Going out to eat out, especially on a date? Or are you heading to the bar with friends after work to unwind? Or maybe you are looking to take a camping trip with family or friends. Regardless of your reason, you don’t want to pay an arm and a leg for the meal you are enjoying. This month I will be taking a look at the best credit cards to use while dining out, while drinking at the bar, while traveling, and while camping. We will be looking at both the rewards, benefits, and also any account fees that may be present. I will be giving out one award to each category, so let your wallet vote!

As you can see, while credit card companies continue to roll out new card designs, it isn’t always easy to tell who’s offering the best one for your needs. That’s why we’ve compiled the best credit cards of September, based on what you probably need, and who offers the best one for you.

To help you in your fight for a better future, we have listed down a few best credit cards for September 2021.

CNN —  

CNN Underscored assesses the total worth of financial goods such as credit cards and bank accounts. If you apply for and are accepted for a card via the LendingTree affiliate network, we may earn a commission, but our reporting is always fair and unbiased. Benefits and offers from American Express are subject to terms. Select American Express perks and offers may require enrollment. To discover more, go to americanexpress.com.

Many individuals are trying to get their personal finances in order as the epidemic continues to disrupt both the economy and everyday lives. While it may seem counterintuitive to consider credit cards if you’re experiencing financial difficulties, the appropriate card may be a valuable addition to your financial toolkit.

How? A new credit card may assist by allowing you to finance the items you need at 0% interest for a limited time or consolidating debt at a reduced interest rate. Or maybe you simply want to make sure you’re getting the most out of your points when you buy online, get food delivered to your house, or plan that long-awaited trip when travel resumes.

To decide which cards may possibly benefit you the most, our thorough approach analyzes every element of each credit card to our “benchmark credit card.” So take a few moments to go through our selection of the top credit cards for September and see whether one of them is suitable for you right now.

For flat-rate cash back, this is the best option. is the Citi® Double Cash Card. The best welcome bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card Chase Freedom Flex is the best option for incentives that are flexible. American Express Blue Cash Everyday® Card: Best for supermarkets in the United States Best for eating is the American Express® Gold Card. The Citi Premier® Card is ideal for use at petrol stations. Balance transfers are best using the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card. Bank of the United States of America Purchases at the best introductory rate with the Visa® Platinum Card Best for simple travel redemptions is the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card. The American Express Blue Business® Plus Credit Card is ideal for small companies. Capital One® Spark® Business Miles are best for bigger companies.

Why did we choose these credit cards as the best for August? Examine the specifics of each card with us to discover how they compare.

Best for flat-rate cash back

Why it’s excellent in a nutshell: The Citi Double Cash Card is both easy and profitable, with a market-leading 2% cash back on every transaction — 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay your bill — and no annual fee.

This card is ideal for: Those who want a card that works for them but don’t have the time, patience, or desire to chase bonus categories or decipher complex travel reward systems.

Highlights:

• Earn 2% cash back on all purchases, up to a certain amount.
• Balance transfers done in the first four months after you open the card will have a 0% APR for 18 months (13.99 percent -23.99 percent variable afterward).
• When coupled with the Citi Prestige® Card or Citi Premier, cash back may be converted to Citi ThankYou travel points at a rate of 1 cent per point.
• There is no yearly charge.

There is no sign-up incentive.

What we appreciate about the Citi Double Cash: Life is complex enough as it is; no one wants their credit card to be any more confusing. If you don’t want to bother with bonus categories, transfer partners, or spending limits, the Citi Double Cash is the card for you.

However, “simple” does not have to imply “weak.” In fact, you’ll receive 2% cash back on almost everything you purchase with this card, making it the greatest continuing flat-rate return of any no-annual-fee credit card available.

Yes, you can receive more total rewards or benefits if you put in additional work to optimize bonus categories or if you’re prepared to pay an annual fee. If you don’t want your credit card to become another source of stress in your life, keep the Citi Double Cash in your handbag or wallet and set it and forget it.

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The Citi Double Cash is both easy and lucrative, making it a smart option when you have more pressing concerns than credit cards.

What could be more ideal: The Citi Double Cash is a no-frills credit card, which means it doesn’t come with any fancy travel or eating benefits or any substantial travel or purchase protections. You won’t want to use this card for international transactions since the 3% foreign transaction charge would cancel out any points you earn.

When you have other premium Citi cards, the ability to convert the card’s cash back to Citi ThankYou points is helpful, but the ThankYou program’s airline transfer partners may be difficult to exploit for novices, who may choose to stay with the card’s cash back benefits.

Although there is a 3% charge associated with the debt transfer offer, it is comparable to other credit cards that provide similar balance transfer benefits. Also, since the Citi Double Cash doesn’t have a sign-up bonus, competing cards may be more lucrative right away, but the Double Cash will catch up with time.

Why is it considered our “benchmark” credit card? The Citi Double Cash is our “benchmark” credit card for comparing the characteristics of other credit cards and determining whether they’re better or worse overall because of its simplicity of use and simple top-of-market cash-back earning rate.

In our credit card methodology guide, you can learn more about our benchmark credit card idea, or read our full evaluation of the Citi Double Cash.

Learn more about the Citi Double Cash Card and apply today.

Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the top cash back credit cards for more information.

Best sign-up bonus

In one phrase, here’s why it’s great: The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 100,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. The points can be redeemed for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards or in other eligible categories using the card’s “Pay Yourself Back” tool for 1.25 cents per point through September 30, 2021.

This card is ideal for: People who have higher-than-average travel and/or eating expenditures who wish to use their credit card points to pay for their trip.

Highlights:

• For every dollar spent on restaurants, certain streaming services, and some online grocery purchases, you’ll get three points (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
• For every dollar spent on travel, you’ll get 2 points, or 5 total points if you buy via Ultimate Rewards.
• Until March 2022, get 5 points every dollar spent on Lyft rides.
• At a cost of 1.25 cents per point, points may be redeemed for travel via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel site.
• Points may also be redeemed for purchases in grocery shops, restaurants, and home improvement stores at a rate of 1.25 cents per point now until September 30, 2021.
• You may also transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel partners.
• On all of your annual expenditures, you’ll get a 10% anniversary point bonus.
• The Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal offers a $50 yearly hotel credit that may be used on any booking made via the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal.
• There are no costs for international transactions.
• An annual charge of $95 is required.

Sign-up bonus: After spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months after establishing the account, you’ll get a whopping 100,000 extra points.

What we like about the Chase Sapphire Preferred: It may not seem so, but the Chase Sapphire Preferred is virtually the granddaddy of travel rewards credit cards, having been around for almost a decade. However, Chase deserves credit for keeping the card fresh by adding new features that make it even more valuable.

With classic travel and dining bonus categories, newly added bonus points on streaming services and online groceries, 5 points per dollar on Lyft rides through March 2022, and a 100,000-point sign-up bonus (the highest we’ve ever seen on this card), you should be able to rack up plenty of points even if you don’t fly much right now.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred’s true strength lies in its redemptions. When you redeem your points via Chase’s travel site, you’ll receive 1.25 cents per point. Last year, Chase introduced a new “Pay Yourself Back” feature to the Sapphire Preferred that enables you to use points for purchases other than travel. Grocery shops, eating places (including delivery and takeout), and home improvement businesses are now eligible, and you’ll earn 1.25 cents per point if you redeem this way until September 30, 2021.

Related: Here are six reasons why you should acquire the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

Plus, if you transfer your points to one of Chase’s 14 travel partners, you may receive even more value. In reality, the Ultimate Rewards program still includes some of the finest transfer partners, including as United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Hyatt Hotels, and all partners transfer at a 1-to-1 ratio (meaning you’ll receive 1 point in the partner program for every 1 point transferred from Chase).

To top it off, you can use the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to make international transactions with no foreign transaction fees. It also includes primary vehicle rental insurance, so if you have an accident with your rental car, you won’t have to turn to your own auto coverage first.

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If you pay for a rental vehicle with the Chase Sapphire Preferred and have an accident, you are covered by main car rental insurance.

What might be better: The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a classic, but it’s beginning to show its age in certain areas. Other credit cards offer greater bonus points for travel purchases (though they typically come with higher annual fees), but if you book travel via Ultimate Rewards with the Sapphire Preferred, you may get 5 total points for every dollar spent.

Even our best Citi Double Cash card offers 2% cash back on everything you spend, including travel — 1% when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay it off — but you may receive more value when redeeming your Sapphire Preferred points than you do with basic cash back.

The Sapphire Preferred isn’t as showy as its bigger brother, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which includes travel benefits and a $300 yearly travel credit (but also a significantly higher annual fee). If you don’t need or won’t utilize all of the additional features, you may be better off with this much less costly version.

Which is better for you: Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve?

Where it outperforms our benchmark card is in the following areas: Incentive areas include travel, eating, streaming services, and online grocery shopping, as well as strong travel insurance, dependable airline and hotel partners, and a sign-up bonus.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: No annual fee, introductory rate on balance transfers, and quick cash back are all features of the Citi Double Cash.

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and apply today.

Here’s why we think the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best travel credit card for newbies.

Best for rewards with a lot of variety

In a nutshell, if you’re undecided about whether you’d rather earn cash back or travel points, the Chase Freedom Flex, when coupled with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve card, lets you do both.

This card is ideal for: Those looking for maximum freedom in a credit card with no annual fee.

Highlights:

• Earn 5% cash back on travel purchases via Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% on dining, and 3% on pharmacy purchases.
• Earn 5% cash back in rotating bonus areas, up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter.
• On all other purchases, you’ll get 1% cash back.
• When you combine the Freedom Flex with a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card, you may turn the cash back into flexible travel points.
• For the first 15 months, all purchases get a 0% introductory APR (14.99 percent to 23.74 percent variable afterward).
• There is no yearly charge.

Earn $200 in bonus cash back after spending $500 in the first three months after establishing the account, plus 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 spent in the first year.

What we like about the Chase Freedom Flex: If you want cash back today but want to try something new in the future, the Chase Freedom Flex may let you have the best of both worlds.

The Chase Freedom Flex begins by earning cash back in three permanent bonus categories: 5% cash back on Chase Ultimate Rewards travel purchases, 3% cash back on eating (including takeout and delivery), and 3% cash back at drugstores.

Then you’ll get 5% cash back on purchases up to $1,500 in bonus areas that change every quarter. Grocery shops and certain streaming services are the categories for July through September 2021, although the categories change each quarter. If you’re a first-time cardholder, you’ll receive 5% cash back on food purchases for the first 12 months, up to $12,000 in total spending.

For a cash back credit card, that’s already a very good deal. You may convert your cash back to points at a rate of 1 cent per point when you combine the Chase Freedom Flex with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve. Then you may use the Chase travel site to redeem those points for travel at a higher value of 1.25 to 1.5 cents per point, or use the “Pay Yourself Back” feature to use them in other categories.

Even better, you may transfer your points to any of Chase’s 14 airline and hotel reward partners after you’ve converted your cash back to points. Because of this incredible versatility, The Points Guy, a frequent flyer website, rates Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each. At that rate, you might wind up with a 3 percent return on your purchases, thanks to the 1.5 percent cash back on the Freedom Flex.

The Chase Freedom Flex also comes with mobile phone protection, purchase protection, extended warranty protection, and a three-month free DashPass membership.

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With the Chase Freedom Flex credit card, you’ll earn 3% on all pharmacy purchases.

What’s more, in order to receive 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories, you must remember to activate them each quarter. While you may activate them nearly any time throughout the quarter and still receive the extra cash back on previous purchases, it’s critical not to miss the deadline or you’ll miss out on a key feature of the card.

Where it outperforms our benchmark card: Sign-up bonus, purchase and cell phone safeguards, and a 15-month introductory rate on purchases.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: The Citi Double Cash card has a higher overall cash back rate as well as an initial balance transfer rate.

Learn more about the Chase Freedom Flex and apply now.

Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the top Chase credit cards for more information.

Best for supermarkets in the United States

In one phrase, here’s why it’s great: The Blue Cash Everyday card offers 3% cash back as a statement credit at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 yearly, thereafter 1% ) and 2% back at U.S. petrol stations, with no annual fee and a substantial introductory interest rate on purchases for 15 months (see rates and fees).

This card is for those who spend a lot of money at supermarkets in the United States each year and don’t want to pay an annual fee for a credit card.

Highlights:

• Earn 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 in purchases each year (then 1 percent ).
• Earn 2% cash back at certain gas stations and department shops in the United States.
• On anything else, you’ll get 1% cash back.
• Reward Dollars are a kind of cash back that may be redeemed for a statement credit.
• For the first 15 months, all purchases get a 0% introductory APR (13.99 percent to 23.99 percent variable afterward, see rates and fees).
• Loss and damage insurance is included in the rental car price.
• There is no yearly charge.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Earn $100 as a statement credit after spending $2,000 on your new card in the first six months of membership, plus get 20% back on Amazon purchases in the first six months of membership, up to $150 back.

What we appreciate most about the Blue Cash Everyday is that for many Americans, grocery expenditures account up a substantial part of their monthly family budget. The Blue Cash Everyday card boosts extra cash back in that area as well as at petrol stations, making it a go-to card in your pocket for two common transactions.

The card also offers an initial 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months, in addition to its bonus categories. However, you should pay off your loan before the conclusion of the intro period, since the APR will increase to a variable 13.99 percent to 23.99 percent after that.

New card users will also get a welcome bonus of $100 cash back as a statement credit after spending $2,000 in the first six months, as well as 20% back on Amazon purchases for the first six months of card membership, up to $150 back. That’s a significant sum of money, particularly if you already shop at Amazon often.

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With the Blue Cash Everyday card, you may earn 3% in U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, thereafter 1%).

What could be more ideal: With the Blue Cash Everyday, bonus cash back isn’t received on purchases made outside of the US, and there’s a 3% international transaction charge on top of that (see rates and fees). Plus, there’s no option to convert your cash back into American Express Membership Rewards points, which may be more helpful for individuals who want the most flexibility when it comes to redeeming credit card rewards for future travel.

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is also a more costly version of the Blue Cash Everyday, earning 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets – twice the Blue Cash Everyday — on up to $6,000 in purchases each year (1 percent thereafter). The Blue Cash Preferred also provides 6% cash back on certain streaming subscriptions in the United States, as well as 3% cash back at petrol stations and on public transportation in the United States.

You’ll usually pay a $95 annual fee in return for those higher bonus rates, but the Blue Cash Preferred now has a $0 introductory annual cost for the first year (see rates and fees). So think about whether the Blue Cash Everyday, which has no annual cost, or the Blue Cash Preferred, which has a $95 annual fee after the first year, is a better fit for your requirements.

Which is better for you: Amex Blue Cash Preferred vs. Blue Cash Everyday?

Where it outperforms our benchmark card is in the following areas: Car rental damage coverage, an introductory interest rate on purchases, and a welcome bonus

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: When paired with the Citi Prestige Card or Citi Premier, the Citi Double Cash offers an initial balance transfer offer, and its cash back may be converted to Citi ThankYou travel points.

Get more information about the Blue Cash Everyday card.

Check out CNN Underscored’s roundup of the top grocery credit cards.

The best option for eating

Why it’s excellent in a nutshell: The American Express Gold Card is a top-notch card for food, since you’ll receive a reasonably high return at both restaurants and U.S. supermarkets, as well as some fantastic built-in perks.

This card is ideal for: People who often dine at restaurants or order meals for delivery.

Highlights:

• Earn 4 points for every dollar spent at American supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per year, then 1x).
• At restaurants across the globe, you may earn 4 points every dollar spent.
• For flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, you’ll get 3 points every dollar spent.
• On anything else, you’ll get one point every dollar spent.
• Annual meal credits of up to $120 are available.
• Uber Cash is worth up to $120 each year.
• The yearly cost is $250. (see rates and fees).
• Terms and conditions apply.

Earn 60,000 extra points after spending $4,000 on purchases during the first six months of your account’s creation.

What we like about the American Express Gold: It’s not a cheap card, with a $250 annual fee, but due to its many statement credits, the Amex Gold’s benefits may rapidly exceed its cost.

You may earn up to $10 in statement credits each month with the Amex Gold when you use your card to purchase at certain food merchants, such as Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and selected Shake Shack locations, in addition to earning a lot of points (enrollment required).

Each month, you’ll also earn up to $10 in Uber Cash, which you can use to pay for Uber trips or Uber Eats purchases. If you order out often these days, you’ll be able to use up both the Uber Cash and the dining credits in a month’s time.

If you use all of these credits each year, you’ll save $240, which means you’ll only spend $10 for the card despite the $250 annual charge.

The American Express Gold Card almost pays for itself, now the Rose Gold variant is back.

Grubhub

With the Amex Gold card, you may earn up to $120 in yearly meal credits if you buy frequently from Grubhub.

What’s more, the Amex Gold card generates points that may be used in a variety of ways, but they’re ideal for travel. As a result, you’ll probably want to put off redeeming your points earned with this card until travel resumes more widely. So, if you’re searching for a card with benefits you can use right away, a cash back card may be a better option.

If you can’t use the yearly credits on the Amex Gold, which are given out monthly and take some work to optimize, you’ll want to seek elsewhere. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting your money by buying a card and not getting the most out of it.

It outperforms our benchmark card in the following areas: welcome bonus, yearly credits, bonus categories, and strong airline and hotel partners.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: No annual fee, introductory rate on balance transfers, and quick cash back are all features of the Citi Double Cash.

More information about the American Express Gold Card may be found here.

Related: CNN Underscored’s list of the best credit cards for meal delivery can be found here.

The best choice for petrol stations

Why it’s great in a nutshell: The Citi Premier card has a robust set of bonus categories that make it simple to earn extra points at gas stations and other major household budget staples, plus its points can be easily redeemed for travel or transferred to any of Citi’s airline partners for potentially even more value.

This card is ideal for: Those who want to earn bonus points across a wide range of categories and are ready to learn how to utilize Citi’s diverse network of transfer partners.

Highlights:

• For every dollar spent at petrol stations, restaurants, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels, you will get three points.
• On anything else, you’ll get one point every dollar spent.
• Points may be redeemed for travel or 1 cent gift cards via the Citi ThankYou Rewards travel site.
• You may also transfer your points to one of Citi’s 16 airline partners.
• When you book a single hotel stay of $500 or more via thankyou.com, you’ll get a $100 credit per year, minus taxes and fees.
• There are no costs for international transactions.
• An annual charge of $95 is required.

Earn 80,000 extra points after spending $4,000 on purchases during the first three months of establishing your account.

What we like about the Citi Premier: The Citi Premier offers a good mix of excellent bonus categories, significant travel benefits, and a fantastic sign-up bonus for a $95 annual fee, making it a package worth considering. Furthermore, a recent temporary update to the Citi ThankYou Rewards program has increased the value of the card’s points right now.

For starters, the Citi Premier now offers the biggest sign-up bonus we’ve ever seen on the card. After spending $4,000 on the card in the first three months after establishing the account, new cardholders may receive a record-breaking 80,000 bonus points. Citi ThankYou points are worth 1.7 cents each, making 80,000 points worth $1,360 in travel, according to The Points Guy.

While Citi’s ThankYou program isn’t as well-known as Chase and Amex’s, the issuer’s 16 airline transfer partners provide a variety of choices that aren’t accessible anyplace else. American Airlines AAdvantage, which just became a limited-time Citi ThankYou transfer partner until Nov. 13, is at the top of that list.

Of course, if you don’t want to learn about transfer programs, you can always redeem your Citi Premier points for 1 cent per point by utilizing Citi’s travel site to book any airline or hotel stay without having to worry about award availability or ban periods. Even if you go the simple route, the 80,000-point bonus is still worth a whopping $800.

Read CNN Underscored’s evaluation of the Citi Premier credit card.

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From now until November 13, points earned with the Citi Premier card may be transferred to American’s AAdvantage program.

What could be more ideal: While having unique transfer partners is wonderful, the Citi ThankYou airline relationships tilt strongly toward foreign programs that are best used by points and miles specialists who are willing to put in the time and effort. Using them may provide excellent value for your points, but they are not for the faint of heart.

The one notable exception is American AAdvantage, which is simple to use and presumably known to many domestic US passengers. While the airline no longer offers predictable reward pricing based purely on award charts, excellent redemptions may still be found. The disadvantage is that the ThankYou/AAdvantage agreement is set to expire on November 13th, but it is conceivable that it may be extended.

Another unexpected disadvantage of the Citi Premier card is that it lacks significant travel and purchase protections for a travel credit card. The overwhelming bulk of Citi’s travel insurance coverage was withdrawn from all of its credit cards a few years ago, and as a consequence, it’s the one feature of the Citi Premier that falls short of its rivals.

Where it outperforms our benchmark card is in the following areas: Bonus categories, sign-up bonuses, and airline and hotel transfer partners are all available.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: No annual fee, introductory rate on balance transfers, and quick cash back are all features of the Citi Double Cash.

Learn more about the Citi Premier Card and apply today.

Why you should get the Citi Premier as your first Citi credit card.

Best for transferring balances

In one line, why it’s great: If you need to consolidate debt to save money on interest, the Citi Diamond Preferred credit card provides a zero percent introductory interest rate on balance transfers for the first four months after you activate the card.

This card is ideal for: Those who wish to consolidate their debt at a low interest rate for a long period of time.

Highlights:

• On debt transfers done in the first four months after you get the card, you’ll get a 0% introductory APR for 18 months (13.74 percent to 23.74 percent variable afterward).
• For the first 18 months, all purchases get a 0% introductory APR (13.74 percent to 23.74 percent variable afterward).
• There is no yearly charge.

There is no sign-up incentive.

What we appreciate about the Citi Diamond Preferred: The first step to getting out of credit card debt is to stop the bleeding by paying off the excessive interest you’ve accrued. The doctor prescribed a credit card with a lengthy introductory balance transfer deal.

The Citi Diamond Preferred has an 18-month promotional period during which any balance transfers done within the first four months of card ownership would incur a 0% APR. However, you’ll want to pay off your full amount transfer within those 18 months, since the APR will rise to between 13.74 percent and 23.74 percent, depending on your creditworthiness, after the promotional period expires.

Even better, for the first 18 months, you’ll receive the same 0% APR on new purchases using the card. Again, depending on your creditworthiness, the APR will increase to between 13.74 percent and 23.74 percent after the conclusion of the intro period, so make sure you pay off your amount before then.

The Citi Diamond Preferred card also includes a free FICO credit score and enables you to pick your payment due date, which is ideal for those who pay their credit card bills around their salary schedule and need maximum flexibility.

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You can combine your current credit card debt with the Citi Diamond Preferred card at a reduced interest rate.

What could be more ideal: There aren’t many interesting benefits with the Citi Diamond Preferred, apart from the debt transfer option and free FICO score. There are no rewards on the card, and there are no significant additional benefits.

Any balance transfers to the Citi Diamond Preferred will be charged a 3% fee (with a $5 minimum). While this is about typical for a balance transfer charge, it’s something to consider before moving debt to the card.

Consider our benchmark Citi Double Cash card, which not only provides a 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months (after which a variable APR of 13.99 percent to 23.99 percent applies), but also gets cash back on all purchases (though balance transfers do not earn cash back).

Even so, if you need to pay no interest on both new and current debt for a long period of time, the Citi Diamond Preferred may be worth the additional cost to give you time to get back on track and straighten up your finances.

Where it outperforms our benchmark card: An 18-month introductory interest rate on purchases.

Where the Citi Double Cash outperforms our benchmark card: The Citi Double Cash offers cash back incentives on all transactions.

Learn more about the Citi Diamond Preferred Card and apply today.

Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the top credit cards for balance transfers for more information.

Best introductory rate on purchases

The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card provides a 0% APR on all purchases for the first 20 billing cycles, which is ideal for individuals who would prefer pay no interest on purchases for as long as possible rather than collecting cash back or travel rewards (the APR rises to a variable 14.49 percent to 24.49 percent after the introductory period ends).

People who want the longest possible introductory interest rate term on purchases when they initially acquire a credit card should get this card.

Highlights:

• For the first 20 payment cycles, all purchases get a 0% introductory APR (14.49 percent to 24.49 percent variable afterward).
• On debt transfers done in the first 60 days after you get the card, you’ll get a 0% introductory APR for 20 payment cycles (14.49 percent to 24.49 percent variable afterward).
• Protection for your cell phone.
• There is no yearly charge.

There is no sign-up incentive.

The following are some of our favorite features of the US Bank Visa Platinum Card: Credit cards are notorious for having exorbitant interest rates, making them unsuitable for big expenditures. The U.S. Bank Visa Platinum Card, on the other hand, is an exception, at least for the first 20 billing cycles (i.e., your first 20 monthly bills) after you get the card.

During that period, you may use the card to make purchases and pay them off over time without paying any interest. It’s a fantastic method to finance a big emergency buy or even simply everyday expenditures if you’re in a hurry since it offers a longer intro period than nearly any other credit card on the market.

But be cautious! Any amount left on the card after the introducer interest period expires will be subject to a variable APR of 14.49 percent to 24.49 percent, depending on your creditworthiness. If you haven’t paid off all of your purchases in full by then, you’ll be facing some hefty interest charges. Still, if you’re simply trying to make ends meet for the time being, this is a card that may come in handy.

This card also comes with an additional benefit: continuous mobile phone protection. When you pay your mobile phone bill with the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum, you’ll be protected up to $600 in damage or theft for up to two claims per 12-month period, with a $25 deductible.

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When you pay your mobile phone bill using a Visa Platinum card from the United States Bank, your phone is protected against theft or damage.

What could be more ideal: Aside from the initial interest rate on purchases and a comparable introductory interest rate on balance transfers (both of which come with a 3% charge), this isn’t a card that’ll accomplish anything for you. It doesn’t earn any points, doesn’t have a sign-up bonus, and doesn’t provide any other major benefits.

Although the US Bank Visa Platinum has no annual cost, it does carry a 3% international transaction fee, so you won’t want to use it abroad. In reality, it’s not a card we’d suggest for long-term use, except perhaps financing purchases during the promotional period.

If you’re prepared to sacrifice a little shorter introductory period for more incentives, the Chase Freedom Unlimited is a good option. It has a 0% introductory interest rate on purchases for the first 15 months, but it also provides 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases and extra bonus categories.

Where it outperforms our benchmark card is in the following areas: Cell phone insurance and an introductory interest rate on purchases for the first 20 billing cycles.

Where the Citi Double Cash outperforms our benchmark card: The Citi Double Cash gets rewards on all purchases.

Learn more about the U.S. Bank Visa Platinum and apply today.

Related: Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the top 0% interest credit cards.

For quick trip redemptions, this is the best option.

Why it’s excellent in a nutshell: With the Capital One Venture Credit Card, you’ll earn 2 Capital One miles every dollar spent, which you can redeem for 1 cent per mile on any travel purchase or transfer to Capital One’s travel partners for potentially much more lucrative redemptions.

This card is ideal for: Those who want to earn readily redeemable miles for travel, but also want to learn how to master transferable points in the future for even more value.

Highlights:

• Earn 2 miles every dollar spent on any transaction, up to a maximum of 2,000 miles.
• At a cost of one penny per mile, miles may be redeemed for any travel transaction.
• Miles may be transferred to 19 different airline and hotel partners.
• When you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you may get a $100 credit.
• There are no costs for international transactions.
• An annual charge of $95 is required.

Earn 60,000 extra miles after spending $3,000 on purchases during the first three months of establishing your account.

What we like about the Capital One Venture: Now that travel is on the mend, you may be thinking about hopping on a plane soon. As a result, you may want to consider a credit card that offers travel rewards so you may take a much-needed vacation.

But what type of incentives should you aim for? Fixed-value miles that are simple to redeem, or flexible miles that can be utilized for more complex advanced redemptions that provide greater value?

You get the best of both worlds with the Capital One Venture card. You can use the Venture’s “Purchase Eraser” function to wipe away any travel expenditures you make with the card at a rate of 1 cent per mile, making the card’s 100,000-mile sign-up bonus worth at least $1,000 in travel for those who don’t want to bother with complicated charts or award availability.

Capital One’s 19 transfer partners offer another alternative for those who wish to put in the time and effort to obtain first- or business-class travel redemptions. Most Capital One partners provide a 2-to-1.5 ratio (meaning that for every 2 Venture miles you transfer, you’ll get 1.5 airline miles on the other end), while others only offer a 1-to-1 ratio, and a few only offer a 2-to-1 ratio.

The Capital One Venture has a $95 annual fee, but you may receive a fee credit of up to $100 when you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck using the card, and there are no international transaction fees.

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If you’re planning a much-needed trip, try earning travel rewards rather than cash back.

What might be better: The Capital One Venture card has just one bonus category: you’ll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels or auto rentals if you book them via Capital One Travel. When reserving a hotel via a travel site rather than directly with the hotel, you are unlikely to get elite credit or have your elite privileges recognized.

There are no balance transfers or promotional interest rates on purchases, so don’t expect to use the Venture card to carry a debt. If you solely intend to use the “Purchase Eraser” to redeem your miles, you may be better off with our benchmark Citi Double Cash card, which earns 2 cents per dollar spent in either case, but the Venture card has a $95 annual fee.

Although advanced cardholders will be able to use foreign airline alliances to earn domestic redemptions, Capital One’s transfer partners include just one US carrier (JetBlue). However, if you want to mix in some airline transfers in the future, the Venture card is a fantastic entry point into the world of transferable points.

Sign-up bonus, purchase protections, and travel coverage are all areas where it outperforms our benchmark card.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: There is no annual fee on the Citi Double Cash, and there is an introductory rate on balance transfers.

Read the full review of the Capital One Venture credit card.

Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the top travel credit cards for more information.

Small companies will benefit the most.

Why it’s great in a nutshell: The Blue Business Plus from American Express is a great and simple choice for businesses with annual expenses of less than $50,000, because it earns a flat rate of 2 Membership Rewards points for every dollar spent on all business purchases up to $50,000 per year, then 1 point per dollar spent after that, and there’s no annual fee (see rates and fees).

Small companies looking for a credit card with no annual fee and transferable travel points to utilize in the future may benefit from this card.

Highlights:

• Earn two points for every dollar spent on all purchases up to $50,000 per year, then one point for each dollar spent beyond that.
• At a rate of up to 1 cent per point, points may be redeemed for travel via Amex Travel.
• Amex points may be transferred to any of the company’s 21 airline and hotel partners.
• For the first 12 months, all purchases get a 0% introductory APR (13.24 percent -19.24 percent variable afterward, see rates and fees).
• There is no yearly charge.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on qualifying purchases during the first three months of your account’s creation.

What we like about the Blue Business Plus: The Blue Business Plus is a good option for small companies seeking for a business credit card that compares to the personal Citi Double Cash, which is our benchmark card.

For every dollar spent on all purchases, the Blue Business Plus gets 2 Membership Rewards points, up to $50,000 per calendar year. If you’re planning a trip this year or next, the points may be redeemed for travel directly at a rate of up to 1 cent per point, or transferred to any of Amex’s 21 airline and hotel partners for possibly greater value.

For the first 12 months, your company may take advantage of the card’s 0% introductory APR on purchases — just make sure it’s paid off by the end of that period, or you’ll be hit with a continuing variable APR of 13.24 percent -19.24 percent, depending on your creditworthiness. Overall, it’s a great deal for small companies, especially because there’s no yearly charge.

The American Express Blue Business Plus was reviewed by CNN Underscored.

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Use the Blue Company Plus’s introductory interest rate on purchases to pay business expenditures for many months.

What could be more ideal: The American Express® Blue Business Cash Card, which has all of the same features as the Blue Business Plus but earns cash back automatically credited to your statement in the form of Membership Rewards points, can be converted to cash back at a poor rate of 0.6 cents per point. Small businesses focused on earning cash back rather than travel rewards should instead choose the American Express® Blue Business Cash Card, which has all of the same features as the Blue Business Plus but earns cash back automatically credited to your statement in the form of Membership Rewards points.

You also won’t want to use this card for international purchases since it charges a 2.7 percent foreign transaction fee (see rates and fees). Larger companies with more than $50,000 in annual credit card expenditures may find the Blue Business cards restricting, since all charges above that level earn just 1 point per dollar in a calendar year. (For companies with higher yearly expenditures, see our option for larger enterprises below.)

Where it outperforms our benchmark card: a large number of airline and hotel partners, certain travel and transaction protections, and an initial purchase discount.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: The Citi Double Cash offers a low introductory rate on balance transfers and cash back that is simple to redeem.

Get more information about the Blue Business Plus Card.

Check out CNN Underscored’s list of the top business credit cards for more information.

Larger companies will benefit the most.

Why it’s great in a nutshell: The Capital One Spark Miles for Business card earns an unlimited 2 miles for every dollar spent on the card — plus 3 additional miles for hotel and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel with the card — and those miles can be redeemed for 1 cent per mile for any travel purchase or transferred to Capital One’s airline partners for potentially even more miles.

This card is ideal for: Larger companies looking for simple-to-redeem travel rewards points with the opportunity to learn how to master transferrable miles later on for even more value.

Highlights:

• For every dollar you spend on your card on hotels and rental vehicles booked via Capital One travel, you’ll earn 5 miles.
• All other purchases earn 2 miles per dollar, with no limit.
• At a cost of one penny per mile, miles may be redeemed for any travel transaction.
• Miles may be transferred to 19 different airline and hotel partners.
• When you apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, you may get a $100 credit.
• There are no costs for international transactions.
• For the first year, there is no yearly charge; after that, it is $95 each year.

Earn 50,000 extra miles when you spend $4,500 in the first three months after establishing your account.

What we like about the Capital One Spark Miles: Businesses with significant expenditures that may be charged to a credit card will like the Spark Miles for Business card’s limitless 2 miles per dollar, as well as the additional 3x miles when booking hotels or auto rentals via Capital One Travel.

Capital One miles may be redeemed for 1 cent per mile on any travel expenditures made with the card, or transferred to any of Capital One’s 19 airline and hotel partners for a potentially greater value with a little additional effort.

The Spark Miles card also comes with a 50,000-mile sign-up bonus after spending $4,500 in the first three months, which is a very modest barrier for any company with substantial monthly expenditures.

The greatest thing is that the card’s $95 annual cost is waived for the first year, giving you a full year to evaluate whether it meets your company requirements.

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For bigger companies, the Capital One Spark Miles credit card is an excellent option.

What might be better: Even when the epidemic diminishes, business travel isn’t going to be top-of-mind for most companies straight immediately, so if you’d prefer earn cash back than miles, the new Capital One Spark Cash Plus card is a possibility. It offers 2% cash back on all purchases and has no spending limits, but it lacks a few benefits, such as 5x on car rentals and hotels via Capital One Travel, and it has a higher annual fee of $150.

Capital One deserves credit for expanding its mileage program to include transfer partners in 2018 and recently adding even more. However, because it’s a new part of the program, the Spark Miles for Business airline partners aren’t quite as lucrative as those from Chase and American Express, though you can still find fantastic value with some effort.

It’s also inconvenient that you must book hotels and car rentals via Capital One Travel to earn 5 miles per dollar, particularly because most hotels won’t recognize achieved elite status or give elite nights or points for bookings made through third-party sites.

Because the Spark Miles card has a $95 annual fee beyond the first year, it’s more costly than our benchmark Citi Double Cash, so companies should make sure they’re receiving enough additional value from their miles to justify the expense.

Sign-up bonus, purchase protections, and travel coverage are all areas where it outperforms our benchmark card.

Where our benchmark card outperforms the competition: There is no annual fee on the Citi Double Cash, and there is an introductory rate on balance transfers.

For more information about Capital One Spark Miles for Business, click here.

The Blue Cash Everyday card’s rates and fees may be seen here. The Blue Cash Preferred card’s rates and fees may be seen here. The American Express Gold card’s rates and fees may be seen here. The Blue Business Plus card’s rates and fees may be seen here.

Do you need assistance paying off your credit card debt? Discover which credit cards CNN Underscored selected as the top balance transfer credit cards for 2021.

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