top of page

Best Credit Cards for Excellent Credit (740 To 850 Credit Score)


Congratulations! you’re on the top tier of U.S. credit scores. If you’re shopping for the best credit cards for excellent credit, you’ll have every option open to you, and you’ll qualify for the best terms on every card.

In reality, of course, the best credit cards for excellent credit are often the same as credit cards for good credit. You’ll get the same cards – and many of them are very good ones – but your interest rate offers will be at the low end of the range instead of the high end.

Low rates are a good thing, but remember that if you’re paying your balance in full on or before the due date, the APR on your card won’t matter because you won’t pay interest at all!


The Cards We Looked At

If you are looking at credit cards for excellent credit, you will come across offers for cards positioned as elite or super-premium products. Some of these cards are invitation-only and available only to the very rich. Others are open to anyone who meets the credit requirements.

☝️ These cards tend to have astronomical fees. The invitation-only Centurion Card from American Express has a $10,000 initiation fee and a $5000 annual fee! If you don’t get invited, you can apply for the Mastercard Gold Card – it’s literally plated with gold – which has an annual fee of a mere $995.

These cards might give you a huge ego rush when you whip one out at the end of a business dinner, but they rarely make financial sense. Many have attractive rewards packages, but you’d have to spend enormous amounts to generate enough rewards to cover the fee.

You don’t have to be a millionaire to have excellent credit. Your credit score doesn’t depend on your income at all. We’ll be looking at cards that are suited to ordinary folks who manage their finances well and have excellent credit because of it.


10 Best Credit Cards for Excellent Credit

When looking for the best credit cards for excellent credit we took the following things into account:

  • Is there an annual fee?

  • Is there a fee on international spending?

  • What other fees does the card have?

  • What is the APR (Annual Percentage Rate)?

  • Does the card offer rewards?

  • Does the card have a signup bonus?

  • Does the card have any other perks?

Here are our top picks for the best credit cards for good credit:

BEST BASIC CARD Citi Simplicity Fees No annual fee, late fee, or penalty APR Regular APR 17.74% – 27.74% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards No Citi Simplicity is a great fee-free option for people who just want a basic credit card for day-to-day spending. If your spending is too low to make rewards an issue, consider this card. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 0% purchase APR for 12 months, 0% balance transfer APR for 21 months. Apply Now

BEST REWARDS FOR EVERYDAY SPENDING Credit One Bank Platinum Rewards Visa Fees Annual fee up to $95 plus other fees. Regular APR 26.24% (Variable) Intro offer No Rewards Yes The Credit One Bank Platinum Rewards Visa card has a top reward package aimed at day-to-day spending. Learn more 🎁 Rewards: 5% cash back on first $5000 spent on many basic needs, plus more. Apply Now

BEST NO-FEE REWARDS CARD Chase Freedom Unlimited Fees No annual fee. Regular APR 17.24% – 25.99% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes You like rewards. You don’t like fees. The Chase Freedom Unlimited card has your back. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: Bonus, 0% purchase APR, 0% balance transfer APR. 🎁 Rewards: Four-part cash back rewards plan. Apply Now

BEST FOR ROAD TRAVEL Discover it Chrome Fees No annual fee. Regular APR 14.99% – 25.99% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes Road travel means gas and restaurants. This card gives you 2% cash back on both, along with other rewards, and one of the lowest minimum APRs we surveyed. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 2x rewards in your first year, 0% APR for 15 months. 🎁 Rewards: 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, 1% cash back on other purchases. Apply Now

BEST FOR GROCERIES AND GAS Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express Fees No annual fee Regular APR 16.99% – 27.99% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes This is just what it says: a card for everyday purchases. If you need a card focused on gas and groceries, take a closer look. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: $200 back on $2000 in purchases in the first 6 months, Intro APR. 🎁 Rewards: 3% on groceries, 3% on gas, 3% at select department stores, 1% on other purchases. Apply Now

BEST BALANCE TRANSFER CARD U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card Fees No annual fee Regular APR 17.49% – 27.49% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards No This card gives you 18 months to pay off those balances without interest, but with no rewards, you may not want to keep using it when you’re done. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 billing cycles. Apply Now

BEST TRAVEL CARD Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Fees $95 Annual Fee Regular APR 18.24%–25.24% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best cards for general travel use. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 60,000 points ($750 for travel) if you spend $4000 in the first 3 months. 🎁 Rewards: Package of travel-focused rewards. Apply Now

BEST FOR FREQUENT HOTEL USERS Mariott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card Fees $95 Annual Fee Regular APR 18.24% – 25.24% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes This is a hotel-focused travel card. It’s aimed at a fairly narrow audience, but if you’re in that audience it’s well worth a look. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 3 free nights + 10x total points on $3000 in purchases in the first 3 months, plus more 🎁 Rewards: Extensive package of hotel-focused rewards Apply Now THE FOODIE CARD Capital One SavorOne Rewards Credit Card Fees No annual fee Regular APR 17.99% – 27.99% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes This is a hotel-focused travel card. It’s aimed at a fairly narrow audience, but if you’re in that audience it’s well worth a look. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, $200 reward if you spend $500 in the first 3 months. 🎁 Rewards: 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and groceries. Apply Now

CUSTOM CASH BACK Citi Custom Cash Card Fees No annual fee Regular APR 16.99% – 26.99% (Variable) Intro offer Yes Rewards Yes The Citi Custom Cash Card has a uniquely flexible rewards program. It may not be right for everyone, but it might be right for you. Learn more 💳 Intro Offer: 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. 🎁 Rewards: 5% back on the first $500 in your highest spending category each month. Apply Now


The Reviews

Let’s look at those cards in more detail.


Citi Simplicity

🏆 Best Basic Card 👉 Summary: This is a great choice if you don’t spend a lot on your card and you’re looking for a solid basic credit card for day-to-day spending.

✔️ Pros:

  • No annual fee

  • No late fees

  • No penalty APR

  • 0% APR on purchases for your first 12 months

  • Solid balance transfer option

❌ Cons:

  • The lowest APR is not as low as those of some competitors

  • Paying full balance has no advantage


Description:

If you’re looking for a straightforward card with no bells and whistles, the Citi Simplicity Card is there for you. There’s no annual fee, no late fees, no penalty APR. The regular APR is 17.74% to 27.74%. With excellent credit, you’ll be at the low end of that range. There’s a 0% APR on purchases for your first 12 months. There are no rewards.

This is also a solid balance transfer option. The 21-month 0% APR window is also valid for balance transfers made within 4 months of opening the account. You’ll pay a balance transfer fee of 5% of the transfer or $5, whichever is greater.

You can set up alerts for balance levels, payments due, or being over your credit limit, and you can choose your payment due date.

This is a great choice if you don’t spend a lot on your card and you’re looking for a solid basic credit card for day-to-day spending.

👎 The downside: the lowest APR is not as low as those of some competitors. If you pay your balance in full every month, it won’t matter!


Credit One Bank Platinum Rewards Visa

🏆 Rewards for Everyday Spending 👉 Summary: This is a card for day-to-day use, not travel: there is a foreign transaction fee of $1 or 3% of each purchase. There’s also a cash advance fee.

✔️ Pros:

  • 5% cash back on groceries up to $5000/year

  • 1% cash back after $5000.

  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.

  • Up to 10% cash back at selected retailers.

❌ Cons:

  • High APR

  • High annual fee

  • You’ll have to spend around $1900 per year in the 5% categories to make up for that annual fee


The Credit One Bank Platinum Rewards Visa has a $95 annual fee, but the rewards package is comprehensive enough that you’re likely to come out ahead. This is a great choice for people who use theirs primarily for local day-to-day spending. Here are the rewards.

  • 5% cash back on groceries, gas, internet, mobile phone services, and cable or satellite TV, up to $5000/year. 1% cash back after $5000.

  • 1% cash back on all other purchases.

  • Up to 10% cash back at selected retailers.

The 5% category covers a wide range of regular spending needs, and if you make the $5000 limit, you’ll get $250 back. The cash back is credited to your statement automatically, and there’s no limit to the rewards you can earn. You’ll also get a free Experian credit score.

This is a card for day-to-day use, not travel: there is a foreign transaction fee of $1 or 3% of each purchase. There’s also a cash advance fee.

👎 The downside: The APR is high at 26.24%, so you’ll want to pay off your balance in full each month. You’ll have to spend around $1900 per year in the 5% categories to make up for that annual fee, so this is a card for regular use, not occasional use.


Chase Freedom Unlimited

🏆 Best No-Fee Rewards Card 👉 Summary: You’ll get a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. The regular APR is from 17.24% to 25.99%. There will be a balance transfer fee.

✔️ Pros:

  • No annual fee

  • 5% cash back on gas station purchases

❌ Cons:

  • Late payment fee of $40

  • A penalty APR of up to 29.99%

  • Balance transfer fee


The Chase Freedom Unlimited card has no annual fee and a solid range of initial rewards.

  • If you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months you’ll get a $200 reward.

  • You get 5% cash back on gas station purchases up to $6000 in your first year

The rewards hold up after the first year.

  • 5% cash back on travel purchased at Chase.

  • 3% cash back on dining, takeout, and drugstores.

  • 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

The rewards don’t expire, and there’s no minimum to redeem rewards.

You’ll get a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. The regular APR is from 17.24% to 25.99%. There will be a balance transfer fee.

👎 The downside: There’s a late payment fee of $40 and a penalty APR of up to 29.99%, which could be imposed indefinitely. Pay on time!


Discover it Chrome

🏆 Best Card for Road Travel 👉 Summary: Road travel means gas and restaurants. This card gives you 2% cash back on both, along with other rewards, and one of the lowest minimum APRs we surveyed.

✔️ Pros:

  • 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations

  • No annual fee

  • No penalty APR

❌ Cons:

  • Only good for gas and restaurants


If travel by car is a big part of your life, Discover It Chrome Credit Card could be your credit card. Look at the rewards:

  • 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, up to $1000 per quarter in combined purchases. That’s up to $800 a year!

  • 1% cash back on all other purchases, with no limit.

  • Discover will match your rewards at the end of your first year.

There’s no annual fee, so the rewards are pure gain. There’s also no penalty APR, but there is a cash advance fee of $10 or 5% of the cash advance, whichever is larger. The first late payment is free, but after that, you’ll pay up to $41 per late payment.

There’s a 0% intro APR for 15 months, applied to purchases and balance transfers. The regular APR is 14.99% to 25.99%. You’ll also have access to an app for paying your bill, monitoring your account, tracking and redeeming rewards, and viewing your lovely FICO score.

👎 The downside: if gas and restaurants aren’t high on your spending list, look for a different card!


Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express

🏆 Best Rewards for Groceries and Gas 👉 Summary: This is just what it says: a card for everyday purchases. If you need a card focused on gas and groceries, take a closer look.

✔️ Pros:

  • 3% cash back at US supermarkets

  • No annual fee

  • Cash advance fee of $10 or 5%

❌ Cons:

  • Not attractive for low spenders

  • 2.7% foreign transaction fee.


The Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express has a rewards program focused on some of the most basic and common spending categories.

  • 3% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6000 per year, 1% after you pass the $6000 mark.

  • 3% cash back at US gas stations and at select department stores.

  • 3% on all other purchases.

There’s a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases. The regular APR is from 16.99% to 27.99%.

There’s no annual fee. There’s a cash advance fee of $10 or 5% of the amount, whichever is greater, and a 2.7% foreign transaction fee.

👎 The downside: This is a great family card, but if you live alone you may not spend enough on groceries to make the rewards attractive.


U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card

🏆 Best Balance Transfer Card 👉 Summary: This card gives you 18 months to pay off those balances without interest, but with no rewards, you may not want to keep using it when you’re done.

✔️ Pros:

  • No annual fee

  • 0% APR on purchase

  • Balance transfer fee lower than competition

❌ Cons:

  • No rewards

  • Cash advance fee

  • Foreign transaction fee

  • Late and returned payment fees


If you want to consolidate credit card debt with a balance transfer card, the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card could be the card you’re looking for. The 18-month 0% intro APR for both purchases and balance transfers is one of the longest in the industry. That gives you enough time to pay any balances you transfer. The balance transfer fee is 3% of the balance, lower than the 5% offered by many competitors.

The regular APR is 17.49% to 27.49% There’s a cash advance fee, a foreign transaction fee, and late and returned payment fees.

👎 The downside: There are no rewards, so this probably isn’t a card you’ll want to use for anything but balance transfers.


Chase Sapphire Preferred

🏆 Best Travel Card 👉 Summary: The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best cards for general travel use.

✔️ Pros:

  • Travel-focused rewards

  • No foreign transaction fee

❌ Cons:

  • High annual fees

  • Penalty APR of 29.99%


The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best cards for general travel use. Here’s a summary of the rewards.