Imagine you’ve just arrived at your favorite coffee shop on a Monday morning. The line is long and you wish there was a way for you to speed up the purchase process so you’re not late for work. With a contactless credit card, you may be able to do just that.
You won’t have to insert it into the card reader and wait for the approval. Instead, you can simply tap it at the terminal and complete your coffee purchase in mere seconds.
So, where can you find contactless credit cards? Fortunately, most major issuers offer contactless payments on select cards. Keep reading to learn about the 15 best contactless credit cards available from the following issuers.
Capital One | Chase | BoA | Amex | FAQs
Best Contactless Capital One® Cards
You can use a Capital One contactless credit card at thousands of merchants, including Starbucks, McDonald’s, Walgreens, and anywhere that accepts credit cards. Even if the register isn’t designed to accept contactless credit cards, you can still swipe or insert your card. While you may have to sign for some purchases, those that are less than $50 may not require a signture.
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- 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
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
|
$95
|
Excellent, Good
|
You’ll still be able to make online purchases with a Capital One contactless credit card using your card number, expiration date, and security code, just as you would with a traditional credit card. However, you won’t get the enhanced security you can expect when you make a contactless payment in-store.
Best Contactless Chase Cards
If you see the contactless symbol — 
— on the front or back of your Chase Visa® card, you can tap it to pay for your purchases. Contactless Chase Visa® cards are accepted at millions of merchants around the world, so you may also use your card while you’re traveling abroad in countries like Australia, Canada, and France.
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
|
20.49% - 29.24% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- 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 Travel℠.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
- Member FDIC
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
21.49%-28.49% Variable
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
- 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 Travel℠.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™; Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
22.49%-29.49% Variable
|
$550
|
Good/Excellent
|
Have a Chase card that doesn’t feature the contactless symbol? No problem! You can replace it with one of the contactless cards by visiting the Chase Card Replacement page. If you’d like to apply for a new Chase Visa® credit card, go to the Chase Card Marketplace.
Best Contactless Bank of America Cards
Bank of America contactless cards allow you to make daily purchases quickly without compromising safety. The bank sets a limit on the number of contactless transactions you can make before you are asked to conduct a contact transaction where you will have to verify your PIN.
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishing purchases.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
|
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
- Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
- Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
|
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- Receive 60,000 online bonus points - a $600 value - after you make at least $4,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn unlimited 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. No limit to the points you can earn and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means you could earn 2.5-3.5 points on travel and dining purchases and 1.87-2.62 points on all other purchases, for every $1 you spend.
- Redeem for cash back as a statement credit, deposit into eligible Bank of America® accounts, credit to eligible Merrill® accounts, or gift cards or purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center.
- Get up to $100 in Airline Incidental Statement Credits annually and TSA PreCheck®/Global Entry Statement Credits of up to $100, every four years.
- Travel Insurance protections to assist with trip delays, cancellations and interruptions, baggage delays and lost luggage.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Low $95 annual fee.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% - 27.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$95
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
Although you can’t disable the contactless feature, you can use the chip or PIN function on a Bank of America contactless card when necessary. While there are no daily limits for contactless card purchases in America, the bank does set transaction limits in some countries, including Australia, India, and Singapore.
Best Contactless American Express Cards
All American Express credit cards feature contactless technology. To make sure your American Express card is contactless, look for the contactless symbol on the front or back of the card, which looks like the wifi symbol turned on its side.
You’ll still earn purchase rewards when using the contactless payment method on your American Express card.
Common Amex features include roadside assistance, car rental loss and damage insurance, travel accident insurance, and extended warranties.
How Does a Contactless Credit Card Work?
A contactless credit card contains a chip inside of it (different from an EMV chip) that emits radio waves. There is an antenna built into the card that allows it to connect to a payment terminal. This is referred to as radio-frequency identification or RFID technology.
When you’re ready to make a purchase at a merchant that accepts contactless payments, you’ll hold the card near the payment terminal — within three or four inches — so that it can pick up the signal, communicate with the card, and process your payment.
The terminal will inform you whether the payment was successful. In the event it could not process your payment, you may have to use a PIN. In most cases, contactless credit cards work without any issues and can allow you to complete purchases in seconds.
You can also connect your contactless credit card to a device like your smartphone, smartwatch, or fitness tracker and pay via contactless technology. To do this, download a payment app, such as Apple Pay® or Google Pay™, onto your device and connect your card.
Fortunately, contactless technology is being increasingly accepted, so you can use it at several stores, restaurants, cafés, and even vending machines. You may also use your contactless credit card to pay for public transportation while traveling in certain cities, like London.
You’ll find that contactless cards are ideal for smaller purchases. While you likely won’t use them when you’re buying a new mattress or couch, you may appreciate them when you want to get a cup of coffee in the morning, grab a quick bite to eat for lunch, or fuel up on your way home. It can save you some time at the checkout line so you can get back to more important things like working or spending time with your family as soon as possible.
Is a Contactless Credit Card Safe?
Safety may be a concern of yours if you’re new to contactless credit cards. You’ll be relieved to learn that contactless credit cards are just as safe — if not safer — than chip or PIN cards. There’s also less risk you’ll lose or forget your card since your card will never leave your hand during a transaction.
Contactless cards only work when in close contact with the terminal, and the terminal can only process one transaction at a time. Therefore, every purchase you make with a contactless card will be intentional and you won’t find any surprise charges on your credit card statement.
These types of cards are a safe way to make small, in-person purchases because your name, three-digit security code (also known as a CVV number), and billing information will never be transmitted. Instead, a one-time code will be sent from the card to the terminal so that only that specific transaction can be identified.
It’s important to note that while contactless credit cards are safe when in your possession, they can be dangerous if you lose them. Report a lost or stolen card immediately, since a thief may be able to use your contactless credit card by simply tapping it to make a purchase. As long as you keep your contactless card with you at all times, you don’t have to compromise safety for convenience when using it.
How Do I Know if My Credit Card is Contactless?
Many credit cards these days are contactless. If you’re wondering whether your favorite card has this feature, all you have to do is look at it.
Do you see the symbol? If so, congratulations — your card is contactless and you can use it to make fast payments on small purchases. You can always call your credit card provider or visit its website to confirm.
Look for the RFID symbol on the front or back of your card to know if it can facilitate contactless payments.
If you happen to encounter a merchant that has not yet jumped on the contactless credit card bandwagon, no need to worry. You can complete your purchase by inserting the chip or swiping your card, as usual.
You can also use your contactless card to make online purchases just as you normally would, by entering your name, billing address, credit card number, security code, and expiration date.
If you find that your credit card does not support contactless payments, you can always apply for a new contactless card or request a replacement from your existing issuer. Most credit card providers support their customers in using newer technology to make purchases and will likely be more than happy to send you a free replacement card with RFID technology.
Consider all your options and choose a contactless credit card that aligns with your unique lifestyle needs and preferences. Is earning rewards important to you or do you care more about paying down debt? Think about these things before deciding on your next credit card.
Keep in mind that you may have to activate this feature before you use your contactless credit card for the first time. Once activated, however, you’ll be able to complete future purchases in seconds.
Tap and Pay Your Way to Rewards
If you like the idea of being in and out of your favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and gas stations quickly, a contactless credit card can make your life easier. You can make payments in seconds with a simple tap while enjoying the peace of mind of knowing your transactions are secure.
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Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
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