If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
If you're in the market for a new credit card to help you earn cash back, points for travel, or even a higher credit score, you've got a wide choice of issuers. Bank of America and Chase are two of the bigger banking names in the credit card business. Let's take a closer look at some of the best credit cards offered by these two issuers to see which might be a better fit for you.
|
|
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | Chase Freedom Unlimited® |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Welcome Offer: $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening $200 cash back |
Welcome Offer: 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. Up to $300 cash back |
Rewards Program: 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% at at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases, 1% on all other purchases. 1% - 3% cash back |
Rewards Program: 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 1.5% - 5% cash back |
Intro APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days |
Intro APR: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months |
Regular APR: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) |
Regular APR: 19.74% - 28.49% Variable |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Show More Show Less |
I initially started with Bank of America's credit cards because I had a long-standing banking relationship with it, and I was intrigued by its card options. If you're more of a cash back card fan (as opposed to interested in rewards points and maximizing their value), Bank of America credit cards are worth exploring further.
If you're a world traveler (or want to be), you'll likely find a lot more value in Chase's credit card options than you will from Bank of America's -- especially since some of Chase's cash back cards earn it as Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed for travel.
In fact, the reason people like to build a Chase Trifecta (opening three Chase cards) is because its cards play together so well. If you like the idea of developing a multi-card strategy that can help you maximize your rewards and see the world, Chase cards are worth considering.
Cash back credit cards are the most popular type among Americans, according to credit card research from Motley Fool Money. This isn't surprising, since using one of these cards and paying off the balance monthly can lead to cheaper credit card bills as you earn cash and redeem it for statement credits. Let's take a closer look at one of Bank of America and Chase's best cash back options.
Of the two cards I'm discussing in this section, I've had this one for longer, and it definitely sweetens my long-term (more than two decades) banking relationship with Bank of America. The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card earns cash rewards on your spending, but it does it in a unique way. This card has six 3% bonus categories that you can change as often as monthly if you like:
In addition to these rotating bonus categories, you'll also earn 2% cash rewards at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, like Costco, and 1% across the board otherwise. This card has no annual fee, and its welcome bonus is in the form of $200 cash back if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days with the card.
The simpler of Chase's two biggest-name cash back cards is the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. (Its counterpart, the Chase Freedom Flex®, is also an excellent card -- its rotating 5% bonus categories make it slightly more complicated to manage.) This card earns cash back, but it comes to you in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which are one of the most useful credit card "currencies" out there.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns at least 1.5% back across your purchases, with a few bonuses thrown in, including:
And these rates are even more impressive when you consider that this Chase card has no annual fee. The welcome bonus has you earning an additional 1.5% on top of the flat and bonus rates for your first year, on up to $20,000 -- that could be worth as much as $300. Not bad!
Winner: Tie
These are both excellent options. Either of these cards (and therefore, either Bank of America or Chase) could be a great fit for nearly anybody, thanks to useful bonus categories.
One of the best ways to use credit cards is to help defray the significant costs of travel. Both Bank of America and Chase offer travel card options -- might one of them be right for you?
|
|
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card | Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Welcome Offer: 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 25,000 points |
Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 60,000 bonus points |
Rewards Program: Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. 1.5 points per dollar |
Rewards Program: Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases |
Intro APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days |
Intro APR: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Regular APR: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) |
Regular APR: 20.74% - 27.74% Variable |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $95 |
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Show More Show Less |
My first-ever travel rewards credit card was the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card. It's a much more straightforward travel credit card than many options out there. It earns 1.5 points per $1 across your purchases, and you can then redeem those points for statement credits to defray the cost of dining and travel expenses, like hotel stays.
It doesn't come with an annual fee, and you also won't pay foreign transaction fees. Spend $1,000 in the first 90 days, and 25,000 points can be yours as a welcome bonus -- these are worth $250 in travel costs.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is a great option for those who want to get serious about credit card points (and have a card to use for international travel -- no foreign transaction fees here either). This is the cheaper of the two cards in Chase's Sapphire line -- its Chase Sapphire Reserve® earns points at a different rate and it comes with more perks, but it also comes with a whopping $550 annual fee. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card will cost you $95 per year, but you can easily rack up Chase Ultimate Rewards points with these rates:
Plus, this Chase card has a bevy of partner deals for you to enjoy -- my personal favorite has been the free year of DoorDash DashPass (you have to activate this by Dec. 31, 2027). The welcome bonus isn't too shabby either -- you can earn 60,000 bonus points in exchange for spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months with the card. This is worth up to $750 in Chase Travel℠ value if you use it to book travel through Chase.
Speaking of those Chase Ultimate Rewards points, you can transfer them to Chase's list of travel partners (including many airlines) and usually get an even higher value for them.
Winner: Chase
The utility of Chase Ultimate Rewards points (and the ability to earn scads of them with bonus category spending and a welcome bonus) gives the gold medal to Chase for this category.
We've all gotta start somewhere, and big credit card issuers often have a few options for those new to credit (or rebuilding credit). Here's an overview of starter cards from Bank of America and Chase.
|
|
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students | Chase Freedom Rise® |
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.25 out of 5 stars.
4.25/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
|
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Good (670-850) |
Welcome Offer: $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening $200 cash back |
Welcome Offer: Earn a $25 statement credit after signing up for automatic payments within the first three months of opening your account. With automatic payments, just pick a date and dollar amount to make sure your Credit Card gets paid on time. $25 statement credit |
Rewards Program: 3% cash back in the category of your choice, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs for the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. 1% - 3% cash back |
Rewards Program: With Chase Freedom Rise®, you can start building credit while earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back. 1.5% cash back offer. |
Intro APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days |
Intro APR: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A |
Regular APR: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable) |
Regular APR: 26.24% |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Highlights:
|
Highlights:
|
Apply Now for Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students
On Bank of America's Secure Website. |
|
Show More Show Less |
Information for this credit card has not been provided by the issuer.
If you're new to using credit cards and happen to be an enrolled student, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students should be on your radar. This card has features in common with the version I discussed above (including the same six bonus categories that you can change every month), but since it's marketed to students, you're likely to get a lower credit limit. The welcome bonus has the same terms, as well. This is an excellent option for students wanting to learn how to use credit cards to benefit their finances.
I discussed Chase's Freedom cards above -- thankfully, there's also an option for those new to credit. It's called the Chase Freedom Rise®, and it makes it easy to build credit for the first time -- plus, you don't have to be a student to qualify. Having at least $250 in a Chase bank account can help with approval, however. Don't expect to start out with a high credit limit, but over time, yours will likely increase -- provided you're making your payments on time and using your credit line responsibly.
This Chase card earns a flat rate of 1.5% cash back across purchases, which is decent indeed -- especially for no annual fee. And you can qualify for a $25 statement credit if you sign up for automatic payments within three months of opening the account. All in all, it's a good option for first-time credit card users.
Winner: Tie
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students offers the potential for more cash back -- but you need to be a student to qualify. The 1.5% cash back offered by the Chase Freedom Rise® is an attractive prospect too, and you don't have to be a student to get it.
You really can't go wrong with opening credit card accounts with either Bank of America or Chase. I think Chase has the edge over Bank of America for travel. But if you've already got a banking relationship with Bank of America and keep enough cash with it to be a Preferred Rewards member, its credit cards will be even more valuable for you.
Ultimately, the choice between Bank of America vs. Chase credit cards is yours to make -- and now you've got more information to make the decision.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Visa.