The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers generous cash back rewards on every purchase and an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers — all for a $0 annual fee.
When you apply for a credit card, the issuer typically checks your credit report to determine whether or not you’ll be approved. Each time this hard inquiry occurs, it lowers your credit score by a few points and stays on your report for two years (although the negative impact lessens over time).
The good news is that if you’re in the market for a new credit card, preapproved credit cards let you see if you’re eligible before applying. Just know, getting preapproved doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be approved for the card. In fact, after receiving preapproval, you’ll still need to apply for the card — which will require a credit check.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is our top choice if you’re looking to get preapproved for a $0-annual-fee card with an interest-free period on purchases and balance transfers and a high cash back rate.
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Intro APR on balance transfers for 21 months.
0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers. After that, a 18.49% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies.
If you want to transfer high-interest debt from an existing credit card, the Citi Simplicity® Card offers one of the longest balance transfer periods currently available. You’ll get an intro APR of 0% intro APR for 21 months on Balance Transfers completed within four months of account opening. After that, a 18.49% - 29.24% (Variable) APR applies.
Plus, there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5)
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Generous cash back rewards on every purchase.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a great option if you want to earn a generous cash back rate on every purchase without keeping track of bonus categories or spending caps. It lets you earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Plus, the $0-annual-fee card offers an easily attainable sign-up bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Discover matches your first-year miles.
If you want to earn simple rewards to use toward free future travel, you should consider getting preapproved for the Discover it® Miles. You’ll earn 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases. Plus, Discover matches all the miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year for new cardholders.
You can use your miles to cover previous travel purchases, including airline tickets, hotel stays, car rentals, travel agent purchases, online travel site purchases, commuter transportation, restaurant purchases and gas station purchases. Miles can also be redeemed for cash or to shop at Amazon.com or PayPal.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.0% intro APR for 21 months.
A 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases, then a 17.49%, 23.99%, or 29.24% Variable APR and a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, then a 17.49%, 23.99%, or 29.24% Variable APR
If you need to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time or transfer a high-interest balance, the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is ideal. You’ll get a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases. After that, a regular 17.49%, 23.99%, or 29.24% Variable APR applies.
The $0-annual-fee card offers an interest-free period on balance transfers for the same amount of time. Just know, there is a balance transfer fee of 5%, min: $5.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Valuable welcome offer.
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a solid cash back card for business owners looking for a straightforward rewards rate. For a no annual fee business card, this will help you earn a decent welcome offer and rewards on business purchases.
You’ll earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. Plus, earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.No security deposit required.
You won’t need to submit a security deposit that’s tied to your credit limit.
The AvantCard Credit Card can be a great fit if you’re trying to rebuild your credit after making past financial mistakes. It’s a no-frills credit card with very few benefits. But it can be a great tool to help boost your credit profile after you demonstrate responsible card usage over time.
Unlike secured cards — which are often used to help build credit — this card does not require a security deposit. There is, however, a $59 annual fee and high ongoing APR of 35.99% (variable).
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Automatic credit line increase reviews.
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months.
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn’t come packed with incredible perks and benefits, but it’s a solid card if you haven’t established much credit history yet. There’s no security deposit like a secured credit card, and it doesn’t charge an annual fee. Plus, Capital One automatically reviews your payment history through credit line reviews as early as six months.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.No credit check required.
Apply with no impact to your credit score.
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card is a pretty decent option for those who want to qualify for a card without a credit check. It charges a modest $35 annual fee and a fairly reasonable APR of 25.14% (variable). You can get up to a $3,000 credit limit, based on your deposit amount. And while it doesn’t come with many perks, it does offer a few Visa benefits like fraud protection and worldwide acceptance.
Note, while being “preapproved” for this card means you’ve met its initial criteria, your application could be rejected if any of the following applies:
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chase Freedom Unlimited®*
|
Winner
|
Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases | Good / Excellent | |
|
Citi Simplicity® Card*
|
Balance transfers
|
N/A | N/A | Good / Excellent | |
|
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card*
|
Cash back
|
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months | Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases | Good / Excellent | |
|
Discover it® Miles*
|
Travel
|
Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. | 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases. | Good / Excellent | |
|
Wells Fargo Reflect® Card*
|
0% intro APR
|
N/A | None | Good / Excellent | |
|
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card*
|
Business
|
Earn a $250 statement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your Card in your first 3 months. | Earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1% | Good / Excellent | |
|
AvantCard Credit Card*
|
Bad credit
|
None | Non-rewards card | Limited / Poor / Fair | |
|
Capital One Platinum Credit Card*
|
New to credit
|
N/A | Non-rewards Card | Limited / Fair | |
|
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card*
|
No credit check
|
N/A | Earn up to 10% cash back* on everyday purchases | Poor |
If you’ve been preapproved for a credit card, it essentially means that you’ve met the initial requirements needed to qualify for a credit card offer. Instead of initiating a hard pull on your credit report, the credit card issuer will conduct a soft pull.
Unlike a hard credit inquiry, a soft pull will not negatively impact your credit score. But it’s important to note that even after you’ve been preapproved, you still need to apply for the credit card, and that will initiate a hard pull on your credit.
Preapproval and prequalification are often used interchangeably when referring to credit cards. Each is typically based on general financial information, like your annual income and monthly expenses. And each involves a soft pull on your credit, which won’t negatively impact your credit.
But while neither guarantees card approval, preapproval often indicates a slightly higher chance of being approved than prequalification.
Credit card companies approve applicants based on their creditworthiness and other factors. In particular, some card issuers are known for being super selective in who they approve. Many issuers provide forms that you can complete on their website to see which credit card offers you’re preapproved for. The information you’re required to submit varies depending on the issuer, but usually includes general personal details, such as your name, address and income.
See which issuers offer preapproved credit cards and what information is required from each below.
| Issuer | Preapproval offererd | Required information |
|---|---|---|
| American Express credit card preapproval | Yes | Name, address, Social Security number and income |
| Bank of America credit card approval | Yes | Name, birth date, Social Security number, address and type of credit card you’re interested in |
| Capital One credit card preapproval | Yes | Name, address, email address, phone number, employment status, income, monthly housing expense, if you have bank accounts, birth date and Social Security number |
| Chase credit card preapproval | Yes | Name, address and Social Security number |
| Citi credit card preapproval | Yes | Name, Social Security number and address |
| Discover credit card preapproval | Yes | Name, address, birth date, student status, monthly housing expense, income and type of card benefit you’re interested in |
| Navy Federal credit card preapproval | Yes (only available to Navy Federal members) | Active duty status, income, monthly housing expense |
| U.S. Bank credit card approval | Yes (only available to existing customers via mail offers) | Confirmation code that came with offer and ZIP code |
| Wells Fargo credit card preapproval | Yes | Wells Fargo customer status, name, address and Social Security number |
Preapproved credit card offers are card offers available to a customer based on a soft credit inquiry. Many card issuers allow you to submit basic personal and financial information online to see if you’re preapproved for specific credit cards.
Credit card issuers perform a soft credit inquiry during the preapproval process, which doesn’t affect your credit. When you apply for a credit card, they’ll run a hard credit inquiry, which could cause your credit score to drop temporarily.
Many credit card issuers allow you to check online to see if you’re preapproved for a credit card. The process typically involved sharing basic personal and financial information. Other card issuers reserve preapproved offers for existing customers or send preapproval offers through mail or email.
Credit card approval isn’t guaranteed even if you’re preapproved for a card. During the preapproval process, credit card issuers perform a soft credit inquiry, giving them a quick snapshot of your credit history. Afterwards, you’ll see cards listed you’re likely to be approved for if you apply. When you apply for a credit card, the card issuer performs a hard credit inquiry, which may take other factors into account when determining your creditworthiness.
To select the best card for each of these categories, our credit card experts compared credit cards that offer preapproval on LendingTree.com and issuer sites.
We chose our top picks based on a variety of factors, including the value of each card’s rewards program, the annual fee and the interest rate.
Other factors that came into play when making our decision included the benefits offered by the card, as well as the opportunity to get preapproved without being an existing member of the bank or credit union.
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
The information related to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Citi Simplicity® Card, Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, Discover it® Miles, Wells Fargo Reflect® Card, The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card, AvantCard Credit Card, Capital One Platinum Credit Card and OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
