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Many rewards credit cards charge an annual fee, but certain cards offer great perks without that added cost. From dining and entertainment to groceries and gas, here are cards that could help you rack up cash back or points without requiring you to pay an annual fee.
5 Partner Offers
| Our Picks for the Best Rewards Credit Cards With No Annual Fee | |
|---|---|
 Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | 2% cash rewards on eligible purchases $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months |
 Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | NULL cash back on dining and entertainment NULL cash back on popular streaming services NULL cash back on grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases 1% cash back on all other purchases $250 one-time cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening |
 Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card | 3 points per dollar spent on restaurants, travel gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months |
 Credit One Bank® Secured Card | 1% cash back on eligible gas, grocery purchases, mobile phone service, internet cable and satellite TV services |
 Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | 3% cash back in the available category of your choice (now with expanded categories) and 2% cash back each quarter at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases; then earn 1% cash back) 1% cash back on all other purchases $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. |
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
If you're looking for a straightforward cash back card with no annual fee, it's hard to do better than the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, which allows you to earn 2% unlimited cash rewards on every purchase you make. You can also earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
on Wells Fargo's website
Recommended FICO® Score*
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
APR
19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR
Intro APR
Rewards
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Intro Bonus
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual Fee
$0
Card Details
- Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
This card might be right for you if you are a foodie who spends a lot on dining out and groceries—but you don't want to pay an annual fee (see rates and fees). The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an impressive NULL cash back on dining and entertainment, NULL cash back on popular streaming services and NULL cash back on groceries (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), with 1% cash back on other purchases. You can also earn a $250 cash bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months after account opening.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
on Capital One's website
Recommended FICO® Score*
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
APR
19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
Intro APR
Rewards
3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply), 8% Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
5% Cash Back on Hotels and Rental Cars Booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
3% Cash Back on Grocery Stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), Dining, Entertainment & Popular Streaming Services
1% Cash Back on All Other Purchases
Intro Bonus
$250 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Card Details
- For a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card offers 3 points per dollar spent at restaurants, travel, gas station, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans; earn 1 point per dollar spent on other purchases. You can also earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases during the first 3 months.
Credit One Bank® Secured Card
If you're rebuilding credit but you still want to be rewarded when you swipe your credit card, this card deserves a look. The Credit One Bank® Secured Card offers 1% cash back rewards for common eligible purchases like gas, groceries, mobile phone services, internet, cable and satellite TV services. Plus you'll earn interest on your required security deposit account (minimum deposit of $200).
Credit One Bank® Secured Card
on Credit One Bank's website
Terms Apply
Recommended FICO® Score*
Credit One Bank® Secured Card
APR
29.24% Variable
Intro APR
Rewards
Earn 1% cash back rewards on eligible gas, grocery purchases and mobile phone, internet, cable and satellite TV services. Terms apply.
Annual Fee
$0
Card Details
- Earn 1% cash back rewards on eligible gas, grocery purchases and mobile phone service, internet, cable and satellite TV services, terms apply
- With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Looking to rebuild credit? We report to the major credit bureaus monthly
- Earn interest on your required security deposit account (minimum deposit $200)
- Never miss an account update with customizable text and email alerts
- Manage your account on-the-go with the Credit One Bank mobile app
- Show off your personality by selecting from a variety of card designs, a fee may apply
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
This card might be right for you if you're looking for a card where you can earn higher rewards in certain spending categories of your choice. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card lets you earn 3% cash back in a category of your choice (now with expanded categories), 2% at grocery or wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases. By becoming a Preferred Rewards member, you can earn 25% to 75% more cash back on each purchase.
You'll also get a $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
FAQs
Rewards credit cards work by accruing dollars, points, miles or some other rewards categories with each swipe. You can redeem credit card rewards in the following ways.
- Cash back: Cash back accrues in dollars and can be redeemable by:
- Bank account deposit or ATM withdrawal: Directly transfer your cash back to your bank or withdraw it via ATM. You may need to have a checking or savings account associated with the card issuer if you want to withdraw from an ATM.
- Check: Card issuers can send a paper check with your cash back earnings.
- Statement credit: A credit may be directly applied to your credit card statement to reduce your total.
- Airline frequent flier miles or points: Apply accrued airline miles to plane ticket costs to reduce or even cover your total bill.
- Hotel loyalty programs: Use accrued points to pay for a stay at a designated hotel.
- General points or miles: These types of points may be used for online shopping through associated portals or transferable to other stores.
You may also receive an intro bonus when first spending on a rewards card. Some cards may have a set amount you are required to spend before this bonus is issued.
- Cash back: Cash back accrues in dollars and can be redeemable by:
There are five general credit score ranges. The ranges differ slightly between credit scoring models, but the commonly used ones are the FICO® Score☉ ranges:
- Exceptional: 800-850
- Very Good: 740-799
- Good: 670-739
- Fair: 580-669
- Poor: 300-579
While many credit card issuers look to approve applicants with a good or better score, there are rewards cards available even for those looking to rebuild their credit, like the secured card mentioned above.
Getting the most out of your credit card rewards can be a fun challenge. Consider some of the following tips to maximize your rewards.
- Use online shopping portals. Double your cash back when you use your cash back credit card in conjunction with online shopping portals that also offer cash back rewards. Some cards may offer higher rewards on things like hotels booked through their travel portals.
- Match cards to spending categories. Find the best card for groceries, the best card for streaming services and the best card for travel expenses and remember to use the right one while shopping.
- Apply at the right time. If you've got a trip coming up, look for deals that will give you a huge intro bonus of travel miles in time for your trip.
Rewards Without Fees
If you're interested in getting into credit rewards but don't want to pay pricey fees for a heavy-hitter rewards card, try out a no-fee card for rewards without cost. When you're already planning to spend the money, why not rack up some rewards?
Apply with the confidence of approval when you use Experian CreditMatch™. CreditMatch can help you find the best credit cards matched to your credit profile. Compare and contrast easily and see which cards you'll be matched with.