[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/cash-back-and-rewards\/credit-cards\/best-no-annual-fee-credit-cards\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/cash-back-and-rewards\/credit-cards\/best-no-annual-fee-credit-cards\/","headline":"8 Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards for 2025","name":"8 Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards for 2025","description":"If you\u2019ve ever compared credit card offers, you might see that some have an...","datePublished":"2020-02-21","dateModified":"2025-02-05","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/ashley-sutphin-watkins\/#Person","name":"Ashley Sutphin Watkins","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/author\/ashley-sutphin-watkins\/","identifier":60,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7ed67c6901210e47bcba4a6963591eda262f239ba4608acb8908580b17a8c03?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7ed67c6901210e47bcba4a6963591eda262f239ba4608acb8908580b17a8c03?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Money Done Right","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Money-Done-Right-Personal-Finance-and-Investing-Blog.png","width":488,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-no-annual-fee-credit-card.jpg","url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-no-annual-fee-credit-card.jpg","height":460,"width":1900},"url":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/cash-back-and-rewards\/credit-cards\/best-no-annual-fee-credit-cards\/","about":["Credit Cards"],"wordCount":2742,"keywords":["schema"],"articleBody":"If you\u2019ve ever compared credit card offers, you might see that some have an annual fee that\u2019s automatically charged to your account each year.Sometimes the annual fee is fairly low \u2014 for example, $95.Other times, the annual fee can be hundreds of dollars, so you might wonder why anyone would opt to pay this fee when there are no- and low-fee options.For some people, however, the perks of a credit card with an annual fee are well worth it.Table of ContentsToggleWhat Is A No-Annual Fee Credit Card?When it Makes Sense to Get a No-Annual Fee CardWhen It Doesn\u2019t Make Sense to Get a No-Annual Fee Card8 Best No-Annual-Fee Credit CardsWhat Is A No-Annual Fee Credit Card?A no-annual-fee credit card is one that simply doesn\u2019t have a fee to use it.You are paying interest on your card and any associated fees that you may incur, such as late payment fees, but you aren\u2019t paying a fee just for having the card.With a credit card that has an annual fee, you pay it no matter how often you use your card or even if you don\u2019t use it at all.When it Makes Sense to Get a No-Annual Fee CardYou might be thinking it\u2019s crazy to pay a fee for a credit card each year, but the reality is that a card with an annual fee is often going to offer appealing rewards that you won\u2019t get with a card that doesn\u2019t have an annual fee.It\u2019s also likely going to have a more robust welcome offer than no-fee cards.Even so, cards with an annual fee aren\u2019t right for everyone. For many people, no-annual-fee cards are a better option. The following are scenarios it makes sense to get a card that doesn\u2019t carry an annual fee.You Want to Build Your CreditOften since the cards with annual fees have more extensive and valuable rewards, they can also be harder to qualify for.If you\u2019re at a point where your focus is on building or improving your credit, you may not be eligible for these types of cards.A no-fee-credit card can be easier to be approved for and can help you strengthen your credit without having to pay high costs.In fact, no-annual fee cards like the Capital One\u00ae Secured Mastercard\u00ae are specifically intended to help those with poor or limited credit history improve their score.You Don\u2019t Spend Much On Your CardTo really maximize the advantages of cards with a high annual fee, you need to be spending enough to offset it.For example, the Capital One\u00ae QuicksilverOne\u00ae Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $39 annual fee and offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases.\u00a0 You would have to spend at least $2,600 on this card every year to offset the $39 annual fee.If you\u2019re the kind of person who only has a credit card for emergencies or to build your credit history, you should potentially look for a card without an annual fee.You Don\u2019t Travel OftenMany of the credit cards with the highest annual fees are travel-related.They may earn you miles or other travel-related benefits such as free checked bags or lounge access.If you don\u2019t frequently travel, having a card that provides travel benefits and carries a fee will probably be a loss for you.When It Doesn\u2019t Make Sense to Get a No-Annual Fee CardWhen it comes to credit cards, it\u2019s important to be strategic and crunch the numbers to figure out what will work out best for you. Examples of when it wouldn\u2019t make sense to get a no-annual fee card include the following scenarios.You Use Your Credit Card for EverythingThere are people who use a credit card for every purchase they make so they can maximize their rewards, and then theoretically, they pay their balance in full each month.If this sounds like you, it would probably be fairly easy for you to offset an annual fee and get value from your rewards. If you use your card often or you spend a fair amount on it, you may also be able to easily earn the signup bonus which is another way to offset an annual fee.You should also keep in mind that many cards with an annual fee have a sister card without an annual fee.For example, the Capital One\u00ae Savor\u00ae Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $95 annual fee but gives 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, while its sister card the Capital One\u00ae SavorOne\u00ae Cash Rewards Credit Card does not have an annual fee but only offers 3% cash back on dining and entertainment.You really have to do the math on your own spending habits to see which one will give you greater benefit.You\u2019re a Frequent TravelerAs was touched on above, many cards with annual fees are travel-related, so you\u2019re going to get value not just from the opportunity to earn miles and points. These cards will also likely have other travel-related perks.For example, the Delta SkyMiles\u00ae Gold American Express Card has $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99 but gives you your first checked bag free on each Delta flight you purchase on the card, so if you\u2019re a frequent Delta flyer, you could easily make up for this card\u2019s annual fee with just a few flights.The same is true of lounge access. Many airport lounges will charge $50 or more per person if they let you in at all. If you\u2019re a frequent traveler you may quickly find that an annual fee more than pays for itself.8 Best No-Annual-Fee Credit CardsCiti Double Cash\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCiti Double Cash: Best for Cash BackRead Review\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\tBasics: The Citi Double Cash features the opportunity to earn cash back twice. You earn 2% cash back on all purchases, with unlimited 1% cash back when you make a purchase and an additional 1% when you pay for purchases. There are no categories, no caps on cash back, and no annual fee.Pros: Along with no annual fee, with the Citi Double Cash you have the opportunity to earn a fairly competitive cash back rate. You don\u2019t have to track rotating categories and it\u2019s a very simple, straightforward way to earn rewards. You don\u2019t have to consider how much you spend in order to offset the annual fee. If you make a balance transfer within four months of opening an account, you benefit from a 0% introductory APR for 18 months, although balance transfers don\u2019t earn cash back.Cons: Beyond the cash back component, there are limited perks or benefits that come with the Citi Double Cash. There isn\u2019t an initial rewards bonus for meeting a certain spending threshold, and this card has a 3% foreign transaction fee. \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFERLIMITED TIME OFFER -- Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.ANNUAL FEE$0PERKS\u2022 No caps or category restrictions\u2022 Citi Entertainment benefits\t\t\t\tCapital One Secured Mastercard\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCapital One Secured Mastercard: Best for Bad or Limited Credit\t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\tBasics: A secured credit card like the Capital One Secured Mastercard is a good option for someone who is building or rebuilding their credit history. You might not be approved for another card, but with a secured card, you can pay a deposit and your card activity will be reported to credit bureaus. The Secured Mastercard from Capital One offers no annual fee and flexible security deposit requirements. Pros: The Capital One Secured Mastercard lets you decide whether you\u2019ll pay a $49, $99, or $200 refundable security deposit. If you make the minimum required security deposit you get an initial credit line of $200. If you deposit more money before your account actually opens you can get a higher credit line.  Personalize your payment by choosing your own due date and payment method and you are automatically considered for a higher credit after 6 months.Cons: The Capital One Secured Mastercard has no rewards, and it has a high APR, so it\u2019s probably best to limit your purchases with this card while you build or rebuild your credit. \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFERNone at this timeANNUAL FEE$0PERKS\u2022 Get approved with bad or limited credit \u2022 Flexible security deposit options\u2022 Reports to three major credit bureaus \t\t\t\tCiti Simplicity\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCiti Simplicity: Best for Balance Transfers  \t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\tBasics: The Citi Simplicity Card is ideal for balance transfers with a 0% APR for 18 months on balance transfers. There\u2019s no annual fee, and you also get a 0% APR for 18 months on purchases.  The Citi Simplicity card, as the name implies, is simple and straightforward. There aren\u2019t any rewards with this card, however.Pros: If you have an existing balance you want to transfer or you\u2019d like to make a big upfront purchase, the Citi Simplicity Card is good and it has one of the longest 0% APRs for balance transfers. It\u2019s shorter for purchases but still gives you 18 months. Since you don\u2019t have to pay an annual fee, all your payments will go toward paying off the balance which is useful if you\u2019re trying to do so within the 18-month window.  Cons: The Citi Simplicity  has a few drawbacks. First, you\u2019ll need good-to-excellent credit for approval in most instances. There\u2019s also a 5% balance transfer fee, which is higher than the average of 3%. Once the promotional APR period ends, this card also has a fairly high APR depending on creditworthiness.  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFERNone at this timeANNUAL FEE$0PERKS\u2022 No late fees or penalty APRs \u2022 Citi benefits such as purchase protection on unauthorized charges\t\t\t\tBlue Cash Everyday\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBlue Cash Everyday\u00ae Card from American Express: Best for Groceries  \t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\tBasics: Enjoy no annual fee paired with cash back benefits with the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. Earn 3% cash back up to $6,000 a year on purchases at supermarkets in the U.S, then 1%. and 3% cash back at gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%. All eligible purchases earn 1% Cash Back. Cash Back is received as Reward Dollars and they can be redeemed as a statement credit.Pros: The 3% rewards that come with the Blue Cash Everyday card on supermarket purchases are very competitive. This is a great card to use exclusively for your everyday grocery and gas purchases to maximize the value of the rewards program.  Cash back doesn\u2019t expire and there aren\u2019t limits on the 2% or 1% cash back categories. There are no rotating categories to keep up with. There\u2019s also a new cardmember offer. There\u2019s a 0% APR on purchases for 15 months. After that, your APR will be 16.99% - 27.99%.Cons: One of the main downsides of the Blue Cash Everyday card is the limitation on grocery spending. In the maximum 3% cash back category, it\u2019s only available on spending up to $6,000 annually. If you\u2019re grocery shopping for multiple people or a family you could pretty easily reach that limit. Additionally you can\u2019t transfer your rewards or combine rewards from your Blue Cash Everyday card with other rewards.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFEREarn $200 back when you spend $2,000 using the card in the first six months. Terms Apply.ANNUAL FEE$0 (See Rates and Fees)PERKS\u2022 Car rental loss and damage insurance\u2022 Global Assist\u00ae Hotline\t\t\t\tCapital One SavorOne\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCapital One SavorOne: Best For Dining and Entertainment \t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\tBasics: With the Capital One SavorOne card, enjoy rewards on dining and entertainment purchases. Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment purchases in addition to 2% at grocery stores (excluding Walmart(R) and Target(R)) and 1% on other purchases, all with no annual fee.  Dining includes restaurants, bars, lounges, cafes, fast food restaurants and bakeries. Entertainment includes movie theaters, sporting events, amusement parks, aquariums, and quite a few other events and venues. Pros: If you\u2019re regularly out-and-about, the Capital One SavorOne card could be an excellent no-fee credit card. You get a high 3% reward rate on dining and entertainment with no limits on any spending categories. There\u2019s a new cardmember offer and it\u2019s a lower threshold than most \u2014 spend $500 on purchases within the first three months after you open an account and get a $200 cash bonus.  You may have the option to transfer rewards between accounts with this card, which could be a way to maximize spending categories on different cards. With the SavorOne  you also gain unique access to special events like five-star dining experiences and VIP tickets. Cons: You\u2019ll likely need excellent credit for approval, and while you can redeem your cash back for statement credit, check or gift cards at any amount and at any time, you can\u2019t redeem for airline travel. \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFER$200 cash bonus after spending $500 in the first three months on purchases ANNUAL FEE$0PERKS\u2022 0% purchase and transfer APR for 15 months after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months \u2022 No foreign transaction fees \t\t\t\tCiti Rewards+ Student Card\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCiti Rewards+ Student Card: Best for Students \t\t\t\t\t\tLearn MoreWe earn a commission on this offer.\t\t\t\tBasics: It\u2019s important for students to start building credit, but they probably don\u2019t have a spending level that\u2019s going to justify a card with a high annual fee, which is why the Citi Rewards+ Student Card is a good option. Along with no annual fee, the card is the only one that automatically rounds up to the nearest ten rewards points on all purchases with no caps. Cardholders earn 2X points at supermarkets and gas stations up to $6,000 each year. The card earns one point per dollar on everything else. Earn 10% points back for the first 100,000 ThankYou Points redeemed each year and make purchases with Points on Amazon.com and BestBuy.com.Pros: The Citi Rewards+ Student Card is one of the few student-centric credit cards that earn rewards. There\u2019s a 0% APR for seven months after opening an account, and the round-up program is the only of its kind currently. Points redemption is easy and geared toward students. You can use your points to shop online at popular retailers, redeem for gift cards or redeem for travel rewards like flights, hotels and cruises. Cons: Once the introductory 0% APR ends, the APR on this card is relatively high, as is the penalty APR. There\u2019s also a foreign transaction fee. \t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFERLimited Time Offer -- 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,500 in the first three months ANNUAL FEE$0PERKS\u2022 Automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on all purchases\u2022 Flexible redemption options\t\t\t\tChase Ink Business Cash\t    \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tChase Ink Business Cash: Best for Business\t\t\t\tBasics: The Chase Ink Business Cash Card is excellent for small businesses who don\u2019t want to pay a fee and also want to earn rewards. Earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in certain business categories including internet, cable and phone services as well as office supply stores. Earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and gas stations, and 1% cash back on everything else with no limits. Get employee cards at no additional cost and redeem rewards for not only cash back but also travel and gift cards through Chase Ultimate Rewards.Pros: The Chase Ink Business Cash Card gives you a lot of bang in terms of rewards considering there\u2019s no annual fee. There\u2019s also a 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases, and there\u2019s a sign-up bonus.  Cons: If your business spending doesn\u2019t fall in certain categories, you\u2019re going to get a fairly low rewards rate with the Chase Ink Business Cash Card, and there are spending caps on the bonus categories.\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWELCOME OFFER$750 cash back with $7,500 spent on purchases within three months of account openingANNUAL FEE$0PERKS\u2022 Rewards don\u2019t expire, and redemption options are flexible\u2022 You can transfer points to any Ultimate Rewards card that qualifies\t\t\t\tResponses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and\/or questions are answered.To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards featured, please visit the following links: Blue Cash Everyday \u00ae Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Passive Income","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cash Back And Rewards","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/\/cash-back-and-rewards\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Credit Cards","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/\/cash-back-and-rewards\/\/credit-cards\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"8 Best No-Annual-Fee Credit Cards for 2025","item":"https:\/\/moneydoneright.com\/passive-income\/cash-back-and-rewards\/credit-cards\/best-no-annual-fee-credit-cards\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]