Credit card selection has never been a simple task, but with the flood of advertisements currently attempting to entice consumers with a variety of perks and rewards, finding the right deal will take some work. For every point in the pro column for a particular card, there can be a deterrent in the fine print. As important as credit can be, it’s vital to know all you need to know – and there are plenty of websites to help you filter out the duds.
Creditcards.com is a great place to start. From the home page, you can sort by such card features as interest rates, rewards, cash back, and balance transfers; with a separate search for card quality. After clicking on any particular feature, you’ll get a list of all cards with that feature and everything else it offers. For each card, a button links you directly to the application once you’ve made your choice. Another handy site tool is CardMatch, which matches your credit profile to the cards that you’re most likely to qualify for. Other features include tools such as a credit score estimator and advice from the experts.
Creditcardguide.com has similar features and also includes a “by issuer” sort feature and a side by side comparison guide for all available cards with the APR rates and annual fees, and can be sorted by name, bank or current APR. Credit.com also has search options and information comparable to the other sites, as well as expert reviews of the best available cards for such things as cash and travel rewards.
nerdwallet.com compares all available cards with some additional questions to help you make the best choice, asking how long you plan to have the card and whether or not you plan to use the card when traveling abroad. Bankrate.com, a partner of creditcard.com, will put you through a detailed questionnaire to make their recommendation. This site is also chock full of additional financial information for those seeking assistance with investments, retirement and refinancing.
Once you make a selection, it can also be beneficial to go directly to the card issuer to get all your questions answered before you sign up. The process of choosing the right card can be a bit overwhelming, perhaps you’re looking to transfer a balance, avoid annual fees, maximize your cash rewards, or maybe all of the above – but all the tools you’ll need to narrow it down to the best option for you are all at your fingertips.