Best Credit Cards for Good Credit for December 2023

There are a lot of benefits to having good credit. You'll have an easier time qualifying for a credit card and have plenty more options to choose from. You can even earn impressive rewards in the process. There are various best credit cards for good credit, including cash back cards, 0% intro APR cards, cards with impressive sign-up bonuses, and cards that offer the ability to earn significant rewards. We've outlined the best credit cards for good credit so you know which cards to consider:

Discover it? Cash Back

Great for: Cash back match

The Discover it? Cash Back card has no annual fee and earns up to 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories you activate up to the quarterly maximum. This card offers an impressive dollar-for-dollar match on all cash back earned the first year and includes a 0% intro APR offer on purchase and balance transfers. The go-to variable rate applies after the 0% intro APR expires.

Read the full Discover it? Cash Back review

Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card

Great for: Travel rewards

The Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card is a popular card for travelers and with good reason. An impressive sign-up bonus, the ability to earn 3 points per $1 on dining, 2 points per $1 on travel, and a flexible rewards program make it a valuable card.

Read the full Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card review

Wells Fargo Active Cash? Card

Great for: Travel rewards

The Wells Fargo Active Cash? Card is among the best cash back card we've found due to its easy-to-earn cash rewards sign-bonus, versatile 0% intro APR offer, and unlimited 2% cash rewards.

Read the full Wells Fargo Active Cash? Card review

Chase Freedom Flex?

Great for: Bonus category cash back

The Chase Freedom Flex? is a no annual fee card with a welcome bonus offer and a 15-month 0% intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers. Cardmembers can earn up to 5% back on activated bonus categories each quarter, up to $1,500 spending each quarter.

Read the full Chase Freedom Flex? review

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Great for: Unlimited cash back

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card gives cardmembers the ability to earn unlimited cash back on purchases, no matter the category. (See rates and fees.) This card also comes with a cash back bonus offer and includes a 15-month 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers. Note, there is a 3% balance transfer fee that applies to transfers.

Read the full Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review

Citi Simplicity? Card

Great for: 0% intro APR offer and no late payment fee

The Citi Simplicity? Card packs in one of the best 0% intro APR offers we've come across at 21 months for balance transfers. Other standout features are no late payment fee and no penalty APR.

Read the full Citi Simplicity? Card review

Blue Cash Preferred? Card from American Express

Great for: U.S. supermarkets and streaming rewards

The Blue Cash Preferred? Card from American Express is one of the best everyday rewards cards around, offering 6% cash back on up to $6,000 in U.S. supermarkets purchases each year. You'll also earn 6% back on select streaming services, as well as 3% back on transit purchases and at U.S. gas stations. Terms apply.

Read the full Blue Cash Preferred? Card from American Express review

U.S. Bank Altitude? Go Visa Signature? Card

Great for: Bonus rewards

The U.S. Bank Altitude? Go Visa Signature? Card has no annual fee and offers the three essential we covet in a credit card: Robust rewards, a 0% intro APR, and a big sign-up bonus.

Read the full U.S. Bank Altitude? Go Visa Signature? Card review

A good credit score is a FICO? Score between 670 and 739 or a VantageScore between 661 and 780. In both scoring systems, the full score range is 300 to 850.

You likely have good credit if you've used credit for one to two years, always make your debt payments on time, and keep your credit utilization below 30%. You may also be in this range if you've used credit for more than two years with only the occasional issue, such as one missed payment or high credit utilization.

However, keep in mind that not all good credit scores are created equal. Scores of 675 and 730 both fall in the good credit range. But the latter would help you get better terms on a mortgage and would make approval on credit card applications more likely.

Factors that affect your credit score

Several different factors influence your credit score:

• Payment history: Creditors want to see that you pay your bills on time. If you have late payments or missed payments, this will negatively impact your payment history and, in turn, your credit score. Your payment history makes up 35% of your FICO? Score, so it's important to pay all of your bills on time.
• Credit utilization: How much available credit you use matters. Your credit utilization ratio, or the ratio of your total credit card balances to your credit card makes up 30% of your credit score. The lower your credit utilization, the better off your credit will be.
• Credit inquiries: Card issuers tend to become cautious when you have multiple recent hard credit inquiries on your report. They'll wonder why you're trying to get all these new lines of credit. An approval is more likely if it has been at least three to six months since your most recent credit card application.This factor makes up 10% of your score.
• Age of credit: Your credit age is another important factor and it makes up 15% of your credit score. A variety of factors make up the age of your credit. This includes the average age of your credit accounts, the ages of each individual credit account, the age of your newest credit account, and the length of time since using each credit account. Having older accounts can help raise your credit score.
• Credit mix: Your credit mix is the diversity of your credit accounts. You can increase your credit score by having a variety of accounts, such as an auto loan, credit cards, and mortgage. This shows lenders that you can manage having different kinds of debts. Credit mix makes up 10% of your FICO? Score.

When you begin to compare credit cards, you'll want to compare each card's benefits and features. You'll also want to consider your own financial situation and your goals. Here are some things to consider as you look at credit cards for good credit to find the right one for you:

• Annual fee
• Bonus offers
• Minimum spend to earn any bonus offers
• How rewards are earned
• Unlimited or limited rewards earning potential
• APR

Not all of the best credit cards for good credit are for everyone. But if you take the time to research options and consider your own personal spending and goals, you'll likely find a good fit.

Not all of the best credit cards for good credit are the best fit for everyone. You'll want to consider whether you're:

• Looking for a rewards card
• Want to take advantage of a bonus offer
• Need an introductory 0% APR offer
• If you prefer a card with no annual fee

Making those considerations can help you narrow down card options and make choosing a credit card easier.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred? Card is one of the best cards. The sign-up bonus, rewards, and perks help to make the annual fee worth it if you qualify.

Although there's nothing wrong with good credit, it's important to keep building it. With excellent credit, it's easier to get approved for any credit card you want. You can secure lower interest rates on loans, and depending on where you live, you may even pay less for car insurance.

At this stage of the game, avoiding mistakes is crucial. You can damage your credit much faster than you can improve it. To stay on the right track, you should:

• Avoid overspending: Once you've reached a good credit score, you'll gain access to larger credit lines. Don't let those big numbers convince you to spend more than usual. If your balances get too high, it can be bad for your credit utilization or put you into debt.
• Pay everything by the due date: A single missed payment can undo all your hard work. That means a missed payment on anything -- a credit card, a cell phone bill, or an overdue library book. Set up automatic payments or payment alerts so you always know when a bill's due.
• Watch your credit utilization: One way to do this is by calculating 30% of your total available credit (the credit limits on all your credit cards added together). Then make sure your balances don't exceed that number.
• Keep credit cards open: A common consumer mistake is closing credit cards for no reason. You'll be losing that card's credit line, so if you're carrying balances on any other cards, your credit utilization will increase. Of course, canceling a credit card that charges a high annual fee isn’t a bad idea. But you can always call the issuer and ask to downgrade your card to one with no annual fee if possible.
• Don't go on application sprees: While one card application isn't a big deal, at least once per month will keep you from making progress on your credit. You'll have too many hard credit inquiries, and every time you're approved for a card, your average account history will decrease.
• Guard your credit: It doesn't get much worse than doing everything right, only for an identity thief or an error to ruin your credit. To avoid this, use a free credit monitoring service for notification of changes on your credit file. Don't forget to check your credit reports for errors each year as well.

Ready to get started? Here's how to apply for a credit card (and get approved).

Want the biggest sign-up bonus? Check out The Ascent's guide to the best sign-up bonus credit cards.

Need a personal loan? Check out The Ascent's guide on how to apply for a personal loan.

To recap, here are the best credit cards for good credit