Best Credit Cards For Shopping

The best credit cards for online shopping can save cardholders hundreds of dollars per year, thanks to big initial bonuses, rewards of up to 6% back on purchases, annual fees as low as $0, and low-interest promotions. The very best credit cards for online shopping also require good or excellent credit for approval.

Best Credit Cards for Online Shopping Right Now

To choose the best credit card for your online-shopping needs, consider how much you plan to spend, where and when you plan to spend it, and how long it will take to pay off the resulting balance. This will help you decide whether to prioritize initial bonuses or regular rewards, as well as choose between store cards and general-purpose credit cards, plus rewards vs. low rates. The goal is to determine which of the credit cards you’re considering is likely to produce the most savings for you in particular.

This content is not provided or commissioned by any issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of an issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by an issuer. Please keep in mind that while some offers may come from WalletHub advertising partners, sponsorship status played no role in card selection.

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Secured credit cards are the easiest credit cards to get approved for when you have bad credit or no credit. These cards have annual fees as low as $0, report monthly to the 3 major credit bureaus, and often give rewards of 1% or more. To help people with no credit or bad credit maximize their odds of approval for a credit card, WalletHub’s editors compared the approval requirements for more than 1,500 credit card offers, along with their fees, rates and rewards.

Easiest Credit Cards to Get Approved For

This content is not provided or commissioned by any issuer. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of an issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by an issuer. Please keep in mind that while some offers may come from WalletHub advertising partners, sponsorship status played no role in card selection. 

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Four major types of credit cards are Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. These are the major credit card networks, which most credit cards belong to, and they dictate where cards can be used as well as what secondary benefits cards offer. Fundamentally, the credit cards on these networks work the same way, however.

4 Types of Credit Cards

1. Visa credit cards
2. Mastercard credit cards
3. American Express credit cards
4. Discover credit cards

Overall, Visa and Mastercard credit cards have the greatest worldwide acceptance, but American Express and Discover cards still have very broad coverage. When it comes to benefits, different networks provide different perks like rental car insurance, travel insurance and purchase protection. But which network benefits a card has is often left up to the issuing bank or credit union.

There are other nuances to these four types of credit cards, too. For example, American Express and Discover are the only two networks that issue their own credit cards. All cards on the Visa and Mastercard networks are issued by separate banks and credit unions.

Other Types of Credit Cards

Aside from the four types of credit cards split up by network, there are a lot of other categories that could be considered “types” of credit cards. For example, there are secured cards that require a deposit and unsecured cards that don't. Similarly, some cards offer rewards, some are partnered with specific merchants, some have special financing deals, and some are only available to students or businesses.

You can learn more about the different types of credit cards on WalletHub.

A retail card, also known as a store card, is a card specific to a certain store or retailer, such as Amazon. Most retail cards have $0 annual fees, and many give 1% to 5%+ back in rewards for shopping at the stores they're affiliated with. Some retail credit cards also offer 0% deferred-interest financing on eligible purchases.

Retail cards are pretty easy to get, usually requiring only fair credit (640+ credit score) for approval. They can help you build credit just as well as any other credit card. That's because they report information to the major credit bureaus each month. But there are a number of things you should be aware of before applying.

Here's How Retail Cards Work

• A retail card is the same as a store card. It's a card affiliated with a certain retailer. Note that some retail cards can only be used at the store it's associated with. Or, you may be able to use it at several stores owned by the same parent company.
• Some retail cards belong to a credit card network, and can be used anywhere that network is accepted. 
• Retail cards may offer rewards in the form of cash back, points, or discounts on purchases. But some retail cards offer no rewards at all.
• You will commonly get 0% deferred interest on a retail card. You have a set period where you pay no interest. At the end of that period, if your entire balance is paid off, you pay nothing. Otherwise, you owe all those months of interest at the card's regular interest rate.
• Retail cards usually require fair credit (640+ score) for approval. But a retail card that you can use anywhere usually requires good credit (700+ score).
• Retail cards may give you other perks, like free shipping or access to exclusive sales.
• Most retail cards have no annual fee.
• You may be able to check if you are pre-approved for a retail card. You could get a pop-up to check while shopping online. In-store, a cashier might invite you. If you are pre-approved, your chances of approval for the card are not 100%, but they are very high.  

Notable Retail Credit Cards

A retail card may or may not be worthwhile. If its rewards match your spending habits and the card doesn't charge an annual fee, you might want to consider applying. But if it only offers deferred interest, with no rewards, you can find better deals elsewhere.

Some of the best instant approval department store cards include those from big-name retailers like TJX Store Card, Kohl's Credit Card and Amazon.com Store Card.  Aside from potentially offering instant approval, they also offer rewards at the retailers they're affiliated with.

Most store cards, including the ones affiliated with department stores, can offer instant approval. When you apply online, there's always a chance you will be instantly approved (or denied). Many stores also allow customers to apply in-store and receive a decision right away. Sometimes, the retailer will even let the new cardholder use the card immediately to pay for that day's purchase. The cashier at your favorite retailer should be able to give you more information.

Best instant approval department store credit cards:

Most department store cards require fair credit or better (a credit score of 640+) for good odds of approval. In case you don't know where you stand, you can check your credit score or free, right here on WalletHub.

There are loads more department store credit cards to check out. But while it's common to receive an instant decision for a store card, it's not guaranteed. Your application might take longer to process if you're right on the edge of meeting the card's requirements, or if you make a mistake and accidentally give incorrect information on the application.

The best credit card for large purchases is Chase Freedom Unlimited® because it offers credit limits of $500 - $5,000+ and gives new cardholders an intro APR of 0% for 15 months. Plus, the card has a $0 annual fee and gives great rewards. You can earn 5% cash back on travel through Chase, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% back on all other purchases (plus an additional 1.5% cash back on everything, up to $20,000 spent the first year). 

4 Best Credit Cards for Large Purchases in 2023

What we like: Chase Freedom Unlimited offers an intro rate of 0% for 15 months on both new purchases and balance transfers. Plus, it comes with a $0 annual fee and offers purchase benefits such as extended warranty and purchase protection.

Chase Freedom Unlimited also rewards cardholders with 5% cash back on travel through Chase, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% back on all other purchases (plus an additional 1.5% cash back on everything, up to $20,000 spent the first year).

What we don't like: Like most 0% credit cards and most elite rewards cards, Chase Freedom Unlimited has a fairly high regular APR, charging 19.49% - 28.24% (V). Plus, it has a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days (5%, min $5 after).

Who should get it: Apply for Chase Freedom Unlimited if its ongoing rewards match up well with your spending habits and its intro APR can save you money when making a large purchase. This card is available to people with good credit or better.

What we like: The Wells Fargo Reflect is one of the best credit cards for large purchases as it offers an intro APR of 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on both purchases and qualifying balance transfers. Plus, it has a minimum credit limit of $1,000 and a $0 annual fee.

What we don't like: This card's balance transfer fee is 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5), and its regular APR is 17.74% - 29.74% Variable.

Who should get it: Apply for Wells Fargo Reflect if you have good credit or better and want to avoid interest for months.

What we like: The Capital One Quicksilver Card is one of the best credit cards available right now as it offers a consistently high rewards rate and an introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on both new purchases and balance transfers.

This card also offers 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases and it has a $0 annual fee.

What we don't like: The card's regular APR is 19.74% - 29.74% (V), and it has a balance transfer fee of 3%.

Who should get it: Apply for Capital One Quicksilver if you have good credit or better and its rewards and intro rates suit your financial plans.

What we like: The BankAmericard credit card is a great option for making a large purchase that can't be paid off right away. It offers an introductory APR of 0% for 21 billing cycles on both purchases and balance transfers made in the first 60 days, and it has a $0 annual fee.

What we don't like: This card would be an even better option for people planning a large purchase if it had a lower regular interest rate and ongoing rewards. The card's regular interest rate is 15.49% - 25.49% Variable.

Who should get it: Consider applying for this card if you have excellent credit and you'll be able to pay off your balance within 21 billing cycles of account opening.

It is worth noting that the best credit card for a large purchase ultimately depends on your financial situation and the type of purchase you're planning to make. As you compare credit cards, keeping the following pointers in mind can help you get the best results.

Tips to Maximize Credit Card Benefits on a Large Purchase

1. Choose a credit card that offers a 0% introductory APR on new purchases if you won't be able to pay off your large purchases by the due date. You should also use a credit card payoff calculator to make a plan to minimize interest charges.
2. Select a card that offers rewards. If you already know what type of purchase you're going to make, choose a card that gives bonus rewards for that spending category. Otherwise, consider a card that gives a high earning rate on all purchases.
3. Get a card that gives a high initial bonus. That way, when you use your card for a large purchase, it could help you hit the minimum spending requirement and earn the bonus.
4. Apply for a card that offers purchase benefits, as they might come in handy when making large purchases. Perks to watch out for include purchase protection, extended warranty, and guaranteed returns.

It's also important to point out that any time you make a big purchase with a credit card, you risk hurting your credit score due to high credit utilization. But there are ways to avoid that. You could overpay your bill in advance of your purchase to get a negative balance and more spending power with your card. After the purchase, you could also pay your bill before your monthly statement gets generated to reduce the balance used to calculate credit utilization. 

Those strategies are especially important for people with less-than-good credit, who aren't likely to qualify for credit cards with high limits or low interest rates. 

The best credit card for Walmart is the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® because it offers 5% on Walmart.com purchases. In addition, you can also earn 5% in stores when using the card with Walmart Pay for the first 12 months of account opening. 

The Walmart Credit Card also has a $0 annual fee and it requires at least fair credit for approval. 

Here are some of the best credit cards for Walmart:

With the Walmart Credit Card, you can earn 5% cash back in Walmart stores using Walmart Pay for the first 12 months, 5% back on Walmart.com purchases, 2% back at Walmart stores and fuel stations, 2% back on restaurant and travel purchases, and 1% back on all other purchases. 

The Walmart Credit Card has a $0 annual fee and it requires at least fair credit for approval.

The Walmart® Store Card offers 5 points per $1 spent (5% back) in Walmart stores when you use Walmart Pay for the first 12 months, 5 points (5% back) on Walmart.com purchases, and 2 points (2% back) at Walmart stores, Walmart & Murphy USA Fuel Stations. 

The card's annual fee is $0 and it requires at least fair credit for approval.

With the Chase Freedom Flex card, you can earn 1 - 5% cash back on purchases, including bonus categories that rotate each quarter. Walmart was among the bonus categories in the past.

The Chase Freedom Flex card has a $0 annual fee and it requires at least good credit for approval.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash card offers 2% cash rewards on all purchases. In addition, you can earn $200 cash rewards after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months.

The card has a $0 annual fee and it requires at least good credit for approval.

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured card offers 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases on all purchases. The annual fee is $0 and it is available to people with bad credit.

In summary, the best Walmart credit card for you depends on your spending habits and your credit score. You should also decide if you want a card that's co-branded with Walmart or just a more general rewards card.

Major stores that offer store credit cards include Target, Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, Best Buy, and Costco, among many others. In fact, 12 of the top 25 retailers offer store credit cards, which are credit cards that can only be used at a particular store or group of affiliated retailers. Most store credit cards come with $0 annual fees, are available to people with fair credit or better, and offer discounts and rewards exclusively for cardholders.

Top 25 Retailers: Which Ones Offer Store Credit Cards?

Some stores may offer an alternate version of their store card for qualifying customers in the form of a co-branded credit card. A store's co-branded card offers many of the same perks as its store-only counterpart, plus you'll be able to use the card for other types of purchases, since a co-branded card will display the logo of one of the four major credit card networks: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express.

Some of the most popular co-branded store cards include the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®, among others. In many cases, if you apply for a retailer's store card, you'll automatically be considered for the co-branded version of the card. However, co-branded cards typically require good or excellent credit in order to be approved.

The hardest store-affiliated credit card to get is the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi because it requires excellent credit for approval, which means a credit score of 750 or higher. On top of that, the Costco Credit Card is only available to Costco members.

On the other hand, store-only credit cards generally require fair credit or better for approval. These cards are a good option for people loyal to a particular brand, since they can usually only be used at the retailer they are associated with. Store-affiliated credit cards with stricter approval requirements can typically be used anywhere, though they might offer better rewards for purchases at their respective brand.

Hardest Store Credit Cards to Get

You can check out store credit card offers from hundreds of retailers on WalletHub.

The best credit card for electronics is the Chase Freedom Unlimited® card because it has great rewards, a low introductory APR, a $0 annual fee, and valuable secondary benefits. For example, it gives purchase protection that covers eligible items for 120 days against damage or theft, up to $500 per claim and $50,000 per account. Cardholders also get extended warranty protection.

When it comes to rewards, Chase Freedom Unlimited gives cardholders 5% cash back on travel through Chase, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% back on all other purchases (plus an additional 1.5% cash back on everything, up to $20,000 spent the first year). Plus, the introductory APR offer includes 0% for 15 months on purchases.

There are lots of good electronics credit cards out there. How many options you have and how much they'll save you come down to your credit score and whether you want to be limited to a store card.

Best Credit Cards for Electronics

Benefits: Purchase protection and extended warranty protection

Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on travel through Chase, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% back on all other purchases (plus an additional 1.5% cash back on everything, up to $20,000 spent the first year)

Intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers

Regular APR: 19.49% - 28.24% (V)

Balance Transfer Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater in the first 60 days (5%, min $5 after)

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Benefits: Purchase protection, extended warranty protection

Initial Bonus: $300 for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 4% cash back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 3% back at grocery stores and 1% back on all other purchases (except for 8% back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 10% back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats)

Annual Fee: $95

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Benefits: Purchase protection, return protection, extended warranty protection, and pay with points on amazon.com

Initial Bonus: 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: a total of 10 points per $1 spent on hotels and car rentals booked through Chase, a total of 10 points per $1 spent on prepaid restaurant reservations or takeout orders made through Chase, a total of 5 points per $1 spent on flights purchased through Chase, 3 points per $1 spent on all other travel and dining purchases, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $550

Min. Credit Required: Excellent credit

Intro APR: 0% for up to 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Regular APR: 17.74% - 29.74% Variable

Balance Transfer Fee: 3% intro for 120 days, then up to 5% (min $5)

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Benefits: Purchase protection, and extended warranty protection

Initial Bonus: $50 Amazon.com gift card upon approval ($100 for Prime members)

Ongoing Rewards: 3 points per $1 spent at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market, 2 points per $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants and drug stores, and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Ongoing Rewards: 2% Cash on all purchases using Apple Pay (1% for purchases made with the physical card), 3% on purchases made directly with Apple, including at Apple Stores, on the App Store and for Apple services, and on purchases made at select merchants (like Exxon, T-Mobile, Nike, Uber and more)

Deferred APR: 0% for 6 - 24 months on purchases

Regular APR: 15.49% - 26.49% (V)

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

Ongoing Rewards: 2.5 points per $1 spent on Best Buy purchases

Deferred APR: 0% for 12 - 24 months on purchases

Regular APR: 30.74% (V)

Annual Fee: $0

Min. Credit Required: Fair credit

Benefits: Purchase protection and extended warranty protection

Initial Bonus: $1,000 for spending $10,000 in the first 3 months

Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on travel through Chase, 2.5% back on every purchase totaling at least $5,000, as well as 2% back on all other purchases

Annual Fee: $195

Min. Credit Required: Good credit

The best credit cards for electronics include options for financing, rewards, price protection and purchase protection. You need to decide which factors are most important to you based on what types of electronics you're thinking about buying and how fast you'll pay them off.