December 22, 2022
*Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author’s opinions and recommendations alone. It may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through a credit card issuer partnership.
This article was last updated December 22, 2022 . Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is our top pick for the overall best Visa credit card. With a generous cash back program, a valuable sign-up bonus, an introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers and a $0 annual fee, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers consumers significant value.
Visa is so well known that the company name is almost synonymous with “credit card.” But Visa doesn’t actually issue credit cards — instead, Visa is a payment network, and numerous banks and credit unions issue credit cards on this network. While you may occasionally encounter merchants that don’t accept American Express and Discover, cards on the Visa network (like cards on the competing Mastercard network) are widely accepted in the United States and abroad. To make sure you’re never caught unable to pay, having a Visa in your wallet is a smart move.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — that’s a hard flat rate to beat.
Plus, earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. You can easily hit that spending target by putting about $333.33 in purchases per month on the card.
If you’re planning a large purchase, enjoy a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases. After, a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR applies. There’s also a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, after which a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR applies. The balance transfer fee is 3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%; min: $5.
In terms of further fees, you’ll pay a $0 annual fee to carry the card — unfortunately, though, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee, so leave the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card at home if you’re traveling abroad and take a card with no foreign transaction fee.
If you don’t like having to activate rotating categories or worry about earning elevated rates on some purchases and less stellar rates on others, you’ll love the simplicity offered by the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. Get the same great cash back rate no matter what type of purchase you’re making.
Plus, if you need an intro APR period — whether for a big purchase or to transfer debt from a non-Wells Fargo credit card — the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has that too. One thing to note before applying, however, is that you might not be eligible for the card’s intro APR or sign-up bonus if you’ve opened any other Wells Fargo credit card within the past 15 months. And if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past six months, you might be denied when you apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases — that’s a hard flat rate to beat.
Plus, earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. You can easily hit that spending target by putting about $333.33 in purchases per month on the card.
If you’re planning a large purchase, enjoy a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases. After, a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR applies. There’s also a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, after which a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR applies. The balance transfer fee is 3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%; min: $5.
In terms of further fees, you’ll pay a $0 annual fee to carry the card — unfortunately, though, there is a 3% foreign transaction fee, so leave the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card at home if you’re traveling abroad and take a card with no foreign transaction fee.
If you don’t like having to activate rotating categories or worry about earning elevated rates on some purchases and less stellar rates on others, you’ll love the simplicity offered by the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. Get the same great cash back rate no matter what type of purchase you’re making.
Plus, if you need an intro APR period — whether for a big purchase or to transfer debt from a non-Wells Fargo credit card — the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has that too. One thing to note before applying, however, is that you might not be eligible for the card’s intro APR or sign-up bonus if you’ve opened any other Wells Fargo credit card within the past 15 months. And if you’ve opened a Wells Fargo credit card in the past six months, you might be denied when you apply for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card.
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers exceptionally long intro APR periods on purchases and balance transfers. Enjoy a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on Purchases, after which a 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR applies. That’s almost two years of paying no interest on new purchases.
Plus, get a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on Balance Transfers, after which a 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR applies. The balance transfer fee is either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater. This is a generous amount of time to pay off high-interest debt transferred from another card.
With a $0 annual fee, it doesn’t cost you anything to have the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card.
Still, you’ll want to leave this one at home if traveling abroad: The foreign transaction fee is 2% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in U.S. Dollars; 3% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in a Foreign Currency.
There are no rewards or sign-up bonuses with this card.
For consumers who need a long interest-free period, the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is an exceptional tool. If you need to transfer debt from a non-U.S. Bank credit card and know you’ll need a long time to pay off your balance, this is probably the card for you. Plus, the balance transfer fee is quite reasonable.
If you need to make a big purchase, this card is also a great choice. However, consumers who can work with a shorter intro APR period might wish to look at a card that also offers a sign-up bonus, which the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card does not. In this case, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is worth considering.
The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers exceptionally long intro APR periods on purchases and balance transfers. Enjoy a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on Purchases, after which a 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR applies. That’s almost two years of paying no interest on new purchases.
Plus, get a 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on Balance Transfers, after which a 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR applies. The balance transfer fee is either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater. This is a generous amount of time to pay off high-interest debt transferred from another card.
With a $0 annual fee, it doesn’t cost you anything to have the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card.
Still, you’ll want to leave this one at home if traveling abroad: The foreign transaction fee is 2% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in U.S. Dollars; 3% of each foreign purchase transaction or foreign ATM advance transaction in a Foreign Currency.
There are no rewards or sign-up bonuses with this card.
For consumers who need a long interest-free period, the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card is an exceptional tool. If you need to transfer debt from a non-U.S. Bank credit card and know you’ll need a long time to pay off your balance, this is probably the card for you. Plus, the balance transfer fee is quite reasonable.
If you need to make a big purchase, this card is also a great choice. However, consumers who can work with a shorter intro APR period might wish to look at a card that also offers a sign-up bonus, which the U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card does not. In this case, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is worth considering.
For ongoing rewards, cardholders earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases. 1X on other purchases. Points are worth 25% more value when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.
As for the sign-up bonus, this is where the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card really stands out: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There’s a $95 annual fee, but the value of the sign-up bonus more than recoups that amount during the first year. The foreign transaction fee is $0, so this is an excellent card to take when traveling abroad.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a 20.49% - 27.49% variable APR.
If you’re looking for a big sign-up bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card should be at the front of your mind. But know your 5/24 status before applying — the unwritten Chase 5/24 rule means that if you’ve been approved for five or more credit cards from any issuers in the past 24 months, Chase will deny you.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is also excellent for consumers who travel frequently, but don’t want to shell out for an expensive luxury card likes the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. With a reasonable $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers robust travel protections and flexible redemptions.
If you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, you get 25% more value per point. And if you prefer to transfer your points and book travel with an airline or hotel loyalty program you’re a member of, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card lets you transfer points 1:1 to the following travel partners:
For ongoing rewards, cardholders earn 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases. 1X on other purchases. Points are worth 25% more value when redeemed for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal.
As for the sign-up bonus, this is where the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card really stands out: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There’s a $95 annual fee, but the value of the sign-up bonus more than recoups that amount during the first year. The foreign transaction fee is $0, so this is an excellent card to take when traveling abroad.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card comes with a 20.49% - 27.49% variable APR.
If you’re looking for a big sign-up bonus, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card should be at the front of your mind. But know your 5/24 status before applying — the unwritten Chase 5/24 rule means that if you’ve been approved for five or more credit cards from any issuers in the past 24 months, Chase will deny you.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is also excellent for consumers who travel frequently, but don’t want to shell out for an expensive luxury card likes the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. With a reasonable $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers robust travel protections and flexible redemptions.
If you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, you get 25% more value per point. And if you prefer to transfer your points and book travel with an airline or hotel loyalty program you’re a member of, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card lets you transfer points 1:1 to the following travel partners:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders earn 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The sign-up bonus is a valuable one if you’re able to meet the spend requirement: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
There’s a $95 annual fee, though you can recoup that amount through the sign-up bonus during the first year. Take this card with you when you travel without worrying about a foreign transaction fee — there is none.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with a 20.74% - 28.74% (variable) APR.
If you don’t want to worry about earning more on some purchases and less on others, you’ll appreciate that this travel card offers 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Plus, you have flexibility in how you use your miles — you can use them to cover past travel purchases, book new travel on capitalone.com or through the Capital One Rewards Center or transfer them to the following travel partners:
Transfers will have a rate of 1:1, 2:1.5 or 2:1 depending on the specific partner.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders earn 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
The sign-up bonus is a valuable one if you’re able to meet the spend requirement: Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
There’s a $95 annual fee, though you can recoup that amount through the sign-up bonus during the first year. Take this card with you when you travel without worrying about a foreign transaction fee — there is none.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card comes with a 20.74% - 28.74% (variable) APR.
If you don’t want to worry about earning more on some purchases and less on others, you’ll appreciate that this travel card offers 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Plus, you have flexibility in how you use your miles — you can use them to cover past travel purchases, book new travel on capitalone.com or through the Capital One Rewards Center or transfer them to the following travel partners:
Transfers will have a rate of 1:1, 2:1.5 or 2:1 depending on the specific partner.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $300 travel credit each account anniversary year. Put travel purchases on the card and automatically receive reimbursements in the form of statement credits.
Take this card abroad with you, knowing that the foreign transaction fee is $0.
For ongoing rewards: earn 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card offers the following sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There is a hefty $550 annual fee, but if you use the $300 travel credit each year, that already goes a long way toward offsetting the annual fee. The card’s APR is 21.24% - 28.24% variable.
This is Chase’s flagship premium travel card. If you’re a globetrotter who likes to travel in luxury, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth its $550 annual fee. It offers a $300 annual travel credit and a lengthy list of travel benefits — such as complimentary airport lounge access with a Priority Pass™ Select once you enroll.
Plus, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers flexibility in how you redeem your rewards. If you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you’ll get 50% more value per point. Or, you can transfer your points at a 1:1 value to the same airline and hotel partners offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a $300 travel credit each account anniversary year. Put travel purchases on the card and automatically receive reimbursements in the form of statement credits.
Take this card abroad with you, knowing that the foreign transaction fee is $0.
For ongoing rewards: earn 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® card offers the following sign-up bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
There is a hefty $550 annual fee, but if you use the $300 travel credit each year, that already goes a long way toward offsetting the annual fee. The card’s APR is 21.24% - 28.24% variable.
This is Chase’s flagship premium travel card. If you’re a globetrotter who likes to travel in luxury, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is worth its $550 annual fee. It offers a $300 annual travel credit and a lengthy list of travel benefits — such as complimentary airport lounge access with a Priority Pass™ Select once you enroll.
Plus, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offers flexibility in how you redeem your rewards. If you book travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards®, you’ll get 50% more value per point. Or, you can transfer your points at a 1:1 value to the same airline and hotel partners offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn. If you max out that spending cap, you’ll earn 450,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Plus, earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. It is a high spend target, but if your business can meet it, it’s a valuable payout.
Points redeemed for travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal are worth 25% more with this card.
If business takes you abroad, you can pay with this card and have peace of mind, thanks to a $0 foreign transaction fee.
Do be aware that there’s also a $95 annual fee. The APR is 20.49% - 25.49% variable.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card might be the card you want if your business requires frequent travel, and your spending aligns well with the following rewards categories:
You also have flexibility in using your points. Redeem them for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal and get 25% more value, or transfer points at a 1:1 value to the same travel partners offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn. If you max out that spending cap, you’ll earn 450,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points.
Plus, earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. It is a high spend target, but if your business can meet it, it’s a valuable payout.
Points redeemed for travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal are worth 25% more with this card.
If business takes you abroad, you can pay with this card and have peace of mind, thanks to a $0 foreign transaction fee.
Do be aware that there’s also a $95 annual fee. The APR is 20.49% - 25.49% variable.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card might be the card you want if your business requires frequent travel, and your spending aligns well with the following rewards categories:
You also have flexibility in using your points. Redeem them for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal and get 25% more value, or transfer points at a 1:1 value to the same travel partners offered by the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
For ongoing rewards, earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at 7,000+ hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains).
Plus, there’s a decent sign-up bonus: Limited Time Offer! Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card!
Thanks to a $0 foreign transaction fee, you can take this card with you when traveling abroad — so you won’t have to worry about an additional fee being tacked onto every purchase you make.
The card’s annual fee is $0 and the APR is 20.24% - 27.24% variable.
Marriott has more than 7,000 properties under the umbrella of 30 brands in 131 countries and territories. These includes both luxury hotels, like The Ritz-Carlton, as well as more affordable options, like Four Points and Fairfield Inn & Suites. If Marriott properties are your home away from home when traveling, you’ll probably be well served by the $0-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
In addition to earning rewards at a solid rate on spending at Marriott properties, this card offers 15 Elite Night Credits annually, which grants you Silver Elite status. With Silver Elite status, you get benefits such as priority late checkout (when available) and the ability to check in and out on your smartphone and use your phone as your room key. The card also offers useful travel protections, which we’ll detail in the benefits tab.
For ongoing rewards, earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at 7,000+ hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains).
Plus, there’s a decent sign-up bonus: Limited Time Offer! Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card!
Thanks to a $0 foreign transaction fee, you can take this card with you when traveling abroad — so you won’t have to worry about an additional fee being tacked onto every purchase you make.
The card’s annual fee is $0 and the APR is 20.24% - 27.24% variable.
Marriott has more than 7,000 properties under the umbrella of 30 brands in 131 countries and territories. These includes both luxury hotels, like The Ritz-Carlton, as well as more affordable options, like Four Points and Fairfield Inn & Suites. If Marriott properties are your home away from home when traveling, you’ll probably be well served by the $0-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
In addition to earning rewards at a solid rate on spending at Marriott properties, this card offers 15 Elite Night Credits annually, which grants you Silver Elite status. With Silver Elite status, you get benefits such as priority late checkout (when available) and the ability to check in and out on your smartphone and use your phone as your room key. The card also offers useful travel protections, which we’ll detail in the benefits tab.
For ongoing rewards, earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations and on streaming services. Plus, a $15 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more! And earn 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
As for the sign-up bonus, earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. So by spending about $333.33 per month, you will hit that requirement.
There’s an intro APR of 0% for 12 billing cycles on purchases, after which a 19.74% - 28.74% (variable) APR applies. Plus, there’s also a 0% for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers. After, a 19.74% - 28.74% (variable) APR applies.
The balance transfer fee is either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
You’ll pay a $0 annual fee to carry the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, and you won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees when outside the United States — there are none.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is a must-have credit card for foodies. Whether you’re in the mood to dine at a restaurant, pick up takeout or order delivery, this card can reward you handsomely.
Plus, thanks to the lack of a foreign transaction fee, you can take this card when you travel and enjoy trying new cuisines without worrying about an additional fee being tacked onto every purchase.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is also a solid choice for making a big purchase or transferring existing debt from a high-interest card, thanks to its intro APR periods.
For ongoing rewards, earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations and on streaming services. Plus, a $15 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more! And earn 1X points on all other eligible purchases.
As for the sign-up bonus, earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. So by spending about $333.33 per month, you will hit that requirement.
There’s an intro APR of 0% for 12 billing cycles on purchases, after which a 19.74% - 28.74% (variable) APR applies. Plus, there’s also a 0% for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers. After, a 19.74% - 28.74% (variable) APR applies.
The balance transfer fee is either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
You’ll pay a $0 annual fee to carry the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card, and you won’t have to worry about foreign transaction fees when outside the United States — there are none.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is a must-have credit card for foodies. Whether you’re in the mood to dine at a restaurant, pick up takeout or order delivery, this card can reward you handsomely.
Plus, thanks to the lack of a foreign transaction fee, you can take this card when you travel and enjoy trying new cuisines without worrying about an additional fee being tacked onto every purchase.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card is also a solid choice for making a big purchase or transferring existing debt from a high-interest card, thanks to its intro APR periods.
With the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One, you can earn 1% Cash Back on all purchases; 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
The annual fee is $0. And as for foreign transaction fees — there are none. But the card does come with a high APR of 29.99% (variable).
Building good credit history while in college can help you later in life, whether you’re looking for the best rates on a financial product such as an auto loan or a mortgage or because some employers check your credit before extending an offer.
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is designed to help students build credit, while also allowing them to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase. Plus, this is a good card to take with if you study abroad, since you don’t have to worry about a foreign transaction fee.
With the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One, you can earn 1% Cash Back on all purchases; 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
The annual fee is $0. And as for foreign transaction fees — there are none. But the card does come with a high APR of 29.99% (variable).
Building good credit history while in college can help you later in life, whether you’re looking for the best rates on a financial product such as an auto loan or a mortgage or because some employers check your credit before extending an offer.
The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is designed to help students build credit, while also allowing them to earn flat-rate cash back on every purchase. Plus, this is a good card to take with if you study abroad, since you don’t have to worry about a foreign transaction fee.
The DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is a secured card, meaning you must submit a security deposit to the issuer in the amount of your desired credit limit. There’s a $500 minimum deposit.
You won’t earn rewards or a sign-up bonus with the DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card, and there’s no intro APR — still, you do get a $0 annual fee, a $0 foreign transaction fee and a low 15.75% Variable APR.
Whether you have no credit history and are looking for a first card with which to build credit, or you’ve made some financial missteps and need a card to help you rebuild your credit, the DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is worth considering. Since this is a secured credit card, the required deposit protects the issuer in the event you don’t pay back what you charge to the card.
And while we always recommend paying off your card in full each month to avoid interest charges, if you end up needing to roll over a balance once in a while, this card has a very reasonable 15.75% Variable APR. Most secured cards you come across are likely to have a much higher interest rate.
Note that to be able to get this card, you’ll need to open a savings account with Digital Federal Credit Union, which requires at least $5. You’ll also need to join DCU — membership eligibility may be established based on being related to a current DCU member, on the company you work for or retired from, an organization you belong to, or where you live, work, worship or attend school.
The DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is a secured card, meaning you must submit a security deposit to the issuer in the amount of your desired credit limit. There’s a $500 minimum deposit.
You won’t earn rewards or a sign-up bonus with the DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card, and there’s no intro APR — still, you do get a $0 annual fee, a $0 foreign transaction fee and a low 15.75% Variable APR.
Whether you have no credit history and are looking for a first card with which to build credit, or you’ve made some financial missteps and need a card to help you rebuild your credit, the DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is worth considering. Since this is a secured credit card, the required deposit protects the issuer in the event you don’t pay back what you charge to the card.
And while we always recommend paying off your card in full each month to avoid interest charges, if you end up needing to roll over a balance once in a while, this card has a very reasonable 15.75% Variable APR. Most secured cards you come across are likely to have a much higher interest rate.
Note that to be able to get this card, you’ll need to open a savings account with Digital Federal Credit Union, which requires at least $5. You’ll also need to join DCU — membership eligibility may be established based on being related to a current DCU member, on the company you work for or retired from, an organization you belong to, or where you live, work, worship or attend school.
| Credit Card | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Annual Fee | Intro Purchase APR | Regular APR | Intro Balance Transfer Rate | Regular Balance Transfer Rate | Balance Transfer Fee | Recommended Credit | Card Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
|
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months | Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases | $0 | 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening | 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR | 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers | 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR | 3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%; min: $5 | Excellent/Good | Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Review |
|
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
|
No bonus | None | $0 | 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on Purchases | 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | 0% intro APR for 18 billing cycles on Balance Transfers | 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) | Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater | Excellent/Good | U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card Review |
|
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
|
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases | $95 | N/A | 20.49% - 27.49% Variable | N/A | 20.49% - 27.49% Variable | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. | Excellent | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Review |
|
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
|
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | $95 | N/A | 20.74% - 28.74% (Variable) | N/A | 20.74% - 28.74% (Variable) | $0 at this Transfer APR | Excellent/Good | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card Review |
|
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
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Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards® | 5x points on flights and 10x points on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards® | $550 | N/A | 21.24% - 28.24% Variable | N/A | 21.24% - 28.24% Variable | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each balance transfer, whichever is greater | Excellent | Chase Sapphire Reserve® Review |
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Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
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Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. | Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn. | $95 | N/A | 20.49% - 25.49% Variable | N/A | 20.49% - 25.49% Variable | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater | Excellent | Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Review |
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Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card
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Limited Time Offer! Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after spending $2,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card! | Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at 7,000+ hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® and 2X points on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains). | $0 | N/A | 20.24% - 27.24% Variable | N/A | 20.24% - 27.24% Variable | Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. | Excellent/Good | Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card Review |
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U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card
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Earn 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 90 days of account opening. | Earn 4X points on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery, 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, gas stations, EV charging stations and on streaming services. Plus, a $15 credit for annual streaming purchases like Netflix, Hulu, Spotify®, Apple Music, Disney+, HBO Max and more! And earn 1X points on all other eligible purchases. | $0 | 0% for 12 billing cycles on purchases | 19.74% - 28.74% (Variable) | 0% for 12 billing cycles on balance transfers | 19.74% - 28.74% (Variable) | Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater. | Excellent/Good | U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card Review |
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Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
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No bonus | 1% Cash Back on all purchases; 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time; 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) | $0 | N/A | 29.99% (Variable) | N/A | 29.99% (Variable) | $0 at this Transfer APR | Fair/Limited | Journey Student Rewards from Capital One Review |
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DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card
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N/A | N/A | $0 | N/A | 15.75% Variable | N/A | 15.75% Variable | None | Poor | DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card Review |
No, Visa does not issue credit cards. Rather, Visa is a payment network, with banks and credit unions issuing credit cards on this payment network. Other types of cards that may use the Visa payment network are debit cards and prepaid cards. Mastercard is in the same boat: It too is a payment network but not a credit card issuer. Meanwhile, American Express and Discover are a bit different — they operate as both credit card issuers and payment networks.
Visa credit cards are widely accepted both in the United States and abroad. Even if you use an American Express or Discover credit card for your daily spending, having a Visa in your wallet is a smart backup option.
Remember, Visa doesn’t issue credit cards. That means it’s up to each bank and credit union that issues Visa credit cards to determine your eligibility. For example, to get the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you’ll need excellent credit. By contrast, the DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is available to consumers working to establish or improve their credit. Some general rules for building a great credit score and having a better chance at approvals include keeping balances low, not applying for new credit too frequently and always paying on time.
That depends on the particular card you’re considering. The DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card is a good choice for a Visa credit card if you have less-than-stellar credit and are working to improve your score, for example.
If a merchant accepts Visa credit cards, they likely also accept Mastercard, and vice versa. Whether a Visa or a Mastercard is better for you will depend on the specific cards you’re considering, and what you need in terms of factors like rewards, APR and annual fee.
In choosing the best Visa credit cards, we evaluated a variety of factors. For one thing, if a card has a generous rewards program, that was weighed in favor of it being included. And if the card offers flexible redemption options — such as being able to transfer points to partners — that was also considered a positive.
Valuable benefits also counted toward a card’s inclusion. For example, most credit cards that offer rental car coverage offer secondary coverage (which is activated only after the consumer’s personal insurance covers as much as it can). So the fact that Chase offers primary coverage on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card increases the value of those cards.
Additional factors evaluated in this selection include intro APRs, annual fees and foreign transaction fees.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
The information related to Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.
