Today I will be reviewing the top 12 best credit cards with no annual fees. Paying an annual fee on a credit card can be worth it only if it gets you substantially higher rewards. But in many cases, credit cards that don’t charge annual fees offer better long-term value than those that do.
Credits cards with no annual fees make it easy to come out ahead, regardless of your spending. Plus, you’ll be able to keep your card open for a long time at no cost, increasing the average age of your accounts, which has a positive effect on your credit score.
Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees For 2025
The following is a comprehensive list of the top 12 Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees for 2025
- Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for Flat-rate cash back
- Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer: Best for Flat-rate cash back
- Discover it® Cash Back: Best for Bonus category cash back
- Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for Bonus category cash back
- Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card: Best for Travel rewards
- Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card: Best for 0% intro APR period
- U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% intro APR period
- Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Dining and entertainment rewards
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for Dining rewards
- American Airlines AAdvantage MileUp℠ Card: Best for Airline card
- Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best for Hotel card
- Ink Business Cash® Credit Card: Best for Small business
1. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Number 1 pick for Best Credit Cards With No Annual Fees 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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 2025 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.
