March 20, 2025: One of the questions I am most frequently asked is, “What is the best credit card?” Of course, the best credit card for you will depend on your spending patterns and rewards preferences. And the best rewards wallet for you will likely be a combination of cards.
This list is what I consider the best credit cards when looking at the cards holistically—including rewards, benefits and fees. Here are the best cards of 2025.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
The best credit cards of 2025
 Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Annual fee: annual_fees (See Rates and Fees) | Market-leading cash back on groceries at U.S. Supermarkets, plus other bonus categories and robust consumer insurance benefits. Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. |
 AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card Annual fee: $0 | High rate of cash back on groceries and warehouse club purchases with no annual fee. Welcome offer: Receive a $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on your card in the first 90 days of account opening. Learn how to apply. |
 U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card Annual fee: $0 | Unbelievably generous set of travel rewards and benefits on a no annual fee card, plus unique trip delay and global mobile data benefits. Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points. Just spend $1,000 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days. Learn how to apply. |
 Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Annual fee: annual_fees | Great value in a premium travel card with an annual fee that is $300 lower than some competing cards. Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. |
 Citi Double Cash® Card Annual fee: annual_fees | 2% cash back everywhere, with extended warranty and no annual fee. 2% cash back is earned as 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. |
 Chase Freedom Unlimited® Annual fee: annual_fees | A great all-around option to use if you want a single card to use everywhere. Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply. |
All information about the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card, U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, and Citi Double Cash® Card was collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
How I picked the best credit cards
Admittedly, this list is quite subjective. And most of these picks don’t match editor’s picks in the category and retailer lists we publish. That’s because, in making this list, I looked at the total value picture of each of these cards. Here’s the bulk of what I considered:
- Easy-to-use rewards. Travel bloggers undervalue cash back rewards. Business class flights and trips to the Maldives make great content, but for most people, the best rewards are cash back.
- Versatility. I bias toward cards that are useful in a wide range of categories. A card that earns really good rewards in three categories is better than three cards that earn market-leading rewards in one category.
- Useful, usable benefits. I value benefits that are easy to use passively. “Coupon-book” type credits where you have to buy 1.5 coffees at Dunkin’ Donuts every 30 days aren’t wroth much in my book.
- Annual fee. If a card has an annual fee, it needs to deliver clear value well in excess of its annual fee.
The above isn’t an exhaustive list of the criteria I used when making this list, but it covers 90% of it. A bit more on each of these picks is below.
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers market-leading rewards in a category where most families spend a significant amount of their monthly budget: The card earns 6% cash back on up to $6,000 spent each year on groceries at U.S. Supermarkets (then 1%).
When you run the numbers, that category alone is likely enough to justify paying the card’s annual fee (annual_fees See Rates and Fees) but the card also offers bonus rewards in other useful categories.
Add to that Amex’s excellent consumer insurance protections included with the card and an $84/year credit for standalone U.S. subscriptions to The Disney Bundle (enrollment required, terms apply) and the card delivers value well in excess of its annual fee.
What could be better: A higher cap on the U.S. Supermarket category would be nice, but that’s probably an unreasonable ask considering the amount of cash back I earn on the card each year.
Annual fee: annual_fees (See Rates and Fees )
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
(See Rates and Fees )
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers market-leading rewards on groceries at U.S. supermarkets, plus great rewards in other categories.
Welcome offer
Best public welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as a statement credit.
Amex has sometimes shown a larger, targeted offer to some people through some channels. If you’re interested in hunting down a better offer on this card, see our coverage of the best Blue Cash Preferred welcome offers.
Rewards
- 6% on groceries at U.S. supermarkets.
on up to $6,000 per year of purchases, then 1%. - 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- 3% on gas at U.S. gas stations.
- 3% on transit, including taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, busses, and more.
- 1% on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as cash back reward dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
- Purchase Protection. Covers eligible purchases against theft or accidental damage up to $1,000 per covered purchase and up to $50,000 per account per calendar year. Exclusions and terms apply.
- Return Protection. Covers eligible purchases up to $300 per item and $1,000 per account per calendar year if the seller of an item won’t take it back within 90 days from the date of purchase. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Terms and restrictions apply.
- Extended Warranty. Provides up to one year of coverage equivalent to the manufacturer’s original warranty on eligible items with warranties of 5 years or less. Coverage limited to $10,000 per item and $50,000 per account per calendar year. Terms and restrictions apply.
Travel insurance benefits
- Car rental loss and damage insurance.
- Global assist hotline.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- Disney Plus Credit. Receive $7 back monthly after spending $9.99+ each month on an eligible auto-renewing U.S. subscription to the Disney Bundle. Enrollment required.
- Amex Offers. Receive statement credits or extra rewards with targeted offers from select merchants. Enrollment required.
AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card
The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card offers both one of the highest available rates of cash back on grocery purchases and more rewards at warehouse club purchases that even Costco’s own credit card for no annual fee.
The card’s 5% cash back rewards at grocery stores, 3% at warehouse clubs, and 3% at gas stations are capped at $500 in cumulative rewards each calendar year, but that cap is high enough to cover most spending by most families in these common categories.
What could be better: The lack of any substantive benefits is disappointing and Bread Financial’s constant attempts to upsell me into its high-priced “Account Assure Pro” service are annoying.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Receive a $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on your card in the first 90 days of account opening.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: 0%
All information about the AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card doesn’t get talked about much, but it offers strong cash back rewards in several useful categories, including grocery stores, gas, wholesale clubs, streaming services, and pharmacies.
Sign-up bonus
Receive a $100 statement credit after you spend $1,000 on your card in the first 90 days of account opening. Learn how to apply.
Rewards
After earning $500 cash back in the following categories in a calendar year, you will earn 1% cash back in these categories for the remainder of the calendar year:
- 5% on grocery store purchases.
- 3% at gas stations.
- 3% at wholesale clubs.
These categories are not subject to reward caps:
- 3% on electric vehicle charging.
- 3% on pharmacy purchases.
- 3% on AAA purchases.
- 1% on other purchases.
Rewards are earned as cash back.
Benefits
The AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature® Credit Card does not have any benefits of note.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is the best travel card you’ve never heard of—likely because U.S. Bank doesn’t pay publishers affiliate commissions. U.S. Bank recently lowered the annual fee on the card to $0, but they kept a lot of the card’s benefits.
What really sets the card apart is that it includes premium travel benefits that you’d expect on cards that carry annual fees. You’ll get travel protections including trip delay reimbursement, four complimentary Priority Pass airport lounge access visits per year, and a trip delay benefit that grants lounge access when your trip is delayed. Additionally, the card’s partnership with GigSky offers free mobile data plans when traveling abroad—a benefit that I haven’t seen offered on any other U.S. credit card.
Finally, you’ll earn plenty of points on your travel: 5x points when you book tour prepaid hotels and car rentals in the Altitude Rewards Center and 4x points, uncapped, on other travel.
What could be better: To get full cash back value for your points, you need to have a deposit account at U.S. Bank. I get it—you want to cross-sell your customers—but it’s an unnecessary hoop to jump through that I think keeps a lot of people away from an otherwise great card.
Annual fee: $0
Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 bonus points. Just spend $1,000 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days.
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: $0
Foreign transaction fee: None
All information about the U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card offers unique value to travelers, thanks to its partnership with GigSky and its Trip Delay Reimbursement with SmartDelay.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: Earn 20,000 bonus points. Just spend $1,000 in eligible net purchases in the first 90 days.
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as points which can be redeemed for maximum value (1 cent per point) only when redeeming for a deposit into an eligible U.S. Bank deposit account or redeeming for travel.
Rewards
- 5x on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center.
- 4x on travel.
- 4x at gas stations/EV charging stations
on your first $1,000 each quarter. Excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs. - 2x on dining.
- 2x on streaming services.
- 2x at grocery stores
excludes discount stores/supercenters and wholesale clubs. - 1x on all other eligible purchases.
Rewards are earned as Altitude Connect points, which can be redeemed for travel through the Altitude Rewards Center, a deposit to a qualifying U.S. Bank account, and charity at 1 cent per point. Other redemptions have less value. Note that cash back redemptions other than deposits to a U.S. Bank account will net you 0.8 cents per point.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card does not offer any consumer insurance benefits.
Travel and travel insurance benefits
- Priority Pass™ Select membership with 4 free visits per year.
- TSA PreCheck® or Global Entry® credit.
- Complimentary GigSky global mobile data plans.
- Trip cancellation and interruption.
- SmartDelay.
- Roadside dispatch.
- Travel accident benefit.
- Trip delay reimbursement.
- Travel and emergency assistance services.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- 3 months of free Shipt membership, then 9 months at 50% off.
Capital One Venture X
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card‘s annual fee of annual_fees is refreshingly low in a world where premium travel credit cards can have annual fees of nearly $800. For most people who want Priority Pass airport lounge access, this is the card to get.
Capital One makes it relatively simple to get measurable value from the card. If you’re booking hotels, rental cars, and flights through Capital One Travel, it’s easy to use the $300 annual travel credit and the 10,000 bonus miles you’ll get every year are almost as good as $100 cash.
And all of that is before considering the value of the card’s premium travel insurance protections, airport lounge access program, or the massive number of points you can get if you book hotels, rental cars, and flights through Capital One Travel.
What could be better: Redeeming your points for cash back rewards will get you only half a cent of cash back per point. To get full value for your rewards, you must redeem them for travel—either to offset travel purchases or to book travel with Capital One. This seems like an unnecessary hoop to jump through for cash back redemptions. I wish that the card would simply offer straight-up cash back redemptions at 1 cent per point
Annual fee: annual_fees
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card offers a great value if you’re looking for a travel card with Priority Pass lounge access. The card has an annual fee that is less than half of the cost of some competing travel cards.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
This bonus is earned as Capital One miles.
Rewards
- 10x on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 5x on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
- 5x on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
- 2x on other purchases, every day.
Rewards are earned Capital One Miles, which can be redeemed for travel at 1 cent of value each, cash back at 0.5 cents of value each, or transferred to travel transfer partners.
Benefits
Airport lounge access and general card benefits
- Capital One Lounge access for you and two guests.
- Priority Pass Select membership with complimentary access for you and two guests.
- Free additional cardholders which get their own lounge access benefits.
- Capital One Travel access including free price drop protection.
- Hertz President’s Circle® status.
Consumer insurance benefits
- Purchase Security.
- Extended Warranty Protection.
- Return Protection.
- Cellular Telephone Protection.
Travel insurance benefits
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption.
- Trip Delay Reimbursement.
- Worldwide Automatic Common Carrier Travel Accident Insurance.
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement.
Citi Double Cash® Card
Several years ago, Citi stripped most of the benefits off of most of its cards, but a few months ago, it added an extended warranty back to the Citi Double Cash® Card, making the card my personal favorite “everywhere else” card.
The card’s rewards are confusingly marketed as “1% when you buy and 1% when you pay” and the way that Citi awards that second 1% rewards means that you’ll lose out on some rewards if you redeem your rewards for statement credits.
But the Double Cash offers an additional element of complexity that can increase the total rewards you earn. If you also hold a Rewards+ card and combine your ThankYou Points accounts, you can get an effective 2.22% cash back everywhere, thanks to the 10% points back bonus on the Rewards+. That’s not bad for holding just two credit cards with no annual fees and no bank deposit requirements.
What could be better: The confusing way that the card’s 2% rewards are awarded—1% when you buy and 1% when you pay—could be simplified. Adding a few additional benefits would also be nice. If I had to pick two, I’d want purchase protection, car rental insurance (even if secondary).
Annual fee: annual_fees
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
All information about the Citi Double Cash® Card has been collected independently by cardsandpoints.com.
The Citi Double Cash® Card is the card you want to use “everywhere else” if you’re collecting ThankYou® Points and it’s also great as a 2% cash back everywhere card. The recent addition of an extended warranty benefit substantially ups the card’s value for many.
Sign-up bonus
Best sign-up bonus: bonus_miles_full Learn how to apply.
This bonus is marketed as cash back, but earned as Citi ThankYou® Points.
Rewards
- 5% total cash back on hotel, car rental, and attractions booked through the Citi Travel portal.
- 2% cash back on every purchase
Earn 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay.
Rewards are earned as Citi ThankYou® Points.
Benefits
- Extended warranty
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
You won’t see the Chase Freedom Unlimited® topping our lists of the best cards in any particular category, but I have to give credit where credit is due: The card is extremely well-rounded and a great option for a single card to use everywhere.
You’re trading off 50 basis points of rewards on general purchases compared to a 2% cash back credit card, but you’re getting plenty in return: Increased rewards on restaurant and drugstore purchases, a great set of benefits, and the ability to move your points over to a Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve® card and redeem them for travel at better-than-cashback value.
What could be better: I really wish that Chase offered a personal card that gave more than 1.5x rewards on gas and groceries. I think that Chase’s ecosystem is the easiest travel rewards ecosystem for most people to get increased value out of their rewards, but the lack of bonus rewards in these categories always has me recommending that people get a cash back card in addition to their Chase cards.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Welcome offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Annual fee: annual_fees
Foreign transaction fee: foreign_transaction_fee
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent choice for a use-anywhere card, thanks to its 1.5% cash back rewards and extended warranty benefit.
Sign-up bonus
Best offer: bonus_miles_full
Learn how to apply.
Rewards
- 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠.
- 5% on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
- 3% on dining at restaurants, including eligible takeout and delivery services.
- 3% drugstore purchases.
- 1.5% on other purchases.
Rewards are marketed as cash back, but earned as Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Ultimate Rewards® can be combined across cards you hold. If you hold a premium Ultimate Rewards card, you can transfer your points to Chase’s transfer partners or use your points for increased value when you book travel through Chase Travel℠. For more about using Ultimate Rewards, check out our guide on the Ultimate Rewards program.
Benefits
Consumer insurance benefits
Travel insurance benefits
- Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance.
- Auto Rental Coverage.
- Roadside Assistance.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance.
Partner benefits and statement credits
- 6 months of complimentary access to DashPass.
Subject to auto-renewal at the current monthly rate. Activate by December 31, 2027.
Bottom line: The best cards are great tools
Often, credit card issuers try to highlight one aspect of a credit card that is market-leading, while watering down other aspects of a card. In my view, the best credit cards are tools that can give you great rewards on a large amount of your spending, offer useful benefits, and provide value well in excess of their annual fees.
Amex rates and fees disclosures
- For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, see this link: See Rates and Fees
Amex insurance disclosures
Amex Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance (standard) disclosure: Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $50,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Amex Global Assist Hotline disclosure: You can rely on Global Assist Hotline 24 hours a day / 7 days a week for medical, legal, financial, or other select emergency coordination and assistance services while traveling more than 100 miles away from your home. Third-party service costs may be your responsibility. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Card Members are responsible for the costs charged by third-party service providers.
Amex Purchase Protection (standard) benefit disclosure: When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase with their Eligible Card, Purchase Protection can help protect their Covered Purchases for up to 90 days from the Covered Purchase date if it is stolen or accidentally damaged. The coverage is limited to up to $1,000 per occurrence, up to $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Amex Return Protection benefit disclosure: With Return Protection, you may return eligible purchases to American Express if the seller won’t take them back up to 90 days from the date of purchase. American Express may refund the full purchase price excluding shipping and handling, up to $300 per item, up to a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year per Card account, if you purchased it entirely with your eligible American Express® Card. Purchases must be made in the U.S. or its territories. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Amex Extended Warranty benefit disclosure: When an American Express® Card Member charges a Covered Purchase to an Eligible Card, Extended Warranty§ can provide up to one extra year added to the Original Manufacturer’s Warranty. Applies to warranties of five (5) years or less. Coverage is up to the actual amount charged to your Card for the item up to a maximum of $10,000; not to exceed $50,000 per Card Member account per calendar year. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.
Advertiser disclosure: Cards and Points has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Cards and Points and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on this site are from advertisers. Compensation may affect how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies or all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. Terms apply to all credit card benefits.
