In the immortal words of Mary Cooper, “There’s a lock for every key.”
Although Mary may have been referring to the idea that every person has a perfect partner out there, somewhere, her words are no less true when applied to the search for the perfect credit card. No matter what your situation, for every key — i.e., credit score — there is likely a lock (credit card) that will be the right fit.
In fact, ensuring that your credit score fits into the range for a given card is often half the battle of getting approved. And since the vast majority of card issuers rely on your FICO credit score, it makes sense to let your FICO score be your guide when looking for the right card. There are a lot of credit cards out there and it can be daunting to know where to begin looking for the right one for you. Keep reading for our rundown on the best credit cards by FICO score.
Excellent | Good | Fair | Poor | No/Limited
Best Credit Cards for “Excellent” FICO Scores (740+)
The FICO credit score range spans from 300 to 850, with 850 being the best possible credit score. Under this model, a credit score above 740 is considered to be an “excellent” score, which, under our lock-and-key analogy, effectively gives those with a FICO credit score of 740 or better a master key to nearly every credit card lock on the market.
Indeed, with excellent credit, the question is less, “For which card will I qualify?” and much more, “For which card do I want to qualify?” Whether you want awesome rewards, sweet travel perks, or an interest-free year of new purchases, your excellent credit score can unlock a wide range of quality credit cards, including many of our favorites below.
- $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.
- If you're a 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 no expiration on rewards.
- 0% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- 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 18 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. 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.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 16.99% to 27.99% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
16.99% - 27.99% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- 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.
- 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% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- If you're a 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 18 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Cards for Excellent Credit
Best Credit Cards for “Good” FICO Scores (670-739)
While excellent credit is the ideal we should all work toward, having a good credit score — a FICO score between 670 and 739 — will still unlock a respectable number of potential locks. In fact, those with good credit can often qualify for many of the same credit cards as those with excellent credit, though lower credit scores will generally mean lower credit limits in these cases.
Credit cards aimed at good-credit consumers include lots of perks and rewards, including cash back and travel rewards options, as well as intro-APR deals that can provide a lot of value for those who tend to carry a balance. Even better, many cards for good credit, such as our top picks below, will come free from any annual fees.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. 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.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 16.99% to 27.99% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- No annual fee.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
16.99% - 27.99% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. 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.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
- No annual fee.
- Click through to Discover’s website to see terms and conditions.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
|
0% Intro APR for 18 months
|
16.99% - 27.99% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- 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 Ultimate Rewards®, 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 Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 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 19.99% - 28.74%.
- No annual fee - You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
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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
|
19.99% - 28.74% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
+See More Cards for Good Credit
Best Credit Cards for “Fair” FICO Scores (580-669)
Where excellent credit opens nearly every lock, and good credit most of them, when you have a “fair” FICO score, between 580 and 669, you’ll start running into a lot more locks in which your key simply doesn’t fit. And since every credit card application means a hard credit inquiry on your report, it becomes increasingly important when you have fair credit to choose the right card before you apply.
If you’re unsure of your chances of approval, you can try finding pre-qualification offers before you apply for a card. While not a guarantee of approval, pre-qualification can give you a short list of the locks most likely to fit your credit-score key. Our expert-rated fair-credit cards below are a good place to start your search.
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
29.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Average, Fair, Limited
|
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
- Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
29.99% (Variable)
|
$39
|
Average, Fair, Limited
|
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- No credit score required to apply.
- Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 17.99% - 26.99% applies.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
|
10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
|
17.99% - 26.99% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Fair/New to Credit
|
+See More Cards for Fair Credit
Best Credit Cards for “Poor” FICO Scores (
Once your FICO credit score has fallen below the 580 mark, your credit is considered to be “poor.” At this point, you’ll have to be very particular about which locks you try to unlock, as the majority of prime credit cards will be a very poor fit due to your perceived credit risk.
With a poor credit score, the only credit cards your credit-score key will be likely to unlock are secured credit cards — which require an up-front deposit — or unsecured credit cards from subprime card issuers, which often carry high rates and fees. On the bright side, as you use your new poor-credit card, like the ones below, to build credit, your key will start to open many more locks.
- Don’t let a low FICO score stop you from applying – we approve applications others may not.
- You don’t need good credit to apply.
- Just complete the short application and find out in 60 seconds if you’re approved.
- When you need assistance our award-winning US-based Customer Service agents are there to help.
- FICO 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 PREMIER Bankcard® product.
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Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
See Provider Website
|
See Provider Website
|
Fair/Poor
|
- You don’t need good credit to apply.
- We help people with bad credit, every day.
- Just complete the short application and find out in 60 seconds if you’re approved.
- You can build* or rebuild your credit: apply for a PREMIER Bankcard credit card, keep your balance low, and pay all your monthly bills on time.
- Don’t let a low FICO score stop you from applying – we approve applications others may not.
- FICO 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 PREMIER Bankcard® product.
- *Build credit by keeping your balance low and paying all your bills on time every month.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
See Provider Website
|
See Provider Website
|
Fair/Poor
|
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
- Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
- Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
29.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Limited, Bad
|
+See More Cards for Bad Credit
Best Credit Cards for “No/Limited” Credit
If your credit score is the key to unlock the credit card of your dreams, then having an unestablished or limited credit report can often feel like not having a key at all. Thankfully, there are a few credit cards on the market that are specifically designed for keyless entry, so to speak, providing credit novices a way to establish and build their credit scores.
Although neither is ideal, having no credit is often better than having poor credit, and the potential card options are frequently evidence of that fact. With no or limited credit, you can still typically qualify for a range of quality credit cards, such as our best offers below, that include low or no annual fees, as well as options for cash back purchase rewards.
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
29.99% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Average, Fair, Limited
|
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- Lock your card in the Capital One Mobile app if it's misplaced, lost or stolen
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Average, Fair, Limited
|
- 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.
- 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% Introductory APR for 18 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR will apply. A 3% fee applies to all balance transfers.
- When handled responsibly, a credit card can help you build your credit history, which could be helpful when looking for an apartment, a car loan, and even a job. Access your FICO® Score for free within Online Banking or your Mobile Banking app.
- 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 18 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 18 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
|
17.99% - 27.99% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
+See More Cards for No/Limited Credit
Build Your Credit Score for Better Options
Before the age of mass-production, each lock-and-key set was made by hand by skilled artisans, giving strong credence to the saying, “there’s a lock for every key.” Even today, however, when locks and keys are produced by the thousands, most keys can still find their matching lock.
With dozens upon dozens of credit card options available in the marketplace today, nearly any consumer can find the right card, regardless of his or her particular credit score. Of course, you may have to try a few locks before you find the right fit for your credit-score key. Research your options and check for pre-qualification when possible before applying to minimize your chances of selecting the wrong lock.
And once you’ve unlocked a card, be sure to use it wisely to keep your credit score on the right path. If you have your sights set on that excellent-credit master key — or simply want to turn your poor credit score into a good one to broaden your range of potential locks — you’ll need to keep everything rust-free (metaphorically speaking).
Responsible card use includes making all of your payment on time, maintaining low balances across your cards, and being conservative about opening new credit lines. Like the large number of cards on the market, however, there’s an abundance of mobile apps and other tools designed to help consumers maintain their personal finances, so be sure to make use of the right tools to keep your credit-score key in peak condition.
Advertiser Disclosure
CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
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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