Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fee

• The competition
• How we picked the best credit cards with no annual fee
• How to find the best no annual fee card for your needs
• Who should get a credit card with no annual fee?
• Our picks
• Sources
• About the author
• User questions & answers
• Expert opinions

There are lots of really good no annual fee credit card offers on the market right now. The following offers didn’t quite make the cut for our editors’ best-card selections, but they can still save cardholders a lot of money.

Info	Sponsored Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer	Sponsored Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card	Sponsored Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Annual Fee	$0	$0	$0
Bonus Offer	N/A	$200	20,000 miles
Rewards Rate	2% Cash Back	1.5 - 5% Cash Back	1.25 - 5 miles / $1
Purchase Intro APR	N/A	0% for 15 months	0% for 15 months
Transfer Intro APR	0% for 18 months Transfer Fee: 3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer	0% for 15 months Transfer Fee: 3% for the first 15 months, $0 for amounts transferred at the Transfer APR	0% for 15 months Transfer Fee: 3% for the first 15 months, $0 for amounts transferred at the Transfer APR
Regular APR	19.24% - 29.24% (V)	19.99% - 29.99% (V)	19.99% - 29.99% (V)
Editors' Rating	5	4.4	4.5
Details, Rates & Fees	Learn More Rates & Fees	Learn More Rates & Fees	Learn More Rates & Fees

To identify the market’s best credit cards with no annual fee, WalletHub’s editors regularly compare more than 1,500 credit card offers. In addition to annual fees, we consider cards’ rewards, interest rates, approval requirements, and secondary benefits in order to pick the best no annual fee credit cards in the most popular usage categories. Selections range from the best rewards credit cards with no annual fee to the best credit cards with no annual fee for building credit.

WalletHub’s editors update their selections for the best credit cards with no annual fees when warranted, based on changes to existing offers, new offers being introduced, and cards being discontinued.

1. Check your credit score.

   You can check your credit score for free on WalletHub. Knowing what your credit score is will tell you which cards are realistic to consider. It will also help point you in the right direction fee-wise.

    

   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. And a no annual fee credit card can be completely free to use, as long as you pay any balance owed by the due date every month and avoid actions that will trigger any one-off fees that your card may charge.

    

   Things aren’t so clear cut for people with good or excellent credit. Many of the best rewards credit cards charge annual fees, at least beginning the second year your account is open, but their generous benefits can more than make up for the cost if you use your card regularly.

   
   
2. Choose between good rewards and low rates.

   You should choose between good rewards and low rates because you’re unlikely to find both in one package. Focus on rewards if you plan to pay the monthly bills in full and low rates if you’ll need to carry a balance from month to month.

   If the best rewards card for your needs also happens to have a 0% introductory APR offer, or your favorite low-interest card has decent rewards, all the better. But you shouldn’t sacrifice in the area most important to you just to get a card with both.

   
   
3. Decide what other account terms to prioritize.

   There’s a lot of variety among credit cards with no annual fee, so you need to figure out which features are most important to you. For example, if you want an initial bonus, one of the best no annual fee credit cards is the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.

   Similarly, Capital One VentureOne is among the best credit cards with no annual fee and travel rewards. 

   
   
4. Check your WalletHub account.

   WalletHub members get personalized credit card recommendations based on their credit history and profile information. If you don’t have an account, you can sign up for free.

You should consider a credit card with no annual fee if you are a light spender, you already have several credit cards, or you don’t plan to use the card regularly. Ultimately, the decision comes down to how much you can expect to save.

If you take a card’s annual fee into account and discover that you’ll still be able to save more compared to the best no annual fee option, it might be worth paying the fee in that situation. The best approach is to compare lots of options and let the potential savings guide you.

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

The best credit card with no annual fee is the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card because it offers cash rewards at an above-average rate on all purchases and is well-rounded overall.

Why We Like It: Wells Fargo Active Cash has a $0 annual fee and offers 2% cash rewards on all purchases, plus an initial bonus of $200 cash rewards after spending $500 in the first 3 months. For context, the average cash rewards card offers about 1% back on purchases.

Wells Fargo Active Cash can even save you some money on interest early on with its introductory APR of 0% for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. It does require good credit for approval, though.

What We Don’t Like: This card has a high interest rate after its introductory APR promotion expires – at 20.24% - 29.99% Variable. You also need above-average credit to qualify.

Who Should Get It: Apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card if you have good credit or better and want a highly rewarding credit card that’s easy to manage.

Alternatives to Consider: Chase Freedom Unlimited® is another rewards card with no annual fee that’s a really good all-around option.
 

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Discover it® Secured Credit Card is the best credit card with $0 annual fee for bad credit, especially if you want rewards.

Why We Like It: The Discover it® Secured Credit Card gives 2% cash back on the first $1,000 that you spend at restaurants and gas stations each quarter, along with 1% cash back on all other purchases. The cherry on top is a cash-back match at the end of the first year.

What We Don’t Like: You have to place a refundable security deposit of at least $200, for a credit limit equal to what you put down. But you wouldn’t be able to get a low fee or rewards without such a deposit.

Who Should Get It: Apply for the Discover it® Secured Credit Card if you’re building or rebuilding credit and want to get a secured card without sacrificing great terms.

Alternatives to Consider: The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card also has very good rewards.
 

Discover it® Miles

The Discover it® Miles card is the best travel credit card with no annual fee.

Why We Like It: Discover it® Miles gives 1.5 miles per $1 spent on purchases and doubles whatever you earn the first year as an anniversary bonus. Discover it® Miles also has a 0% foreign transaction fee to go along with its $0 annual fee, and it makes rewards redemption easy.

What We Don’t Like: This card isn’t nearly as rewarding after you earn its first-anniversary bonus. It also has a high regular APR.

Who Should Get It: Apply for Discover it® Miles if you have good credit and plan to spend a lot in the coming 12 months.

Alternatives to Consider: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card are both good options for travel rewards with no annual fee.
 

Chase Freedom Rise™ Credit Card

The Chase Freedom Rise™ Credit Card is the best no annual fee credit card for people with limited credit.

Why We Like It: The Chase Freedom Rise™ Credit Card has no annual fee and rewards cardholders with 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Applicants with limited-to-no credit history shouldn’t have too much trouble getting approved, either. As a result, the Chase Freedom Rise™ Credit Card can help you build credit inexpensively if used responsibly, and it’s an elite starter credit card.

What We Don’t Like: It takes months of good behavior to get a truly competitive rewards rate, and carrying a balance from month to month would be quite expensive.

Who Should Get It: Apply for the Petal 2 Visa Credit Card if you have limited-to-fair credit, plan to pay the bill on time every month and want to earn cash back rewards.

Alternatives to Consider: The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good rewards card for limited credit or better, but it charges an annual fee.
 

Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer is one of the best cash back credit cards with no annual fee, especially if you want a flat rewards rate for all purchases.

Why We Like It: In addition to a $0 annual fee, and a 0% introductory APR for balance transfers, this card offers great cash back rewards. Cardholders earn 2% cash back on every purchase (1% when you buy and 1% as you pay for those purchases).

What We Don’t Like: This card has a high regular APR.

Who Should Get It: Apply for the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer if you have fair credit or better and want to earn elite rewards no matter what you buy.

Alternatives to Consider: The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is worth considering if you spend more on dining and entertainment purchases than other purchase categories. It also comes with no annual fee.
 

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card is one of the best all-around credit cards with no annual fee.

Why We Like It: Chase Freedom Unlimited® rewards cardholders with 1.5 - 5% cash back, plus an extra 1.5% cash back on everything, up to $20,000 spent in the first year. New cardholders also enjoy introductory APRs of 0% for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.

What We Don’t Like: This card does not have a low APR after the introductory promotional rate expires - 20.49% - 29.24% (V). You also need to book travel through Chase to get bonus rewards, which limits your ability to comparison-shop.

Who Should Get It: Apply for Chase Freedom Unlimited® if you have good credit or better and the card’s bonus rewards categories match up well with your spending habits.

Alternatives to Consider: The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is another really good all-around credit card offer.
 

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the best student credit cards with no annual fee.

Why We Like It: It offers an initial rewards bonus of $50, in return for spending $100 within 3 months of opening an account. It also gives 1 - 8% cash back in rewards on purchases.

Plus, this card does not charge either annual fees or foreign transaction fees, and it is available to students with limited credit.
 

What We Don’t Like: If you don’t pay the bill in full every month when the regular APR is in effect, interest charges will get quite costly.
 

Who Should Get It: Apply for the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card if you're a college student with limitedcredit who would like to earn cash back rewards on purchases.

Alternatives to Consider: There are lots of good options to consider among WalletHub’s editors’ picks for the best student credit cards.
 

Final Thoughts

Best Credit Cards with No Annual Fee Comparison

WalletHub actively maintains a database of 1,500+ credit card offers, from which we select the best options for different applicants as well as derive market-wide takeaways and trends. The underlying data is compiled from credit card company websites or provided directly by the credit card issuers. We also leverage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to develop cardholder profiles, used to estimate cards’ potential savings.