Wherever you go on the internet (or the infinite scrolling app of your choice), conversations about “the best credit card” always seem to be overflowing with seams with buzz words, significantly different dollar values for rewards and perks from different people.
The truth about the bare bones of it is that no one will be “the best” for anyone, but certain cards can stand out based on your goals, spending habits, credit score, and more.
For our money, JD Power’s Annual Credit Card Satisfaction Survey is one of the most objective ratings of the best cards and issuers currently on the market. To research the best credit cards, we split the best credit cards statistically based on both the latest data from JD Power and Bankrate. That way, it might be a little easier to start with the balanced credit card rating possible.
Current Bankrate Award Winners
If you don’t want to get into the weeds, the 2025 Bankrate Award Winner is the perfect place to start as it highlights the best options on the market for different types of cardholders. Every year, Bankrate credit card experts research, rate and compare hundreds of cards, win the best awards in the best categories in each major category, and earn the best winners based on outstanding features, reward value and more.
Some cards of the month Best credit card page He was also the recipient of the previous year, including:
- American Express® Gold Card: Best credit cards for foodies (4 winners*)
- Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best credit cards for jet setters (4 winners*)
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best Standalone Credit Cards, Best Credit Cards for Entertainment (One-Time Winner*), Best Credit Cards for Family (Two-Time Winner*)
- Chase FreedomUnlimited®: Best credit cards for daily use, Best credit cards for cashback fans (3 times winners*), Best credit cards for stacking (3 times winners* Chase Freedom Flex® Chase your SapphireReserve® card
- City Double Cash® Card: Best Cashback Card Combo (with Citi CustomCash® Card), Best Credit Card for Stacking (Citi Custom Cash and the current Citi Strata Premiercard)
- City Custom Cash® Card*: Best Credit Cards for Commuters (Two Winners*), Best Cashback Card Combo (City Double Cash Card with), Best Credit Cards for Stacking (Citi Custom Cash and Current Citi Strata Premier Card*)
- American Express Blue Cash Preferred® Card: Best Credit Cards for Family (Two Winners*), Best Credit Cards for Commuters (One Winners*), Best Credit Cards for Streaming Services (Two Winners*)
- City Strata Premium Card: Best credit card for stacking (with CitiCustomCash® card and CIT double cash card)
- CitiSimplicity® Card*: Best credit card for debt consolidators (2 times winners*)
We base our basecard scores on almost entirely objective measures, not just opinions.
– Nouri Zarrugh
Bankrate Credit Card Senior Editor
Perfect Bank Rate Review Score
Bankrate scores can also highlight particularly great cards. Review scores are calculated On a scale of 1-5, it is mainly based on card reward value, perks, referral offers, APR and other fees. But we take grading seriously.
“We are based not only on opinions, but on almost entirely objective measures,” says Nouri Zarrugh, senior editor and lead architect at Bankrate’s card rating database. “Our scoring formula evaluates each card compared to other cards in that category and considers only the criteria that are most relevant to that category, as cardholders have different needs and expectations for different card types.”
Some great cards hold a score of 4 or higher, but getting a perfect 5/5 is a huge achievement.
The exceptional cards currently holding a 5/5 bank rate review score are:
JD Power’s top rated credit card
The annual JD Power Credit Card Satisfaction Survey details the trends in the major credit card industry each year. 2024 Research Individual card rankings have been added to the survey. For an additional confidence vote, here are the top three credit cards, according to consumers in five categories (scored on the 1,000-point scale) of the 2024 survey.
JD Power’s top rated credit card company
JD Power Annual Credit Card Satisfaction Survey Perhaps the definitive gauge of the best credit card issuer. We also use the JD Power Credit Card Publisher Score as part of our bankrate score methodology.
“As long as we grade cards, JD Power’s customer satisfaction survey has played a key role in how cardholders are evaluated,” says Zarrugh. “Customer service factors to scoring all kinds of cards.”
In a 2024 survey, 16 credit card issuers (major and region) were ranked on a 1,000-point scale based on customer satisfaction with their experience. American Express ranked number 2 in Discover. This is typical of the typical battle of these publishers’ neck and neck top two spots. It is also worth noting that the average score is 610. This means that American Express, Bank of America, Chase Capital One and City have achieved above average customer satisfaction.
Below is how top nine issuers are ranked based on JD Power’s 2024 survey results, the bank rate awards won by issuer cards since 2022, and the estimated points or miles values for top reward cards.
| Publisher | JD Power Survey Rank | Estimated Points/Mileage Value | Bankrate Awards won |
|---|---|---|---|
|
American Express |
#1 (634) |
2 cents |
19 |
| Discover | #2 (629) | 1 cent | 7 |
|
Capital 1 |
#3 (620) |
1.7 cents |
10 |
| Tracking | #4 (619) | 1 to 2 cents | 13 |
| Bank of America | #5 (616) | 1 cent | 5 |
| City | #6 (611) | 1 cent to 1.6 cents | 7 |
| Wells Fargo | #7 (598) | 1 cent | 5 |
| US Bank | #8 (595) | 1.5 cents | 0 |
| TD Bank | #9 (586) | 1 cent | 0 |
It is also worth noting that the seven medium-sized issuers in the survey (mainly regional banks and credit unions) offer cards that have won bank rate awards or cards that offer rewards included in bank rates. Point evaluation database. Of these medium-sized issuers, TD Bank won the “Best Bank for Sign-Up Bonus” and PNC won the “Most Trusted Bank”. 2023 Bank Bank Award.
What’s next?
Conclusion
Personal take and in-person experience accounts can be heavily useful in choosing which credit cards to consider, but adding a statistical layer allows individual decisions to give an additional, more objective, confident vote. By comparing the latest data from JD Power and Bankrate, several unmoving options become the front runner, including Chase Freedom Unlimited, Blue Cash Preferred, Capital One Savor and Citi Simplicity cards.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Security Credit Cards, Bank of America® Premium® Elite® Credit Cards, Citi Custom Cash Cards, Citi Simplicity® Cards, Chase Freedom Flex®, Southwest Rapid® Premier® Credit Cards, Bankamericard® Credit Cards, Apple Cards, Costco Citi and Petal® Credit Cards were collected independently. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or MasterCard® and may vary depending on the product. Terminology and exclusions apply, so please refer to the guide to each benefit for more information.
