No Annual Fee Credit Cards
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best no annual fee credit card for you.
But things aren’t always so clear-cut. Some of the best rewards credit cards have annual fees, and their earnings easily cover the cost. So if you plan to pay your bill in full every month and can qualify for an elite rewards card, your choice should come down to what you get in return for how much you spend, including fees.
If you decide you want a card with no annual fee, you can’t go wrong with one of WalletHub’s favorites, selected from hundreds of offers for their standout terms in popular categories.
WALLETHUB'S BEST NO ANNUAL FEE CREDIT CARDS OF 2018:
- Cash Back: Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
- Initial Bonus: Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card
- Travel Rewards: Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
- Balance Transfers: The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express
- Big-Ticket Purchases: Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever
- Rebuilding Credit: Capital One® Secured Mastercard®
- Students: Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®
- Small Business: Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business
- Hotel Points: Best Western Credit Card
- Airline Miles: JetBlue Card
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- Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- Redeem cash back any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
- No annual fee.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheDiscover it® Cash Back
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day and pay no annual fee. Plus earn 10X miles on thousands of hotels; learn more at hotels.com/venture
- Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Enjoy a low intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 13.74%-23.74% variable APR after that
- No foreign transaction fees
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
- The ONLY card with No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee… EVER
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers and Purchases for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 15.74% - 25.74% based on your creditworthiness
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- The same great rate for all balances, after the introductory period
- Save time when you call with fast, personal help, 24 hours a day – just say “representative”
- Enjoy the convenience of setting up your own bill payment schedule on any available due date throughout the month
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCiti Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever
- Earn 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay
- No categories to track, no caps on cash back, no annual fee*
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 15.24% - 25.24% based on your creditworthiness*
- Click 'Apply Now' to see the applicable balance transfer fee and how making a balance transfer impacts interest on purchases
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCiti® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer
- One-time $150 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 14.74%-24.74% variable APR after that
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months; 14.74%-24.74% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months
- Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One® Quicksilver® Card
Rates & Fees | Terms Apply
- $150 statement credit after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
- 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
- 2% cash back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores, 1% back on other purchases.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, and merchandise.
- Terms Apply.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate, currently 14.74% to 25.74%.
- Over 1.5 million more places in the U.S. started accepting American Express® Cards in 2017.
- No annual fee.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheBlue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase - it's automatic
- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- No minimum to redeem for cash back
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
- No annual fee
- See More Details & Reviews About TheChase Freedom Unlimited®
- Pay no annual fee
- Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time
- Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen
- Use online banking to access your account, even from your smartphone, with our mobile app
- Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One® Platinum Credit Card
- Earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- INTRO OFFER: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
- No Annual Fee, cash back on every purchase, and helps you build your credit with responsible use.
- Your Secured Credit Card requires a refundable security deposit up to the amount we can approve of at least $200 which will establish your credit line. You will need to provide your bank information when submitting your security deposit.
- We will automatically begin reviewing your account starting at 8 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit.
- Receive FREE Social Security number alerts-Discover will monitor thousands of risky websites when you sign up.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheDiscover it® Secured
- Earn a $150 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter
- Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - it's automatic
- Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%. Balance transfer fee is 5% of the amount transferred, $5 minimum
- Free credit score, updated weekly with Credit Journey℠
- No annual fee
- See More Details & Reviews About TheChase Freedom®
WalletHub's Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
The best no annual fee credit card is the Citi Double Cash Mastercard because it rewards users with 1% cash back on all purchases and another 1% cash back for paying the bill. In addition to a $0 annual fee, the Citi Double Cash card has a 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months (3% transfer fee). So Double Cash is inexpensive, easy to understand, and capable of saving cardholders a nice chunk of change every day. Plus, anyone with good or excellent credit has a change of qualifying.But trying to choose the best no annual fee credit card overall is a bit like picking a single greatest movie of all time. You might be able to whittle your list down to five or 10 favorites, but some classics are going to be left out getting down to one. It’s tough even with one genre – say, comedies or no annual fee rewards cards – let alone overall. And the answer can change based on who you are and what you’re in the mood for. Just consider these examples.
If you want an initial bonus, the best no annual fee credit card is the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa because it gives people with good or excellent credit $200 for spending $3,000 within three months of opening an account. Similarly, the best credit card with no annual fee and travel rewards is the Capital One VentureOne Visa, offering $200 in travel for spending $1,000 in the first three months. And the list goes on, including no annual fee credit cards for students, small business owners, people with no credit and more.
WalletHub’s editors compared more than 900 credit cards with no annual fees in search of the best offers in the most popular categories. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of their picks for the best no annual fee credit cards that you can apply for right now.
2018’s Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards:
| Card Name | Best For… | Annual Fee |
| Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer | Cash Back | $0* |
| Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card | Initial Bonus | $0 |
| Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card | Travel Rewards | None |
| The Amex EveryDay® Credit Card from American Express | Balance Transfers | None |
| Citi Simplicity® Card - No Late Fees Ever | Big-Ticket Purchases | $0* |
| Capital One® Secured Mastercard® | Rebuilding Credit | None |
| Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One® | Students | None |
| Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business | Small Business | None |
| Best Western Credit Card | Hotel Points | None |
| JetBlue Card | Airline Miles | None |
Finding the best no annual fee credit card for your needs doesn’t have to be complicated. You just need to know your credit score and how you plan to use your new card.
The lower your credit score is, the more important it is for you to get a no annual fee credit card. After all, low-cost credit improvement should be your top priority. Things aren’t so clear cut for people with good or excellent credit, however. Many of the best rewards credit cards charge annual fees, at least beginning the second year your account is open, but their generous terms can more than make up for the cost if you use your card regularly.
Questions & Answers
Comparing No Annual Fee Credit Cards can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered....show moreshow less
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Who knows how to get a credit card annual fee waived?
Its too expensive!
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Reply
It’s easy to get a credit card annual fee waived. You just have to pick the right card. Lots of credit cards waive the annual fee during the first year as a promotion, and many have no annual fee at all. But beyond that, you’re unlikely to get your credit card’s annual fee waived unless you’re an active-duty member of the military. Still, it never hurts to ask, even if success is a long shot.
Being well-informed about your rights and alternative credit card options definitely will help your chances. And you can find the most important info below.
Here’s how to get a credit card annual fee waived:
• If you’re employed full-time by the U.S. military, call your issuer and tell them you’d like your SCRA benefits. Exactly how the process works differs by company, but they will ask you to prove your active military status. For example, you might provide a copy of your active duty orders. Once you send the issuer proof, they should waive your annual fee as well as reduce your interest rate. When applying for a card, there’s sometimes a box you can check to indicate your military status, too.
• If you’re not in in the military, you can still ask your card’s issuer to waive or lower its annual fee. Long-time customers and high-spenders with great credit who always pay in full likely have the best chance.
• It’s a common credit card promotion to waive the annual fee for the first year your account is open. This will be noted on the offer when you apply, though. It’s not something you have to ask for.
• If you really want to avoid fees, get a no annual fee credit card. Hundreds are available, including cards with rewards and 0% APRs. You might be able to get a better deal overall by paying an annual fee for more rewards.
Since annual fees help pay for the benefits credit cards provide, issuers aren’t eager to waive them. But there’s no penalty for asking. And if you’re in the military, you should definitely take advantage of the waiver you’ve earned with your service.
Featured Credit Cards
Ask the Experts
- Do you think consumers put too much emphasis on a credit card’s annual fee?
- Are there any situations when it’s especially important to get a credit card with no annual fee?
- How much money do you think people waste on annual fees for cards they no longer use?
- Do you think everyone should have at least one no-annual-fee credit card in their wallets?
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Jared A. Moore
Mary Ellen Phillips Associate Professor of Accounting and PhD Program Director in the College of Business at Oregon State University
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Lan Xia
Associate Professor of Marketing at Bentley University
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Jennifer L. Burton
Assistant Professor of Marketing at The University of Tampa
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Jenny Olson
Assistant Professor of Marketing in the School of Business at University of Kansas
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Patrali Chatterjee
Professor of Marketing in the Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State University and Co-Chair of the 2016 Annual Conference at American Collegiate Retailing Association
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† Approval Odds are WalletHub estimates intended to gauge your likelihood of approval for a particular product. Approval Odds are based on WalletHub data and are not provided or endorsed by the lender. Approval Odds are not meant to imply or guarantee that you will be approved by the lender or that credit will be extended.
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