Visa remains the world's largest credit card payments network, with over 4 billion cards in circulation worldwide, 130 million merchant locations, and $15 trillion of total volume processed in 2023. You'll find the Visa logo on many of the best credit cards from a diverse set of card issuers, ranging from basic debit cards to premium credit cards with luxury benefits.
Read on to see how all these benefits come together in the cards that make our list of the best Visa credit cards.
Best Visa Credit Cards
- Best overall: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- Best for excellent credit: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Best for poor credit: Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card
- Best for cash rewards: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
- Best for flexible bonus categories: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- Best for Amazon: Prime Visa
Featured Visa Credit Cards
$95
N/A
20.49% - 27.49% Variable
Earn 60,000 bonus points
Good to Excellent
- High intro bonus offer starts you off with lots of points
- Strong travel coverage
- Doesn't offer a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit
If you're new to travel rewards credit cards or just don't want to pay hundreds in annual fees, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a smart choice. It earns bonus points on a wide variety of travel and dining purchases and offers strong travel and purchase coverage, including primary car rental insurance.
Sapphire Preferred Card- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
$395
N/A
19.99% - 29.24% variable
Earn 75,000 bonus miles
Excellent
- Excellent welcome bonus and miles earning
- Premium perks including airport lounge access and credits for certain purchases
- Visa Infinite benefits including travel and shopping protections
- High annual fee
- Annual travel credits only apply to Capital One Travel purchases
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travelers, with top-notch benefits and a wide range of built-in protections. It comes with a generous welcome bonus and credits that can help offset the annual fee — which is much lower than similar premium cards.
Capital One Venture X- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
$0
0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 12 months from account opening
19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% variable
Earn $200 cash rewards bonus
Good to Excellent
- Good welcome bonus for a $0 annual fee card
- Straightforward 2% cash rewards on purchases with no categories to track
- Strong benefits including cell phone protection, Visa Signature perks, and an intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- If you've opened a Wells Fargo card in the past six months, you may not qualify for an additional Wells Fargo credit card
- Foreign transaction fees
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is definitely worth considering if you want to earn a strong rate of cash rewards on purchases without rotating categories or earning caps and with no annual fee. It's got a solid welcome bonus and intro APR offer, which puts it high on our list of the best zero-interest credit cards.
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Best Overall: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card doesn't just top this list of the best Visa cards: It's also our pick for the best travel rewards credit card overall, and a great fit for frequent travelers who don't want to spring for a premium card with a high annual fee.
Cardholders earn rewards at competitive rates, gain access to valuable redemption options via airline and hotel transfer partners, and get essential travel benefits and perks for a $95 annual fee that's on par with other mid-tier credit cards.
The card has a welcome bonus offer of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Based on Business Insider's valuation of Chase points at an average of 1.8 cents per point, we value that bonus at $1,080.
Beyond that, cardholders earn 5 points per dollar on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards® and on Lyft rides (through March 2025), plus 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services, and online grocery purchases, 2 points per dollar on other travel, and 1 point per dollar on everything else. You also get an anniversary bonus that effectively adds 0.1 points per dollar spent, making purchases slightly more rewarding.
As for benefits, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers primary rental car insurance and an assortment of travel and purchase protections, including baggage delay insurance that kicks in after only six hours. Cardholders get a 25% bonus for redeeming points through the Chase Travel℠ Portal, yielding a redemption value of 1.25 cents per point. The card also comes with an annual credit of up to $50 for hotels booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, as well as perks with delivery service DoorDash.
Read more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred card review.
Best for Excellent Credit: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is Capital One's entry into the premium credit card market. It comes with valuable benefits to rival its competitors, but charges a $395 annual fee that's lower than most other premium cards, making it an excellent value overall.
This cool metal credit card comes with an introductory offer of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. That's worth around $1,275 in travel, based on our average valuation of Capital One miles at 1.7 cents each.
Beyond that, you'll earn 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals and 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal. You'll also earn 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases, making it a good option for everyday spending.
As a cardholder, you'll get an annual credit of $300 toward travel booked through Capital One. You also receive an annual bonus of 10,000 miles on your account anniversary; that's worth $100 when you redeem miles directly with Capital One, or potentially more when you transfer miles to airline and hotel partners.
Those two benefits more than offset the annual fee, but you'll get plenty more. The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card grants cardholders access to Priority Pass™ airport lounges, as well as Capital One's own (very) small but growing network of lounges.
The card also comes with an application fee credit of up to $120 for expedited security programs Global Entry and TSA PreCheck® once every four years. It also comes with first-rate travel protections like primary rental car insurance and trip delay protection that applies after just six hours.
Read more in our Capital One Venture X Rewards credit card review.
Best for Poor Credit: Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card
Secured credit cards can help you establish a credit history or rebuild your credit, but they tend to offer little else in return. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card is an exception; while it remains light on benefits, it earns rewards at rates competitive with unsecured starter credit cards, including some that charge an annual fee.
While the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card does not offer a welcome bonus, you can earn 3% cash back on purchases in one category of your choice. Options include gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, and home improvement purchases, and you can change your selection once per calendar month.
You'll also earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The 3% and 2% bonuses are capped at a combined $2,500 of spending each quarter.
Cash back rewards can be redeemed in any amount as a statement credit to your credit card or as a deposit to an eligible Bank of America or Merrill account. You can also redeem rewards by check once you have $25 or more.
Your account requires a security deposit of between $200 and $5,000, and the amount you deposit helps determine your credit limit. Card issuers typically hold these security deposits as collateral until the account is closed. However, Bank of America periodically reviews Customized Cash Secured accounts, and may refund your deposit based on factors like your credit history and banking relationship.
Read more in our Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards secured credit card review.
Best for Cash Rewards: Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
If you want a reliable rewards structure with no caps, categories, or calendars to track, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can oblige. You'll earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, and you can redeem for statement credits on your card with a minimum redemption of just $1 or through Wells Fargo Autograph transfer partners for airfare or hotel stays if paired with a Wells Fargo Autograph® Card or Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card card.
You can also redeem rewards for credits to Wells Fargo mortgages, Wells Fargo loans, and other credit product accounts. Rewards can also be used for gift cards or at Wells Fargo ATMs (in increments of $20) if you also have a Wells Fargo debit card.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months from account opening, as well as a 0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 12 months from account opening (then a 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% variable APR). Rewards don't expire and the card has no annual fee. However, this card does charge a 3% foreign transaction fee, so it's not ideal for international travel.
The card offers the basic suite of Visa Signature benefits like secondary car rental insurance and access to the Luxury Hotel Collection. When you use your card to pay your phone bill, you also get cellphone protection that covers up to $600 per claim in the event of damage or theft. There's a deductible of $25 per claim and a maximum of two claims allowed in a 12-month period.
Read more in our Wells Fargo Active Cash card review.
Best for Flexible Bonus Categories: U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Unlike most 5% cash back credit cards, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card gets you choose your own bonus categories.
Each quarter, you'll earn 5% cash back on up to $2,000 of combined spending in two categories, including fast food, home utilities, TV, internet, and streaming services, department stores, electronic stores, cell phone providers, sporting goods stores, furniture stores, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers, ground transportation, and select clothing stores.
You'll also earn uncapped 5% cash back on prepaid travel booked through the U.S. Bank travel portal, 2% on your choice of groceries, restaurants or gas stations and electric charging stations, and 1% on other purchases. While the list of 5% categories includes several uninspiring options, it also features highly useful (and uncommon) ones like home utilities, cell phone providers, and TV, internet, and streaming services.
The card comes with a welcome bonus of $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening, and offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles (then a 19.74% - 29.74% Variable APR). The relatively high cap on bonus spending, the flexibility to choose your own bonus categories, and no annual fee help the card stand out.
However, this card charges foreign transaction fees and imposes a minimum threshold of $25 to redeem rewards. Also, rewards expire 36 months after the billing cycle in which they were earned, so you can't hold onto them indefinitely.
Read more in our U.S. Bank Cash Plus card review.
Best for Amazon: Prime Visa
If you shop regularly at Amazon or Whole Foods, the recently refreshed Prime Visa offers exceptional value. With an eligible Amazon Prime membership, you'll earn 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods when you load your card to your Amazon account and have an eligible Prime membership. Those purchases earn 3% back without a Prime account, but the rewards are uncapped in either case.
Prime Visa cardholders also earn 10% back or more on a rotating selection of items and categories on Amazon.com with an eligible Prime membership, 2% back at restaurants, gas stations, and local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and 1% back elsewhere.
The card comes with an introductory offer: $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members. There's no spending requirement for the gift card; it's loaded into your Amazon.com account as soon as your card application is approved.
Earnings and bonus aside, the Prime Visa has strong perks for a credit card with no annual fee. You get key shopping benefits like an extended warranty policy and purchase protection that covers theft and damage for up to 120 days after purchase and $500 per claim.
Cardholders also get travel benefits like secondary car rental insurance within the U.S. and primary car rental insurance elsewhere; baggage delay insurance that kicks in after six hours; and no foreign transaction fees.
Read more in our Amazon Prime Visa card review.
What are Visa Credit Cards
Visa credit cards are payment cards offered on the Visa payment network. Many come with generous rewards and earning potential, although some have annual fees and additional costs. When considering a Visa credit card, evaluate travel perks and benefits, as well as additional features and flexibility.
Along with the benefits offered by card issuers, many Visa cards come with their own built-in set of perks. For example, Visa Signature cards offer room upgrades and dining credits at hotels in the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection. Top-tier Visa Infinite cards offer application fee credits for Global Entry, as well as primary car rental insurance.
Choosing the Right Visa Credit Card for You
When evaluating Visa credit cards, factors to consider include matching card features with your personal spending habits to help you maximize rewards and benefits. All cards have pros and cons, so balance the advantages against potential drawbacks and considerations.
One way to do so is by evaluating current customer reviews and ratings via feedback from online forums such as Reddit and FlyerTalk. Customers often have common praises and complaints: Not all are bad, but may offer helpful guidance on what will fit your personal situation or otherwise.
For example, using points and rewards will differ from family to family. Some people value redeeming points for travel and merchandise, while others prefer cash back and statement credits.
Visa Credit Cards Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main benefits of Visa credit cards?
The main benefits include widespread acceptance, robust rewards programs, and additional perks such as travel insurance, purchase protection, and access to exclusive experiences and offers. Visa credit cards also provide strong customer service and security features.
How do Visa credit cards compare to other credit cards?
Compared to other credit cards, Visa credit cards offer competitive rewards and benefits, with a particular emphasis on travel perks and cash back options. They are widely accepted both domestically and internationally, making them a versatile choice for various spending needs.
Are there any downsides to Visa credit cards?
Potential downsides include annual fees for premium cards and varying interest rates. Some cards may have higher credit score requirements for approval. Additionally, specific benefits and rewards may differ between cards, so it's important to choose one that aligns with your spending habits.
How can I maximize the benefits of a Visa credit card?
To maximize benefits, use your Visa credit card for purchases in categories that earn the highest rewards. Take advantage of travel perks, insurance, and other cardholder benefits. Pay your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges and monitor your points to ensure you're getting the best value from your redemptions.
What is the best Visa credit card?
There's no single best Visa credit card: The right card for you depends on your spending habits, the kinds of rewards you like to earn, what you hope to get out of the card, and other factors. Whichever Visa card you choose, you can be confident that it will be accepted just about anywhere that takes a credit card.
What is the highest level of Visa card?
Visa cards come in several flavors, but the type with the most benefits is Visa Infinite. Visa Infinite cards typically come with excellent travel and purchase protections, plus access to the Visa Infinite Concierge, among other perks.
Are Visa credit cards hard to get?
Visa credit cards aren't hard to get by default; it depends on the specific issuer and type of card. There are Visa credit cards ranging from secured credit cards that are geared to those building their credit, to ultra-premium credit cards that require excellent credit for approval.
How do I apply for a Visa credit card?
You can't apply for a card directly with Visa, since it's a payment network and not a bank. To open a Visa credit card, you'll have to apply with the issuing bank (like Chase or Bank of America) directly, either online, by phone, or in person at a branch.
Is Visa or Mastercard better?
Visa and Mastercard credit cards are fairly equal, and are accepted by most merchants that take credit cards. Their benefits and rewards are similar, as well, so for most people, there isn't much of a difference between having one or the other.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Visa Credit Cards
Business Insider considered dozens of popular Visa credit cards, including rewards credit cards, cash-back credit cards, and credit cards for bad credit. Business Insider experts evaluated several major factors, including:
- Ease of use — Does the card have a straightforward rewards program, and are rewards easy to earn and redeem? Are there any restrictions?
- Rewards earning potential — If the card offers a welcome bonus, is it competitive with similar cards and are the bonus categories for spending useful to the average consumer? Are there any spending limits?
- Annual fee — For cards that charge an annual fee, do the benefits and rewards make it worth the cost?
- Options for different types of customers — We chose Visa cards that appeal to different consumers, including travelers, small-business owners, and people building their credit.
Here's a closer look at how we rate credit cards at Business Insider that explains our full methodology.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.