Credit Cards

Economic Summaries

Here is a table listing the major companies which offer the best credit cards for US consumers.

There are several factors to consider when selecting the best credit card. The most important factor is the interest rate charged, as determined by your credit history. It is best to "shop around" for the lowest interest rate, when seeking a new credit card.

Company

.
Note

American Express
(17 different cards)

New York, NY
1-800-528-4800

Blue

-

Several choices

Optima Platinum

Clear

Bank of America
(400 different cards)

Wilmington, DE
1-800-732-9194

Worldpoints Platinum Plus

-

Too many options
All mixed together
Impossible to compare

Visa Platinum Plus

Capital One
(13 cards)

McLean, Virginia
1-800-216-1686

Platinum Prestige

-

Mostly MasterCards

You must "Opt-out" of Spam.

Platinum

Classic Platinum

Standard Platinum

Chase
(100's of cards)

Wilmington, DE
1-888-215-3049

Freedom MC (2-5)

-

-

Platinum MC (11)

Freedom Visa Signature Card (1-4)

-

Mostly Visa

Freedom Plus (3)

Platinum Visa (12)

Citicorp
(37 different cards)

New York, NY
1-800-347-4934

Platinum Select

-

Mostly MasterCard

Diamond Preferred

Discover
(5 different cards)

Salt Lake City, UT
1-800-347-2683

Discover More

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Card Type

Comment

.

General

The most popular cards

Rewards

Provides cash back and/or points

.

College Student

Especially designed for young debtors

.

.

.

Gas and Auto

Special cards for car drivers

.

.

.

Store

Especially designed for large retail store purchases

Travel

Especially designed for those who travel frequently - Mileage Cards

.

.

.

.

University

Alumni school support

Counting all the options from each vendor is not easy. For instance, B. of A. lists the same 77 cards for both the "Student" and "Alumni" categories, although they are SEPARATE credit cards. The other companies also list the same card in multiple categories. Some credit cards having the SAME NAME, are offered in different categories, but with different interest rates, purposely adding to the confusion. I grew tired of trying to count the ACTUAL options.

Form Info Required

Note

Income
Total Annual income

-
$80,000

-
The higher the better

Assets/ Responsibility
Own home or rent?
Monthly rent or mortgage payment?
Length of time at current residence?

Marital Status

-
Own
$500
Years

Married

-
Homeowner is best
The lower, the better
The longer, the better

Married for years is best

Asset Accounts
Do you have a checking account?
Have a savings or IRA account?

-
Yes
Yes

-
The longer, the better
The larger, the better

Employment History
Time at current job?
Position?

-
Years
Manager

-
The longer, the better
Manager is better than peon

Credit History
Credit Score
Account History
Payment History - Ever late?
Current Debt
Sex
Age

-
>750
Many
No
Low
Male
Old

-
The higher the better - it's all in the score
The more promptly paid-off accounts, the better.
No late payment is best - try to avoid
Low is best - you can afford more
Male is preferred - presumed earning power
Older is better - more stable

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Disclaimer:
Selecting the best credit card can be a daunting task, because there are so many variations.
That's why I made this page - to help clarify the most popular options.
The above data was summarized from each company website listed above.
The author is not perfect, and errors can occur.
This Credit Card company data comparison chart is meant as a guide only.
Be sure and check several companies, before selecting a Credit Card. There are many confusing marketing variations.