Credit cards ranked by what they actually cost
Rewards get the marketing. The annual percentage rate, the annual fee, and the intro period decide whether the card is worth carrying. Every card below is scored on those three numbers first, then on rewards.
- Lowest rate
- —APR
- Products tracked
- 0
- Last verified
- —
Sorted by lowest apr. Open a row for fees, terms, and the rate source.
Provider-published rates onlyNo verified offers in this category yet.
We only list products whose published rates we can verify. This category is being populated now.
See other categoriesHow we make money. LendyWendy does not get paid a commission on any product listed on this page today. Ranking is based on published rates, fees, and terms. If a product on this page starts paying us, this disclosure will name it before the link goes live. Rates and terms are set by the provider and can change without notice. Confirm every number on the provider's site before you apply.
What to understand before you compare credit cards
A credit card is a revolving line of credit, not an installment loan. The rate applies to the balance you carry, and a grace period means you pay nothing in interest when the statement balance is cleared in full each month.
Card economics come from three places: interchange on each purchase, interest on carried balances, and annual fees. A card with a fee has to return more than the fee in rewards or protection to be worth holding.
Other categories: Personal Loans · High-Yield Savings · Mortgage rates
Common questions
What determines the APR on a credit card?+
Card issuers price on the prime rate plus a margin, then assign you a rate inside a published range based on your credit history. The range on this page is the issuer's published range for the card, not a quote for you. Your actual rate appears in the Schumer box in your approval disclosure.
Is a 0% intro APR actually free?+
Only if you clear the balance before the intro period ends. Interest accrues on some deferred-interest offers from day one, and a balance transfer usually carries a 3% to 5% fee up front. Read the intro terms before moving a balance.
How are these cards ranked?+
Cards are scored on total first-year cost for a stated spending profile, then on ongoing rewards rate, then on flexibility. Cash back with no annual fee outranks a higher headline rate that requires spending you would not otherwise do.
Does compensation affect the ranking?+
No. Placement is computed from published rates, fees, and terms before any compensation data is applied. The disclosure on this page states whether any product listed currently pays us.
How we rank
Three rules govern every table on this site. They are the reason a product can be listed without paying for placement, and the reason a high payout never moves a row up.
Total cost first
Every product is scored on what it costs to hold or repay, not on the size of the welcome offer. For loans that means APR plus fees. For cards that means annual fee plus the rate on a carried balance. For savings that means APY net of minimums and fees.
Published terms only
Rates come from the provider's own published terms. Each number carries a source link and the date it was checked. If a provider does not publish the number, the field stays empty instead of being estimated.
Compensation never ranks
Placement is computed from published rates, fees, and terms before any compensation data is applied. A product with no affiliate program can rank first, and a high payout never moves a row up.