Best Credit Cards of May 2026
We've reviewed hundreds of credit cards to find the best overall options — from flat-rate cash back to premium travel rewards. Updated monthly.
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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
2%
Unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Intro offer
$200
Credit needed
670–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Regular APR
18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% Variable
Why we picked it
- Flat 2% cash rewards on every purchase with no category tracking
- No annual fee keeps your rewards truly free
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (balance transfers must be made within 120 days)
- Cell phone protection up to $600 per claim when you pay your monthly bill with the card
Chase Freedom Flex®
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1% – 5%
5% on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1
Intro offer
$200
Credit needed
670–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
Regular APR
18.24% – 29.99% Variable
Why we picked it
- Up to 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter you activate (Q2 2026: Amazon, Whole Foods Market, Chase Travel, and Feeding America), on the first $1,500 in combined purchases
- 3% on dining (including takeout & delivery) and drugstores year-round, plus 5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
- Points pool with a Chase Sapphire card for 25%+ higher redemption value on Chase Travel bookings
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5% – 5%
5% on Chase Travel
Intro offer
$200
Credit needed
670–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
Regular APR
18.24% – 27.74% Variable
Why we picked it
- 1.5% unlimited cash back on every purchase — no categories to track
- 5% on travel through Chase Travel and 3% on dining (including takeout) and drugstores
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers — well above the ~11.6-month industry average
- Points pool with a Chase Sapphire card for higher redemption value on Chase Travel bookings
Citi Double Cash® Card
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
2%
2% on every purchase — 1% when you buy
Intro offer
$200
Credit needed
670–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers (transfers must be completed within 4 months of account opening; no intro APR on purchases)
Regular APR
18.24% – 28.24% Variable
Why we picked it
- Flat 2% cash back on every purchase (1% when you buy, 1% when you pay) with no caps or category tracking
- 3% back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel
- 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers — among the longest offers on the market (3% intro balance transfer fee for the first 4 months, then 5%); note: no intro APR on purchases
- No annual fee; ThankYou points can be paired with a Citi Strata Premier for 1:1 transfers to 18+ partners — including American AAdvantage, which Citi added as a transfer partner in 2025
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Annual fee
$95
Rewards rate
1x – 5x
5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel (excl. hotel credit purchases)
Intro offer
75,000 points
Credit needed
690–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
19.24% – 27.49% Variable
Why we picked it
- 75,000 point welcome bonus worth $750+ in travel through Chase Travel (or $1,500+ when transferred strategically — TPG values Chase points at ~2.05¢ each)
- Points redeem for 25% more when booked through Chase Travel (1.25¢ per point)
- $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit; note: the 10% anniversary points boost is ending October 1, 2026
- Transfer 1:1 to 14 airline and hotel partners including United MileagePlus, Southwest, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and Hyatt — and as of Jan 22, 2026 you can hold both the Preferred and Reserve and earn a welcome bonus on each
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee
$395
Rewards rate
2x – 10x
10x on hotels & rental cars via Capital One Travel
Intro offer
75,000 miles
Credit needed
740–850 (Excellent)
Intro APR
N/A
Regular APR
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Why we picked it
- $300 annual travel credit (via Capital One Travel) + 10,000 anniversary bonus miles ($100 value) — offsets most of the $395 annual fee
- Primary cardholder access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide via Capital One Lounges, Capital One Landings, and Priority Pass — note: effective Feb 1, 2026, guests cost $45/adult ($25/child) and authorized users pay $125, unless you spend $75K+ on the card annually
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit (up to $120 every 4 years)
- Transfer miles 1:1 to 18+ airline partners (including Air Canada Aeroplan, Virgin Atlantic, Air France/KLM Flying Blue) and 4 hotel partners
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Annual fee
$0 intro first year, then $95
Rewards rate
1% – 6%
6% at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6
Intro offer
$300
Credit needed
670–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers (balance transfers must be requested within 60 days of account opening)
Regular APR
19.49% – 28.49% Variable
Why we picked it
- 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000/year, then 1%) — up to $360 back annually
- 6% back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions plus up to $120/yr Disney Bundle credit (Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+)
- $0 intro annual fee the first year, then $95 — effectively risk-free trial
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers (BTs must be made within 60 days)
American Express® Gold Card
Annual fee
$325
Rewards rate
1x – 5x
4x at restaurants worldwide (up to $50
Intro offer
Up to 100,000 points
Credit needed
690–850 (Good – Excellent)
Intro APR
N/A (charge card with Pay Over Time option)
Regular APR
19.49% – 28.49% Variable (on Pay Over Time balances)
Why we picked it
- Welcome offer as high as 100,000 points after $8,000 spend — worth $2,000+ when transferred strategically to airline partners (per TPG April 2026 valuations)
- 4x points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000/yr, then 1x), plus a refreshed 5x on prepaid hotels via AmexTravel.com
- $120 Dining Credit (Grubhub/Seamless, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder — refreshed April 2026), $120 Uber Cash, $100 Resy Credit, $84 Dunkin’ Credit, and complimentary Hertz Five Star status — over $400 in annual value
- Transfer 1:1 to 20+ Membership Rewards partners including Delta SkyMiles, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Hilton Honors
Our Methodology
We evaluate credit cards based on rewards value, fees, APR, sign-up bonuses, and consumer protections. Our data is researched monthly using publicly available issuer information and cross-referenced with trusted financial sources including Bankrate, NerdWallet, and The Points Guy. Ratings reflect our editorial assessment and are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Data last verified: May 20, 2026