Best no annual fee credit cards of 2026

Maximize your rewards without breaking your budget. Get matched to credit cards from our partners based on your unique credit profile.^⍉

See your best matches

Pay no annual fee

No annual fees make it easy to start your credit journey with no upfront cost.

Get rewards with no annual fee

Put money back in your pocket with a credit card that offers rewards and no annual fee.

Save money with no annual fees

You don’t have to spend money to save money with these credit cards.

Browse categories

Cash back Rewards For bad credit For fair credit Balance transfer Secured Low interest Student Travel 0% intro APR No annual fee Intro bonus No foreign transaction fee Airline Hotel Gas For building credit For no credit

All no annual fee credit cards

Select state

Select credit score^Θ

Select issuer

74 partner offers

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Intro APR:	0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:	17.49% - 27.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

Apply View details

Rates and fees

Need help deciding?When comparing no annual fee credit cards, consider these factors before applying.

Annual percentage rate (APR)

The APR on credit cards is simply the interest rate the card issuer charges when you don’t pay off your balance in full each month. It doesn’t include the card’s annual fees or other fees you may be charged for using your card. There are several types of APR that can apply to credit cards including purchase, balance transfer and cash advance.

Intro bonus

A credit card intro bonus, also called a welcome bonus, is a benefit that credit card issuers offer new cardholders when they're approved for the new card. While some intro bonuses offer automatic rewards upon approval, most require you to spend a certain amount on eligible purchases in a given timeframe to qualify. Look for cards with a high intro bonus and a low spending requirement.

Rewards

Rewards credit cards reward you with cash back, points or miles equal to a percentage of each dollar you spend, which may be a rate of 1% to 2%. Some rewards credit cards reward spending in categories such as gas, groceries and dining at a significantly higher rate—3% to 6%, for example. Look for rewards that align with what you spend the most on.

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

Intro bonus:	You may be eligible for as high as $200 cash back after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new Card in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Cash back is received as Reward Dollars, redeemable for statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Terms Apply.
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Terms Apply

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:	$200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1.5% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card

Intro APR:	0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:	17.49%, 23.99%, or 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Discover it^® Chrome

Intro bonus:	INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards.
Intro APR:	0% intro APR for 6 Months on Purchases and 0% intro APR for 18 Months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:	17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:	1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card

Intro APR:	0% for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases
Ongoing APR:	16.49% - 27.24% (Variable)
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

Apply View details

Rates and fees

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Ongoing APR:	28.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	1.5% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card test test test

Intro bonus:	Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months
Intro APR:	0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:	14.99%-24.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

Intro bonus:	Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Intro APR:	0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:	18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:	2% (Cash Rewards)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Discover it^® Cash Back

Intro bonus:	INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Intro APR:	0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:	17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:	1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Avant^® Cashback Rewards Mastercard^®

Ongoing APR:	29.99%*
Rewards:	2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0*

View details

Rates and fees

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Ongoing APR:	28.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

American Airlines AAdvantage^® MileUp^® Card

Intro APR:	0% for 15 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:	19.49% - 29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

Apply View details

Rates and fees

(371 reviews)

Avant^® Mastercard^®

Ongoing APR:	35.99%*
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0*

View details

Rates and fees

Credit One Bank^® Secured Card

Ongoing APR:	29.99% Variable
Rewards:	1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Terms Apply

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:	$200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 months
Ongoing APR:	18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1% - 8% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Avant^® Cashback Rewards Mastercard^®

Ongoing APR:	35.99%*
Rewards:	1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0*

View details

Rates and fees

Costco Anywhere Visa^® Card by Citi

Ongoing APR:	18.74% - 26.74% (Variable)
Rewards:	1% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

Apply View details

Rates and fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:	20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1.25x - 5x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

First Latitude Secured Mastercard^® Cash Back Rewards

Ongoing APR:	27.49% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:	Earn $50 Cash Back when you spend $100 in the first three months
Ongoing APR:	18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1% - 8% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Ongoing APR:	29.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:	Earn $50 Cash Back when you spend $100 in the first three months
Ongoing APR:	18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1.5% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards for Good Credit

Ongoing APR:	28.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	1% - 8% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Hilton Honors American Express Card

Intro bonus:	Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points with the Hilton Honors American Express Card after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Ongoing APR:	19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:	3x - 7x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Terms Apply

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit

Ongoing APR:	28.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	1.5% - 5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Discover it^® Miles

Intro bonus:	UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles into 70,000 Miles.
Intro APR:	0% intro APR for 15 months on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:	17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR
Rewards:	1.5x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards for Good Credit

Ongoing APR:	28.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	1.25x - 5x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Credit One Bank^® Premier American Express^® Unlimited Rewards Card

Ongoing APR:	29.99% Variable
Rewards:	1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Terms Apply

Delta SkyMiles^® Blue American Express Card

Intro bonus:	Earn 10,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
Ongoing APR:	19.49%-28.49% Variable
Rewards:	1x - 2x (Miles per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Terms Apply

One Key™ Card

Intro bonus:	Earn $250 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia^®, Hotels.com^® and Vrbo^®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
Ongoing APR:	18.49%, 23.49%, or 28.49% Variable APR
Rewards:	1.5x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Citi^® Diamond Preferred^® Card

Intro APR:	0% for 21 months on Balance Transfers and 12 months on Purchases
Ongoing APR:	17.24% - 27.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

Apply View details

Rates and fees

Capital One^® Quicksilver^® Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	15.49% - 25.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1-10% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

USAA Credit Card

Intro bonus:	Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months - that's a $200 cash redemption value.
Ongoing APR:	19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR
Rewards:	1x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

One Key™ Card

Intro bonus:	Limited Time Offer: Earn $400 in OneKeyCash™ after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. OneKeyCash is not redeemable for cash and can only be used on Expedia^®, Hotels.com^® and Vrbo^®. To learn more, please refer to the One Key Terms and Conditions at www.expedia.com/one-key-terms.
Ongoing APR:	XX.XX%, XX.XX%, or XX.XX% Variable APR
Rewards:	1.5x - 3x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Citi Double Cash^® Card

Intro APR:	0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)
Rewards:	2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

Apply View details

Rates and fees

Avant^® Cashback Rewards Mastercard^®

Ongoing APR:	35.99%*
Rewards:	1% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0*

View details

Rates and fees

SoFi Credit Card

Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	17.99% - 29.99% Variable
Rewards:	2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Blue Cash Everyday^® Card from American Express

Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	15.24%-26.24% Variable
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Barclaycard Ring^® Mastercard^®

Ongoing APR:	14.24% Variable
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

LEND714 Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Gold World Elite™ MasterCard^®

Ongoing APR:	16.49% - 24.49% Variables
Rewards:	1% - 5-8% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$50 (waived for the first 12 months)

View details

MP11 - Test auto import with vind-914

Ongoing APR:	field_roa_apr_standard
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	field_roa_annual_fee_000

View details

Rates and fees

Sony^® Card from Capital One^®

Intro bonus:	N/A*
Intro APR:	N/A
Ongoing APR:	14.99% - 24.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	1x - 5x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Capital One^® Premier Dining Rewards Credit Card

Ongoing APR:	15.49% - 24.49% (Variable)
Rewards:	1% - 3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

MP13 - Test auto import with vind-914

Ongoing APR:	field_roa_apr_standard
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	field_roa_annual_fee_000

View details

Rates and fees

USAA^® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum^® Card

Ongoing APR:	8.65% - 25.65% Variable
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Discover it^® Secured

Ongoing APR:	24.99% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] First PREMIER^® Bank Mastercard^® Credit Card

Intro bonus:	Unlimited Cashback Match. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 14 months
Ongoing APR:	11.99% - 22.99% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Intro bonus:	Earn $300 in welcome bonuses with a limited-time $100 Capital One Travel credit, plus earn $200 cash bonus with $500 spend within 3 months from account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	18.99% - 28.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card TESTV6

Intro bonus:	$200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	7% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	N/A

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Capital One Platinum Credit CardTESTV6

Ongoing APR:	29.99% (Variable)
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	N/A

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Discover it^® chrome

Intro bonus:	Earn
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 14 months
Ongoing APR:	14.24% - 25.24% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Terms Apply

[TEST] GenAI Summary Test Bank of America^® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

[TEST] Discover it^® Secured

Ongoing APR:	25.24% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Discover it^® Secured

Ongoing APR:	25.24% Variable
Rewards:	1% - 2% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2071-001

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2071-002

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2071-003

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2071-005

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2071-006

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2073-001

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2073-0015

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2073-002

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2073-003

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-2073-004

Intro bonus:	Earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	3% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Wells Fargo Reflect^® Card

Intro APR:	0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
Ongoing APR:	17.24%, 23.74%, or 28.99% Variable APR
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Discover it^® Student Cash Back

Intro bonus:	N/A*
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and 10.99% on Balance Transfers for 6 months
Ongoing APR:	17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] SAMU-1600-001

Intro bonus:	Intro bonus
Intro APR:	11
Ongoing APR:	111
Rewards:	1% (Cash Rewards)
Annual Fee:	1111

View details

Rates and fees

Short Disclaimer

Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card

Intro bonus:	110$
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 28.24% Variable
Rewards:	10x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

S Disclaimer text_updated

[TEST] SAMU-1959-003

Intro bonus:	N/A*
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and 10.99% on Balance Transfers for 6 months
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards:	N/A*
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Citi Rewards+^® Card

Intro bonus:	Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
Ongoing APR:	17.74% - 27.74% (Variable)
Rewards:	5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] Discover it^® Cash Back

Intro bonus:	Dollar-for-dollar match of all cash back earned the first year
Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months
Ongoing APR:	18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards:	5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

[TEST] U.S. Bank Smartly™ Visa Signature^® Card

Intro APR:	0% on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 12 billing cycles
Ongoing APR:	18.49% - 28.74% Variable
Rewards:	5% (cash back)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

USAA^® Rewards™ Visa Signature^® Card

Ongoing APR:	12.15% - 28.15% Variable
Rewards:	1x - 2x (Points per dollar)
Annual Fee:	$0

View details

Rates and fees

Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed on this page are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the banks, lenders and credit card companies.

*For complete information, see the offer terms and conditions on the issuer or partner’s website. Once you click apply you will be directed to the issuer or partner’s website where you may review the terms and conditions of the offer before applying. We show a summary, not the full legal terms – and before applying you should understand the full terms of the offer as stated by the issuer or partner itself. While Experian Consumer Services uses reasonable efforts to present the most accurate information, all offer information is presented without warranty.

Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party companies that may compensate Experian Consumer Services when consumers engage with them, for example, by clicking an offer link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened. This compensation may impact how, where, and in what order the products appear on this site. The offers on the site do not represent all available financial services, companies, or products.

Credit scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any offer.

How to find the best no annual fee credit card

Know your spending habits

Choose a card that matches your financial needs.

Look for the best rewards

See which card will earn you more on what you already buy.

Consider a 0% APR card

Make a big purchase and save on interest for a year or more.

Start with your FICO^® Score^Θ and see card offers matched to your credit profile.

Get started for free

Frequently asked questions

An annual fee is a yearly charge that some credit cards charge to borrowers. When you sign up for a credit card that has an annual fee, you'll be required to pay the annual fee when you first receive your credit card (though some credit cards waive the first year's fee as a new applicant perk). Then, you'll pay the annual fee again each cardholder anniversary. Annual fees can range from $39 to upwards of $500.

There are two main reasons that a credit card may include an annual fee.

First, some credit cards offer highly desirable perks, such as valuable cash back, miles, points or other rewards benefits. The annual fee helps the credit card issuer offset the cost of these competitive benefits. As a borrower, you might find that the value you get out of these rewards is enough to justify paying the annual fee.

Second, some credit cards tailored to borrowers with no credit history or with poor credit charge an annual fee. While these credit-building credit cards may not offer the same rewards that other annual fee cards do, you may decide to go this route in order to improve your credit. That said, you can also build your credit with a secured credit card, which may not include an annual fee.

You'll typically pay the annual fee on a new credit card within the first month after you sign up for the card. Then, you'll be charged the annual fee as a lump sum once every 12 months. The annual fee will show up as a charge on your credit card statement.

No annual fee means that a credit card doesn't charge you a yearly fee simply for using your card. This can offer you more flexibility, as you won't need to get the most use out of your card in order to compensate for the cost of keeping it open.

On the other hand, no annual fee cards can have other types of credit card fees, such as regular purchase APR, foreign transaction fees or returned payment fees. What makes these charges different is that, unlike if a card charges an annual fee, you can avoid paying if you don't carry a credit card balance and read the credit card agreement to understand the terms before you use your card.

While it can sometimes be the case that a no annual fee card doesn't offer the same beefy rewards as one with a yearly charge, this isn't always true. You can find a no annual fee card with the rewards that add the most value to your spending.

For example, you can find a credit card with cash back rewards for the spending you already do. Or, you can find a credit card with a hefty intro bonus and 0% APR introductory period to make the most out of a large purchase. Ultimately, you should apply for the credit card that offers you the highest overall value.

While there's no guarantee that you'll be able to get your card's annual fee waived, it doesn't hurt to try. You may be able to leverage your relationship with your credit card company to ask them to waive the fee. For example, if you call your credit card company and explain that you're considering closing your card because it's too expensive to keep it open, they may offer to waive the fee for a year in order to keep your business.

Here are two main reasons to choose a no annual fee credit card:

You don't feel comfortable paying an annual fee. Whether you're a big credit card spender or not, you may just not like the idea of paying a charge simply to have a certain credit card. Fortunately, there are no shortage of no annual fee credit card options to choose from.
You don't use the credit card often enough to justify paying a fee. Maybe you only use your credit card once in a blue moon or keep it in your wallet as an emergency only payment option. If that's the case, paying an annual fee could mean taking a financial loss each year. A no annual fee card would work just as well for you, and you wouldn't have to worry about the yearly expense.

Yes, it's possible to get a credit card with no annual fee if you have bad credit. That said, your options will be more limited. You should consider looking for no annual fee cards specifically designed for applicants who need to improve their credit.

Credit support

Credit advice

Identity Theft support

Identity Theft Advice

Money advice

Credit Card advice

Loan types

Loan advice

Auto Insurance Advice

Best no annual fee credit cards of 2026

Browse categories

All no annual fee credit cards

74 partner offers

Annual percentage rate (APR)

Intro bonus

Rewards

How to find the best no annual fee credit card

Know your spending habits

Look for the best rewards

Consider a 0% APR card

Frequently asked questions

What is an annual fee?

Why do some credit cards have an annual fee?

When do you pay an annual fee on a credit card?

What does "no annual fee" mean?

What features should you look for in a no annual fee credit card?

How do I get my credit card annual fee waived?

Why should I choose a no annual fee credit card?

Can I get a credit card with no annual fee if I have bad credit?

Learn more about credit cards