What is the best Chase credit card signup bonus?

There are tons of cash bonus credit cards that offer you money for meeting a spending requirement in the first few months. These cards are a good way to get a hefty rebate on your purchases at the start, especially if they also have no annual fee. But it’s important to remember that initial bonuses are just that – initial. You’ll want to choose a card that provides great everyday perks even after you earn the bonus.… read full answer

Today’s best cash bonus credit cards:

• American Express Cash Magnet® Card
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
• Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Some cash bonus credit cards offer the same cash back rate on all purchases. Other cards give even higher earning rates in certain bonus categories – for example, gas or groceries.

There are a handful of universal minimum Chase credit card requirements: 1) an SSN; 2) a U.S. mailing address; 3) enough money for monthly bill payments; 4) good or excellent credit; 5) fewer than five credit cards opened in the last two years (widely rumored but not confirmed); and 6) no bankruptcy on your credit report (widely rumored but not confirmed).… read full answer

Most of those requirements are pretty standard, although some credit card companies offer cards to people with lower scores. But merely meeting those baseline criteria doesn’t guarantee approval. Each individual Chase credit card has requirements on top of that, which are tailored to identifying the right type of cardholder for that particular offer. For instance, you need at least $10 million in assets to qualify for the J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card.

But let’s focus on what you can control: your credit standing and ability to pay. You can easily check how you’re doing in both categories and take steps to improve before applying for a Chase credit card, if necessary. Below, you can find info on the most popular Chase cards’ credit requirements and minimum spending limits. This should help you estimate your approval odds. Seeing which Chase credit cards you’re pre-approved for isn’t a bad idea either.

Chase credit cards that require excellent credit:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve®: $550 annual fee, $10,000 minimum limit
• J.P. Morgan Reserve Credit Card: $595 annual fee, no disclosed minimum credit limit

Chase credit cards that require good credit or better:

• Chase Freedom Flex℠: $0 annual fee, $500 minimum limit
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: $0 annual fee, $500 minimum limit
• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: $95 annual fee, $5,000 minimum limit
• Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card: $95 annual fee, $5,000 minimum limit
• Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: $0 annual fee, $3,000 minimum limit
• Amazon.com Credit Card: $0 annual fee, $500 minimum limit
• Disney Premier Credit Card: $49 annual fee, $5,000 minimum limit
• 9 other co-branded cards with $5,000 minimum limits

Now you know some of the tests you’ll need to pass to get a card from Chase. But this just scratches the surface of what Chase looks at for approval. They’ll also examine your debts, credit utilization, and a whole host of other factors.

If you have limited or damaged credit, your chances of getting a Chase card are almost none. Instead, I’d recommend the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card for limited credit rewards, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One if you’re a college student, and Discover it® Secured Credit Card if you have bad credit.