protections: Purchase Security, Roadside Dispatch, an Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and more.
• Purchase APR: 0% for 12 months, then 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable) APR
• No foreign transaction fees

If you need a card with a long 0% intro APR for purchases, it will be hard to beat the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card.

The Visa Platinum provides 20 billing cycles at 0% APR for purchases. After that, the regular 14.99%–24.99% Variable APR applies.

That’s quite a long time compared to most cards, and it’s available for both purchases and balance transfers if you’d like.

• Free VantageScore credit score: Check your VantageScore 3.0, based on your TransUnion credit report.
• Shopping and Travel protections: Including Cell Phone Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, and more.

• 0% introductory APR for 20 billing cycles on purchases and balance transfers, then 14.99%–24.99% Variable
• Savings at various retailers through Visa Discounts
• Travel and shopping protections
• Cell Phone Protection
• Free VantageScore based on your TransUnion credit report
• No annual fee

For a long balance transfer card offer, look no further than the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card (Review).

There are no rewards with this card, but you’ll get 18 months at 0% APR for balance transfers, along with 18 months at 0% for purchases. After those periods are up, you’ll get a regular rate of 14.74% – 24.74% (Variable).

You’ll have to pay a fee, however: 3%, $5 minimum.

This 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.

• Citi Entertainment: Access to presale and preferred tickets to concerts, sporting events, dining experiences, and more.
• Say “representative” when you call: Speak with a customer support rep more quickly.
• Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months, then 14.74% – 24.74% (Variable)
• Purchase APR: 0% for 18 months, then 14.74% – 24.74% (Variable)
• Annual fee: $0

• 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.

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.

• 1% cash back for every purchase
  • 1.25% cash back for every purchase when you pay on time

• $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.
• No foreign transaction fees

Having limited or no credit can make it tough to get approved for credit cards. That’s where the Petal 2 Visa® Card steps in.

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.

• Petal Offers: Get up to 10% back with select merchants, with no activation necessary.
• Visa Local Offers: Earn Uber Cash when making purchases at select merchants by adding your Petal card to the Uber app.
• Free credit score: Check your VantageScore 3.0 credit score from your Experian credit report, whenever you’d like.
• Purchase APR: 12.99 - 26.99% Variable
• Credit limit: $500–$10,000
• No foreign transaction fee
• Annual fee: $0

• No fees whatsoever. No late fee, international fee, annual fee, or any-other-kind-of-fee, fee.
• Up to 1.5% cash back after making 12 on-time monthly payments
• 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away
• Up to 10% cash back from select merchants
• $500 – $10,000 credit limits
• Variable APRs 12.99% – 26.99%
• Build credit alongside tens of thousands of Petal Card members
• Cash flow technology may help applicants without credit history get approved
• Petal’s mobile app makes it easy to manage your money, track your spending, and automate payments
• See if you’re pre-approved within minutes without impacting your credit score
• Petal reports to all 3 major credit bureaus
• No deposits required
• Card issued by WebBank, Member FDIC

The Discover it® Secured (Review) is a secured credit card, which means it requires a refundable security deposit when you’re approved. It doesn’t have an annual fee, but it will require some money to get.

The Discover it Secured will take a security deposit of $200 to $2,500. Your credit limit will be equal to the deposit you make. Every eight months, Discover 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 usually come with pretty unfavorable terms. But the Discover it Secured is different, and even provides a decent rewards program. Not only that, your cash back is doubled for the first year! That’s even better than some reward credit cards.

• 2% cash back on the first $1,000 spent per quarter at:
  • Restaurants
  • Gas stations
• 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Cashback Match: Cash back earned in the first year is doubled

• Free FICO credit score: Keep tabs on your FICO Score 8, based on your TransUnion report, and get tips to improve your credit scores.
• Social Security number alerts: Get notified if your SSN is found on any of thousands of risky dark web sites.
• Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms
• No foreign transaction fees