Best Credit Cards in the USA | Beginners Guide

Best Credit Cards in the USA

Credit Card is a piece of plastic card just like normal ATM cards issued by financial organizations, which lets you borrow money from a pre approved limit to pay for your transactions. Visit this page to Know more about What Credit Card is and How it works

Here in this post we gonna talk about what should you consider while choosing a credit card and which credit card suits best for you.

Using credit cards for payment has its own advantages and disadvantages. Whether credit cards suit you or not it depends on your nature of purchase. For those who do lots of non-cash purchases and want to pay at the end of the month when they got their salary, Credit Card is better.

If you use credit card for paying your purchase and online transactions gives you a security that the amount is not going to cut from your bank account. This is a kind of security against any fraud. It also gives you lots of rewards in the form of cash back, value points and free Insurance.

Disadvantages include the yearly fee that a card holder has to pay annually. But the acrimony is the high fine you have to give if you not pay your expense bills at time.

What should you look before buying credit card?

Taking the credit card is not like buying a burger. You have to consider a plethora of options to make your decision. Almost all credit card provider company provides same like services but their effective cost and quality differs. Here we are giving you some points which might be considered to select your credit card.

Credit Card Company

Although you can take credit card from any company but it is better to take credit card from your own bank rather from third party company. This will save your certain hidden charges.

Credit Limit

This is the limit of credit set by your card provider upto which you can spend. Generally if you don’t do lots of purchases in a month then nothing is a problem. But this is not the case for every credit card holders.

Its better to go with one who are giving you more credit limit to spend. As i have mentioned in the What is Credit Card page that the credit limit depends on individuals credit score and history. Better your score more you would get.

Late Fine

If you don’t pay your credit card bills on time, you got extra charged as fine which is generally very high as depends on company to company.

Its better to go with who charge affordable late fine as it is more common for credit card holders not to pay their bills at time. This non-time payment of bills is the biggest Income source of the credit card companies.

Rewards

Credit Cards company provides rewards on every transaction in the form of real cash back or some points which can be later used for purchase. Some people just buy credit card for these rewards.

High level cards gives you higher reward and extra features like Insurance has generally higher fee. So if you do lots of transactions then you can go with the higher one. Otherwise you can go with medium level cards.

Payment Network

You must consider the payments methods given in your card. Some payment networks like VISA and MasterCard is widely acceptable all around the world. But some like AmericanExpress, Diners Club are not equally accepted world wide. 

Other Fees

Make sure you check all the extra fees that the credit card is going to levy on you. There could be some extra charges like balance transfer fees, cash advance fees, foreign transaction fees and over the limit fees. So know what you are getting into before making the final choice.

Best Credit Cards in the USA

Here in this section we are providing you some of the best and popular credit cards used and trusted by Americans. We have made this list taking into consideration annual fee, cash back, penalty amount and transfer and transaction fee. 

Please note that the order in the list doesn’t represents its rank.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

Chase Freedom Flex is one of the popular credit cards used massively in the united states. With $0 annual fee and good rewards on purchases, this offer good value to the holders.


Features :-

  • You will get $200 as a welcome bonus on your first $500 purchase.
  • No annual fee.
  • Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is 14.9-23.7% variable.
  • Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases.
  • 0% Intro APR for 15 months.
  • Cash back are non expirable and required no minimum to redeem for cash back.
  • Earn 5% cashback on Chase travel purchase.

Bad Part :-

  • Charges foreign transaction fee
  • To earn cashback on travel, it must be booked through Chase

Citi® Double Cash Card

Having simple cashback structure, long-lasting APR offer and without any annual fee, you can select Citi Double Cash Card as your first credit card in your life. 

Features :-

  • No annual fee
  • Earn up to 2% cash back on purchases
  • Earn as many cashback as your purchase. No cap limit
  • Introductory APR period for balance transfers
  • Regular APR is 13.9-23.9% variable

Bad Part:-

  • It charges foreign transaction fee
  • It charges balance transfer fee

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

This card gives high rewards and offerings with medium annual fee, and hence chosen as best card by lots of frequent spenders specially for travel and dining. You can earn points and use for travel expense from travel partners.

Features :-

  • $95 annual fee
  • 60,000 points as welcome bonus
  • 15.99%-22.99% regular APR
  • Gives high rewards on several areas of spending
  • Points can be transferred to travel partners at 1:1 rate
  • Many protections in travel and shopping

Bad Part :-

  • No intro APR offer is given
  • You will get best travel rewards only booking through chase

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

This could be the best credit card for beginners or for those who want to rebuilt their credit score. With 0 annual fee and an unlimited 1% cash back rate on all purchases and having no penalty APR, this card offers various features compare to its competitors.

This card also offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.

Features :-

  • No annual fee
  • 1% cash back on every purchases
  • 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 spending
  • Free FICO score access each month
  • 22.99% regular APR variable
  • Cashback Match doubles cash back rewards earning at the end of the first year

Bad Part :-

  • Rewards are capped
  • Secured cards don’t provide many of the perks unsecured cards do

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

This is one of the considerable credit card option for those who do frequent shopping at amazon.com and whole food. This card charges $0 annual fee with amazon prime membership and welcomes you with $100 amazon gift card. The annual regular APR is normal which is about 14.24% – 22.24%.

Features :-

  • $100 Amazon.com Gift Card as welcome bonus
  • $0 annual fee with amazon prime membership
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • Unlimited 5% back at Amazon and Whole Foods
  • 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores
  • 1% back at every other purchases
  • Visa Signature benefits

Bar Part :-

  • No intro APR is offered
  • Non-US Amazon sites not gives 5% cashback
  • High balance transfer fee

Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card

This is one of the best flat rate rewards credit card giving you stability in pros and cons of a credit card. With $0 annual fee and 14.99%-24.99% regular APR with 2% cash back on any purchase, this can be Good to Excellent choice among its competitors.

Features :-

  • $0 annual fee
  • $200 as welcome bonus when you spend $1,000 within first 3 months
  • Regular APR 14.99%-24.99% (Variable)
  • Unlimited 2% cashback
  • Cell phone protection benefit
  • Balance Transfer Intro APR is 0% for 15 months from account opening

Bad Part :-

  • Foreign Purchase Transaction Fee: 3%
  • Balance Transfer Fee up to 5%

Titanium Rewards Visa® Signature Card

This can be considered as the best credit card as it gives good reward with low APR and all with zero annual fee. But to avail this credit card you need to join Andrews Federal Credit Union, but anyone can join if fulfills certain norms.

Features :-

  • $0 annual fee
  • 10,000 welcome bonus you spend $1,500 within the first 90 days
  • 3X points on gas and grocery purchases and 1.5X points on all other purchases
  • 9.49% to 16.49% variable regular APR
  • No  Foreign transaction fee
  • No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S

Bad Part :-

  • Credit union membership required
  • Balance transfer fee of at least 1.5%

Discover it® Student Cash Back

Discover it® Student Cash Back is a better option or students as it is lite and gives an opportunity to build your credit and makes you know prepare to use credit cards and built healthy spending.

Features :-

  • $0 annual fee
  • 5% cash back on everyday purchases from Amazon.com, grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants
  • 1% cash back on every other purchases
  • 12.99% – 21.99% Regular variable APR 
  • Cashback Match as welcome bonus
  • $20 credit each school year if GPA is 3.0 or higher for up to the next five years

Bad Part :-

  • Complicated rewards
  • Have to be activate manually the Spending categories

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