Credit Card Award Winners of 2023
As in many years, there’s been a mix of the good, the bad and the ugly economic circumstances for consumers — and we considered it all as we chose the winning credit cards for NerdWallet’s Best-Of Awards, 2023.
The good? Many credit card issuers are still offering sky-high bonuses for new cardholders, and some cards even added new perks. The bad (and sometimes ugly): inflation weighed on consumer’s household budgets and spending habits this year. But the good news is that the right credit cards can help you fight back against inflation by earning rich rewards, offering long 0% interest periods or including added perks that save you money.
Here are our top credit card offers for 2023, along with a few more options representing the best credit cards for specific needs.
Show summary
NerdWallet's Credit Card Award Winners of 2023
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card: Best for Simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for Bonus cash back
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for All-purpose travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for Premium travel card
BankAmericard® credit card: Best for Balance transfer
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best for Airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best for Hotel card
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for College students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for Building credit
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card: Best for Small business
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for Groceries
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for Dining
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for Entertainment
Citi Custom Cash® Card: Best for Gas
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card: Best for 0% APR for purchases
Credit Card Award Winners From Our Partners
Credit card | NerdWallet rating | Annual fee | Rewards rate | Intro offer | Learn more |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Find the right credit card for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
Simple cash back
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Bonus cash back
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023All-purpose travel rewards
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Premium travel card
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Balance transfer
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Airline card
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Hotel card
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023College students
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Building credit
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Small business
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023Groceries
Best credit cards for specific needsDining
Best credit cards for specific needsEntertainment
Best credit cards for specific needsGas
Best cards for specific needs0% APR for purchases
NerdWallet Credit Card Award Winners of 2023TO RECAP OUR EDITORIAL SELECTIONS
TOP CREDIT CARD OFFERS FOR 2023 | 2023's BEST CARDS FOR SPECIFIC NEEDS |
|---|---|
Best card for simple cash back Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card | Best small-business cash-back card The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card |
Best card for bonus cash back Chase Freedom Flex℠ | Best card for groceries Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
Best all-purpose travel rewards card Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Best card for dining U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card |
Best premium travel card Chase Sapphire Reserve® | Best card for entertainment Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card |
Best balance transfer card BankAmericard® credit card | Best card for gas Citi Custom Cash® Card |
Best 0% intro APR on purchases card Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | |
Best airline card Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card | |
Best hotel card World of Hyatt Credit Card | |
Best card for college students Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | |
Best card for building credit Discover it® Secured Credit Card |
PAST YEARS
Top 9 credit offers of 2022
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card : Best for simple cash back
Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for bonus cash back
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card : Best for basic travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve® : Best for travel perks
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card : Best for intro 0% APR and balance transfer
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card : Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card : Best hotel card
Discover it® Chrome : Best for students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card : Best for building credit
2022's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card : Best for entertainment
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card : Best for dining
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express : Best for groceries
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card : Best for small business
Top 10 credit card offers of 2021
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Chase Freedom Flex℠: Best for bonus cash back
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate travel rewards
American Express® Gold Card: Best for bonus travel rewards
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best for no-annual-fee travel rewards
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% intro APR and balance transfer
Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card: Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best hotel card
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best for college students
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2021's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Best for small-business cash back
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for groceries
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card: Best for dining out or ordering in
Prime Visa: Best for staying at home
Top 10 credit card offers of 2020
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Discover it® Cash Back: Best for bonus category cash back
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate travel rewards
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best for bonus travel rewards
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best for no-annual-fee travel rewards
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card: Best for balance transfers
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% intro APR
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best premium card
ABOC Platinum Rewards Mastercard® Credit Card: Best for fair credit
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2020's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Best for small-business cash back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for small-business travel
Discover it® Student Chrome: Best for college students
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students: Best for international students
United℠ Explorer Card: Best airline card
World of Hyatt Credit Card: Best hotel card
Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Mastercard®: Best store card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for families
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment
Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa® Card: Best for gas
Top 10 credit card offers of 2019
Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard®: Best for flat-rate travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for bonus travel rewards
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best for no-annual-fee travel
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
Discover it® Cash Back: Best for bonus cash back
Amex EveryDay® Credit Card: Best for balance transfers
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card: Best for 0% interest
Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Best premium card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for fair credit
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit
2019's best credit cards for specific needs
Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Best for small-business cash back
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Best for small-business travel
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students: Best for college students
Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card: Best airline card
Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card: Best hotel card
Prime Visa: Best store card
Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Best gas card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for families
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment
Top 10 credit card offers of 2018
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best flat-rate travel rewards card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best bonus category travel rewards card
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best flat-rate cash back card
Discover it® Cash Back: Best bonus category cash back card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best family card
Citi Simplicity® Card: Best 0% Intro APR card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for fair/average credit
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best card for building credit
Discover it® Student Cash Back: Best card for college students
SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express: Best small business card
Top 10 credit card offers of 2017
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best flat-rate travel rewards card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best bonus category travel rewards card
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best flat-rate cash back card
Chase Freedom®: Best bonus category cash back card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best card for everyday spending
Chase Slate®: Best card for balance transfers
Citi Simplicity® Card: Longest 0% Intro APR period
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best card for fair/average credit
Discover it® Student Cash Back: Best card for college students
Capital One Spark Cash for Business: Best small business card
Top 10 credit card offers of 2016
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Best for travel
(TIE) — Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Barclaycard Arrival Plus® World Elite Mastercard®: Easiest travel redemption
Citi Double Cash® Card: Best for cash back
Chase Freedom®: Best for bonus categories
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best for everyday spending
Chase Slate®: Best for balance transfers
Citi Simplicity® Card: Longest 0% Intro APR period
Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card for College Students: Best for students
Ink Plus® Business Credit Card: Best for business
Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard®: Best for fair/average credit
Last updated on November 22, 2023
Methodology
NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
About the author
