For most people, credit cards are a part of life. There are tons of reasons why they are important, not the least of which involves the need to have a line of credit that often far exceeds the cash you have in the bank at any given point in time. Possessing a few credit cards gives you the opportunity to make larger purchases. What are the best credit card companies out there, as of this year? The sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, to say the least. If you’re looking for a little help with the matter, here are 20 of the best credit card companies in the world. As usual, they start at number 20 and go all the way to number one, where you can find what is arguably the best credit card company in the world.
20. PNC
The company is well known for making decent credit cards available to a number of people with varying credit ratings. One of their best cards is the Core Visa. This is a solid credit card for anyone who has a relatively good credit history. In order to qualify, you need a credit score of 600 or better. In return, you have the opportunity to enjoy things such as no annual fee, not to mention a 0% introductory rate on balances and transfers for the first 15 months. After that, it switches to an APR, but it’s still one of the lowest in the industry. Depending on your credit history, it typically ranges between 12.49% and 24.49%. If you’re fortunate enough to get the low end of the spectrum, you can make major purchases without paying back a ton of interest in the process, even if you carry a balance.
19. Credit One Bank (Platinum X5 Visa
Credit One Bank has become a favorite among various individuals, largely because they offer credit cards to people with all types of credit ratings. While it is impossible to get their best cards if you don’t have good credit, it is a company that you can turn to if you’re just trying to build or rebuild your credit because they have something for individuals with credit scores as low as 570. As a matter of fact, the company is a favorite of individuals who have recently claimed bankruptcy, as it’s possible to be granted a credit card from the company in as little as a few months after the bankruptcy has become finalized.
In addition, they have a lot of different products for people so there is a good chance that you’ll find a card that you truly like. One of their more popular cards for people with good credit is the Platinum X5 Visa.You can get your hands on one of these if you have an average credit rating and you’re willing to pay an annual fee of $95. In return, you get a cash back option that includes 5% cash back on purchases like gas and groceries and 1% on virtually everything else.
18. World Financial Network National Bank
This is another company that’s popular with individuals who have a bit of a checkered past when it comes to their credit history. The company can be somewhat difficult to deal with if you can’t make your payments on time, but they are willing to give individuals a chance to those who have had credit problems in the past, provided that they have at least a fair credit rating. This typically means 600 or better. The company is responsible for one of the more well-known credit cards at this end of the spectrum, the Indigo Platinum MasterCard. They offer benefits such as fast response, regular reporting to all three major credit bureaus and as previously mentioned, the opportunity to rebuild your credit.
17. USAA
This particular company is very popular as a banking institution and that means it’s a popular credit card company, but it’s not for everyone. As a matter of fact, it’s only for individuals or direct descendants of individuals who have previously served in the military. That may not benefit you but if you qualify, you do end up getting some pretty good benefits with this particular company. If you’re wondering what their most popular credit card is, it is undeniably the USAA Rewards Signature Visa card. They offer cash back on regular purchases like gas, groceries and even dining out. You also get 0% APR for the first 15 months and after that, the APR transfers to 11%. Even at that rate, it’s still lower than most of the other cards out there.
16. Huntington Bank
This bank, located in Columbus, Ohio, is the 26th largest bank in the entirety of the United States. They didn’t quite make the Fortune 500 list, but they did come close, eventually making the ranks at number 521. This may not be one of the most well-known companies, but they still maintain a significant presence when it comes to issuing credit cards. As a matter of fact, they offer three different cards, one that offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, another that issues rewards at three times the rate of all of their other cards and finally, a card with a low interest rate. There aren’t any additional perks with this particular card, but your interest rate is 11% or less, meaning that you’re not paying as much on purchases in the long run.
15. HSBC
This is where you finally get into a bank that routinely does business across borders. They’re relatively well known in the United States, but they’ve also made a genuine name for themselves in India. They also have a couple of different popular credit cards to choose from. The first is the HSBC Premier credit card. You get 35 additional rewards points, provided you spend $3,000 within the first 90 days of opening the account. They also offer you double points on all travel and single points on every other purchase you make.
Perhaps the best thing about the card is that it comes with the ability to skip the TSA line at airports and go directly to the airport lounge or to the boarding terminal. Their other popular credit card is the HSBC Elite card. It offers 50,000 rewards points instead of 35, 000 and instead of double points for all travel, you get triple rewards. They also step things up when it comes to skipping the TSA line, as you’re offered complimentary membership into a number of airport lounges around the world. That means you may never have to go through another TSA line again.
14. Goldman Sachs
The company that’s been in business since 1869 is also one of the best-known investment firms in the entire world. They are a bank of massive proportions, one that has $53.9 billion in revenue and a staggering $2.5 trillion in assets. Until the summer of 2019, the company did not issue credit cards of any type. During that year, they launched a single card called the Apple card. It offers top-notch benefits such as 5% cash back, triple rewards on travel and hotel stays and a low APR. To this day, it’s the only card that the company offers and it’s one that’s highly sought-after. As you can probably imagine, it’s only available to individuals who have an excellent credit rating so if you have anything less than 720 or perhaps even higher, you might as well save yourself the trouble of applying.
13. Fifth Third Bank
This is one of the largest banks in the United States and it’s arguably in the top three as far as banks located in the midwestern portion of the country are concerned. They currently offer four different credit cards for people with all types of credit history. One of them is a secured card, meaning that you have to pay a certain amount into the card before you’re able to use it. If you’re looking for an unsecured credit card, they offer one with a 0% APR for individuals who are just starting out. They have another one that offers 1.67% cash back for every dollar you spend. Last but certainly not least, there is a preferred cash back card for kicks that up to 2% for every dollar spent.
12. Truist
This particular financial corporation has only been around for a few years, since 2019. That being said, they have quickly established themselves as a major player in the financial world, including when it comes to offering credit cards. Aside from their secured credit card, they have four other options available to you. The first is the Enjoy Beyond credit card, one that offers triple rewards for air travel, hotel stays and car rentals, along with double points spent on eating out and single points on everything else.
They also have a future credit card with a 0% APR for the first 15 months and no annual fee. The company offers a card geared directly toward travel, offering you the best benefits on things like airfare, hotel stays and even dining. Finally, they have one with no annual fee and a 0% APR that’s great for individuals who are just starting to build their credit history and want to get the most out of a credit card without spending tons of money on things like fees and interest rates.
11. BBVA
This is one of the largest financial institutions in the entire world, one that is currently headquartered in Madrid. They offer a plethora of credit cards for individuals across all types of income ranges with various credit ratings. The company is well known in both North and South America, as well as Romania and Turkey. Since they have a number of different credit card options available, they’re popular when it comes to business credit cards as well as those for personal use. Another thing that makes them stand out is that they are a digital bank, not one with a traditional brick-and-mortar presence.
10. Wells Fargo
This is a company that has been around since the days of the Gold Rush in the 1800’s. They have definitely not always been entirely popular with individuals, as they found themselves in hot water for their business practices a time or two. That being said, they have completely revamped the way they do business as a direct result of this and they currently offer a couple of different credit cards that have 0% APR and offer 2% cash back. Those cards include the Wells Fargo Select card and the Wells Fargo Active Cash card. The first is good for individuals who have a lower credit rating but both are solid options.
9. U.S. Bank
The company itself has been in business since 1891. However, they haven’t been issuing credit cards for more than a few years. Interestingly enough, the cards they do currently issue comprise a large amount of the money that is pumped into the market by credit card holders. At the moment, they barely scratch the top 10 when it comes to the number of credit cards issued, landing at number nine. However, they are the sixth biggest credit card company in terms of money spent on an annual basis. They currently offer three cards, the U.S. Bank Reserve Visa, the U.S. Bank Go Visa Signature, and the Bank Cash Plus Visa, which is arguably their most popular card because you get cash back on every purchase.
8. Synchrony
The company itself has been around for almost 200 years now, but they didn’t become known under this particular name until about nine years ago. They’re also almost solely responsible for the credit cards that are offered by various retail companies, including companies like JCPenney, Sam’s Club and even PayPal. That definitely makes them a major player so it’s no surprise that they ended up on this list.
7. Discover
It might surprise you to know that Discover was actually once a part of Sears. Long before that company’s demise, Discover was branched off and made its own company, specializing in credit cards as a dedicated financial institution. Currently, they have three major cars that are available to most applicants. They include the Discover It secured credit card, one that individuals who have poor credit ratings can get in order to build their credit. Unsecured cards include the Discover It Student cash back card and for those who have a more established credit history, the Discover It Cash Back card. The latter offers a 0% APR for the first 15 months and a 13.49% APR thereafter.
6. Citigroup
This credit card company started out as a dedicated financial institution in the 1960s. Since then, they routinely find themselves in the top three when it comes to the number of credit cards issued to individuals in the United States alone. Like many of these companies, they offer a number of credit cards for various needs. It all starts out with the Citi Simplicity card, a good option for those individuals who are trying to establish a solid credit rating. From there, you can choose either the Citi Double Cash card or the Citi Premier card. The latter option involves an introductory 0% APR which then transfers to anywhere from 18% to 26% after the first 15 months. Depending on your purchases, you also get double or even triple rewards that can then be used for travel or other purchases.
5. Chase
This company has been doing business since 1799 and they are arguably the most popular financial institution in the world when it comes to issuing credit cards. They also have a large number of different credit cards to choose from. As a matter of fact, they currently have five different products available. Arguably, their Chase Sapphire Rewards card is one of the best. With it, you can get 0% APR for the first year and a half and up to five times rewards on specific purchases. You can also get membership into a number of airport lounges and skip the TSA lines when you travel.
4. Barclays
Back in the 1960s, this particular bank was one of the most well-known issuers of credit cards in Britain. These days, they are still a well known financial institution in the UK and they also issue credit cards in the United States, mainly for a number of retail outlets.
3. Capital One
Capital One has been in the game for a long time and they have one of the most popular cards out there for those who have excellent credit, the Capital One Quicksilver card. There are many reasons to enjoy this card, not the least of which involves 1.5%cash back on everything. In addition, you can get a $200 cash bonus if you spend $500 within the first 90 days of opening your account (this is, of course, a one-time bonus). Other benefits include 0% APR for the first 15 months. After that, the rate changes to between 16.49% and 26.49%, depending on your credit rating. Last but not least, there is no annual fee.
2. Bank of America
This company is absolutely huge. They’ve been around since the 1930s and in 1958, they were the company that issued the first credit card for consumers in the United States. They’ve definitely come a long way since then, as they are not only a major player in the game of credit cards, but a company that controls the vast majority of the industry as a whole. At the moment, they have three different cards. One is perfect for individuals that travel all the time because of increased rewards based around things like airfare and hotel stays. The other two involve providing ample amounts of cash back when compared to other cards, as much as 3% to 5%.
1. American Express
Here is another company that’s been in business since the 1930s, even though they didn’t issue their first credit card until roughly 20 years later. They currently offer five different cards, many of them geared for travelers. If you have excellent credit, you can even enjoy their platinum card. With it, you get 5% cashback and five times rewards on purchases. You also get 0% APR. The caveat is that there is a $695 annual fee. That’s a lot, but under the right circumstances, this is arguably one of the best credit cards you’ll ever see.
Thanks for educating me