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The best credit cards for good credit in 2022
If you have a credit score in the high 600s or low 700s, your credit rating is considered “good” — but not necessarily great. Having good credit typically means you can qualify for a credit card and for various loan products, but you may not receive the very best rates and terms.
However, it’s possible that, with a little work, you could boost your credit score into the very good or excellent range (generally 740+). With a FICO score in that range, you may be able to qualify for the best rewards credit cards on the market, as well as loans with the most preferable rates and terms.
Read more: Guide to the best current credit card offers
Many of the best credit cards for good credit offer generous rewards and 0% introductory APR offers with no annual fee. If you have credit in this range and you’re looking for a credit card that could help you build more credit until you get your score where it needs to be, we’ve outlined the best options to consider.
Here are the cards you should have in the interim while building your good credit into excellent credit.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Best credit card for rotating bonus categories: Chase Freedom Flex℠
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ comes with Chase Freedom Flex℠.
This is one of the highest-earning Chase Freedom Flex℠ annual fee cards on the market. Here’s what you’ll get:
5% cash back on travel purchased through the Chase Travel Portal5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter (then 1%) in rotating bonus categories when you activate3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases1% cash back on everything else
Rotating bonus categories often include common purchases like supermarkets, gas stations, and even Amazon purchases. You should have no trouble maximizing these categories each quarter to earn $300 back each year.
While the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is marketed as a cash-back card, it technically earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points. For example, 5% cash back translates to 5 points per dollar. You can cash out these points at a rate of 1 cent each, or you can save them until you’ve got the credit you need to open one of the following cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Reserve®Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
If you hold any of these cards, you can transfer the rewards you earn on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ to valuable airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United Airlines, Southwest, and more.
Collecting points with this card is a great way to build your stash of travel rewards even before you have a proper travel credit card.
Read more: Chase Freedom Flex card review
Best flat-rate cash-back credit card: Citi® Double Cash Card
The Citi® Double Cash Card offers a limited-time welcome bonus of Citi® Double Cash Card. It’s one of the simplest cards to use thanks to its consistent return rate: 1% back after you make a purchase, and another 1% back after you pay off your purchase. In other words, you’ll earn 2% back on everything with this card, with no rotating categories or merchant bonuses to worry about.
This card has a Citi® Double Cash Card annual fee. This card earns cash that can be used for travel if you’ve also got a complementary card — in this case:
Citi Premier® CardCiti Prestige® Card (not available to new applicants)
You can convert your cash back into Citi ThankYou points if you hold one of the above cards — and then transfer your points to airline and hotel partners. So whether or not you qualify for a travel credit card, this is a great way to build your reservoir of travel points.
Starting March 28, 2022, the Citi® Double Cash Card began earning Citi ThankYou points instead of cash back. You can still redeem them for cash at 1 cent each, and you’ll also need one of the aforementioned cards to transfer to travel partners — so there’s not much change.
Read more: Citi Double Cash card review
Best small-business credit card: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card offers one of the biggest bonuses of any no-annual-fee credit card: Ink Business Cash® Credit Card. If you can manage that spending requirement, this card is a winner. Just note that you must have a for-profit venture to be eligible. Whether you run a coffee shop, drive for DoorDash or Uber, babysit, or freelance write, you may qualify for this card.
Here’s what this Ink Business Cash® Credit Card-annual-fee card earns for spending:
5% cash back at office supply stores and on internet, cable, and phone services*2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants*1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
*On up to $25,000 in combined purchases each year, then 1% cash back.
This card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, not cash. But similar to the Chase Freedom Flex℠, you’ll need one of the following cards to unlock the full potential of your rewards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® CardChase Sapphire Reserve®Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
One excellent and very useful perk that’s rare to see among no-annual-fee cards is primary car rental insurance (when renting for business purposes). When you waive the in-house rental agency’s CDW, you’ll be covered for damage or theft to the car, and you don’t even have to tell your personal insurance provider about it.
Read more: Chase Ink Business Cash credit card review
Best credit card for grocery stores: SavorOne Rewards for Good Credit from Capital One
The SavorOne Rewards for Good Credit from Capital One-annual-fee SavorOne Rewards for Good Credit from Capital One does not currently offer a welcome bonus. However, its strong return rates can make it enticing enough to open anyway:
8% cash back on Vivid Seats purchases through January 31, 20233% cash back on dining, entertainment, and popular streaming services3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)1% back on all other purchases
You can redeem your cash back as either a check or a statement credit, and there’s no minimum redemption amount. But just like the cards before it, you can turn this cash back into significantly more valuable Capital One miles if you have one of the following cards:
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardCapital One Venture Rewards Credit CardCapital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardCapital One Spark Miles for BusinessCapital One Spark Miles Select for Business
So while you’re biding your time and fostering your credit score, you can earn points for your travels (if that’s of interest to you).
Read more: Capital One SavorOne Rewards for Good Credit card review
Best credit card for gas stations: U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card is great for road warriors, as it’s got one of the highest returns at gas stations and EV charging stations of any card available — albeit for an annual fee of U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card. Here’s what you’ll get:
5 points per dollar on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Altitude Rewards Center4 points per dollar on travel and at gas stations (including EV charging stations)2 points per dollar at grocery stores, grocery delivery, dining, and streaming services1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
Plus, you’ll get U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® Card.
These points are worth 1 cent each, meaning you’ll effectively earn 4% back at gas stations.
Read more: U.S. Bank Altitude Connect card review
Best choose-your-own spending category credit card: Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
The Citi Custom Cash℠ Card is unique in that it’s one of the few cards that bonuses your spending based on your usage. You’ll receive 5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (then 1%). And you’ll get 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Eligible spending categories include:
RestaurantsGas stationsGrocery storesSelect travelSelect transitSelect streaming servicesDrugstoresHome improvement storesFitness clubsLive entertainment
Whichever category you spend the most in, the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card will automatically give you 5% back (again, up to $500 in spending) each billing cycle. If you were to max out this bonus each billing cycle, you’d receive $300 per year.
This card’s cash-back rewards operate the same as the Citi® Double Cash Card. If you hold one of the two below cards, you can turn this cash-back into Citi ThankYou points at a rate of 1 cent per point:
Citi Premier® CardCiti Prestige® Card (not available to new applicants)
This is another strong earner for a Citi Custom Cash℠ Card annual fee card.
Read more: Citi Custom Cash card review
Credit cards for good credit — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a good credit score?
FICO defines a good credit score as between 670 and 739. However, you may find different definitions based on the credit issuer with which you’re applying. For example, Capital One defines good credit as the following:
Capital One has its own definition of good credit.
Capital One
What credit card is good for a 600 credit score?
If you’re rebuilding your credit, it’s best not to focus on rewards credit cards until you’ve solved the issues leading to a score that hovers around 600.
Read more: The best credit cards for average or fair credit
Even if you simply don’t have enough credit history to warrant a score approaching 700, consider a secured credit card or a student credit card.
How can you improve your credit score from good to excellent?
There are a number of factors that determine your credit score. Those with excellent credit will consistently have a low credit utilization ratio (a good rule of thumb is to be using 3% of your total available credit), a diverse and lengthy credit history, and and never make a late payment.
If any of these things don’t sound like you, take the time to work on them. Pay off your balances so you’re not using a big chunk of your available credit; abstain from opening and closing credit lines frequently; always pay on time, even if it’s the minimum payment.
How do you check your credit score?
Checking your credit score is always a good idea before opening a credit card. That way you’ll have a better understanding of your chances for approval. You can get a general idea as to what your score is by utilizing a free credit report service like Credit Karma and Credit Sesame — though these scores are often higher than your actual FICO score.