If you’re looking for a new credit card and don’t want to pay an annual fee, then read on.
We’ve compiled a list of the best no-annual-fee credit cards available, so you can find one that meets your needs.
Whether you’re looking for a card that earns cash back or one with rewards, we got you covered.
Best for Rent: Bilt Mastercard® (review)
Best for General Spending: Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review)
Best for Family Expenses: Capital One SavorOne Rewards Card
1. Bilt Mastercard®
Best for Rent
- Pay Rent Without Fees and Earn 1 Point Per Dollar on Rent (up to 100,000 Points Per Calendar Year)
- No Annual Fee
- 3x Points on Dining
- 2x Points on Travel
- Transfer Rewards to Airlines and Hotels
- Cell Phone, Primary Rental Car, and Trip Delay Insurance
Bilt Mastercard® is a no-annual-fee credit card that allows you to pay rent without a transaction fee and earn 1 point per dollar on rent (up to 50,000 points per calendar year).
You also earn 3x points on dining, 2x points on travel, and 1x points everywhere else.
The Bilt Rewards card also has great benefits for a no-annual fee card, including cell phone insurance, primary rental car insurance, 90-day purchase protection, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, and no foreign transaction fees.
Plus, you can transfer your points to airline and hotel partners such as United Airlines, American Airlines, and World of Hyatt. Or redeem the points for travel or at Amazon.
2. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Best for General Spending
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (review) is a good no-annual fee credit card option that offers 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back at restaurants, takeout, eligible delivery services, and on drugstore purchases. Plus it offers 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
The card also offers nice benefits such as purchase protection, extended warranty, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, and secondary rental car insurance.
3. Citi® Double Cash Card
Best for Simplicity
The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer boasts a strong 2% rewards rate on purchases, where you get 1% back when you buy and 1% when you pay.
This zero-annual-fee card offers a solid earning potential as long as you pay your balance on time, and it provides a simple way to rack up points with no bonus categories to track.
You can also boost your rewards by also holding the Citi Premier® Card (review), which allows you to transfer points to airline and hotel programs. This combination effectively allows you to earn 2 airline miles per dollar on all spending with the Citi Double Cash.
4. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for Family Expenses
- Earn bonus_miles_full
- 8% Cash Back at Capital One Entertainment
- 3% Cash Back on Dining, Entertainment, Streaming, and Grocery Stores
- No Annual Fee
The Capital One SavorOne is a no-annual-fee card that earns 3% cash back in four popular categories: dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®).
The SavorOne also has nice perks such as no foreign transaction fees and extended warranty protection.
Plus, cardholders earn 10% cash back on purchases with Uber and Uber Eats and complimentary Uber One membership statement credits every month through November 14, 2024.
5. Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Best for Flexible Spending Categories
- bonus_miles_full
- 5% Cash Back on Purchases in Your Top Eligible Spend Category Each Billing Cycle up to $500 (1% after that)
- 0% Intro APR for 15 Months on Purchases and Balance Transfers ($5 or 5% fee). After that, reg_apr,reg_apr_type.
- No Annual Fee
The Citi Custom Cash is a no-annual-fee card that earns 5% cash back in your top spending category each billing cycle.
Eligible 5% cash back categories, among several others, include:
- Restaurants.
- Gas stations.
- Grocery stores.
- Select travel.
- Home improvement stores.
- Drug stores.
- Fitness clubs.
This allows you to turn the Custom Cash into your 5% cash back card for your favorite category.
6. Chase Freedom Flex℠
Best for Drugstore Purchases
- Earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months.
- 5% Cash Back in Quarterly Bonus Categories (up to $1,500 in combined spending after activation)
- 5% Cash Back on Travel Purchased Via Chase
- 3% Cash Back at Restaurants, Eligible Food Delivery, and Drug Stores
- Cell Phone Insurance and Purchase Protection
- No Annual Fee
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ (review) is a great no-annual fee card that earns 5% cash back in quarterly categories (up to $1,500 in combined spending) and on travel purchased via Chase Ultimate Rewards.
The Freedom Flex also earns 3% cash back at restaurants, eligible food delivery, and drug stores.
The card also comes with nice benefits such as cell phone insurance, extended warranty, purchase protection, secondary rental car insurance, and trip cancellation/interruption insurance.
7. U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Best for Gas Stations & EV Charging
- Earn a $200 Bonus After Spending $1,000 in the First 120 Days.
- 5% Cash Back on the First $2,000 in Spending Each Quarter in Two Categories that You Choose
- 2% Cash Back on one category like Gas Stations and EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores, or Restaurants
- No Annual Fee
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is a no-annual-fee card offering 5% cash back on:
- Your first $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter in two categories that you choose.
- Prepaid air, hotel, and car rental reservations booked directly in Rewards Travel Center.
You have the option to choose two of the following to earn 5% cash back: (1) Fast Food, (2) TV, Internet, and Streaming, (3) Cell Phone Providers, (4) Home Utilities, (5) Department Stores, (6) Electronic Stores, (7) Sporting Good Stores, (8) Movie Theaters, (9) Gyms/Fitness Centers, (10) Furniture Stores, (11) Ground Transportation, and (12) Select Clothing Stores.
You also have the option of choosing to earn 2% cash back for either: (1) grocery stores and grocery delivery, (2) restaurants, or (3) gas stations and EV charging stations.
All other eligible purchases will earn 1% cash back.
8. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
- bonus_miles_full
- 4X Points on Dining, Takeout, and Food Delivery
- 2X Points at Grocery Stores, Grocery Delivery, Streaming Services, Gas Stations, and EV Charging Stations
- $15 Annual Streaming Credit
- No Annual Fee
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is a no-annual-fee credit card offering 4x points (equivalent to 4% cash back) on dining, including take-out and food delivery.
Plus, cardmembers also get 2x points (equivalent to 2% cash back) at grocery stores, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations, and EV charging stations.
9. Hilton Honors American Express Card
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- 7X Points at Hilton Hotels and Resorts
- 5X Points at U.S. Restaurants, U.S. Supermarkets, and U.S. Gas Stations
- Complimentary Hilton Honors Silver Status
- No Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
The Hilton Honors American Express Card (review) is a great no-annual-fee card that earns 7x Hilton Honors points at Hilton properties and 5x points at restaurants, supermarkets, and gas stations in the U.S.
This practical card also gets you complimentary Silver status, which comes with standard perks like a fifth night free on award stays and a 15% points bonus on Hilton stays.
Plus, you have the opportunity to reach Gold status by spending $20,000 per year.
10. Discover it® Cash Back
- 5% Cash Back in Rotating Quarterly Categories up to $1,500 Each Quarter When You Activate Offer
- 1% Cash Back On All Other Eligible Purchases
- Cash Back Match for the First Year
- No Annual Fee
The Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card has no annual fees and provides 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in purchases that you make each quarter in certain categories.
The 5% cash back categories rotate each quarter and require enrollment. These categories normally include spending towards Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and PayPal.
You’ll earn 1% cash back on the rotating categories once you’ve hit the spending limit for each quarter, and you will earn 1% back on all other purchases.
11. American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp®
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- 2x Miles on American Airlines and at Grocery Stores
- Earns Loyalty Points Towards Elite Status
- 25% In-Flight Savings on Food and Drinks
- No Annual Fee
The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® is great for people who want to earn American Airlines miles without an annual fee.
The MileUp card doesn’t offer a big welcome mileage bonus, free checked bags, or priority boarding like other American Airlines credit cards.
But MileUp cardmembers earn 2x miles on American Airlines and at grocery stores, and receive a 25% in-flight savings on food and drinks.
Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card
- bonus_miles_full
- 2X SkyMiles Per Dollar on Delta Air Lines
- 2x SkyMiles Per Dollar at Restaurants worldwide (including takeout & delivery in the U.S.)
- 20% Statement Credit on Delta In-Flight Purchases
- No Annual Fee and No Foreign Transaction Fees (Rates and Fees)
The Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card (review) is a no-annual-fee card that earns 2x SkyMiles at restaurants worldwide, including U.S. takeout and delivery, and 2x SkyMiles on Delta purchases.
Plus, you receive 20% savings in statement credits on Delta in-flight food and drinks and up to a $50 discount on flights booked on delta.com for every 5,000 miles redeemed via Pay With Miles.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, please click here.