Most of the best rewards credit cards come with a welcome offer — a way to push your card earnings even higher. A welcome offer lets new cardholders earn more rewards by spending a certain amount on their new card within a specific timeframe.
While the bonus could help grow your savings or help fund your next vacation, it can quickly lead to overspending if the spending requirement exceeds your planned expenses. The extra spending can cut into the value you get from the rewards — especially if you can’t pay the bill in full and on time to avoid interest.
Best credit card welcome bonuses
CNET’S PICK
Intro Offer
$200
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
The Chase Freedom Flex* has the simplest, most accessible welcome bonus. You earn a $200 cash bonus by spending $500 in the first three months of opening your account. While there are a handful of credit cards with no annual fee that offer a welcome bonus equivalent to $200, they often require you to spend $750 or $1,000 to earn it. Similarly, other credit cards might offer nominally higher welcome bonuses, but they may require several thousands of dollars of spending over a few months’ time. As far as the ratio of spending threshold to bonus goes, the Chase Freedom Flex is a great welcome bonus.
For more details, see our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 20.49% – 29.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5%
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
3%
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
1%
Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The Chase Freedom Flex* has the simplest, most accessible welcome bonus. You earn a $200 cash bonus by spending $500 in the first three months of opening your account. While there are a handful of credit cards with no annual fee that offer a welcome bonus equivalent to $200, they often require you to spend $750 or $1,000 to earn it. Similarly, other credit cards might offer nominally higher welcome bonuses, but they may require several thousands of dollars of spending over a few months’ time. As far as the ratio of spending threshold to bonus goes, the Chase Freedom Flex is a great welcome bonus.
For more details, see our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 20.49% – 29.24% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
5%
5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
3%
3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service
1%
Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Intro Offer
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
The Prime Visa is unique in that there’s no minimum spending threshold to earn the bonus. Upon approval of your application, you’ll receive an Amazon gift card for $100 without ever even using the card. The catch is that a gift card isn’t redeemable for statement credits or travel like the bonus of many other rewards cards. It is simply a gift card for use on Amazon.com. Note that you must have an Amazon Prime account ($139 annually) to get this credit card.
See more details in our full review of the Prime Visa.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.49% – 27.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
2%
Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
1%
Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
The Prime Visa is unique in that there’s no minimum spending threshold to earn the bonus. Upon approval of your application, you’ll receive an Amazon gift card for $100 without ever even using the card. The catch is that a gift card isn’t redeemable for statement credits or travel like the bonus of many other rewards cards. It is simply a gift card for use on Amazon.com. Note that you must have an Amazon Prime account ($139 annually) to get this credit card.
See more details in our full review of the Prime Visa.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 19.49% – 27.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
5%
Earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership
2%
Earn unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare)
1%
Earn unlimited 1% back on all other purchases
Intro Offer
$200 cash rewards
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is one of the strongest flat-rate cash-back cards to choose thanks to its rewards, intro APR offer, welcome bonus and extra card perks.
While its unlimited 2% cash-rewards rate is comparable to other flat-rate credit cards without an annual fee, the Active Cash’s additional benefits give it an edge. There’s a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months, an intro APR offer and a few additional perks like cell phone insurance.
You can learn more in our Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Regular APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- up to 5%, min: $5
2%
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is one of the strongest flat-rate cash-back cards to choose thanks to its rewards, intro APR offer, welcome bonus and extra card perks.
While its unlimited 2% cash-rewards rate is comparable to other flat-rate credit cards without an annual fee, the Active Cash’s additional benefits give it an edge. There’s a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases within the first three months, an intro APR offer and a few additional perks like cell phone insurance.
You can learn more in our Wells Fargo Active Cash Card review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Regular APR
- 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- up to 5%, min: $5
2%
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Flexible rewards with custom categories
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
Intro Offer
$200
$200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
With the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, you can earn 5% cash back (on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter) on two categories you choose from the following: utilities, fast food, TV, internet and streaming, cellphone providers, department stores, electronic stores, sporting goods stores, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers, furniture stores, ground transportation, and select clothing stores. You’ll also earn 2% cash back on one “everyday” category, like groceries or gas.
The card offers a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 120 days of account opening, which shouldn’t be hard to meet if you use your card for utilities and groceries to take advantage of the elevated earn rate. Its 2% cash back “everyday” category has no spending cap, which means you can rake in the rewards even after your 5% rewards fall to 1%.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR Intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles.
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR Intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles.
- Regular APR
- 19.74% – 29.74% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
5%
5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.
5%
5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
2%
2% cash back on your choice on one everyday category, like Gas Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
1%
1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
With the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, you can earn 5% cash back (on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter) on two categories you choose from the following: utilities, fast food, TV, internet and streaming, cellphone providers, department stores, electronic stores, sporting goods stores, movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers, furniture stores, ground transportation, and select clothing stores. You’ll also earn 2% cash back on one “everyday” category, like groceries or gas.
The card offers a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 120 days of account opening, which shouldn’t be hard to meet if you use your card for utilities and groceries to take advantage of the elevated earn rate. Its 2% cash back “everyday” category has no spending cap, which means you can rake in the rewards even after your 5% rewards fall to 1%.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro APR Intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles.
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR Intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles.
- Regular APR
- 19.74% – 29.74% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either 3% of the amount of each transfer or $5 minimum, whichever is greater.
5%
5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.
5%
5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center
2%
2% cash back on your choice on one everyday category, like Gas Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
1%
1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
Intro Offer
Cashback Match™
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
The Discover it® Cash Back* card offers a unique proposition: The sign-on bonus is an unlimited Cashback Match™ for the first year the account is open. Not only do you earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories upon activation (on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases, then 1%) and 1% on all other purchases, but at the end of your first year Discover will match — dollar for dollar — all the cash you’ve earned back in the previous 12 months. Because there’s no cap or limit on this promotion, you can potentially earn more cash back than with other credit cards, depending on your spending. All Discover credit cards offer some sort of variation of this welcome bonus.
Check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
5%
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
1%
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
The Discover it® Cash Back* card offers a unique proposition: The sign-on bonus is an unlimited Cashback Match™ for the first year the account is open. Not only do you earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories upon activation (on up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases, then 1%) and 1% on all other purchases, but at the end of your first year Discover will match — dollar for dollar — all the cash you’ve earned back in the previous 12 months. Because there’s no cap or limit on this promotion, you can potentially earn more cash back than with other credit cards, depending on your spending. All Discover credit cards offer some sort of variation of this welcome bonus.
Check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
5%
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.
1%
Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Intro Offer
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
If you like travel and good food — whether at restaurants or home cooking — you should consider the American Express® Gold Card. In addition to its 4X Membership Rewards points rate at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases each calendar year, then 1x), cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points for spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within six months of card membership.
Amex membership point valuations will change depending on how they’re redeemed. If you use your points for statement credits, for example, they’ll only be worth 0.6 cent. If you redeem for travel through Amex Travel or for gift cards, your points will be worth up to 1 cent each. That means the welcome offer here could be worth up to $600 depending on how you redeem.
Learn more in our American Express Gold Card review.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
3x
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more
If you like travel and good food — whether at restaurants or home cooking — you should consider the American Express® Gold Card. In addition to its 4X Membership Rewards points rate at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in U.S. supermarket purchases each calendar year, then 1x), cardholders can earn 60,000 bonus points for spending $6,000 on eligible purchases within six months of card membership.
Amex membership point valuations will change depending on how they’re redeemed. If you use your points for statement credits, for example, they’ll only be worth 0.6 cent. If you redeem for travel through Amex Travel or for gift cards, your points will be worth up to 1 cent each. That means the welcome offer here could be worth up to $600 depending on how you redeem.
Learn more in our American Express Gold Card review.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- See Pay Over Time APR
- Balance Transfer Fee
- N/A
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
4x
Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
3x
Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more
Intro Offer
$200
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card* offers one of the best value-to-spending ratios for a welcome bonus. Cardholders can earn $200 for spending $500 within three months of account opening.
That’s one of the lowest spending requirements available for a good return, tied with the Chase Freedom Flex. While the Quicksilver’s 1.5% cash-back rate isn’t as high as other flat-rate cards without an annual fee — like the Wells Fargo Active Cash or Citi Double Cash® Card– it still offers good ongoing rewards paired with a competitive sign up bonus with a low spending requirement.
The card also has no foreign transaction fees, a rarity among no-annual-fee cards, making it a good choice for frequent international travelers who don’t want to splurge on a dedicated travel credit card with a hefty annual fee.
You can find more details in our Capital One Quicksilver review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
5%
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
1.5%
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card* offers one of the best value-to-spending ratios for a welcome bonus. Cardholders can earn $200 for spending $500 within three months of account opening.
That’s one of the lowest spending requirements available for a good return, tied with the Chase Freedom Flex. While the Quicksilver’s 1.5% cash-back rate isn’t as high as other flat-rate cards without an annual fee — like the Wells Fargo Active Cash or Citi Double Cash® Card– it still offers good ongoing rewards paired with a competitive sign up bonus with a low spending requirement.
The card also has no foreign transaction fees, a rarity among no-annual-fee cards, making it a good choice for frequent international travelers who don’t want to splurge on a dedicated travel credit card with a hefty annual fee.
You can find more details in our Capital One Quicksilver review.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Regular APR
- 19.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
5%
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
1.5%
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
Intro Offer
70,000 bonus points
Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offers the best sign-on bonus value with respect to annual fee, points value and spending threshold. The sign-on bonus nets you 70,000 ThankYou® points when you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening the account — this can be redeemed for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at Thankyou.com.
Alternatively, these points are also valued at 1 cent per point for statement credits, and so are worth the same amount in the form of “cash back.” While advertised as a travel credit card, the Citi Strata Premier offers strong rewards rates across multiple popular everyday spending categories, like restaurants, gas and EV charging stations and supermarkets.
See our full review of the Citi Strata Premier Card for more details and benefits.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Go-to Purchase APR (All are variable)
10x
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
3x
Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
1x
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
The Citi Strata Premier℠ Card offers the best sign-on bonus value with respect to annual fee, points value and spending threshold. The sign-on bonus nets you 70,000 ThankYou® points when you spend $4,000 within the first three months of opening the account — this can be redeemed for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at Thankyou.com.
Alternatively, these points are also valued at 1 cent per point for statement credits, and so are worth the same amount in the form of “cash back.” While advertised as a travel credit card, the Citi Strata Premier offers strong rewards rates across multiple popular everyday spending categories, like restaurants, gas and EV charging stations and supermarkets.
See our full review of the Citi Strata Premier Card for more details and benefits.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Balance transfer fee applies with this offer 5% of each balance transfer; $5 minimum.
Go-to Purchase APR (All are variable)
10x
Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
3x
Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
1x
Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Travel welcome bonus with no annual fee
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Intro Offer
25,000 points
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.
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card* offers a substantial welcome bonus redeemable for statement credits for travel or dining purchases. You have to make $1,000 worth of purchases within the first 90 days of account opening to secure this bonus, which will come in the form of 25,000 online bonus points posted to your account. While there are higher-value welcome bonuses available on premium travel cards, they generally also carry a hefty annual fee. For the traveler on a budget, this is the right card to maximize your welcome bonus value.
For more details, see our full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any BTs made in the first 60 days. A fee of 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4% will apply.
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
- Regular APR
- 19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%
1.5x
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.
The Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card* offers a substantial welcome bonus redeemable for statement credits for travel or dining purchases. You have to make $1,000 worth of purchases within the first 90 days of account opening to secure this bonus, which will come in the form of 25,000 online bonus points posted to your account. While there are higher-value welcome bonuses available on premium travel cards, they generally also carry a hefty annual fee. For the traveler on a budget, this is the right card to maximize your welcome bonus value.
For more details, see our full review of the Bank of America Travel Rewards card.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any BTs made in the first 60 days. A fee of 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4% will apply.
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
- Regular APR
- 19.24% – 29.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Balance Transfer Fee
- 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%
1.5x
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.
Intro Offer
Earn 5 Free Night Awards
Limited time offer! Earn 5 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card!
With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*, for a limited time you could earn five Free Night Awards (each valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first three months.
If you stay with Marriott Bonvoy often, the Boundless could be your ticket to more stays. The points you earn for Marriott Bonvoy purchases can be used for free nights at Marriott hotels. In addition to its welcome offer, cardholders also get an annual free night award and complimentary Silver Status. Silver Elite status provides amenities like late checkout and a 10% point-earning bonus.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
17x
Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
3x
Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
2x
2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
With the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card*, for a limited time you could earn five Free Night Awards (each valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first three months.
If you stay with Marriott Bonvoy often, the Boundless could be your ticket to more stays. The points you earn for Marriott Bonvoy purchases can be used for free nights at Marriott hotels. In addition to its welcome offer, cardholders also get an annual free night award and complimentary Silver Status. Silver Elite status provides amenities like late checkout and a 10% point-earning bonus.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Regular APR
- 21.49% – 28.49% Variable
- Balance Transfer Fee
- Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
17x
Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
3x
Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
2x
2X points for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
How do credit card bonuses work?
Credit card welcome bonuses or welcome offers were created to incentivize you to apply for and spend with your new credit card.
Once you spend a certain amount on your card, you’ll get a bonus added to your account. Welcome bonus spending requirements vary depending on the card and how large the bonus is. The bonus may be paid out in the form of rewards points with multiple redemption options, miles or direct cash back.
Although bonuses are intended to get you to spend, don’t spend in ways you normally wouldn’t for the sake of a bonus. If you need to spend outside your means to reach it, it’s no longer a bonus, especially if you can’t pay off the full balance and rack up interest charges. Try to reach the welcome bonus through normal spending to bolster your finances without taking away from them.
How to find the best credit card welcome bonus for you
Choosing the best credit card welcome bonus comes down to a handful of different factors — how high the spending requirement is, how you’re able to redeem it and whether you need to pay an annual fee to get it.
Spending requirement
One of the most important aspects of a welcome bonus is how much you need to spend in order to qualify for it. You’ll want to make sure you can reach the spending threshold without overspending or making purchases you normally wouldn’t have. While welcome bonuses are meant to incentivize you to spend more on your card, any spending you do outside of your normal budget will offset the value you get from the bonus.
Type of rewards
What you can do with the bonus after you’ve earned it will depend on the type of rewards your card earns. Some cash-back credit cards will pay out their bonuses as direct cash back or statement credits to lower your account balance.
Some rewards cards may offer the bonus as points, however, which gives you a bit more flexibility when you redeem. Points can typically be redeemed for statement credits, cash deposited directly into your bank account, redeemed for gift cards, used with specific merchants at checkout, used for merchandise through the issuer’s shopping portal or used to book travel through an issuer’s travel portal.
Generally, you can redeem points for cash back or statement credits at a standard 1 point to 1 cent ratio. Gift card, pay with points and travel or merchandise portal redemptions may have different values depending on the specifics of your redemption.
Travel credit cards will likely earn their bonus as points or miles, which can then be redeemed for airfare, hotel stays, rental cars through the issuer’s travel portal (if there is one) or transferred to the issuer’s hotel or airline partners to be used for airfare or hotel stays. Transferring points is often the most lucrative redemption method, but the cards with the best transfer partners tend to be dedicated travel credit cards with an annual fee.
For credit cards tied to a specific hotel or airline — such as the Hilton Honors American Express Card or the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard® — you’ll typically earn your bonus in the form of points or miles on the company’s own rewards program, offering less flexibility than transferable points from a credit card issuer like Chase or Capital One.
Annual fee
Cards that offer the most lucrative welcome bonuses also tend to carry an annual fee. These cards, many of them premium travel cards, typically come with benefits that make the annual fee worthwhile — anything from special promotions to travel insurance to free airport lounge access.
As long as you can meet the spending threshold naturally and use the card’s benefits, an annual-fee card can be a good pick, especially if the value of a card’s welcome bonus is greater than the fee. But after you’ve collected the bonus, whether you should keep the card past the second year — when there’s still a fee but no more bonus — depends on how much you value the card’s features and ongoing rewards. Otherwise, consider downgrading to a no-annual-fee card.
Credit card issuer
Before you sign up for a card, you’ll want to make sure you can qualify for the welcome bonus. Some issuers, including Chase, American Express, Citi and Bank of America have special rules around opening cards and earning welcome bonuses.
American Express has a “once per lifetime per person per card” rule on welcome bonuses. That means you can’t earn a welcome bonus on a card if you’ve previously earned a bonus on the same card, even if you’ve closed your card and are applying for it again.
Capital One has a two-card rule, which means you can have only one consumer Capital One card at a time. Capital One will also approve you for a card only once every six months.
Chase has a 5/24 rule, which means it likely won’t approve you for any cards if you’ve applied for five credit cards — no matter the issuer — within 24 months.
Personal or business
Whether you’re using a business credit card or personal credit card will also play a role. Business cards can offer more lucrative sign up bonuses, but they tend to also have higher spending thresholds than personal cards.
You must have a business to apply for a business credit card, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a full-fledged brick-and-mortar business — side hustlers and freelancers can also qualify.
What the experts say about credit card welcome bonuses
A welcome bonus can help you earn more rewards in a shorter time frame. But there are some risks and factors worth considering.
“Every welcome bonus is going to have different spending requirements,” said Gerri Detweiler, a credit card expert. And you’ll have to look at your spending to see if you’ll be able to meet the requirements comfortably, she added.
One way to avoid overspending is to time opening the card with an upcoming expense.
“If you can just time opening a card right before you are going to have a big expense, that can help you get a lot of extra points just by conducting life and business as usual,” said Julia Menez, a credit card points strategy coach. Some expenses that might fit the bill include a tuition payment, down payment on a car or roof repair. Just make sure you have the money to pay your bill off in full before charging the expense. Chasing a welcome bonus with a higher spending requirement can lead to overspending, high credit utilization and debt, if not mindful.
And there’s also a bad time to consider earning a welcome bonus. If you’re applying for a mortgage or auto loan in the next few months, you may want to rethink opening a new card, especially to open a welcome bonus, said Beverly Harzog, a credit card expert and author.
If you run up a high balance — even if you pay it off in full — to earn a welcome bonus, you might be denied a loan, or approved at a higher rate. “You want to wait a couple of months for your credit score to settle down after you have a high balance on there,” Harzog added.
When does applying for a credit card with a welcome bonus make sense?
While welcome bonuses are enticing, you shouldn’t strive to earn one if it leads to overspending. Typically, you need to spend a certain amount during a set period of time to earn a welcome bonus — though occasionally a credit card might offer an instant bonus when you’re approved for the card. If you can’t comfortably meet this spending requirement, look for a card with a lower requirement. Otherwise, the interest you accrue is likely to eat into the bonus value.
You also shouldn’t apply for a credit card just to earn the welcome bonus. You’ll want to research the card’s other features and costs to ensure it fits nicely into your typical spending habits. Otherwise, you might find yourself paying a steep annual fee for a card that doesn’t complement your lifestyle.
How to calculate the value of a welcome bonus
Calculate the point value
You’ll need to do some math to calculate how much money the welcome bonus is worth.
Points and miles: Determine the approximate monetary value per point and divide it by the number of points you’ll earn. For example, if one point is worth $0.01 and your welcome bonus offers 80,000 points, it has an $800 value. However, most points are worth more when booking travel, especially with travel partners. So, if the same bonus is worth 1.25 cents per point, the 80,000-point bonus will be worth $1,000.
Cash back: Cash-back welcome bonuses are straightforward compared with points and miles. You won’t need to do much more math if you spend $1,000 to earn a $200 welcome bonus. But if you’re earning a flat 2% on each purchase, you’ll multiply 0.02 by the dollar amount. For instance, if you spend $200 and earn 2% cash back, you’ll earn $4 in cashback rewards.
You’ll do the same for tiered and rotating cash-back rewards.
Determine the return on your spending
Next, you’ll divide the cash value of the bonus, even if you’re earning points or miles. For example, if you are earning a $200 welcome bonus for spending $500, you’ll earn a little less than half of your money back. However, if you have to spend $4,000 to earn a welcome bonus valued at $800, you’ll only earn 20% of your spending back. You may be OK with this if it saves you money on a trip you’re booking, but it’s best to do the math to compare the value of your rewards first.
Look at your personal spending and goals
Some welcome bonuses can be lucrative, but it depends on your goals. For example, some welcome bonuses that offer good savings on travel can be good if you plan to redeem the rewards toward flights or hotels. But if you’d rather redeem the rewards for a statement credit or deposit into your account, the points may not be worth as much.
When thinking about the card and welcome bonus, make sure the redemption options match how you like to spend money — whether it’s earning cash back for everyday spending or miles to save on flights.
How to apply and receive your bonus
Once you’ve narrowed down the credit card you want, it’s time to apply. Here’s what you should expect.
- Go to the issuer’s official website using a secure connection to protect your data and follow other online security measures.
- Complete the application. You’ll need your name, Social Security number, physical address, employer and annual income.
- Some issuers may approve you instantly, while others may take a few days to review your application and require additional information.
After you’re approved, you’ll receive your new card’s terms and conditions, including your interest rate and credit limit. The credit card issuer will also share the perks and welcome bonus details.
The clock for earning your welcome bonus starts the day you’re approved for the card for most issuers — not when you receive the card in the mail. You may start making purchases before your card arrives using a virtual card number to work toward the welcome bonus.
You may earn the bonus by spending a minimum monthly amount or making one large purchase that meets the requirement. For instance, if you want to earn a $200 welcome bonus, the card issuer may require you to spend $1,000 within three months. That’s at least $333 in spending each month.
FAQs
This is a risky and time-consuming gambit that could adversely affect your credit. Though a welcome bonus is worth considering, we recommend taking a comprehensive look at the overall value of a credit card and choosing one that fits your spending habits and financial situation.
Credit card welcome bonus can go up or down at the credit card issuer’s discretion. If the issuer wants to promote a certain card, they may offer a limited-time bonus. Or the bonus on a credit card may go down if a special offer has expired.
In most cases, the IRS doesn’t consider credit card rewards as taxable income. If you had to make purchases to reach a welcome bonus, it won’t be taxed.
However, if you earn a credit card bonus without spending money — such as a referral bonus when your friend signs up for the card — it may be taxable. Always check with a tax professional if you have questions about taxes.
In our view, a good welcome bonus is one that doesn’t require you to contort your existing spending habits and offers a return that’s higher than the card’s annual fee. Many rewards credit cards offer a welcome bonus of $200, so anything higher than that is noteworthy.
We also prefer cards with bonuses that feature other perks or multiple rewards tiers, increasing the usefulness of the card beyond the bonus.
Other credit cards we researched
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles — with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different — and the designated function of a card.
For cash-back credit cards, for example, key factors include the annual fee, the “welcome bonus” and the cash-back rate (or rates, if they differ by spending category). For rewards and miles cards, we calculate and weigh the net monetary value of a card’s respective perks. And with balance transfer credit cards, we analyze specs such as the duration of the introductory 0% APR period and the balance transfer fee, while acknowledging secondary factors such as the standard APR and the length of time you have to make a balance transfer after you open the account.
For rates and fees of the American Express Gold Card, click here.
*All information about the Discover it Cash Back, Chase Freedom Flex, Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card, and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and hasn’t been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
