Below are our staff ratings of 2020's top Mastercard® credit cards. Issued by a variety of banks globally, Mastercard® is accepted at more than 40 million locations worldwide.
One-time $150 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
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
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49%-25.49% variable APR after that
Earn cash back twice. Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% - 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% - 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
Earn a one-time $150 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases
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
0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR after that
Earn 3X Points on hotels and cruise lines, all other purchases earn 1X Points
Earn 50,000 bonus points ($500 value) after spending $4,000 within 3 months of account opening
Complimentary 4thfourth Night at a hotel of your choice after a minimum 4 consecutive night booking through ThankYou.com (benefit can be used 2X per calendar year)
Up to a $250 travel credit every calendar year, no need to enroll
Enjoy complimentary access to hundreds of VIP lounges through Priority Pass™ Select
No Late Fees, No Penalty Rate, and No Annual Fee... Ever
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from date of first transfer. All transfers must be completed in first 4 months. After that, the variable APR will be 14.74% - 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness.
0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 14.74% - 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness.
If you transfer a balance with this offer, after your 0% Intro purchase APR expires, both new purchases and unpaid purchase balances will automatically accrue interest until all balances, including your transferred balances, are paid in full
There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 14.74% - 24.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
Stay protected with Citi® Quick Lock and $0 liability on unauthorized charges
Earn 3% cash back on your choice of one of the following six categories: gas stations (default), office supply stores, travel, TV/telecom & wireless, computer services, or business consulting services
Earn 2% cash back on dining, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
Get a $300 statement credit when you make at least $3,000 in net purchases within 90 days of your account opening
Get 75% more cash back on every purchase when you're a Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier member. That means you'll earn 5.25% on your selected choice category, 3.5% on dining, and unlimited 1.75% cash back on all other purchases.
The Citi Rewards+℠ Card - the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase - with no cap.
Earn 15,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $150 in gift cards at thankyou.com
0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.49% - 23.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Balance transfer fee — either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X Points on All Other Purchases.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.49% - 23.49%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months from date of first transfer. After that, the variable APR will be 13.74% - 23.74%, based on your creditworthiness. All transfers must be completed in first 4 months.
0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 13.74% - 23.74%, based on your creditworthiness.
If you transfer a balance with this offer, after your 0% Intro purchase APR expires, both new purchases and unpaid purchase balances will automatically accrue interest until all balances, including your transferred balance, are paid in full.
There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Get free access to your FICO® score online.
With Citi Entertainment℠, get special access to purchase tickets to thousands of events, including concerts, sporting events, dining experiences and more.
Shop with confidence knowing that you have dependable protection benefits, including $0 Liability on Unauthorized Purchases and Citi® Identity Theft Solutions.
The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.74% - 23.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion.
Earn 3X points on eligible JetBlue purchases, 2X points at restaurants and grocery stores, and 1X points on all other purchases
Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $10,000 on purchases in the first 90 days
Enjoy 50% inflight savings on cocktails and food purchases
0% introductory APR for the first 12 billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening (3% transfer fee applies)
No foreign transaction fees, no blackout dates, and points never expire
Earn 2X miles for every $1 spent on American Airlines purchases and at cable and internet providers, gas stations, select telecommunications merchants, and car rental services — all other purchases earn 1X points
Earn 60,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending 4,000 within 4 months of account opening
First checked bag free on domestic American Airlines itineraries for you and up to 4 travel companions
25% savings on American Airlines inflight WiFi, food, and beverage purchases when you use your card
Earn an American Airlines Companion Certificate for domestic travel after $30,000 in purchases each card membership year and card membership is renewed. Fees apply.
Citi® Secured Mastercard® is an option for customers with little or no credit history and can help you build your credit when used responsibly
Unlike a debit card, Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a real credit card that helps build your credit history with monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus
Once available, you will also have free access to your FICO score online. Tracking your score is a great first step to managing your credit history and taking control of your financial future.
A minimum security deposit of $200 is required for this product
A secured credit card designed to help establish, strengthen or rebuild credit
A minimum refundable security deposit of $300 (maximum of $4,900) is required to open this account
Access your FICO Score updated monthly for free within your Mobile Banking app or in Online Banking
We'll periodically review your account and, based on your overall credit history (including your account with us and other credit cards and loans), you may qualify to have your security deposit returned. Not all customers will qualify.
Earn unlimited 1.5 points for every $1 you spend on all purchases, everywhere, every time – no matter how much you spend
Earn 3 points per every dollar spent when you book your travel (car, hotel, airline) through the Bank of America® Travel Center
Earn 30,000 bonus points when you make at least $3,000 in net purchases within 90 days of your account opening which can be redeemed for a $300 statement credit towards travel purchases
Get 75% more points on the base earn of every purchase you make when you’re a Preferred Rewards for Business Platinum Honors tier member. That means you'll earn 2.62 points on all purchases and 4.12 points for every $1 you spend at the Bank of America® Travel Center.
0% introductory APR on purchases for 9 billing cycles from account opening
Unlike a prepaid card, there is regular reporting to the 3 major credit bureaus
Accepted at millions of locations worldwide
Make the minimum required security deposit and you'll get an initial credit line of $200. Plus, deposit more money before your account opens to get a higher credit line
Access to an authorized bank account is required to make your $49, $99 or $200 refundable security deposit
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
Easily manage your account 24/7 with online access, by phone or using our mobile app
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen
Use online banking to access your account, even from your smartphone, with our mobile app
Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set.
Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
Mango is a safe and convenient way to manage and access your money when and where you need it
The Mango Card is a prepaid card account and there are no hidden fees or interest charges. See your Cardholder Agreement for fees and details.
You can use your Mango Card everywhere debit Mastercard is accepted
Manage your account anywhere you are. Securely check your balance, transaction history, and send money to friends and family.
Once you activate and load your Mango Card, you can open a Savings Account with as little as $25 and get up to 6.00% Annual Percentage Yield. You can enjoy up to 6 transfers out each month.
The credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which CardRates.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers.
How Mastercard® Came to Be
By: Brittney Mayer
Credit Analyst
Updated:
CardRates.com Guide: Mastercard®
Mastercard is one of the world’s largest payment giants. Rather than issuing cards like a bank, Mastercard created a payment network that allows merchants to accept credit cards from Mastercard’s partner bank issuers.
The network processes billions of credit and debit card transactions every year. Chase, Citi, Bank of America, Capital One, U.S. Bank, and Wells Fargo are the top U.S. issuers of Mastercard credit cards, according to The Nilson Report’s 2019 data.
Mastercard also considers itself a technology company that has “been a driving force at the heart of commerce, making the global economy safer, more efficient, more inclusive and more transparent for all.”
Mastercard Began in 1966
Mastercard started as the Interbank Card Association. Formed by 17 bankers who wanted reciprocal acceptance of credit cards, the ICA created a credit card called MasterCharge. At the time, it was a competitor with Bank of America’s BankAmericard, which later became Visa.
The Interbank Card Association was renamed Mastercard in 1979 to help establish a new global brand. In 1988, the growing payments company purchased Cirrus, the world’s largest ATM machine network, and combined it with Mastercard’s existing ATM network.
In 1991, Mastercard launched Maestro® — “the world‘s first truly global online debit program”— in partnership with Europay International. In 2002, Mastercard merged with Europay International.
The company is known for its award-winning “Priceless” advertising campaign, which launched in 1997 and continued for many years. By 2001, the company decided to take advantage of its expertise and launched Mastercard Advisors, which was “the largest global consultancy focused on the payments industry,” according to Mastercard.
After Decades of Global Success
Mastercard went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2006. In the same year, they launched a new tagline, The Heart of Commerce™. In 2008, Mastercard began offering prepaid debit cards so consumers without bank accounts could still enjoy the convenience of shopping with plastic.
They launched Mastercard Labs in 2010 to help incubate ideas, striving to bring innovative new technology to the market. They offer contactless cards and helped drive the United States’ payment industry toward EMV (chip-and-PIN) credit cards.
Today, credit cards on the Mastercard network are accepted at millions of merchants around the world. In addition to processing transactions, Mastercard also offers a range of perks and benefits to cards on its network, including purchase protections like extended warranties.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
The information on this page was reviewed for accuracy on .
About the Author
Brittney Mayer Credit Analyst
Brittney is a Credit Strategist and Finance Expert who has spent years honing her knowledge of the credit industry both personally and professionally. Brittney applies her more than a decade of research experience to crafting in-depth consumer guides designed to help CardRates readers make better, more informed financial decisions.
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Advertiser Disclosure: The credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which CardRates.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. See the credit card issuer's website for specific terms and conditions of each card.
