How do you go from good to excellent credit?

There’s no quick fix for improving your credit score. Taking consistent action over time, even a relatively short period of time, is the key to boosting your credit score. If you have credit card debt, have a plan to pay it all off. Make sure your payments are always on time. If you have a close friend or family member who has good credit, ask if they’ll add you as an authorized user to their existing credit account, which will improve your score when the card shows up on your credit report.

What’s the difference between good and fair credit?

The basic difference between the two is the FICO score range. A fair credit score is between 580 and 669 while a good credit score ranges between 670 and 739. Being one level below good credit can make a huge difference when you apply for credit, as you could miss out on access to great offers and end up paying higher interest when you borrow money.

What credit card gives you the highest credit score?

There is no one credit card that will give you the highest credit score. To earn a good to excellent credit score, you’ll need to practice responsible credit habits over a lengthy period of time. The longer you go without missing payments and keeping your credit utilization in check, the more you’ll see your score start to increase.

Best Credit Cards for Good Credit of June 2025

Compare Bankrate’s top credit cards for good credit

Card Name	Best for	Card highlights	Annual fee	Bankrate Review Score
Discover it® Cash Back	First-year rewards	5% cash back on activated rotating categories each quarter (on up to $1,500 in purchases, then 1%) Automatic Cashback Match for all rewards earned at the end of your first year	$0	4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Discover's secure site See Rates & Fees
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	Travel bonus	5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars through Capital One Travel 2X miles on all other purchases Redeem miles for past travel — statement credits toward eligible recent purchases	$95	5.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card	Standalone card	8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services and grocery store purchases (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)	$0	5.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Capital One's secure site See Rates & Fees
Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa Signature®	Household expenses	5% cash back on eligible gas, grocery, mobile phone service, internet service and cable and satellite TV service purchases (up to $5,000 per year, then 1% back)	$95	3.8 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Credit One Bank's secure site See Rates & Fees
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express	Families	3% cash back on U.S. supermarket, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 each year per category, then 1% back)	$0	4.6 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	Shopping	6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in supermarket purchases, then 1%) and on select U.S. streaming subscriptions 3% cash back on U.S. gas station and transit purchases	$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.	4.4 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on American Express's secure site See Rates & Fees , Terms Apply
Discover it® Chrome	Gas and dining	2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%) Automatic Cashback Match for all rewards earned at the end of your first year	$0	4.0 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Discover's secure site See Rates & Fees
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®	Low interest and fees	1.5% cash back on all purchases every time you make a payment Monthly installment payments at a set APR and length instead of traditional cards’ revolving credit line No late payment fee and no penalty APR	$0	4.2 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Upgrade's secure site See Rates & Fees
The Gemini Credit Card®	Crypto rewards	4 percent back on gas and EV charging, transit, taxis and rideshares (on up to $300 per month; percent after that) 3 percent back on dining 2 percent back on groceries	$0	4.1 / 5 Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards. (Read card review) Apply now on Gemini's secure site See Rates & Fees

Researching the best cards for good credit

250+

cards rated

50+

rewards programs valued

5000

data points analyzed

40+

perks evaluated

We thoroughly rate and research the best cards for good credit based on key criteria to help you make confident decisions when choosing your next credit card. We’ve compiled cards with some of the best features on this page. You’ll find that each of them has low APRs and fees, good rewards rates, intro APR offers or sign-up bonuses. The right card for you will vary, but our picks can help you narrow your options.

Learn more about our methodology below.

Why you want good credit

Good credit can help you make the most of your everyday purchases because you’ll have plenty of credit card options to pick from. The more options you have, the more flexibility you’ll have when choosing between cards and finding an option that matches your spending preferences.

“When you apply for a credit card, the issuing lender reviews your credit report and score to determine your eligibility and whether you qualify for a particular card,” says Rod Griffin, senior director of consumer education and advocacy at Experian. “The better your credit score, the more credit card options you could have.”

But good credit isn’t just about having more options — it’s about having options with some of the best benefits. Here are some of the perks that come with good credit:

Earn rewards

The better your credit is, the more likely you are to qualify for cards that earn more rewards in more categories.

Maximize travel value

Many cards with boosted rates for travel require good credit or better. These cards offer solid value that can help you shoulder the burden of travel expenses.

Access food and grocery perks

Credit cards for good credit have some of the best rewards rates for staple expenses like grocery and dining purchases.

How to get good credit

While the reasons to aim for good credit may be obvious, getting there may not be easy. You can reach a good credit score by keeping low credit utilization, having a mix of credit and installment loans, using credit cards responsibly and having an established credit history.

The amount of time it takes to get a good credit score depends on factors like your credit habits, the consistency of those habits and any past financial mishaps. The better you are at paying on time and not borrowing more than you can pay will impact how quickly your credit score goes up.

“To make it work for you, you should use your credit card to pay routine expenses and bills and pay the card off every month,” says Griffin, highlighting the importance of routine spending and payment consistency. “Payment history is the biggest factor that affects your credit score and paying your credit card on time and in full every month will help you build a steady and strong credit history.”

What makes a great card for good credit

Choosing a credit card for good credit will depend on many factors, including your financial needs. While your decision will largely depend on these needs, here are some general features to look out for.

Low APR and fees

If you aren't able to pay your balance in full every month, finding a card with a low ongoing interest rate should be your priority to help you work your way toward excellent credit. Also, cards with low or no late fees, annual fees or penalty APRs can help you save down the line.

Rewards or cash back

In a competitive marketplace, benefits like cash back and travel rewards have become a popular and appealing benefit for most cardholders. A great card will have high rewards rates in your most frequent spending categories.

Intro APR offers

Features like intro APRs on purchases, balance transfers or both can put a temporary pause on interest charges to help you wrangle new or current debt.

Welcome offers

This one-time bonus can help offset some of your initial spending, including any annual fee that comes with the card (at least for the first year).

What’s the best card for good credit?

There isn’t a single best card for good credit because everyone’s financial situation is different. The best card will depend on several factors. A good place to start when deciding on the best card for your own situation is an evaluation of your needs and circumstances. Knowing why you need a new credit card will make your decision easier.

Jump-start your search by checking out our top choices for cards based on some common financial goals.

Best card for everyday purchases

A card like this will be the glue that holds your card strategy together. It’s the one you use the most, and it might have a few scratches from going in and out of point-of-sale terminals. This card rewards you generously for groceries, dining, gas or other routine purchases that you make several times throughout the week.

Best card: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Best card for large purchases

This card is the one you use occasionally each quarter for a large purchase that you don’t often make. You might have been planning this purchase for a while, and you want to find a way to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses as much as possible. Or you might have an unexpected emergency expense that you need help managing. This card will not only reward you generously for your purchase (planned or unplanned), but it will also help you shoulder the cost for months to come with a low ongoing APR or an intro APR offer.

Best card: Discover it® Cash Back Card

Best card for credit building

Good credit might feel like a milestone, but if you want to keep climbing the credit ladder you have options available that can help. Even with good credit you should always be building credit. A card with user-friendly perks and few distractions can help you stay on top of payments.

Best card: Discover it® Chrome Card

Best card for lower interest rates

One of the best perks of good credit is access to lower interest rates on consumer lending products. If you have a good credit score, you should take advantage of this benefit because it can help you manage any debt you’re carrying. While there are cards for good credit with low rates, it may be worth calling your current card’s issuer to negotiate a lower rate if your score has improved a lot since your initial application.

Best card: Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® Card

Best card to reduce debt

Any card that has an introductory APR for purchases and balance transfers will be a great pick for reducing your current debt. You’ll be able to pay your card balance down without worrying about interest for a little over one year (in most cases).

Best card: Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Learn more: How to choose the best rewards card for you

Getting a card with good credit

Our data shows that good credit only improves the likelihood of being approved for some of the best cards; it doesn’t guarantee it. While issuers may use your credit score to assess the risk of lending you money, it may not tell the whole story. Based on our data on credit card approvals from the last six months, several cards actually have low approval rates for applicants with good credit.

On average across all of the cards analyzed, good credit users were approved about 20 percent of the time for a card they applied for, while excellent credit users were approved about 54 percent of the time for cards they applied for.

Fair credit users are notably approved more frequently than users with good credit on their respective applications, but this doesn’t mean you’re better off with fair credit. It just suggests those users are applying for cards that match their credit profiles.

You should be realistic about your chances of approval for any card you apply for, taking into account your credit and payment history. The more honest you are with your self-evaluation, the better chances you have at a successful application.

What Bankrate experts say about good credit

A good credit score is worth being proud of because it shows you’ve worked hard to pay your bills on time, avoid maxing out your cards and otherwise use credit responsibly — but the work doesn’t end here. Even Bankrate experts make patience a priority when it comes to maintaining a good credit score. According to Courtney Mihocik, senior editor at Bankrate, patience has been a contributing factor on her credit journey.

Bankrate staff insights

"One thing that really helped me on my journey toward good credit was patience. Not only did I have to be patient while working toward good credit, but now that I have good credit, I remain patient between applying for the cards I want. I try to limit my new card applications to one per year to maintain the average age of my accounts. I also wait between card applications to make sure I really want and will use a new credit card. Otherwise, it can take up meaningless space in my wallet and on my reports."

Courtney Mihocik, Senior Editor

Learn more: How long should you wait between credit card applications?

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Be sure to check the issuer's website/terms and conditions for all up to date content. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Have more questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

Frequently asked questions about credit cards for good credit scores

How we assess the best cards for good credit

When evaluating the best credit cards for good credit, we take into account several factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether they offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards to scoring a large sign-up bonus to saving on interest.

We analyzed over 250 of the most popular credit cards and selected standouts that are available with good credit. We scored each card based on the factors most relevant to its primary category, including its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, intro APR period, ongoing APR, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup.

Here are some of the key factors that we considered:

Since many cardholders with good credit are eager to earn rewards, a key criteria for a card’s inclusion in our list is whether it offers impressive rewards value. This includes a card’s average rewards rate, estimated annual rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value and reward redemption value.

To estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings, we calculate its average rewards rate based on how much it earns in different bonus categories, as well as how closely those categories match the average person’s spending habits. In other words: Does the card earn rewards at a high rate in the most popular spending categories?

We use consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to get a reliable third-party measure of people’s spending habits. The most recent BLS data estimates average total spending in 2023 was $77,280 per consumer. We then narrow our focus to which purchases are likely to be put on a credit card and earn rewards, subtracting expenditures like housing, vehicle purchases and education. This gives us a total “chargeable” annual spend of around $22,500.

Some of the major spending categories that contribute towards the annual spend include:
- Groceries: $6,000
- Dining out: $3,900
- Entertainment: $2,500
- Gas: $2,400
- Apparel and services: $2,000
Using this data, we assign a weighting to each of a card’s bonus categories. For example, a card’s grocery rewards rate receives a 26 percent weighting based on how much of the average person’s budget is spent on groceries. We also estimate the redemption value of points or miles from various issuer, airline and hotel rewards programs.

This weighting and rewards valuation allows us to estimate a card’s average annual rewards earnings — how many points or miles you’d earn with a given card if your spending was about average and you used the card for all of your purchases — as well as what those points are worth. We also use point valuations to determine a card’s sign-up bonus value

With these calculations complete, we assign each card a score based on how its average rewards earnings, sign-up bonus value, rewards rate and redemption value stack up against other cards in its primary category.

The better these values, the the higher its score will be, making it more worthy of inclusion in our list and increasing its potential ranking.

Best credit cards for good credit of June 2025

+ Show Summary

Discover it® Cash Back

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Gemini Credit Card®

Credit One Bank® Platinum X5 Visa Signature®

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Discover it® Chrome

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®