Which flat-rate card offers the highest cash-back rewards rate?

The industry standard rate for a flat-rate cash-back card is 2%. There are a number of credit cards that provide this rate, but two of the best are the Wells Fargo Active Cash card (2% cash rewards on purchases) and the Citi Double Cash® Card (1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% cash back when you pay for those purchases). Both of these cards have no annual fee.

How do I qualify for a credit card?

The better the benefits, the more hoops you’ll need to jump through to be eligible for certain credit cards. Credit cards with attractive rewards programs or cash-back rewards require better credit than more basic credit card varieties. If you have poor or fair credit , you might only qualify for credit builder or secured credit cards . If you have good to excellent credit, you may easily qualify for any credit card you want. But if you don’t have the right score, you can always work to improve your credit for better odds of approval.

What’s the best credit card to get for first-time users?

The best credit card for beginners is one that will help you build credit, so make sure to get a card that reports to the three credit bureaus. You’ll also want to determine how you plan to use a credit card. Are you expecting to carry a balance from month to month, or can you reliably pay the credit issuer off? Are you a student who needs to finance a bunch of back-to-school purchases? Depending on what you need, one credit card might be better than another.