A flexible spending card mirrors a standard credit card in many ways. Still, there’s one important difference — you get a variable credit limit, usually based on your income, credit score and payment history. It’s ideal for someone who uses their credit card frequently and wants to avoid penalty charges or have their transaction rejected for going slightly beyond their credit limit.
Our team has compiled the list below of the best credit cards for flexible spending
Best flexible spending credit card for 0% APR period and unlimited cash back: Capital One® QuickSilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
Why it’s the best
One of the most popular cash back cards on the market, the Capital One QuickSilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is ideal for getting rewards for day-to-day spending. While the 1.5% cash back rate is not market-leading, it applies to all purchases, with no caps, limits or rewards categories to worry you. It also comes with a lengthy 0% APR period of 15 months and a variable go to rate of 15.74%– 25.74% after that, giving you significant interest savings for purchases and balance transfers.
The clincher? You won’t have charges on annual or foreign transaction fees.
Bonus points:
Best flexible spending credit card for overall balance transfer value: Discover it® Balance Transfer
Why it’s the best
If you’re serious about paying down debt, then the Discover it® Balance Transfer card should be on your radar. It effectively allows you to refinance an existing balance interest-free for 18 months. So if you’re paying a high-interest rate on your borrowing, then this card can get you out of debt sooner. While there is a 3% intro (or 5% standard) balance transfer fee, there are no annual or foreign transaction fees.
The card rewards you with 5% cash back up to the quarterly maximum on rotating categories, too — just sign up quarterly to activate bonus categories.
Bonus points:
Best flexible spending credit card for larger debt consolidations: Citi Simplicity® Card
Why it’s the best
With a market-leading 21-month interest-free period for balance transfers, the Citi Simplicity Card gives you plenty of time to pay off significant credit card balances. There are no rewards programs to distract you, and its lack of annual fees, late fees and penalty rate will help you become debt-free faster. Even with a balance transfer fee of 5%, the Citi Simplicity is a great tool for managing debt. But it reverts to a variable APR of 16.24% – 26.24% after 21 months, so it’s best to have repaid most, if not all of your debt by then.
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Best flexible spending credit card for a first-time-rewards earner: Chase Freedom Unlimited
Why it’s the best
Chase Freedom Unlimited is popular with beginner rewards earners because it does away with all the complexity — you’re rewarded 1.5% flat-rate cash back on every purchase, with no limits or rewards categories to keep tabs on. Since there are no annual fees, you won’t need to worry about making your money back.
The welcome offers are generous too: the $150 bonus is easily earned by spending $500 in the first three months, and the lengthy 0% intro APR of 15 months with a variable go to rate of 16.49%-25.24% after that can save considerable interest on purchases and balance transfers.
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Best flexible spending credit card for earning on everyday spending: Citi Rewards+℠ Card
Why it’s the best
Unlike other credit cards, the Citi Rewards + Card rewards you a little extra for every transaction by automatically rounding up all purchases to the nearest ten points, making it an excellent payment tool for small items like coffees and lunches. The 2X points on the first $6,000 in supermarket and gas purchases with 1X points thereafter aren’t top-of-the-market, but this card has no annual fee, and the 10% points back for the first 100,000 points redeemed each year is a nice annual bonus.
You can kick-start your rewards with 15,000 points if you spend $1,000 in the first three months, and the 15-month interest-free period with a variable go to rate of 14.99% -24.99% after that is great for a big purchase coming up or balance transfers.
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Best flexible spending credit card for flexible travel redemption: Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
Why it’s the best
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is well-regarded by globetrotters because you can use your miles on flights and hotels with no blackout periods or transfer them to more than 15 travel loyalty programs. Earning points is easy too, — you simply get 2X miles for every purchase. There are no annual limits, expiration dates or bonus categories, making this card an excellent vehicle for rewards on everyday spending.
The 50,000 bonus miles will cut the cost of your next vacation, but you’ll need to spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months to earn them. It also has a waived $95 annual fee in the first year.
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Best flexible spending credit card for earning cash back with no annual fee: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Why it’s the best
If you loathe annual fees but have a habit of eating and going out, then the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is worth considering. It offers 3% cash back on dining and entertainment and 2% at grocery stores— not exactly top-of-the-market rewards rates, but there are no annual limits, and you won’t have to study the rewards calendar. The 0% APR intro period of 15 months with a variable go to rate of 15.74% – 25.74% after that is long enough to save you considerable interest on purchases and balance transfers.