Best Credit Cards in 2025

Before diving into our full comparison, let’s save you time.

Our team at Financer.com spent over 10 hours researching and comparing more than 20 credit card issuers in the U.S. We analyzed everything from APRs and fees to rewards, credit limits, travel perks, and other bonuses.

Here are our top picks for 2025 based on real data, expert insight, and thousands of customer reviews:

• Best Credit Card for Travelers: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

• Best Credit Card for Building Credit: First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard® Secured

• Best Credit Card in terms of APR: Upgrade Card

Want to know how we reached these conclusions - or compare credit cards yourself? Scroll down to read our full analysis or use our free tool to find the best card for your needs.

Compare Credit Cards and Find the Best for You

We’ve reviewed 20+ credit cards - here’s how they compare in terms of fees, APR, perks, and more.

How Credit Cards Work

A credit card is a financial tool that lets you borrow money from a bank or card issuer to make purchases - whether online, in-store, or even for recurring bills. Instead of paying with your own money upfront, you’re borrowing it and agreeing to repay it later.

Each credit card comes with a credit limit, which is the maximum amount you’re allowed to spend. Every time you make a purchase, that amount is deducted from your available limit. At the end of your billing cycle, you’ll receive a statement showing what you spent and how much you owe.

If you pay your balance in full by the due date, you usually won’t owe any interest thanks to what's called the grace period - a window of time (typically 21–25 days) when purchases don’t accrue interest. But if you carry a balance past that period, interest charges kick in and can add up quickly.

Aside from convenience, credit cards can offer benefits like rewards programs, travel perks, fraud protection, and the ability to build your credit score—if used responsibly. However, if mismanaged, they can also lead to high-interest debt and financial stress.

Understanding how credit cards work—and how to use them wisely—can make them a powerful financial ally rather than a costly burden.

Different Types of Credit Cards

Whether you're building credit, earning rewards, consolidating debt, or traveling the world - there’s a credit card designed to meet your specific goals.

Before you choose, it’s important to understand the different types of credit cards available and how each one works.

Below, we break down the main categories so you can easily compare features and find the one that fits your lifestyle best.

• Standard Credit Cards: These are no-frills credit cards that come with a specified credit limit and standard fees. They usually do not offer rewards or benefits beyond the ability to make purchases. They are suitable for individuals looking for a basic credit option without the need for extras.

• Balance Transfer Credit Cards: Designed for users with existing credit card debt, these cards allow the transfer of balances from high-interest cards, typically offering low or 0% introductory APR for a set period. This can significantly reduce the interest paid on the debt, making it easier to pay it down.

• 0% APR Credit Cards: These cards offer an introductory 0% interest rate on purchases and/or balance transfers for a specified duration, usually ranging from 6 to 18 months. This feature allows cardholders to make significant purchases or shift existing debts without accruing interest during the promotional period.

• Soft Pull Credit Cards: These cards allow users to check their eligibility with a soft credit inquiry, which does not affect their credit score. This feature is beneficial for those looking to explore options without the risk of negatively impacting their credit standing before deciding to apply for a card.

• Rewards Credit Cards: These cards allow users to earn points, or miles on every purchase. Points can be redeemed for travel, merchandise, gift cards, or statement credits. Different cards may offer varying reward structures, such as bonus points in specific categories (e.g., dining, groceries).

• Cashback Credit Cards: Cashback cards provide a percentage of the spending amount back to the user, either as a direct cashback or as a statement credit. The cashback rate can differ by category, with some cards offering higher percentages for specific types of purchases like gas or online shopping.

• Travel Credit Cards: Aimed at frequent travelers, these cards offer perks such as airline miles, hotel points, and travel insurance. Many also come with benefits like no foreign transaction fees, access to airport lounges, and travel-related discounts. Users can often redeem rewards for flights, hotel stays, or travel experiences.

• Secured Credit Cards: These are designed for individuals looking to build or rebuild their credit. To obtain a secured card, users must provide a cash deposit that typically serves as their credit limit. Responsible usage of a secured card can help improve a credit score, making it easier to qualify for unsecured cards in the future.

• Student Credit Cards: Specifically designed for college students, these cards help young adults start building credit history. They often feature lower credit limits and may offer rewards for purchases, such as cashback or points that can be redeemed for merchandise. They also typically have lower requirements for approval.

• Low Interest Rate Credit Cards: These cards are ideal for users who may carry a balance from month to month. They come with lower annual percentage rates (APRs) compared to standard credit cards, which can result in significant savings on interest charges for those who don't pay their balance in full every month.

• Business Credit Cards: Tailored for business expenses, these cards help separate personal and business financial transactions. They often provide rewards on business-related purchases, expense tracking tools, and features like employee cards. Many business cards also offer additional benefits like travel insurance and discounts on business services.

• Store Credit Cards: Issued by specific retailers, these cards generally provide exclusive discounts, promotions, and rewards for shopping at the store. While they can save money on purchases, they often come with higher interest rates and limited usability outside the issuing retailer.

No matter which type of credit card you choose, most of them share a few key features that are important to understand:

• Credit Limit – Every credit card comes with a set credit limit. This is the maximum amount you can spend on the card before needing to pay it down.

• Interests – If you don’t pay your full balance each month, interest charges may apply. Rates vary by card type and your credit score.

• Rewards – Many cards offer rewards for everyday spending, such as cashback, points, or airline miles, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or even statement credits. 

Pros and Cons of Credit Cards

Credit cards are a common financial service, but the fact that many people use them doesn’t mean they’re right for you.

To help you decide, here’s a list of pros and cons associated with the activation and use of a credit card.

• Convenient Payments: Credit cards make shopping easier. You can buy things without carrying cash.

• Builds Credit: Using a credit card responsibly can improve your credit score, making it easier to get loans in the future.

• Rewards Programs: Many credit cards offer points, cashback, or travel rewards for your purchases, helping you earn benefits.

• Emergency Funds: In case of unexpected expenses, a credit card can provide a safety net when you need it most.

• Interest-Free Period: Most cards offer a grace period (usually 21–25 days) during which you can pay your balance in full and avoid interest charges.

• High Interest Rates: If you don’t pay your balance in full, you might owe a lot in interest, making your purchases more expensive.

• Debt Risk: It’s easy to overspend with a credit card, leading to debt that’s hard to pay off.

• Fees: Some credit cards come with annual fees or late payment fees, which can add to your costs.

• Credit Score Damage: Missed payments or high balances can hurt your credit score, making future borrowing difficult.

The Best Credit Card in 2025. Financer's Top Choice

The choice of the best credit card is highly personal. We love to travel a lot, and this is why this card is ideal for us. Please use this example just as a starting point for your analysis.

Always pick a credit card based on your own requirements and financial situation.

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card

• Get 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months

• $300 annual travel credit

• 21.49%–28.49% variable APR

• Earn 3x points on other dining at restaurants

Check out the good and the bad of Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card:

• High Rewards Rates: The card offers 3 points per dollar spent on travel and dining, which allows travelers to accumulate points quickly for future redemptions.

• Generous Sign-Up Bonus: New cardholders can earn a substantial welcome bonus (e.g., 60,000 points after spending a certain amount within the first few months), which can significantly boost the value of the card right from the start.

• Annual Travel Credit: Cardholders receive a $300 annual travel credit that can be applied toward various travel expenses, effectively offsetting part of the card’s annual fee.

• Flexible Point Redemption: Points earned can be redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® program, allowing for versatile options such as travel, merchandise, or cashback. Points can also be transferred to numerous airline and hotel loyalty programs at a 1:1 ratio.

• Additional Travel Benefits: The card offers perks such as access to airport lounges, Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement, travel insurance protections, and no foreign transaction fees. These benefits enhance the overall travel experience.

• Premium Travel Services: Cardholders can enjoy premium services that make traveling more convenient, like concierge service and various travel protections (trip cancellation, interruption insurance, etc).

• Strong Travel Protection: The card provides various protections for travelers, such as trip delay reimbursement and auto rental collision damage waiver.

• High Annual Fee: The card has a hefty annual fee of $550, which can be a significant drawback for those who don’t travel frequently enough to justify the cost

• High Spending Requirement for Bonus: To earn the initial welcome bonus of points, cardholders must spend a substantial amount (like $4,000) within the first few months. This may be challenging for some users

• Complex Reward Structure: While the rewards system is generous, it can also be complex, which may confuse some users, especially those unfamiliar with travel rewards or the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.

• Potential for Overspending: The allure of earning points for travel might encourage some users to overspend to achieve rewards, leading to potential debt.

• Limited to Certain Travel Activities: The $300 annual travel credit is only applicable to travel-related purchases, which might not be considered a benefit for users who don’t travel often or have limited travel-related expenses.

• Eligibility and Approval: Given its premium status, the card may require a good to excellent credit score for approval, which can exclude potential users with lower credit scores

• Foreign Transaction Fees for Some Users: While the card generally doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, some users may encounter charges depending on specific transactions or activities.

• Points Expiration: Points can expire if the cardholder closes the account or does not have any activity in the account for a certain period, which could be a concern for infrequent users.

How To Select a Credit Card

How Many Credit Cards Should You Have?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how many credit cards you should have. For some, one well-chosen card is enough. For others, managing multiple cards can offer greater rewards, flexibility, and credit-building opportunities.

What matters most is your ability to manage them responsibly - keeping up with payments, staying within limits, and avoiding unnecessary fees.

To help you decide, here are the main pros and cons of having multiple credit cards:

• More Rewards: Different cards often have different rewards programs, so using multiple cards can help you maximize your cashback or points.

• Higher Credit Limit: Having several cards can increase your overall credit limit, which may improve your credit score if you keep your balances low.

• Credit Utilization: Multiple cards can help spread out your spending, keeping your credit utilization ratio lower, which is good for your credit score.

• Backup Options: If one card is lost or stolen, having others ensures you can still make purchases without interruption.

• Managing Payments: It can be tricky to keep track of due dates and payments for multiple cards, increasing the risk of missed payments.

• Potential Fees: Some credit cards have annual fees, so having many cards can lead to higher costs.

• Debt Accumulation: More cards can lead to overspending, as it might be easy to forget how much you owe across all accounts.

• Credit Score Impact: Each application can result in a hard inquiry on your credit report, which may temporarily lower your credit score.