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A no annual fee credit card, is a card issued by a bank or financial institution that does not charge cardholders a yearly fee. There are two main advantages of no annual fee cards. First, these cards are an affordable credit option by virtue of saving from having to pay an annual fee. second, it’s not uncommon for these credit cards to also have reasonable terms and conditions. As a bonus, many of the best no annual fee credit cards come with benefits, including cash bonuses and balance transfer options.
Whether you are looking to build credit or gain travel benefits, there is a no annual fee card for you. Read below for some of the best no annual fee credit cards available.
Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card
The Petal 2 Visa Credit card is a relatively new card on the market. While most cards are reserved for people with an excellent FICO® credit score, this no annual fee card is available to people with limited and fair credit. The Petal 2 Visa Credit Card also has no foreign transaction fees and cashback rewards between 1%-1.5% on everyday purchases. After you make 12 on-time monthly payments, you can earn even more rewards. The Petal Visa Card can be an excellent tool to build credit if you use the card responsibly and pay off your balance in full each month.
Deserve® EDU Mastercard Credit Card
The Deserve EDU Mastercard is a no annual fee credit card designed especially for students. The card comes with lots of benefits that appeal to young cardholders. Users receive one year of Amazon Prime Student free after spending $500 in the first 90 days of opening the account. Users also receive 1% cash back on all approved purchases, and there are no international transaction fees. Unique benefits including a $600 cell phone protection plan and a refer a friend program that gives users $30 for each referral. A prequalification tool allows users to check their qualification status without a hard credit pull.
Citi® Double Cash Credit Card
The Citi Double Cash card is one of the best on the market. It comes with no annual fee and offers 1% unlimited cash back on every purchase. In addition, Citi provides an additional 1% cashback when you pay your card each month, meaning users who pay in full each month earn 2% cashback. Most cards only offer 1% cashback each month, making Citi’s offer more desirable than competitors. Further, this card comes with a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 months from date of first transfer for balance transfers completed within 4 months of account opening (after that, your variable APR will be 13.99% to 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness). Users will need a good FICO® credit score of at least 670 for approval.
Capital One® SavorOne® Rewards Credit Card
Capital One is one of the largest providers of credit to U.S. consumers. The Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card is one of the best options for consumers looking for excellent bonus awards. Cardholders who spend $500 or more within 90 days of opening the account get a $200 bonus. All users receive up to 3% cashback on dining, grocery store, and entertainment purchases. This no annual fee card also comes with an Introductory 0% APR for 15 months (after that, your variable APR will be 14.99 - 24.99%, based on your creditworthiness).for all purchases. This card also has no fees on foreign transactions, so it’s ideal for traveling abroad with. Users need at least a good FICO® credit score for approval.
Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card
The Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card is an excellent card for frequent fliers. This no annual fee credit card gives users 1.5 points on every $1 purchase. Cardholders can also earn 25,000 bonus points if they spend $1,000 or more in the first three months of opening a new account, which can be redeemed for $250 toward reward travel. This card requires an excellent FICO® credit score and offers extra travel rewards for cardholders who already have Bank of America checking or savings accounts.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Credit Card
The Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card is the best no annual fee card for people who want travel rewards. Cardholders get 5% back on travel purchases booked using your card through the Ultimate Rewards program and $200 back if they spend $500 in the first 90 days of opening an account. Aside from the travel parks, Chase Freedom offers other great perks. New cardholders can get up to 3% cashback at drugstores and restaurants and 1.5% back on all other purchases. While this card does require good FICO® credit score for approval, it offers an introductory APR of 0% on all purchases for the first 15 months (after that, your variable APR will be 14.99% to 23.74%, based on your creditworthiness).
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash Credit Card is a solid choice for business owners who want great perks but do not want to pay an annual fee. All authorized users who are added to the account are also exempt from paying a yearly fee. All new cardholders can earn a bonus of $750, if they spend $7,500 within the first 90 days of getting the card. All new users can earn 1 to 5% cash back on everyday purchases, with office supplies and other business products offering the greatest cashback potential. Business owners need a good to excellent FICO® credit score to qualify for this card.
Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card
The Discover it Cash Back Credit Card is an excellent option for those interested in balance transfers. This no annual fee credit card offers 0% introductory APR for up to 15 months on balance transfers and regular purchases (after the intro APR expires, your APR will be 11.99% to 22.99% variable based on your creditworthiness). The card also offers an excellent rewards system. Users receive 5% cashback on purchases made at grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and at certain online retailers. All other purchases receive 1% cashback. The Cashback Match * offer means Discover will automatically match all cash back you earn at the end of your first year. For example, if earn $150 cash back at the end of the first year, Discover will turn that amount into $300. Users generally need a good FICO® credit score for this card, but some people with fair credit may also be considered.
* Cashback Match: Only from Discover, as of October 2021. Discover will match all the cash back rewards earned from the day the new account is approved through the first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and will add it to the rewards account within two billing periods.