Best no annual fee cards
(Last updated: September 2021)
If you're looking for a credit card with no annual fee, then there are a lot of credit cards to choose from. Listed below are our favorite such cards.
Notes:
- The details of each offer mentioned in this article were current as of the time this article was written, but might have changed by the time you're reading this. (For example, signup bonuses tend to change every few months or so.) Therefore, make sure to double-check the card offer details on the respective credit card issuer's website before you decide to apply for any particular card.
- Total value per year for typical spenders is the average value per year, for the first 5 years of having the card, of all rewards and perks that would be earned by a "typical spender" (spends $1,500 total per month, across spend categories in a way that's consistent with the average U.S. consumer), minus any annual fees.
Credit card |
Summary |
Annual fee |
Signup bonus |
Ongoing rewards |
Total value per year for typical spenders |
A no annual fee card with 5% cash back on categories that change every 3 months, 5% on travel (when purchased through Chase's points website), 3% on restaurants and drugstores, and 1% on everything else, as well as a $200 signup bonus. |
$0 |
$200 (after spending $500 w/in 3 months) |
|
$510 per year |
|
A mediocre card for frequent United Airlines flyers, offering 2x miles on spending at United Airlines, gas stations, and public transit, as well as a 30K miles signup bonus and no annual fee. |
$0 |
30K miles (after spending $3K w/in 6 months) |
|
$417 per year |
|
A surprisingly good card for travel and general spending, with a good signup bonus (75K points) and no annual fee. |
$0 |
75K points (after spending $2K w/in 180 days) |
|
$415 per year |
|
An excellent all-around (general spending) cash back card for most people, due to its 1.5% cash back rate, $200 signup bonus, and no annual fee. |
$0 |
$200 (after spending $500 w/in 3 months) |
|
$411 per year |
|
A mediocre airline rewards card (1.25 miles per dollar), with a 20K miles early spend bonus and no annual fee. |
$0 |
20K miles (after spending $500 w/in 3 months) |
|
$416 per year |
|
A decent credit card offering cash back on dining and entertainment, a $200 early spend bonus, and no annual fee. |
$0 |
$200 (after spending $500 w/in 3 months) |
|
$395 per year |
|
A good card for people who are frequent Hilton guests (7x points on Hilton) or who spend on dining, groceries, and gas (5x), which has a welcome bonus of 100K points (after spending $1K w/in 3 months), and no annual fee. |
$0 |
100K points (after spending $1K w/in 3 months) |
|
$396 per year |
|
A good card for spending on restaurants (4x points) as well as groceries, streaming services, and gas (2x), with no annual fee and a 20K points signup bonus. |
$0 |
20K points (after spending $1K w/in 3 months) |
|
$379 per year |
|
A good card for cash back on general spending (2% cash back -- 1% on purchases, plus another 1% when you pay in full), with no annual fee, but also with no signup bonus. |
$0 |
None |
|
$371 per year |
|
A great no annual fee cash back card for groceries (3% cash back) and gas (2%), with a $150 welcome bonus. |
$0 |
$150 (after spending $2K w/in 6 months) |
|
$356 per year |