The 14 Best Credit Cards of April 2024

The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card earns its place on our best credit cards list because of its simple approach to cash rewards. You earn 2% back on all everyday purchases, all year long. There’s no limit to the cash back, and you can redeem it in several ways: to cover purchases, as a statement credit, at the ATM in $20 increments, or as a gift card. Both the ATM and gift card options require you to redeem your cash back in specific amounts, which makes them slightly less convenient options, but the redemption process is still simple and straightforward. 

In addition to uncomplicated cash back, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card also has a decent introductory bonus. If you spend $500 in the first 3 months, you get $200 cash rewards. That’s a higher return for less money spent than most cash back cards’ welcome offers. 

For a no annual fee card, we also love the 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (transfers made in the first 120 days). Like always, we don’t suggest you carry a balance, but if you have to it’s nice to know you’re covered. 

There aren't a lot of bells or whistles to this card (that’s kind of the point), but we do like the cell phone protection plan that protects your phone up to $600 against damage or theft when you pay your bill with it ($25 deductible). 

Bottom line, this is a simple card for flat rate rewards that don’t require minimums to redeem cash.

The Discover it Cash Back Credit Card offers 5% cash back on rotating categories that change each quarter. You have to go on each quarter and activate the bonus categories, so it can be a little bit of work, but we think it’s worth it. The categories change slightly each year but are based on common purchases. Only the first two quarters reward categories are published for 2024, but like the published ones, future categories will most likely be places you spend: 

• January through March: 5% back on restaurants and drug stores 
• April through June: 5% back on gas stations & electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores and public transit

If you activate the bonus each quarter, you can earn 5% on up to $1,500 in purchases in that category. All other purchases that quarter will receive 1% cash back. At the end of your first year, you’ll also get an extra surprise with Discover’s Unlimited Cashback Match. Basically, at the end of the first year, Discover will match all the rewards you earned. This is the main reason the Discover it Cash Back card makes our list–the Unlimited Cashback Match effectively doubles your reward returns for the year!

We also like that the Discover it Cash Back card includes 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balances transfers.  Plus right now, Discover’s offering a 3% intro balance transfer fee until June 10, 2024, instead of the normal 5% fee.

Besides that, you also get Discover’s award winning customer service and information protection perks. With your card, you can activate free social security number alerts and online privacy protection, where Discover searches for your information on 10 popular people search websites and deletes it.  

This card doesn’t have any foreign transaction fees, but it’s worth noting that Discover isn’t as widely accepted internationally as Visa, so it might not be the best card for travel.

The Citi Custom Cash Card allows you to customize your bonus rewards without having to think about rotating reward categories. At the end of each billing cycle, Citi simply rewards you 5% cash back in whichever category you spent the most in. That means you could get 5% back for Restaurants in April while getting 5% for Gas Stations in July. You don’t have to activate or sign up for anything–it just happens automatically each billing cycle. Plus, Citi is also offering 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked until June 30, 2025.

There is a limit to this windfall, however, with bonus categories rewards only applying to the first $500 spent in that category during the billing cycle. This limit means you can only bring home $25 each month for spending in your bonus category. You’ll still get 1% back on all other spending, but depending on your spending habits there might be another card that will reward you more in the long run. 

Right now if you sign up and spend $1,500 in the first 6 months, Citi will give you an additional $200 as a reward. Again, it’s not the best on the market, but its simplicity makes it a competitor for easy everyday spending.

The Citi Custom Cash Card and the Discover it Cash Back Card are head-to-head competitors. They both offer similar reward rates and 0% Intro APRs offers. The decision often comes down to Citi's convenience of not keeping track of rotating categories vs. Discover’s first year match draw. Take a look at your spending habits to see which card wins in your book.

Right now, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is dangling a pretty sweet deal in front of us: snag 60,000 bonus points by spending $4,000 in the first three months after you open your account. And since Chase bumps up the value of points used for travel bookings through their Ultimate Rewards by 25%, those points could get you $1,000 worth of travel.

This card is a points-earning powerhouse on just about everything:

• Earn 5x points on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards,
• 2x on all other travel expenses,
• 3x on dining out,
• 5x on Lyft rides up until March 31, 2025,
• 3x on certain streaming services and online grocery shopping,
• And 1x on all your other everyday spending.

Feels like you’re racking up bonuses left and right, doesn’t it? Plus, every year on your card anniversary, you get a 10% boost on all the points you’ve earned.

But the Chase Sapphire Preferred isn’t just about accumulating points; it’s about what you can do with them. You can use them for cash back, travel bookings through Chase Ultimate Rewards, or transferring to popular hotel and airline loyalty programs like Hyatt and Southwest— the choice is yours. 

Let’s not forget the annual $50 hotel credit you get when booking through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

On top of that, Chase throws in a $200 Partnership Benefit Value. Think free memberships and extra perks just for being a cardholder. Currently, there’s a free DoorDash DashPass subscription, a 6-month Instacart membership, and bonus points on Peloton purchases up for grabs. 

If you were eyeing these subscriptions anyway, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card pretty much pays for itself!

If you're looking for a travel rewards card that works for you, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card might just be your ticket. This card doesn't just perk up your travel spending; it gives back on every single purchase. With it, you’re not just earning on flights or hotels, but on everything. And for just $95 a year, that's a deal hard to beat, right?

You rack up two miles for every dollar you spend, no matter where you swipe your card. And when you book hotels and rental cars through Capital One Travel, you get five miles per dollar spent. It’s like they’re saying, “Go ahead, treat yourself,” every time you shop or travel.

Now, let's talk travel perks because this card is loaded with them. Hate fees on overseas transactions? They've got you covered. Worry about travel mishaps? There's insurance for that. Plus, they throw in up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, making airport lines a breeze. And if lounging is your thing, enjoy two free visits to Capital One Lounges or their global partners every year.

When it comes to using those hard-earned miles, you have options. Book your next trip through Capital One Travel, wipe travel costs off your statement, or swap miles with airline and hotel partners. And if you snag a hotel through Capital One's Lifestyle Collection, expect VIP treatment with credits, upgrades, and free Wi-Fi.

Thinking about snagging this card? Well, it does ask for excellent credit, but the juicy welcome offer of 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first three months could make it all worth it. That's like $750 towards your next adventure!

So, if you’re looking to earn big on every purchase and make travel a little more luxe, the Capital One Venture Rewards Card is ready to roll out the red carpet for you.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a top-tier choice for travelers looking for a card that offers premium rewards and travel benefits. When you sign up, you'll receive 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months—an estimated value of around $750. Plus, as a thank-you for staying, you'll receive an annual bonus of 10,000 miles on every card anniversary, which is pretty cool. 

Earning miles is straightforward and generous: When you book through Capital One Travel, you get 2x miles on everyday purchases, 5x miles on flights, and an impressive 10x miles on hotels and rental cars. This makes it an incredibly rewarding option for frequent travelers.

Capital One enhances your travel experience with a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel, ensuring you always get the best price available. If you book a flight and the fare drops afterward, Capital One’s price guarantee might even snag you a partial refund.

But that's not all. The card comes with credits for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck to streamline your airport experience, plus travel protection benefits, including lost luggage insurance and cell phone protection.

Another standout feature is the unlimited access to Capital One Lounges and over 100 locations worldwide through their Partner Lounge Network, elevating your airport wait time to a luxury experience. While the annual fee might seem steep at first glance, the wealth of premium perks and the potential for high rewards make it a competitive option among premium travel cards.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card is a solid pick, especially if Delta is your go-to airline. It kicks things off with a generous welcome bonus, waives the annual fee for the first year and throws in some handy perks for frequent flyers.

The card offers a hefty welcome bonus right from the start: Spend $2,000 within the first six months, and you'll bag yourself 70,000 bonus miles. That's about enough for a $700 round-trip ticket to wherever Delta can take you, making it a deal worth considering for anyone looking to stretch their spending further. And with the special TakeOFF15 discount, booking reward travel with your card gets you 15% off your ticket, adding even more value.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card also lines up with what you'd expect from an airline-centric card in terms of earning rewards: 2X miles on dining, 2X miles on Delta purchases, and 2X miles on U.S. supermarket spend, with 1X miles per dollar on everything else. The travel perks are a sweet deal, too — think free checked bags and priority boarding, not to mention Delta dropping the $150 annual fee for the first year.

Your card can also help you get a head-start on your next adventure. After you spend $10,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can receive a $200 Delta Flight Credit to use toward future travel (terms apply). 

And the perks don’t stop there. You’ll get 5% off when booking Award Travel with miles, a $100 Delta stay credit, and your first checked bag free.

This card is awesome if you’re a frequent Delta flyer. Just remember that airline-specific cards like the Delta SkyMiles Gold card can be very valuable if you're a frequent flyer on that airline and basically worthless if you’re not. 

We love the Delta SkyMiles American Express card for its introductory bonus and no annual fee the first year, but if you’re more brand-loyal to another airline, check out our Best Airlines Credit Cards for other options.

For folks who love dining out as much as they love earning rewards, the American Express Gold Card is like hitting the jackpot. This gem rewards you with 4x points not just when you're dining around the globe but also for your takeout and delivery orders right here in the U.S. It’s a standout card for earning some of the best rewards on your dining experiences.

But the good news doesn't stop there. You'll also earn 4x points on supermarket purchases (up to $25,000 per year), 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, and 1x points on all other purchases. And for a sweet welcome, new cardholders can pocket 90,000 membership rewards points after spending $6,000 in the first six months.

When it's time to use those points, you've got options galore. Whether you're transferring them to airline and hotel loyalty programs, using them for gift cards, covering past charges, or shopping online, your rewards adapt to your needs. Keep in mind, though, that transferring points to U.S. airlines comes with a tiny fee: $0.00006 per point, capping at $99.

If those perks haven't already got you reaching for your wallet, how about a yearly $120 Uber credit and a $120 dining credit at select eateries? These credits are doled out in $10 monthly increments, turning every month into a little celebration of freebies.

Just make sure the card's annual fee makes sense for your spending habits so that you're getting more than you give.

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a standout for those navigating the fair credit zone (580 to 669). Earn rewards on every swipe or tap, and build credit with every purchase. Sure, there's an annual fee to think about, but with 1.5% cash back on whatever you buy, it seems like a fair trade-off.

What's really cool is that this card doesn't just stop at being friendly to folks with fair credit; it rewards you more for the things you're probably already spending on and lets you choose how to redeem them: you can get cash, trade them for gift cards, or wipe a purchase off your statement. 

Not bad for just $39 per year, right?

Keep in mind that this card has a hefty variable APR of 30.74%, so it’s not a card to keep a balance on. But if you use the card wisely for about six months, you could watch your credit line grow! This isn't just about earning rewards; it's about laying the groundwork for a healthier credit score. That's why we recommend Capital One Quicksilver for anyone working on their credit.

Like all secured cards, the Discover it Secured Credit Card requires a refundable security deposit in order to extend you a line of credit. Your deposit amount matches your credit limit so if you want a $500 credit limit, you’ll pay a $500 security deposit. The Discover it Secured Credit Card’s security deposits start at $200 and go up to $2,500.

This deposit makes you less of a risk for Discover, so even bad credit users will probably qualify.
It might be difficult to think about $200 leaving your bank account for a while, but hopefully it won’t be for too long. After seven months, Discover will begin automatically evaluating your creditworthiness. If you’ve proven you can responsibly use the card, they’ll upgrade you to an unsecured card and refund your deposit. This chance to move up to a higher credit line is one of the main things we look for in a secured card.

When it comes to rewards, the Discover it Secured Credit Card offers 2% back on gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter) and 1% back on all other purchases. Plus, at the end of the first year, you’ll experience Discover’s Unlimited Cashback Match. All the cashback you received in the first year will be automatically doubled–a dollar-for-dollar match. Many secured cards don’t offer rewards at all, so this is a pretty good showing.

This card does have a pretty high APR, but, all in all, it’s a pretty good offering for a secured card with no annual fee.

The Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card is a good choice for people with bad credit looking for an unsecured credit card. It has no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees, and you don’t have to put down a security deposit. Plus, while this card does have a late payment fee (up to $40) and returned payment fee ($29), you’ll avoid the sneaky fees other credit cards targeting bad credit try to pile on.

To help people qualify, Petal doesn’t just look at your credit score, but also checks out your “cash score” or banking history. This allows more people to qualify, even if their credit history is limited or just plain bad. Be warned, however, you might not qualify if you have a bankruptcy in your past.

For an unsecured starter card, this card has a high credit limit of up to $5,000. Don’t expect to get that limit on the first go around as credit limits begin at $300. However, thanks to Petal’s Leap program you can earn a credit line increase in as little as 6 months with on-time payments. 

You can keep track of these future line increases on the Petal app. You can also calculate the cost of interest on the app, but we suggest you avoid carrying a balance as the APR can be as high as 34.74%.

Finally, Petal does offer rewards for their Petal 1 credit card, but the cashback is pretty vague. They offer 2-10% back on select merchants in your area. It’s not something to write home about, but ultimately rewards aren’t the real purpose of this card.

For most poor credit users, we suggest you look at secured cards like the Discover it Secured Card above, but if you really want an unsecured card, Petal 1 may fit the bill.

The Discover it Student Cash Back Credit Card offers students the unique opportunity to build credit (for no annual fee) while earning great rewards. Because it’s marketed to students, no credit score is required, and the income requirements are low. In other words, most US college students should be able to qualify. 

With this card, you can earn 5% back in rotating categories. It sounds complicated, but basically you sign up to earn 5% each quarter on different categories of spending. These categories change but are all pretty normal places to spend money. Here are the published categories for 2024:

• January through March: 5% back restaurants and drug Stores
• April through June: 5% back on gas stations & electric vehicle charging stations, Home improvement stores and public transit

Then, at the end of the first year, Discover will double your cashback thanks to Discover’s Unlimited Cashback Match. Basically, if you earned $50 in rewards your first year, you’ll actually get $100 from Discover. Effectively, this means you actually earn 10% back in these categories in the first year. Keep in mind that each bonus category is capped at $1,500 in purchases each quarter. After you’ve hit that limit, you’ll still earn cash back just at the normal 1% rate.  

The Discover Student Cash Back also has a nice low introductory APR offer: for the first 6 months, you can get 0% APR. Because a student card is all about building credit, we suggest you pay off your balance in full each month, but it’s still nice to know you have a low APR if you need it.

The Wells Fargo Reflect Credit Card serves one purpose: to help you avoid paying interest for as long as possible. With 0% intro APR on purchases for the first 21 months and qualifying balance transfers made in the first 120 days, you can really save a lot in interest payments. 

Be aware that you will have to pay a balance transfer fee of 5% for each transfer. There are a few cards on the market with lower fees, but we still choose the Wells Fargo Reflect Card because it gives you a longer introductory period to pay off the debt once you transfer it. 

After the introductory period expires, this card has basically served its purpose. There are no rewards to speak of and the regular purchase APR is just fine.

We suggest you get this card to use the introductory period and, depending on your credit history, move on to better cards (maybe a different one from our best credit card list) after. 

The American Express Blue Business Cash Card™ is a good credit card for small businesses. It offers 0% APR for the first 12 months and the possibility of spending above your credit limit.

Thinking about snagging the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card for your venture? It's a solid choice, especially if you're dipping your toes into the business credit card pool for the first time. The card greets you with a 0% APR for the first year, which is quite the welcome mat. Then there's this neat feature called Expanding Buying Power. Essentially, it gives you the elbow room to spend a tad more than your credit limit when business demands it. It's pretty handy—but keep in mind, your limit depends on your credit score. 

Anything you spend over your limit is due in full by the time your billing cycle wraps up. 

For the day-to-day running of your business, the card offers 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in purchases each year, then 1% back on everything else. And to sweeten the deal, American Express throws in a $500 statement credit after your first $8,000 spent within three months (no annual fee, but additional terms may apply).

But wait—there's more—free employee cards to spread spending power without extra cost, a smooth link-up with QuickBooks for easier accounting, and car rental insurance for peace of mind on business trips. 

Oh, and finding out if you're approved? You'll have your answer in about 30 seconds.

If you plan on doing business internationally, you will want to double-check that American Express is accepted where you’re doing business. While American Express is accepted in 160+ countries, it’s not as widely accepted as Visa and Mastercard.