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Best credit cards with no annual fee for December 2024
The best no-annual-fee credit cards don’t charge cardmembers a yearly membership cost, making it easy to take advantage of valuable rewards and benefits. These cards don’t always come with premium perks, but they can be your go-to options for making everyday purchases.
Best no-annual-fee credit card for travel
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 within the first 3 months
- Rewards rate
- 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 1.25x miles on all other purchases
Why we like it: The Capital One VentureOne provides an elevated base rewards rate for earning travel rewards on all your eligible purchases. You also don’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees, making this an excellent all-around travel card.
Related: Check out our list of the best travel credit cards available
Other recommended travel cards with no annual fee
Best no-annual-fee credit card for cash back
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months
- Rewards rate
- 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or on Amazon.com at checkout
Why we like it: The Amex Blue Cash Everyday has high earning potential in multiple everyday spending categories, allowing you to earn plenty of cash back (received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit) on purchases you already make. You can also receive $7 back each month after spending $9.99+ monthly on eligible Disney Bundle subscriptions (enrollment required).
Read more: Here are our picks for the best cash-back credit cards
Other recommended cash-back cards with no annual fee
Read our full review of the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card
Read our review of the Discover it Cash Back card
Best no-annual-fee credit card for 0% intro APR offers
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back
- Introductory Purchases APR0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
- Ongoing Purchases APR19.74% - 28.49% Variable
- Introductory Balance Transfer APR0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
- Ongoing Balance Transfer APR19.74% - 28.49% Variable
Why we like it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited provides multiple 0% intro APR offers on top of an elevated cash-back rewards rate. You also get the security of useful Chase purchase protection and travel insurance benefits.
Related: The best 0% APR credit cards
Other recommended 0% intro APR cards with no annual fee
Read our full Capital One Savor Cash Rewards review
Best no-annual-fee credit card for small business owners
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offer15,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $3,000 in first 3 months
- Rewards rate2x points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners (applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1x after that). Terms and limitations apply.
Why we like it: The Amex Blue Business Plus provides straightforward rewards, no annual fee, and a generous intro APR offer on purchases — so what’s not to like for business owners? However, if you prefer earning cash back rather than travel rewards, consider the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card.
Related: Check out our picks for the best business credit cards
Other recommended business cards with no annual fee
Read our full review of the Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards card
Best no-annual-fee credit card for building credit
- Annual fee$0
- Rewards rate1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Benefits
- Earn a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account
- A total balance of at least $250 in Chase checking or savings accounts can increase your chances of approval
- Track your credit score with Chase Credit Journey
Why we like it: With the Chase Freedom Rise*, you can build your credit while earning valuable cash back in the Chase rewards program. We also like how having at least $250 in a Chase checking or savings account can increase your approval odds.
*All information about Chase Freedom Rise has been collected independently by and is no longer available through Yahoo Finance.
Other recommended credit-builder cards with no annual fee
Check out our full review of the Discover it Secured card
Best no-annual-fee credit card for grocery rewards
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn $250 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Rewards rate
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Why we like it: The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards has one of the best rewards rates available for everyday expenses. If your typical spending habits align with its bonus categories, there’s likely no better $0-annual-fee card for you on the market.
Related: The best credit cards for groceries
Other recommended grocery cards with no annual fee
Read our full review of the Citi Custom Cash card
Best no-annual-fee credit card for restaurant rewards
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn $250 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Rewards rate
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Why we like it: Multiple rewards credit cards provide elevated rates on restaurant and dining purchases, but the Capital One Savor does that and some more. This card is hard to beat for everyday spending, especially with no annual fee.
Check out our picks for the best credit cards for restaurants
Other recommended restaurant cards with no annual fee
Best no-annual-fee credit card for students
- Annual fee$0
- Welcome offerEarn a $50 cash bonus after spending $100 on purchases within the first 3 months
- Rewards rate
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
Why we like it: This is essentially the Savor Cash Rewards, but exclusively for students, making it a high-quality card for first-time credit users. The Capital One Savor Student provides the same elevated earning potential on everyday purchases and doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.
Learn more: The best student credit cards
Other recommended student cards with no annual fee
How does a no-annual-fee credit card work?
While not a requirement, many credit card companies charge annual fees on some of their card offerings. These fees act like a yearly membership cost for cardholders — you pay the fee and you get to take advantage of a card’s benefits, such as building credit or earning rewards.
A no-annual-fee card doesn’t charge the yearly membership cost. That means you can use a card and its benefits without worrying about an annual expense.
The tradeoff is that no-annual-fee cards tend to come with fewer perks and benefits. However, there’s still plenty of value to gain from using these cards, such as earning rewards and taking advantage of 0% introductory APR offers on purchases and balance transfers.
Pros and cons of no-annual-fee credit cards
| Pros | Cons |
| -No annual membership cost -Can help build your credit -Easier approval odds compared to some premium credit cards -Lower welcome bonus spending requirements | -Less generous welcome bonuses -Lower rewards rates -Fewer benefits |
Should I open a no-annual-fee credit card?
We recommend no-annual-fee credit cards to anyone who wants a low-cost way to earn rewards, use 0% intro APR offers, and/or improve their credit score. You can hold onto these cards for a long time, possibly forever, because there’s no cardmember cost, and it can help your credit history.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for no-annual-fee credit cards
Who has the best credit card with no annual fee?
Here are some of the best no-annual-fee cards from major credit card issuers:
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American Express: Amex Blue Cash Everyday
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Bank of America: Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards
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Barclays: Wyndham Rewards Earner® Plus Card
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Capital One: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards
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Chase: Chase Freedom Unlimited
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Citi: Citi Custom Cash
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Discover: Discover it Cash Back
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U.S. Bank: U.S. Bank Altitude Go Card
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Wells Fargo: Wells Fargo Autograph
Do all business credit cards have an annual fee?
No, not all business credit cards have an annual fee. These are some of the best business credit cards with no annual fee:
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American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
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Bank of America® Business Advantage Customized Cash Rewards Mastercard®
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Signify Business Cash℠ Card by Wells Fargo
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U.S. Bank Triple Cash Rewards Visa® Business Card
What no-annual-fee credit card should I consider getting?
These are the best credit cards with no annual fee:
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Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express: Best for cash back
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Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for restaurant and grocery rewards
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Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for students
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Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: Best for travel and gas rewards
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Chase Freedom Rise: Best for building credit
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Chase Freedom Unlimited: Best for 0% intro APR offers
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The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best for small business owners
Our methodology
We compiled lists of credit cards from major card issuers to create multiple rubrics for different types of credit cards, including cash-back, business, 0% APR, student, and travel credit cards. Cards in each category were given ratings based on different criteria, such as annual fees, rewards, and benefits.
We used these existing lists and ratings to compare cards with no annual fee in their respective categories. The cards with the highest ratings and the backing of our personal opinions (based on our experience and expertise) formed this page's list of credit card offers.
This article was edited by Rebecca McCracken
Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn't include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
