Every major credit card, which gives the best deals.
Compare APR, airport lounge access and annual fees against what you actually earn on restaurants, flights, groceries, gas and pharmacy — plus the miles and cash back each card is paying new applicants right now.
12 cards · 9 comparison rows · Updated November 2026
$1,200
top bonus, estimated
4
cards with lounge access
The comparison chart
Nine rows that decide which card you keep
Scroll the chart sideways to see every category. Select any card for its full breakdown.
| Card | Annual fee | Regular APR | Dining | Flights | Grocery | Gas | Pharmacy | Lounge | New card bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $795 | 22.49%–29.49% Variable | 3x points | 3x points | 1x points | 1x points | 1x points | Unlimited Priority Pass + Sapphire Lounges | 75,000 points≈ $1,125 value$5,000 in 3 months | |
| $695 | 20.99%–29.99% Variable | 1x points | 5x points | 1x points | 1x points | 1x points | Centurion + Priority Pass + Delta Sky Club | 80,000 points≈ $1,200 value$8,000 in 6 months | |
| $395 | 19.99%–29.99% Variable | 2x miles | 5x miles (portal) | 2x miles | 2x miles | 2x miles | Capital One Lounges + Priority Pass | 75,000 miles≈ $1,125 value$4,000 in 3 months | |
| $325 | 20.99%–29.99% Variable | 4x points | 3x points | 4x points (US markets) | 1x points | 1x points | None | 60,000 points≈ $900 value$6,000 in 6 months | |
| $95 | 21.49%–28.49% Variable | 3x points | 2x points | 3x online groceries | 1x points | 1x points | None | 60,000 points≈ $750 value$4,000 in 3 months | |
| $95 | 19.99%–29.99% Variable | 2x miles | 5x miles (portal) | 2x miles | 2x miles | 2x miles | 2 visits per year | 75,000 miles≈ $1,125 value$4,000 in 3 months | |
| $95 | 19.24%–29.99% Variable | 1% back | 1% back | 6% back (up to $6k) | 3% back | 1% back | None | $250 back≈ $250 value$3,000 in 6 months | |
| $0no annual fee | 19.24%–29.99% Variable | 1% back | 1% back | 3% back (up to $6k) | 3% back | 1% back | None | $200 back≈ $200 value$2,000 in 6 months | |
| $0no annual fee | 19.99%–29.99% Variable | 3% back | 1% back (5% portal) | 3% back | 1% back | 1% back | None | $200 back≈ $200 value$500 in 3 months | |
| $0no annual fee | 20.49%–29.24% Variable | 3% back | 5% back (portal) | 1.5% back | 1.5% back | 3% back | None | $250 back≈ $250 value$500 in 3 months | |
| $0no annual fee | 19.24%–29.24% Variable | 2% back | 2% back | 2% back | 2% back | 2% back | None | $200 back≈ $200 value$1,500 in 6 months | |
| $0no annual fee | 18.24%–27.24% Variable | 1% back (5% rotating) | 1% back (5% rotating) | 5% back (rotating) | 5% back (rotating) | 1% back | None | Unlimited Cashback Match≈ $300 valueNo minimum spend in year one |
Earn rates shown as points, miles or percent back at the time of publication. Category caps apply on some cards. Bonus values are estimates, not cash.
Welcome offers
What new cards are paying you to sign up
Bonus values are estimates: points and miles are valued at 1.5¢ each toward travel, cash back at face value. Every offer requires a minimum spend.
Miles & points offers
Transferable points and airline milesCash back offers
Straight statement credits and bonus cashThe APR mechanic
Where that APR number actually comes from
A rate per year, rebuilt from the payments you make. Change any input and watch the annualised cost move.
The formula
APR = finance charge ÷ amount financed ÷ years × 100
A worked example: $10,000 over 2 years with $2,300 of interest is (2,300 ÷ 10,000 ÷ 2) × 100 = 11.5% APR on the simple method.
Add up the finance charge
Every dollar of interest over the life of the balance, plus any fee the lender includes (annual fee, origination, closing costs). Cash back you earn is not netted off.
Divide by the amount financed
The balance you actually receive, not the total you will repay. This turns the charge into a cost per borrowed dollar.
Divide by the term in years
A 24-month balance is 2 years, a 36-month balance is 3. Dividing again converts the cost into a yearly figure, which is what makes two offers comparable.
Multiply by 100
That gives the percentage a disclosure must show. Credit cards instead publish the periodic rate times periods per year — 1.52% a month is quoted as an 18.24% APR.
On a card balance you carry, the daily version of the same idea applies: interest = daily balance × (APR ÷ 365) × days in the billing cycle, which is why an 18% APR quietly costs more than 18¢ per $100 over a year.
Run your own numbers
Enter the balance, the quoted rate and what you actually pay each period. The calculator builds the full schedule and annualises the rate you really pay.
Effective APR
Annualised from 35 actual payments (monthly), compounding 12× a year.
- Total interest paid
- $3,505
- Total paid
- $15,505
- Payments to repay
- 352 yr 11 mo
- Quoted rate
- 18.24%
Shortcut APR — interest ÷ amount ÷ 2.9 yrs × 100 — works out to 10.01%. The gap to 19.84% is what the shortcut hides: interest is charged on a falling balance, so dividing the finance charge by the starting amount understates the cost.
How to read this chart
Three checks before you pick a card
Read across, not down
Each column is one card. Find your two biggest monthly spend categories first — for most households that is groceries and dining — then check the annual fee against what you would actually earn.
Net the annual fee
A $695 card is only expensive if the lounge visits, credits and multipliers do not clear the fee. Compare the fee against the estimated bonus value and your yearly rewards.
Confirm before you apply
Published rates, lounge partners and welcome offers change frequently, and the terms you are approved for depend on your credit profile. Always confirm with the issuer.