Best Bonus Credit Cards of 2019
If you’ve been wringing your hands over whether it’s worth trying to get a Chase Sapphire Reserve card for perks your friends won’t stop talking about, stop worrying. It’s not even topping the latest list of the best bonus credit cards from WalletHub. The card comparison site analyzed 65 bonus card offers from the top 20 card issuers, excluding co-branded cards (airlines, hotels, and Uber).
The ratings were based on participation and transparency requirements, award policy, redemption rules, and value of the proposed awards. Rather than just looking at it (my usual method with DIY home projects, so I’m not writing this vertical) and posting my favorite 2019 card suggestions, WalletHub shared a dazzlingly complex rubric it ranked cards by. Everyone could earn up to 21 points.
Here are the top five individual cards:
- Visa Preferred Cash Rewards USAA signature card: 18.5
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card: 18.8
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: 18.3
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 18.2
- Discover it Miles: 18.0
Capital One had the best credit card reward program overall for the fifth consecutive year. (WalletHub was founded in 2013.) Capital One also topped the list for its earnings policy: no caps on rewards, no expiration or forfeiture rules.
Meanwhile, Barclays, the Navy Federal Credit Union and BECU received excellent marks for clearly explaining the terms and conditions of remuneration.
When WalletHub calculated the monetary value of each card’s rewards over two years, including signup bonuses and annual fees deduction, the popular Capital One venture card had a reward of $ 2,068. In contrast, BB&T’s Spectrum Cash Rewards card was only $ 825, with the card scoring the lowest at 11.5.
WalletHub reckons that using credit card rewards for travel remains the best option when compared to gift cards, cashback, or merchandise. If you’re still not sure which card is right for you, WalletHub advises you to apply for a money back card. “You never have to think about how quickly you earn rewards,” the report says, “and you don’t have to think about your rewards getting devalued. “In the end, you will be rewarded in dollars and cents.”