The 7 Best Welcome Bonus Credit Cards of December 2025

In the market for a new credit card? Why not get a little something extra? Many credit cards offer welcome bonuses or introductory offers that can offset your spending or even maximize it.

These days, credit cards abound. So we’ve rounded up some of the best welcome bonus credit cards we could find and then compared them against one another.

How Do Credit Card Welcome Bonuses Work?

To qualify for a welcome offer, you must first be approved for a credit card and then meet the specified threshold. Some cards give you an instant reward, like the Prime Visa. Others require you to spend a designated amount within a certain timeframe to earn an introductory offer, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Others, like the Discover it® Cash Back credit card, automatically match all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year.

Best Welcome Bonus Credit Cards:

• Prime Visa
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Citi Double Cash® Card
• Discover it® Cash Back
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
• Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Comparing Welcome Bonus Credit Cards

To help you find the best welcome bonus credit card, let’s compare some of the top options. Below is a breakdown of welcome bonuses, rewards rates and other important details to help you decide which card is right for you.

1. Prime Visa

The Prime Visa card is a great pick for Amazon Prime members — it comes with an instant welcome perk and a whopping 5% back at Amazon, Whole Foods and more. Don’t have a Prime membership? You’ll still get unlimited 2% back on gas and restaurants and 1% back on everything else, all without an annual fee.

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Instant Prime Member Perk: Limited-Time Offer: Get a $250 Amazon Gift Cardinstantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members.
• 5X Rewards Rates: Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership.
• Cash Back on Gas: Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare).

Things to Keep in Mind:

• No Intro APR: This card has a 18.99% - 27.74% variable APR. (See Rates & Fees)
• Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Real-Life Scenario: If you’re an Amazon Prime member who’d like to maximize their spending on Amazon and beyond, the Prime Visa card gives you plenty of opportunities to earn big rewards.

Learn more about the Prime Visa card

2. Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card strikes a great balance between helping you manage your debt and rewarding you for everything else with a 15-month intro APR period and versatile rewards, all without an annual fee.

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Intro Offer: For a limited time, you can earn a $300 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• Versatile Rewards: Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
• Intro APR: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months.

Things to Keep in Mind:

• High Regular APR: Once the intro period is up, the APR can get steep (18.49% - 27.99% variable), so it’s crucial to pay off your balance before that happens to avoid losing the benefits of your rewards. (See Rates & Fees)
• Shorter Intro Period: The intro APR period of 15 months is decent, but if you’ve got a larger balance, you might need more time to pay it down.

Real-Life Scenario: If you’ve been chipping away at your debt but you don’t want to give up earning rewards on new purchases, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® lets you do both, making it a practical choice for balancing debt repayment with everyday spending.

Learn more about the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card

3. Citi Double Cash® Card

The Citi Double Cash® Card is a great option for consumers looking for a balance transfer credit card with a long 0% APR period and a welcome bonus. This card also gives you the opportunity to earn some serious cash back with unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, plus an extra 1% as you pay for those purchases. Plus, you can enjoy all of the perks with no annual fee. 

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Intro Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Unlimited Cash Back: 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. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
• Balance Transfer Intro APR: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% – 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Balance Transfer Fee: There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer ($5 minimum) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Intro APR Applies Only to Balance Transfers: Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• Foreign Transaction Fee: There’s a 3% foreign purchase transaction fee. Keep that in mind if you’re traveling internationally.

Real-Life Scenario: If you’re looking for a credit card with serious cash-back potential and a decent balance transfer period to help you pay down existing debt, the Citi Double Cash Card may be right for you (See Rates & Fees). 

Apply for the Citi Double Cash Card

4. Discover it® Cash Back

The Discover it® Cash Back card is a favorite for its 5% rotating cash back categories, and you can start earning instantly. Plus, you’ll get a cash back match at the end of your first year. Combine that with a 0% intro APR period, which can help you earn big on everyday purchases, and this card offers a rewarding way to manage your finances.

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Intro Offer: Discover will automatically match all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year after you open your new Discover it^® cash back card. So if you earn $50 cash back, you’ll get another $50.
• Long 0% Intro APR Period: Take advantage of 15 months of 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers (17.74%-26.74% variable APR after the intro period).
• High Cash Back in Rotating Categories: Earn 5% cash back on rotating categories like groceries, restaurants, gas stations, and more (up to the quarterly maximum) when you activate.
• Unlimited Cash Back: Even if your purchases don’t fall into the 5% category, you’ll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on everything else.
• No Annual Fee: All the perks without an annual fee. (See Rates & Fees)

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Rotating Categories: While the 5% cash back is a great offer, the categories rotate quarterly, so you’ll need to track which categories are active.
• Quarterly Limits: The 5% cash back is capped each quarter, so keep that in mind if you tend to spend a lot in those categories.

Real-Life Scenario: If you like to optimize your cash back by focusing on specific categories each quarter while paying down your debt, the Discover it® Cash Back card gives you plenty of opportunities to earn big rewards.

Learn more about the Discover it® Cash Back card

5. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

If you’re looking for a card that can pull triple duty — offering a welcome bonus, stellar cash-back rewards and a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the account opening (19.49% – 28.49% variable after intro period) — the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express may be the card for you. Whether you’re buying groceries or shopping online, this card helps you earn rewards while giving you breathing room on your balance, all without an annual fee.

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Intro Offer: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
• Everyday Cash Back: Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, on eligible purchases for each category on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit and at Amazon.com checkout. Terms apply.
• Plan It® Feature: Manage large purchases by breaking them into fixed monthly payments with Amex’s Plan It®.

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.

Real-Life Scenario: If you’re looking for a credit card with serious cash-back potential and a decent balance transfer period to help you pay down existing debt, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express may be right for you (See Rates & Fees). 

Learn more about the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

6. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Who doesn’t like simplicity? The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a simple and straightforward way to earn cash back without tracking categories. So, it delivers consistent rewards and value as well as a welcome bonus offer and no annual fee.

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Intro Offer: Get a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
• Unlimited Cash Back: Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
• Intro APR Period: Enjoy 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable APR of 18.74%, 24.74% or 28.74%. (See Rates & Fees)

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Limited Perks: This card focuses on cashback and simplicity, so it may lack premium benefits.
• Balance Transfer Fee: There’s an introductory fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater, for 120 days from account opening. After that, up to 5% for each balance transfer, with a minimum of $5.

Real-Life Scenario:  If you’re someone who values simplicity and consistency, this card lets you earn rewards without the hassle of tracking spending categories.

Apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

7. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

If your spending revolves around dining out, catching the latest movies and streaming your favorite shows, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers rewards where it matters most. It offers impressive cash back rewards on the fun stuff as well as your everyday purchases, all without an annual fee.

Why It’s a Great Pick:

• Sign-up Offer: $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
• Cash Back on Groceries and Fun: 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services.
• Intro APR: 0% intro on purchases for 12 months (18.74% – 28.74% Variable after intro period)

Things to Keep in Mind:

• Not Great for Big Box Shoppers: Purchases at Walmart® and Target® won’t earn you the higher cash-back rate.
• Balance Transfer Fee: You’ll pay an introductory fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 12 months that your account is open. After that, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that we may offer you at any other time.

Real-Life Scenario: If you spend a lot on dining and entertainment, this card will reward you for your lifestyle, while the 0% intro APR gives you time to manage your balance.

Enrollment is required for some benefits.

Learn more about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card