Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards for September 2025

No annual fee credit cards offer valuable rewards and benefits with no upfront cost. These perks and rewards may not be as impressive as cards that do charge a fee each year, but there are benefits to not having to worry if your spending habits justify a fee.

Opening a no annual fee credit card makes a ton of sense for most consumers. It can:

• Earn you lots of rewards
• Help you pay down your balance faster with an intro APR
• Help to improve your credit score with responsible use

There’s just one problem: Among the fathomless ocean of no annual fee options, which is best for you? We’ve done the research for you and have highlighted our top-rated options from our partners below.

Detailed Overview: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards

** Information for the following card was not reviewed by Citi or provided by Citi.

Are No Annual Fee Cards Worth It?

When deciding whether a credit card is worth it, perhaps the most important detail is whether you’re getting more yearly value from a card than you’re paying for its annual fee. With a no annual fee credit card, this isn’t an issue. As long as you’re not incurring interest by carrying a balance month-to-month, you’re paying nothing to hold the card.

In fact, no annual fee credit cards are a critical component of your credit profile.

Because you can keep them forever without paying a membership fee, they’re a pillar to the health of your credit score. 15% of your credit score is determined by your “length of credit history.” This is the average age of all your loans, and it includes things like:

• Mortgages
• Auto loans
• Personal loans
• Credit cards

While personal loans, auto loans and even mortgages eventually end, you can keep a revolving line of credit (such as a credit card) open as long as you want. This can help you increase your length of credit history.

What Benefits To Expect With No Annual Fee Cards

The benefits associated with no annual fee credit cards vary widely by card. However, you can reasonably expect two or three of the below benefits at a time.

Rewards for Purchases

Many no annual fee credit cards earn a modest return for your everyday spending. Most earn cash back or travel points/miles. You’ll generally receive between 1% and 2% back on all purchases — though some earn up to 5% back with rotating spending bonuses and choose-your-own bonus categories.

Intro APR

Many no annual fee credit cards provide a lengthy interest-free period upon account opening. Common offers are 0% intro APR on purchases and/or balance transfers for between 12 and 21 months. Just note that the no annual fee cards offering the most generous 0% APR windows typically don’t also offer rewards for your spending.

A Variety of Insurances

No annual fee credit cards generally come with purchase insurance, such as return protection and extended warranty protection. Some even offer travel coverage, such as secondary rental car insurance and trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Others offer cell protection, reimbursing you for covered damage or theft if you use your credit card to pay your cell phone bill.

Waived Foreign Transaction Fees

A common penalty among credit cards is to charge between 1% and 3% of each transaction processed outside the U.S. This is known as “foreign transaction fees.”

If you’re traveling internationally, you’re looking for a card that doesn’t charge these fees. Many no annual fee travel credit cards provide this benefit.

Pros and Cons of No Annual Fee Cards

Pros

The obvious benefit to a credit card with no annual fee is that you don’t have to continually spend money every year to keep it. The benefits it offers are “free” to use. As previously mentioned, this can be a boon when trying to improve your length of credit history.

No annual fee means there’s no initial investment — you can try out the card to see if it’s a good fit for your lifestyle at no upfront cost.

Cons

The main downside to no annual fee credit cards is their typical lack of elevated benefits. If you are seeking premium perks like airport lounge access or bonuses worth more than $200 you will need to be willing to pay an annual fee.

How Do No Annual Fee Cards Differ From Those With Annual Fees?

The most valuable credit cards incur annual fees. No annual fee cards differ from these cards in that their benefits are significantly less potent.

Depending on the annual fee card, you can find many hundreds of dollars in:

• Annual statement credits
• Bonus rewards after each cardmember anniversary
• Annual free night certificates at select hotels
• Complimentary elite statuses with multiple travel brands
• Access to over 1,200 airport lounges
• Free checked bags on domestic flights

With a no annual fee card, you’ll generally receive less impressive earning rates — and the rewards you earn aren’t as valuable. Annual fee-incurring cards also often have exponentially more valuable welcome bonuses.

How To Maximize the Benefits of Your No Annual Fee Card

1. Earn the Welcome Bonus Quickly

If your no annual fee credit card comes with a welcome bonus, you’ll usually need to complete a minimum spending requirement within a few months to earn it.

Some transactions don’t count toward the spending threshold, such as cash equivalents (including some gift card purchases and cash advances). Also, if you return a product you’ve bought with the card, the refund will subtract from your spending progress. You want to make sure you have given yourself enough time to meet the requirements and confirm you have earned the bonus before the time requirement has passed.

2. Remember To Enroll in Benefits

Some perks require activation before they begin to work for you. Most commonly, some credit card bonus categories demand enrollment each quarter. Other cards that allow you to choose your own bonus categories may ask for you to choose your unique categories every so often.

3. Funnel As Many Purchases As Possible Through It

If you’ve opened a rewards credit card, you should obviously note the best types of purchases to use with your credit card. If it earns more at gas stations and for streaming purchases, use it for those.

However, you should be channeling as much of your everyday spending through it as you can. Any time you make a payment with cash, you’re leaving money on the table.

4. Couple It With a Card That Does Charge Annual Fees

Some cash back credit cards earn rewards whose potential can only be unlocked when paired with a more premium credit card.

For example, the Chase Freedom Flex® earns rewards which can be redeemed for a flat 1 cent each. But if you also hold an eligible annual fee-incurring Chase credit card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can convert the rewards you earn with the Chase Freedom Flex into airline miles and hotel points.

You can do this by first transferring those rewards to your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card account — similar to transferring money from a savings account to a checking account. You can then transfer them onto travel partners like:

• British Airways
• Hyatt
• Singapore Airlines
• United Airlines

You can use these miles and points to book inexpensive travel, potentially getting a value much greater than had you redeemed them for cash.

The information related to the Chase Freedom Flex® was collected by CardCritics™ and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardCritics™ does not receive a commission for this product.