Top 12 Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees [2023]

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Flat-rate cash back

Among flat-rate cash-back cards, you’ll be hard-pressed to beat the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It earns an unlimited 2% back on all purchases, which is excellent. But in addition, the card offers a rich sign-up bonus and a generous 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers. That’s an impressive, hard-to-find combination of features on a card with a $0 annual fee. Read further review.

2. Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

Number 2 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Flat-rate cash back

Year after year, the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer has been our choice for the best flat-rate cash-back card. You earn 2% cash back on every purchase — 1% when you buy something and 1% when you pay it off. There’s no 0% intro period for purchases and no sign-up bonus, but the high rewards rate more than makes up for the lack of bells and whistles. Read further review.

3. Discover it® Cash Back

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Bonus category cash back

The Discover it® Cash Back earns bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate. In past years, those categories have included common spending areas like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and Amazon.com. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending aligns with those categories (and for most households, it probably will), you can rake in serious rewards. You also get the issuer’s signature “cash-back match” bonus in your first year. Read further review.

4. Chase Freedom Flex℠

Number 2 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Bonus category cash back

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There’s a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and a 0% intro APR period, too. Read further review.

5. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Dining rewards

The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is perhaps the most cost-effective restaurant card on the market, earning a whopping 4 points per dollar on dining purchases including takeout and delivery. You can find higher rates on dining, but not on cards with no annual fee. Read further review. 

6. Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Travel rewards

One of the best no-annual-fee travel cards available, the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card gives you a solid rewards rate on every purchase, with points that can be redeemed for any travel purchase, without the restrictions of branded airline and hotel cards. Bank of America® has an expansive definition of “travel,” too, giving you additional flexibility in how you use your rewards. Read our review.

7. Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees  for % intro APR period

The Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card has one of the longest 0% intro APR periods on the market — potentially approaching almost two years, if you meet on-time minimum payment requirements. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a longer interest-free promotion, and it applies to both purchases and balance transfers. Read further review.

8. U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card

Number 2 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for 0% intro APR period

A lengthy 0% introductory APR period for both purchases and balance transfers has made the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card a NerdWallet favorite. Read further review.

9. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Dining and entertainment rewards

Love the night life but dead-set against paying an annual fee? Consider the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. It pays a lower cash-back rate on dining and entertainment than the regular Savor card, but the rewards are nevertheless quite good. The sign-up bonus is smaller than on the annual-fee version, too, but it’s still solid. Read further review.

10. Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Airline card

To unlock the most valuable perks of airline credit cards, you’ll have to pay an annual fee. But if you’re a leisure traveler just hoping to earn airline miles in the background, it’s hard to do better than the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card. Read further review.

11. Hilton Honors American Express Card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Hotel card

The Hilton Honors American Express Card earns bonus rewards on Hilton stays and in common everyday categories. You also get automatic Silver status. Terms apply. Read further review.

12. Ink Business Cash® Credit Card

Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2022 for Small business

If your business’s spending matches the bonus categories on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, you can rack up some serious cash back. (If not, then look elsewhere.) There’s an excellent sign-up bonus for a no-annual-fee cash-back card, plus an introductory APR period for purchases.