The Best Credit Cards Of March 2022

The best credit cards available now

Given the wide range of benefits, rewards, and annual fees available, it’s impossible to name one single best credit card. But if you’re looking to find the best credit card for you, breaking it down by category is a good way to approach your search.

For example, if you’re just getting started with credit, a student credit card or a card that doesn’t require a high credit score is an ideal pick.

If you’re looking to earn travel rewards, on the other hand, you’ll want to look at cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

Featured cash back credit cards from our partners

Regular APR 13.99% – 23.99% Variable

Credit Score

Good to Excellent

Regular APR 14.99% – 23.74% Variable APR

Credit Score Good to Excellent

Regular APR 14.99% – 23.74% Variable

Credit Score Good to Excellent

The best credit cards of March 2022

Best for balance transfers: Citi Simplicity® Card

Pros: Long introductory APR period on balance transfers, 12-month intro APR period for purchases

Cons: No rewards

If you’re looking to transfer your existing credit card balance to a new card that offers a long introductory APR period, you can’t do better than the Citi Simplicity® Card. It offers 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months and on balance transfers for 21 months. (You must complete your balance transfers in the first four months from your account-opening date.) After the 21-month intro APR period on balance transfers ends, there’s a 14.74% – 24.74% Variable rate.  There’s a balance transfer fee of 5%, with a minimum charge of $5.

Read more: Citi Simplicity credit card review

To get the full benefit out of the Citi Simplicity® Card, you’ll want to make sure you pay off your balance before the 21-month introductory period is over. The key to using credit cards responsibly is to avoid carrying any debt, so the Citi Simplicity® Card can be a useful tool in your strategy to get back on track with good financial habits.

Read more:

• The best balance transfer credit cards
• 4 steps to take if you’re looking to pay down debt with a balance transfer credit card
• A 5-minute conversation with my grandmother helped me get out of the post-divorce debt that plagued me for years
• How a credit card balance transfer helped me pay off $5,000 of debt in one year

Best for intro APR offer: Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Pros: Long introductory APR period, earns 1.5% cash back on most purchases, pairs well with other Chase cards

Cons: You can get more cash back on bonus categories with other cards 

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a long introductory 0% APR period of 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, after which there’s a 14.99% – 23.74% Variable APR.

Not only does this card help you pay down credit card debt with a generous introductory APR period, but it also offers solid ongoing rewards. You’ll earn 5% cash back (5x points) on travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, 3% back (3x points) on drugstores and dining, and 1.5% back (1.5x points) on everything else with no cap.

Read more: Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card review

If you have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can combine your rewards balances and gain the option to redeem your rewards in more ways, including transferring points to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

Read more about the Chase Freedom Unlimited:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited card review
• Chase Freedom Flex versus Chase Freedom Unlimited card comparison
• How to turn cash back into Ultimate Rewards points with Chase cards
• Review of all three Chase Freedom cards

Best for cash back: Citi® Double Cash Card

Pros: Strong cash-back rate, solid intro APR offer, pairs well with other Citi cards

Cons: Some cards with bonus categories can get you more cash back on select purchases

Not only does the Citi® Double Cash Card offer one of the longest introductory APR periods, but it’s also a great option for earning cash back. In fact, it’s one of our top picks for the best cash-back cards thanks to its straightforward earning structure — you get 1% cash back when you make a purchase, and 1% back when you pay your bill. 

Read more: I redeemed over $600 in cash back from the Citi Double Cash this year, and I think it’s a great ‘gateway’ card if you’re new to credit card rewards

As a new cardholder, you get the first 18 months with 0% APR on balance transfers from the date of the first transfer (which must be completed in the first four months from account opening). After that, there’s a 13.99% – 23.99% Variable APR. 

While the Citi® Double Cash Card is a cash-back card, if you also have a premium Citi card like the Citi Premier® Card or the Citi Prestige® Card (no longer open to new applicants), you can combine your cash-back rewards with one of those accounts for the opportunity to redeem them as ThankYou points toward travel. 

However, starting March 28, 2022, the Double Cash card will earn Citi ThankYou points instead of cash back directly. But you can still redeem your points for cash back (as well as travel, gift cards, and more) and get the same rate of return.

Read more about the Citi Double Cash Card:

• Citi Double Cash Card review
• Why I finally got the Citi Double Cash Card
• Citi Double Cash versus Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Guide to the best Citi credit cards

Best for travel rewards: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Pros: High welcome bonus, strong rewards, good travel protections

Cons: Some other travel rewards cards offer more bonus points and added benefits

If you want to earn travel rewards, you’ll find that Chase Ultimate Rewards points are the most user-friendly of the various bank currencies, which are also referred to as transferable points because you can transfer them over to various airline and hotel partners. In the case of Chase points, you can redeem them with partners like British Airways, Hyatt, United Airlines, and Singapore Airlines, or you can book travel directly through Chase. If you choose the latter, your points are worth 1.25 cents apiece — a 25% bonus.

Read more: Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card review

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card starts you off with a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months. Those points are worth $750 in travel booked through Chase, or potentially even more if you decide to redeem with the program’s transfer partners. 

You’ll earn 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards (2x points on all other travel purchases), 3x points on dining, 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), 3x points on select streaming services, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. Beyond the rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers some valuable coverage benefits, including primary car rental insurance, trip delay insurance, and baggage delay insurance.

Recent updates to the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card include the addition of a 10% anniversary points bonus and up to $50 per year in statement credits for hotels booked through Chase. If you maximize this credit, you can shave off more than half of the card’s annual fee.

Read more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred card:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred versus the Chase Sapphire Reserve
• The Chase Sapphire Preferred card’s travel insurance has saved me over $4,000 — here’s why I’ll never cancel it
• 5 Chase Sapphire Preferred card benefits you should know about
• How to earn, redeem, and maximize Chase Ultimate Rewards points
• What purchases count as travel, dining, streaming, and grocery delivery with the new Chase Sapphire bonus categories?
• 8 lesser-known Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve benefits that can save you money — whether you’re at home or on the road

Best for bad credit: Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Pros: It’s an attainable option even if you have bad credit, and it earns rewards — which is rare for a secured card

Cons: Some secured cards have lower minimum deposit requirements

If you have a very limited credit history or are looking to repair bad credit, many of the cards on this list won’t be available to you. Most of the top rewards cards require credit scores in the 600s or higher — if that’s not where your credit is, you may need to consider a secured card to repair your credit. 

Secured credit cards are easy to get approved for because they require a cash deposit upfront, which minimizes the issuer’s risk. Your credit limit is equal to the cash deposit you put down. 

Read more: Discover it Secured credit card review

If a secured card seems like the right option for you, the Discover it® Secured is an especially good option, because it’s the rare secured card to offer rewards. You’ll Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of the first year. With this card, automatic reviews start at seven months to see if Discover can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.

Read more:

• Guide to the best credit cards for bad credit
• How to get a credit card with bad credit
• The best Discover credit cards

Best for fair credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Pros: Earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase, no foreign transaction fees

Cons: Other cards offer better rewards

Read more: Guide to the best credit cards for fair or average credit

If you have a credit score in the “fair” range (580-669, according to FICO), you have a good chance of being approved for this card. It offers a respectable 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and there are no foreign transaction fees. 

Best business credit card: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Pros: Big welcome bonus, great bonus categories for small businesses, benefits like cell phone protection

Cons: Large spending requirement to earn the bonus, bonus category spending is capped

Read more: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review

There are lots of great small-business credit cards, and if you travel constantly, it could be worth paying the high annual fee for a more premium option like The Business Platinum Card® from American Express. But if you just want a card that maximizes your returns in popular business spending categories, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a great choice. 

You’ll earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 you spend each cardmember year in select categories, including travel, shipping, internet/cable/phone, and advertising on social media sites or with search engines, such as Google Ads. Purchases after you reach $150,000, or in any other category, earn 1 point per dollar.

Read more about the Chase Ink Business Preferred card:

• Ink Business Preferred Credit Card review
• The Chase Ink Business Preferred just increased its cell phone protection to $3,000 per year — nearly double the previous coverage
• 5 ways to use 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points from the Ink Business Preferred credit card
• Chase Ink Business card comparison: Preferred versus Cash versus Unlimited
• Is the Ink Business Preferred better than the Chase Sapphire Reserve?
• Chase Sapphire Preferred versus Ink Business Preferred: Which travel rewards credit card is best for you?

Best for students: Discover it® Student Cash Back

Pros: Earns great cash back, no foreign transaction fee

Cons: Other cards offer a higher cash-back rate on non-bonus spending

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a pretty rewarding card. It offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of purchases in rotating bonus categories each quarter when you activate, and 1% back on everything else (from January 1 to March 31, 2022, you can earn 5% cash back at Grocery Stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and Fitness Club & Gym Memberships on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%). Discover will even match your cash-back earnings after your first cardmember year. Overall, this card is a great entry point into the world of cash-back rewards.

Read more: Discover it Student Cash Back card review

Other cards that we considered that just missed the cut

• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: You get a lot of perks, and solid rewards, in exchange for a $95 annual fee, but your options for redeeming Capital One miles for travel aren’t the most competitive due to having no US airline partners.
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: This new premium card offers a big welcome bonus and upscale travel benefits like airport lounge access, but the $395 annual fee might not be right for everyone.
• The Platinum Card® from American Express: While this premium card has a long list of travel benefits like airport lounge access, Uber credits, and complimentary hotel elite status that can cancel out the $695 annual fee (See Rates) if you put them to use, not everyone will be able to justify that cost.
• Chase Sapphire Reserve: The higher-end sibling of the Chase Sapphire Preferred is another card that offers some great high-end travel perks — like up to $300 in statement credits each year — but with a $550 annual fee it’s not the best travel card for everyone.
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card— It earns 4% cash back on dining, entertainment, and streaming services, plus 3% at grocery stores and 1% back on everything else, but many people prefer earning a higher rate of cash back on all their purchases without any bonus categories.
• Chase Freedom Flex℠ — This card can help you earn 5% cash back/5x points on rotating quarterly bonus categories (on up to $1,500 each quarter when you activate), but again not everyone wants to keep track of bonus categories, especially when they change several times throughout the year.
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — It earns 6% back on select US streaming subscriptions and 6% back on up to $6,000 spent at US supermarkets each year (then 1%), so it’s another solid option for those who want maximum cash back on select purchases rather than a higher rate of cash back on all purchases (cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars).
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business — It earns miles instead of cash back, but if you prefer travel rewards this card is a great option.
• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express — With a $695 annual fee (See Rates), it has lots of travel benefits that could be worth it if you’re constantly on the road.

Other Insider credit card guides

This guide highlights the best credit card option for several different types of users. If you want a to-the-point recommendation for maximizing your spending and enjoying benefits like an intro APR period, this guide will help you find a quick answer. However, if you want to go deeper, check out our in-depth credit card guides for the following categories:

• The best rewards credit cards
• The best cash-back credit cards
• The best travel rewards credit cards
• The best small-business credit cards
• The best no-annual-fee credit cards
• The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees
• The best credit cards for bad credit
• The best credit cards for average credit
• The best credit cards for students
• The best hotel credit cards
• The best airline credit cards
• The best credit cards for Amazon purchases
• The best credit cards for gas purchases
• The best credit cards for dining
• The best credit cards for grocery shopping

Methodology: How we chose the best credit cards for 2022

Our list of the best credit cards is the result of an in-depth comparison between credit cards in each sub-category. We looked at America’s largest credit card issuers, as well as cards frequently recommended by blogs, forums, and travel communities.

The values we prioritized when coming up with this list were:

• Simplicity — not everyone wants to invest lots of time and energy into maximizing their credit cards, so we focused on cards that make things as straightforward as possible
• Affordability — while there’s a case to be made for paying a high annual fee when you’re getting high value in return, most credit card users aren’t looking for a card that costs $450 or more
• Value — whether we’re talking about a credit card with or without an annual fee, it’s important that the benefits and features are worth it

Credit card frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Why should I get a credit card?

Credit cards can be powerful tools for improving your credit score and earning rewards — if you use them responsibly.  It’s important to only spend what you can afford to pay off each month so you don’t end up in debt and start amassing steep interest fees.

Read more: Using a credit card is as easy as swiping or tapping, but understanding how payments and interest work is key to staying out of debt

Provided you’re in a position to pay off your credit card statements and spend within your means, there are several reasons opening a credit card could be a good idea. For one, credit cards offer better fraud protection than debit cards or cash — if an unauthorized purchase is made with your card, you won’t be on the hook.

Using a credit card responsibly can also help you build and repair your credit, since your on-time payments will be reported to the credit bureaus. Finally, a credit card can help you maximize every dollar you spend, by earning you cash back, points, or miles. 

What is the best credit card?

It’s impossible to name just one best credit card, because there are so many options for so many different types of users. A credit card that earns travel rewards could be the best option for one person, but if you’re looking to earn cash back, you’ll be better served by another pick.

How do I choose a credit card?

Focus on your priorities, and be realistic about what cards you’re able to get approved for. Most of the top rewards cards require credit scores in the high 600s at a bare minimum, so if your credit score isn’t there yet, you’ll want to look at options for bad to fair credit scores so you can focus on building your credit back up. 

Read more: The best rewards credit card is different for everyone, and the best choice for you depends on 2 things

Beyond that, decide what annual fee you’re comfortable paying. Some people avoid paying credit card annual fees completely, and there are several great cards in the no-annual-fee category, but it could be worth paying a modest annual fee of $95 to $99 for a travel or cash-back card that earns you higher rewards. Also, decide whether you want to earn cash back or travel rewards. Keep in mind that redeeming rewards for travel is more work than simply getting cash back in your account – the payoff can be big, but focus on what is the best option for you.

How do I build credit with a credit card?

Your credit card use is a huge factor in determining your credit score — every on-time payment you make is reported to the credit bureaus and shows potential lenders that you’re able to use credit responsibly. The key to building credit with a credit card is to only spend what you can afford to pay off each month. 

How many credit cards should I have?

There’s no one answer to this question — it’s possible to have more than 20 cards and maintain an excellent credit score, but this would probably entail several annual fees. Go slowly, space out your applications, and never bite off more than you can chew. Make sure you’re able to pay off your balances in full each month, because earning rewards is never worth going into debt.

How do you apply for a credit card?

Nowadays, there are lots of different ways to apply for a credit card, including online, by phone, by mail, through the bank’s app, or in person at a bank branch.

Read more: 5 steps you should take when applying for a credit card

Regardless of how you choose to apply, you should have an idea of your credit score before you open a new card to be sure you have a chance of qualifying. In your application, you’ll be asked for personal details like your full name, address, date of birth, Social Security Number, and income. 

• Sarah Silbert is the Senior Reviews Editor at Personal Finance Insider. She oversees the vertical’s guides and reviews, covering topics including banking, credit cards, insurance, investing, and mortgages. Her goal is to empower readers to make smart, informed financial decisions. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). You can reach Sarah at [email protected] Learn more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services »

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