Credit cards can make or break your financial wellbeing. If you’re using them excessively on purchases that you can’t pay off, this is a major issue, since credit card interest rates are often astronomically high. It can be a real challenge to climb out of the hole of credit card debt.
So, even though there’s a real possibility that improper use could worsen your financial situation, credit cards are nothing to be afraid of if used strategically. Building credit is an important step in getting to the point where you can access home loans, car loans, and meet other goals.
And if you don’t have a concrete goal like that off in the distance, keep in mind that credit cards can provide short-term benefits, too. Namely, you can access points and rewards to save money and potentially get free airline miles.
Not all credit cards are the same, however. They vary drastically as far as application requirements, interest rates, and rewards go. That’s why it’s important to not just open any credit card. Before applying, be sure to do your research to see which card best fits your financial profile, spending habits, and goals.
There are many credit card comparison sites out there that you can use to research and compare. But like credit cards, they don’t all have the same features. I spent some time exploring these sites, and here are my top picks.
Best Credit Card Comparison Sites: At a Glance
- BestMoney: Best for usability and quick decision making
- NerdWallet: Best for credit card calculators
- WalletHub: Best for comparing a large number of cards
- The Points Guy: Best for travel cards
- Finder: Best for crypto cards
BestMoney
You can use BestMoney to research a wide range of financial products, not just credit cards. Some examples are various types of insurance, loans, bank accounts, and investments. But just because they cover several different products doesn’t mean their content is spread thin, though. BestMoney provides detailed information about each product they cover, including credit cards.
Pros
- Several filter options: BestMoney has quite a few filters you can use to narrow down their list of credit cards and view cards that best fit your needs. While you can view their “Our Best” master list, you can also filter to see BestMoney’s top picks for cash back, balance transfer, travel, rewards, no annual fee, and 0% APR.
- Scores and rankings: BestMoney assigns a rating out of five stars to each credit card, which it then uses to rank them against each other. The site determines its ratings by combining popularity, brand reputation, and features and benefits. This results in a well-rounded assessment of each card.
- Article library: BestMoney publishes a wide range of articles you can read through to learn more about general credit card topics, and their articles address common questions and concerns. A few of the subjects covered in the articles include credit card rewards, balance transfer fees, and what to do when your 0% APR is ending,
Cons
- Limited number of in-depth reviews: While BestMoney determines scores for each credit card, there aren’t nearly as many detailed reviews on the site. Currently, only eight cards have dedicated reviews, which address interest rates, fees, rewards, the application process, and security. This area of the site could be expanded to include more credit card reviews.
- No side-by-side comparison: Many competing sites have a feature where you can select more than one credit card and compare them side-by-side. BestMoney doesn’t have this.
- No credit card calculators: Some competitors have calculators on their sites to help you calculate things like interest, balance transfer savings, and how long it will take to pay off your balance. Currently, there aren’t any interactive calculators on BestMoney’s site.
NerdWallet is another site that covers several aspects of personal finance, from mortgages to banking to investing. Naturally, it has plenty of content related to credit cards as well. You may already be familiar with NerdWallet, since it’s one of the leading sites for financial education. While you can sign up for an account to track your finances, registration isn’t required to use most of the site’s features.
Pros
- Deep filtering options by card type: You can use NerdWallet to filter to see the cards that meet your personal preferences and financial situation. Some of these filters include cash back, balance transfer, travel, sign-up bonus, college student, and secured. You can also apply filters to discover which cards you may qualify for based on your credit score.
- Credit card calculators: NerdWallet has interactive calculators you can use related to credit cards. The calculators they offer are for balance transfer, interest, average daily balance, and credit utilization.
- Ratings and reviews: For each credit card, NerdWallet assigns a rating out of five stars. The card type and features, including rates, fees, and rewards, determine the overall rating. On top of the ratings, NerdWallet publishes detailed reviews for each card. The reviews contain a pros and cons list and cover specifics like annual fees, sign-up bonuses, rewards, and interest rates.
Cons
- Limited side-by-side comparison: You can compare up to three credit cards at once, side-by-side. While this can help you see how different cards stack up against each other, the three-card limit is pretty narrow compared to some competitors, so it’s not the most useful tool if you want to assess a larger list of cards.
- Can’t apply multiple filters at once: While you can apply filters to narrow down the list of cards, you can’t apply multiple filters at once. For instance, you can filter to see a list of travel credit cards and a separate list of cards with 0% intro APR, but there’s no straightforward way to view cards that meet both of these criteria: travel cards with 0% APR.
- Personal details required for card recommendation: You can take NerdWallet’s quiz to get a personalized card recommendation, but you can’t get your results unless you provide personal details like your address, your name, and your birthdate.
WalletHub covers credit cards, loans, and banking, but its main specialty is credit cards. Similar to NerdWallet, you can register for an account to gain access to personalized features like credit monitoring, credit score updates, and spending insights. However, even without an account, you can access their credit card comparisons and other content.
Pros
- Can apply multiple filters at once: While other sites have filters you can use to narrow down the list of cards, most of them only let you apply one filter at a time. However, WalletHub lets you apply multiple filters at a time to curate a highly specified list. As an example, you could filter to find cards that meet all of these criteria: no annual fee, part of the Mastercard network, and bad credit.
- CardAdvisor feature: WalletHub has a feature called CardAdvisor that you can use to get a personalized card recommendation. You’ll provide information on your credit score, how much you plan to spend per month, and what your main reason is for wanting a credit card. You don’t have to provide any contact information to see the results.
- Side-by-side comparison for up to seven cards: Many sites let you compare more than one card side-by-side, but WalletHub lets you compare seven at once, which is a lot more than most competitors.
Cons
- Heavy emphasis on user reviews: WalletHub lets users review each credit card. While it can be helpful to read about others’ experiences, user reviews may not be the most reliable, especially since many reviewers aren’t verified customers.
- Overwhelming number of cards: WalletHub boasts that their site compares over 1,500 credit cards. While this gives you plenty of choices and the ability to find a card tailored to your needs, the high number of cards can create confusion and cause analysis paralysis.
- Some credit cards are unrated: When you filter through WalletHub’s database of cards, you’ll find that some of the credit cards presented on the site don’t have any ratings. There’s no editorial review and no user reviews. This can be disappointing if you’re interested in learning about how a certain card stacks up against others.
The Points Guy has more of a niche than the other sites included in this list. The site’s main focus is credit cards — specifically, travel cards. In addition, it includes other travel resources, like information on hotel and airline rewards programs, as well as travel news. The Points Guy doesn’t only include travel cards in its card database, though. You can use it to research other types of cards, too.
Pros
- Travel-specific filtering: If you’re searching for a card with travel rewards, The Points Guy can be a helpful resource, since you can get more granular with your search than you can with some competing sites. For instance, within the category of travel credit cards, the filters include airline, airport lounge access, hotel, global entry, and no foreign fee.
- Ratings and reviews: The Points Guy’s editorial team develops a rating out of five stars for each credit card, which can aid in the decision-making process. On top of the card ratings, the site contains detailed credit card reviews, exploring a card’s benefits and downsides.
- Points valuation: The Points Guy maintains an updated guide to points valuation. It will show you how much, in cents, credit card points are worth for various rewards programs, airlines, and hotels.
Cons
- Missing some common filters: Because of The Points Guy’s narrow focus on travel, it’s missing some credit card filters that are commonly included on competing sites. For example, there’s no way to filter for secured cards, student cards, or balance transfer when you use The Points Guy.
- Limited side-by-side comparison: The Points Guy includes a side-by-side comparison feature, which can help you make your final decision. However, you can only compare up to three cards at once, so this tool isn’t too useful if you want to see how a larger list of cards stack up against each other.
- CardMatch requires email: The site contains an interactive tool called CardMatch, which matches you with cards that best fit your requirements. The problem is that if you want to see your results, you’ll have to provide your first and last name, home address, and email.
Finder
Finder may not be as well-known of a site as something like NerdWallet, but it’s another comprehensive resource that you can use to learn more about various personal finance topics, such as credit cards, banking, loans, and investing. If you want, you can join and become a Finder member for deals, finance tips, and early access to new research, but you can use most of the site even without an account.
Pros
- Card recommendation quiz: Finder has a quiz you can take to match you with credit cards appropriate for your financial situation and preferences. The quiz contains a few questions about what you’re looking to do with a credit card, where you’re looking to save money, and your credit score. You can see the results without providing any personal details.
- Scores and reviews: Finder develops a score out of 10 possible points for each credit card. The overall score factors in card rewards, annual fees, and APR. There are also in-depth credit card reviews you can read through, detailing the pros and cons.
- Crypto credit cards: Something unique about Finder is that you can apply a filter to view credit cards with crypto rewards. If you’re interested in cryptocurrency, this can be a helpful resource. Finder also presents educational information about how crypto cards work.
Cons
- Outdated lists: Some of the lists presenting the best credit cards aren’t up to date. For example, Finder’s list detailing the seven best credit cards was last updated in 2024, and the list of secured credit cards was last updated in 2023.
- No credit card calculators: Finder’s site doesn’t include any credit card calculators for figuring things like interest or balance transfer savings.
- Limited customer reviews: While a data-driven methodology makes Finder’s card scores reliable, it ignores real-world customer experiences. There’s a section where users can leave reviews, but there currently aren’t many of them.
Which Credit Card Comparison Site is the Best?
Choosing the best credit card for you can help you on the road to financial freedom. With smart use, you can save money and improve your credit score. Each of the sites I covered here are valuable resources for researching credit cards — there isn’t a clear winner. I’d recommend visiting several of them to take advantage of each of their strengths. This way, you can compare reviews across sites and get a good idea of what cards are on the market.
