The 11 Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses With No Annual Fees 2022
Rewards credit cards, whether travel or cash back, typically offer a sizable sign-up bonus to attract new applicants. For credit card power users, these are usually easy enough to earn — and can mean anywhere from $200 to $800 in bonus rewards in just a few short months.
The best sign-up bonuses are reserved for credit cards with high annual fees, but you’ve got to spend a lot of money and travel frequently to make those cards worth the cost. For rewards credit card beginners, a credit card with no annual fee offers the lowest risk. The payout will be lower, but you’ll get a chance to feel out how rewards credit cards work without overpaying.
And choosing a credit card with no annual fee doesn’t mean you won’t get any rewards. In fact, you can find several credit cards with no annual fees offering decent cash back or travel points payouts and noteworthy sign-up bonuses — if you know where to look.
To help, we’ve compiled a list of the best no annual fee credit cards with sign-up bonuses.
The Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses With No Annual Fees
Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best No Annual Fee Card with Sign-Up Bonus
Discover it Cash Back: Best for Flexible Spending
Chase Freedom Flex: Best for Big Bonus Potential
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card: Best for Cash Back
Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card: Best for Dining and Entertainment
American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card: Best for Groceries and Gas
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Travel
Ink Business Unlimited: Best for Small Business Owners
Citi Double Cash Card: Best for Beginners
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Balance Transfers
Chase Freedom Student: Best for Students
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Best Overall No Annual Fee Card
5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Flat bonus + special grocery bonus
High cash back rewards for travel and dining
15-month 0% APR intro for balance transfers
Get Details
As far as sign-up bonuses are concerned, the Chase Freedom Unlimited tops our list of the best no annual fee credit cards with welcome offers. On top of the flat $200 welcome bonus that’s up for grabs, you’ll earn an additional 5% cash back on grocery purchases (up to $12,000 spent) for the first year — that’s good for an extra $600 bonus.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200 (plus up to $600 bonus cash back rewards)
Rewards rate
1.5% to 5% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
17.99% to 26.74%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is the best no annual fee credit card with a sign-up bonus. You’ll earn a flat $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
But you’ll also earn 5% cash back (on up to $12,000 spent) in grocery store purchases during your first year (Walmart and Target excluded). That’s another $600 bonus that you can earn. Plus, the Chase Freedom Unlimited doles out a $100 bonus for every referral, up to $500 a year.
Chase Freedom Unlimited also rewards cardholders for booking travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards. Use Chase Ultimate Rewards for airfare, hotels and rental cars to take 5% off all your major travel expenses. On top of the Chase Ultimate Rewards deal, you’ll earn variable cash back for other eligible purchases:
3% cash back on dining (restaurants, takeout and delivery)
3% cash back on drugstore purchases
1.5% on all other eligible purchases
Though there’s no annual fee, the Chase Freedom Unlimited does have a high regular APR (up to 26.74%). But for the first 15 months, you won’t earn interest on outstanding balances — and that applies to qualifying balance transfers as well. (You will pay a 3% intro balance transfer fee, however.)
Despite offering great travel perks through Chase Ultimate Rewards, the Chase Freedom Unlimited falls short as a true travel card: It charges a 3% foreign transaction fee when you swipe abroad.
Discover it Cash Back
Best for Flexible Spending
5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Variable cash back offers
Unique bonus program
No foreign transaction fees
Get Details
Discover it Cash Back is one of the best credit cards with no annual fee that offers a sign-up bonus — and it’s certainly got the most unique bonus. If you’re willing to wait a year, you’ll earn Discover’s Unlimited Cashback Match. Whatever you earn in cash back during your first year from account opening, Discover will match. And with a high 5% cash back rate, that sign-up bonus can be substantial.
Discover it Cash Back
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
Unlimited Cashback Match
Rewards rate
1% to 5% cash back
Regular APR
14.99% to 25.99%
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Discover it Cash Back
To understand the Discover it Cash Back’s sign-up bonus, you’ve first got to know how you earn cash rewards with th. Each quarter, Discover changes the special cash back category; you’ll earn 5% cash back for every purchase in that category, up to $1,500 spent. That’s $75 every three months if you reach the $1,500 threshold. Plus, you’ll earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
For 2022, the 5% cash back program breaks down as follows:
January to March: 5% cash back at grocery stores, as well as fitness clubs and gyms
April to June: 5% cash back at Target and gas stations
July to September: 5% cash back at restaurants and on purchase made via PayPal
October to December: 5% cash back on purchases made on Amazon and via digital wallet
The sign-up bonus comes at the end of your first year. Whatever you earned in cash back, Discover doubles. So if you maxed out your cash back potential from the rotating bonus categories, you’d have earned $300, meaning you’d get an additional $300 bonus. On top of that, you could have earned unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases, which means your doubled bonus could be even greater.
Discover doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, which makes this card great for travel. Balance transfer fees are 3% during the 15-month introductory period (when you also won’t pay interest), but after that, a regular APR of 14.99% to 25.99% kicks in.
Chase Freedom Flex
Best for Big Bonus Potential
5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Flat bonus + special grocery bonus
High cash back rewards for rotating categories
High cash back for travel
Get Details
Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Chase Freedom Flex could pay out $800 in sign-up bonuses if you maximize spending. That’s thanks to a $200 sign-up bonus and a special 5% rewards rate on groceries for the first year, up to another $600. While the Freedom Unlimited has standard cash back amounts, Chase Freedom Flex has rotating bonus categories, which may be more enticing if you can keep up.
Chase Freedom Flex
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200 (plus up to $600 bonus cash back rewards)
Rewards rate
1% to 5% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
17.99% to 26.74%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Chase Freedom Flex
Choosing between the Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited (which tops our list of the best no annual fee credit cards with sign-up bonuses) really comes down to preference. With the Chase Freedom Unlimited, you’ll always earn 5% on travel purchases in Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining and drugstores and 1.5% on everything else.
Rewards with Chase Freedom Flex are more variable. For some, this offers more opportunity. Here’s how it works:
Earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on a select bonus category (changes each quarter)
Earn 3% cash back on dining (restaurants, takeout and delivery)
Earn 3% cash back on drugstore purchases
Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
For 2022, the rotating 5% cash back bonus categories are:
January to March: Grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart)
April to June: Amazon and select streaming services
July to September: Gas stations, car rentals, movie theaters and select live entertainment
October to December: Walmart and PayPal
For those who may not spend much in some of these bonus categories, the 1.5% unlimited cash back of the Chase Freedom Unlimited may be more compelling. But if your regular budget includes items from these categories, you may earn more cash rewards with the Chase Freedom Flex.
While you shouldn’t depend on the Chase Freedom Flex for travel abroad (there’s a 3% foreign transaction fee), it’s a decent card for traveling domestically: It offers trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance.
Similarly, Chase Freedom Flex isn’t our favorite balance transfer card (check out our list of the best balance transfer credit card s for our top recommendation), but it’s not a bad deal: 3% intro balance transfer fee and 15 months of no interest.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Best for Cash Back
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Flat-rate cash back rewards
$600 in cell phone protection
15-month 0% APR intro for balance transfers
Get Details
The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card offers great perks for no annual fee. In addition to the easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus, you’ll earn an unlimited 2% cash back on eligible purchases. No need to worry about juggling bonus categories — just swipe for any purchase and earn decent rewards each time. This card also offers $600 in cell phone protection as long as you use it to pay your phone bill.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200
Rewards rate
2% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
17.99% to 27.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Wells Fargo Active Cash Card
As far as bonus amounts go, you can earn more from some of the other credit cards with no annual fee on our list. The Wells Fargo Active Cash Card pays out just $200. But this welcome offer is relatively easy to earn: Just spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The Active Cash Card is great if you don’t like the hassle of tracking rotating bonus categories or calculating how points and miles translate to cash. Instead, you’ll earn a flat 2% cash back rate no matter the purchase.
This no-frills credit card also offers $600 in cell phone protection and a decent 15-month 0% intro APR period for new customers, including qualifying balance transfers (though you’ll pay a 3% balance transfer fee). Just don’t rely on this card when traveling abroad; you’ll pay a 3% foreign transaction fee for every swipe.
Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card
Best for Dining and Entertainment
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
High cash back rewards for food & entertainment
High cash back rewards for travel
No foreign transaction fees
Get Details
With an easy-to-earn bonus of $200, the Capital One SavorOne is a great choice for a no annual fee card with plenty of rewards. You’ll earn 8% cash back on select entertainment purchases, plus unlimited 3% cash back on dining, groceries and streaming services. This is a great card to have in your wallet when traveling abroad, thanks to the trip insurance and no foreign transaction fees.
Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200
Rewards rate
1% to 8% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
17.99% to 27.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Excellent credit (740 and higher)
More Information About Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card
Like all options featured on this list, there is no annual fee for the Capital One SavorOne card. Its easy-to-earn bonus makes it one of the best no annual fee credit cards with a sign-up bonus. Just spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening to claim your $200 welcome offer.
Consumers who like to treat themselves will benefit most from this card, which has special rewards rates for entertainment, travel and dining. Here’s the full cash back breakdown:
8% cash back on purchases made through Capital One Entertainment and Vivid Seats
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
3% cash back on dining, groceries, popular streaming services and other entertainment
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
The Capital One SavorOne is appealing for travelers. There isn’t a foreign transaction fee, and you’ll get 24-hour travel assistance and travel accident insurance. Like other cards on our list, Capital One assesses a 3% balance transfer fee during the introductory period — but after that period, there’s no fee at all. But watch the APR after the intro period; it can climb as high as 27.99%.
American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card
Best for Groceries and Gas
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
High cash back rewards for groceries and gas
Disney Bundle statement credit
Extra bonus for PayPal purchases
Get Details
Though it’s the only American Express to make it onto our list of the best no annual fee credit cards with a sign-up bonus, the Blue Cash Everyday Card is an attractive option, with great cash back on two of life’s biggest purchases: groceries and gas. The $100 bonus is small, but you can earn an additional $150 through a cash back bonus on PayPal purchases.
American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$100 (plus up to $150 bonus cash back rewards)
Rewards rate
1% to 3% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
16.99% to 27.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card
If you can afford the $95 annual fee, the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card makes a more compelling offer (it topped our list of the best cashback credit cards). But if you refuse to pay an annual fee for a credit card, you’ll still get a lot of mileage out of the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card. It pays out 3% cash back on gas, groceries and online retail purchases — up to $6,000 in purchases for each category (and in the U.S. only). You’ll earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
The sign-up bonus isn’t great: $100 after you spend $2,000 in the first six months from account opening. You can get a lot more for a lot less with a Capital One credit card, for example. But right now, new cardholders can earn a bonus 20% cash back on all PayPal purchases in the first six months from account opening, up to $150 cash back.
Another reason to open the American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card? You’ll get an annual $84 statement credit for the Disney+ Bunde. That’s $7 each month toward your Disney+ streaming service.
Don’t take this card with you overseas; you’ll pay a 2.7% foreign transaction fee with every swipe, and finding merchants that take Amex abroad is hit or miss. The Blue Cash Everyday Card isn’t a bad choice for balance transfers; just pay a 3% balance transfer fee, and you’ll have 15 months of 0% APR to pay down the debt.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards
Best for Travel
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Flat-rate cash back rewards
No foreign transaction fees
High rewards rate for travel purchases
Get Details
The Capital One Quicksilver is not the best travel credit card available — but if you want a travel card with solid cash back rewards, no foreign transaction fees and no annual fee, it’s your best bet. You’ll earn a 1.5% flat rate cash back (except for select travel purchases, which earn 5% cash back), and the $200 bonus is one of the easiest to earn.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200
Rewards rate
1.5% to 5% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months
Regular APR
17.99% to 27.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Excellent credit (740 and higher)
More Information About Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you don’t like tracking rotating bonus categories or converting miles or points into rewards you can easily understand, the Capital One Quicksilver could be right for you. It doesn’t have the highest cash back earning potential, but the unlimited 1.5% cash back is a solid offer. Plus, you can earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The sign-up bonus is one of the easiest to earn. Just spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, and you’ll earn a $200 bonus as a statement credit or cash back.
With the Capital One Quicksilver in your wallet, you won’t have to worry about paying a foreign transaction fee when traveling abroad. You’ll also get the luxury of travel accident insurance and 24-hour travel assistance services. That makes this a great travel credit card with no annual fee — but if you’re willing to pay an annual fee, you can find a credit card with significantly better travel perks.
Ink Business Unlimited
Best for Small Business Owners
4.5 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Flat-rate cash back rewards
Employee cards at no additional cost
Largest bonus offer
Get Details
Small business owners looking for a no annual fee credit card to run their company should consider the Ink Business Unlimited by Chase. Not only does it offer unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase without any annual fee, but it’s also got the largest welcome bonus of any card on our list: $900.
Ink Business Unlimited
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$900
Rewards rate
1.5% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months
Regular APR
16.24% to 22.24%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Ink Business Unlimited
To earn the $900 sign-up bonus, you’ll need to use the Ink Business Unlimited credit card for $6,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening. If your business generates a lot of expenses, this should be an easy threshold to hit.
But this credit card, which doesn’t charge any annual fee, is worth more than its upfront bonus. Business owners will continue to see savings roll in with unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases.
If you travel for business, you’ll have access to Chase Ultimate Rewards for booking flights, hotels and rental cars. However, the Ink Business Unlimited card does charge a foreign transaction fee, so you’ll only want to use this card for domestic business trips.
If your employees need access to the line of credit, you can order cards for them at no additional cost — and even set individual spending limits.
Citi Double Cash Card
Best for Beginners
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Flat-rate cash back rewards
Incentivizes balance payoff
18-month 0% APR intro for balance transfers
Get Details
With no annual fee, one of the longest 0% intro APR periods on our list and an inventive way to incentivize paying off your balance, the Citi Double Cash Card is a great credit card for beginners. There are higher rewards and bonuses with other cards, but Citi offers first-time credit cardholders everything they need to learn successful credit card habits.
Citi Double Cash Card
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200
Rewards rate
1% to 2% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months
Regular APR
16.99% to 26.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Citi Double Cash Card
With the Citi Double Cash Card, you won’t pay any annual fees and can earn a $200 sign-up bonus just for spending $1,500 in the first six months of account opening. That makes it one of the easier bonuses to earn.
We like this card for beginners because of how it pays out cash back. You’ll earn 1% cash back on every dollar you spend, but you’ll earn an additional 1% cash back when you pay off that balance. Thus, novice credit card users are learning good credit habits by positive reinforcement.
The Double Cash Card is also a top credit card for qualifying balance transfers. Though you’ll pay a 3% balance transfer fee during the introductory period, you’ll have 18 months of 0% APR to pay down the balance.
The Citi Double Cash Card falls short when it comes to foreign transaction fees (you’ll pay 3%) and perks. It’s a no-frills card for beginners, but if you’re a credit card power user, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Best for Balance Transfers
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Decent cash back for groceries
Customizable cash back rewards
18-month 0% APR intro for balance transfers
Get Details
If you’re looking for a balance transfer card but still want to earn rewards and a sign-up bonus, the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card is the best pick. You’ll get 18 months of 0% APR (and just a 3% balance transfer fee), and you can earn a $200 welcome offer. Rewards are also attractive — 3% in a category of your choice, plus 2% on groceries.
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$200
Rewards rate
1% to 3% cash back
Intro APR
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months
Regular APR:
16.99% to 26.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good to excellent credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great no fee option that still pays out a sizable bonus: $200 when you spend at least $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days from account opening.
You’ll also earn 3% cash back in a category of your choice (gas, online shopping, travel, drugstores, home improvement/furnishings or dining) on the first $2,500 spent per quarter — plus 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (also on the first $2,500 spent each quarter). You’ll earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
It’s certainly not the best cash back card on our list, but it’s an appealing offer for borrowers with high-interest credit card debt on another card that they want to transfer over. That’s because the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 18 months of 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers, and balance transfer fees are only 3%.
Chase Freedom Student
Best for Students
4 out of 5 Overall
Key Features
Annual bonuses for good standing
Flat-rate cash back
Credit limit increases for responsible mgmt.
Get Details
The Chase Freedom Student credit card isn’t the best student card available; its minimum credit score requirement actually makes it inaccessible to a lot of students. But if you’re a student with good credit who’s prioritizing rewards and bonuses — and you’re not planning to study abroad — it’s the best offer on the table.
Chase Freedom Student
Annual fee
No annual fee
Sign-up bonus
$50
Rewards rate
1% cash back
Intro APR
No 0% intro APR
Regular APR
17.99%
Minimum credit score requirement
Good credit (670 and higher)
More Information About Chase Freedom Student
Rounding out our ranking of the best credits with no annual fee that still offer sign-up bonuses is the Chase Freedom Student card. Students hoping to make some extra cash from a credit card sign-up bonus will be served well by Chase Freedom Student: It pays out $50 after you make a single purchase within the first three months from account opening.
And students who responsibly manage the card with on-time payments can expect a $20 good standing bonus on each account anniversary for up to five years. Speaking of responsible card management, students can also earn a credit limit increase after they make five monthly payments on time within the first 10 months from account opening.
While students who can qualify for higher-tier credit cards can earn better bonuses and cash back elsewhere, the Chase Freedom Student’s 1% cash back on all purchases is still a nice touch.
What Is a Sign-Up Bonus?
A credit card sign-up bonus is a conditional reward that encourages consumers to apply for the card and begin spending with it right away. Bonuses are typically paid out as a statement credit, cash back, travel points or gift card.
In some cases, the value of the bonus may vary depending on how you redeem it. For example, Chase cardmembers can maximize their bonus value by redeeming it toward future travel purchases in Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Above, we ranked the best no annual fee credit cards offering attractive bonuses, but you get what you pay for. To earn the best credit card sign-up bonuses, you’ll likely have to pay an annual fee. These cards tend to offer higher rewards rates and more perks to make them worth the cost.
How Do Sign-Up Bonuses Work?
Sign-up bonuses give cardholders a set number of months to spend a set amount of money and doing so will earn them a predetermined amount of money, points or miles as a statement credit, gift card or even cash back. Each credit card sign-up bonus program varies.
A sign-up bonus — also called a welcome bonus, sign-up offer or welcome offer — may take other forms. Matching bonuses, where the credit card issuer matches you dollar-for-dollar in cash back, can be lucrative if you use the card regularly for everyday purchases. Other cards offer bonuses in two stages, increase rewards rates as part of their bonus program or even hand out bonuses immediately upon approval (no swiping necessary).
What Are Annual Fees on a Credit Card?
Some credit cards carry an annual fee. Those that do typically offer higher potential value to the cardholder if they use the card strategically and regularly. Annual fees may range from $95 to $695 or more.
Credit card issuers add the annual fee to your monthly statement once a year — usually on the month of your account anniversary. Some issuers may waive the annual fee for the first year.
In general, the cards with the highest rewards rates and most luxurious perks carry the highest annual fees. Not every credit card charges an annual fee, however. You can find several basic credit cards and even low- to moderate-tier rewards cards with no annual fee.
How Can I Avoid Paying an Annual Fee?
Don’t want to pay an annual fee for a credit card? The market is saturated with credit cards with no annual fee. To start, you can review our list of the best no annual fee credit cards with sign-up bonuses above — but you can also find great cards with no annual fee in almost any category:
Balance transfers cards
Travel credit cards
Cash back rewards credit cards
Even if you have no credit history or are recovering from a bad credit score, you may be able to qualify for some credit cards with no annual fees. Check out our list of the best credit cards for borrowers with bad credit to start your search.
Pro Tip
Just because a card has no annual fee doesn’t mean it’s fee-free. Research foreign transaction fees plus balance transfer fees and late fees to get a fuller picture of a card’s rates.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About No Fee, Best Bonus Cards
We’ve rounded up the answers to the most commonly asked questions about credit cards with no annuals fees and top sign-up bonus offers.
How Much are Annual Fees on a Credit Card on Average?
A recent study shows that the average credit card annual fee was just under $150, but a credit card annual fee can go as high as $695 or as low as $0. If you don’t want to pay an annual fee for a credit card, you’ve still got a wide range of travel, cash back and balance transfer cards to choose from. Just remember that the best travel credit cards and cash back rewards cards tend to carry an annual fee — even if it’s a nominal $95 a year.
Can I Get a Credit Card Without an Annual fee?
You can get a credit card without an annual fee by applying for one and making sure you have good to excellent credit (670 and higher). The credit card market is full of credit cards with no annual fee. Even if you’re looking for a rewards card that pays out travel miles or cash back, you can find a solid card offering basic rewards and perks without having to pay an annual fee.
How Do I Get a Credit Card Sign-Up Bonus?
Credit card sign-up bonus programs usually have strict spending criteria to earn the welcome offer. In many cases, you’ll need to spend a certain amount of money with the credit card in a set number of months to earn the bonus. Some cards may have more unique bonus programs, like a first-year dollar-for-dollar cash back match or a dual-stage bonus program. Read the fine print of any credit card you’re signing up for to understand how to earn the welcome offer.
Which Credit Card is Free and Best?
Right now, the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card tops The Penny Hoarder list of the best no annual fee credit cards , but if you’re looking for the best no annual fee card with a hefty sign-up bonus, we recommend the Chase Freedom Unlimited. Rewards rates, APRs and bonus amounts are always changing, so our top pick for the best free credit card is liable to change. Research free credit cards thoroughly to compare rewards rates, APRs and sign-up bonuses before applying.
Contributor Timothy Moore is a writer and editor in Cincinnati who covers banks, loans, insurance, travel and automotive topics for The Penny Hoarder.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder , which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.
