The simplest way to earn a solid return on every purchase: 2% with no categories to track. The catch is a shorter 0% period than rivals and a 3% foreign transaction fee.

A strong everyday card if you eat out often: 3% on dining and drugstores and 1.5% on everything else, plus the biggest welcome bonus in this list. On spending outside those categories, 1.5% trails the 2% flat cards.

The best payoff in year one for people willing to activate categories each quarter, since all first-year cash back is matched. It also has the lowest regular APR floor here. You have to keep track of the categories and the quarterly cap.

The longest interest-free window in this comparison, on both purchases and balance transfers made in the first 120 days. It earns no rewards, so it works best as a tool to pay down a balance, not as an everyday card.

An easy first step for people with no credit or bruised credit: no credit check, no interest and no annual fee, with payments reported to all 3 bureaus. The best cash back rate depends on large monthly direct deposits.