Credit Card Experts Break Down J.D. Power and Bankrate Scores

No matter where you go on the internet (or your infinite scroll app of choice), the conversation about the “best credit card” always seems to be bursting at the seams with buzz words, wildly different dollar values for rewards and perks from different people, and personal takes that may feel like a sponsored script.

The bare-bones truth of it is, no one card will be “the best” for everyone, but certain cards will likely stand out based on your goals, spending habits, credit score and more.

For our money, J.D. Power’s annual Credit Card Satisfaction Study is one of the most objective evaluations of the best cards and issuers currently on the market. To help you research the best credit card for you, we’ve broken down the statistically best credit cards based on both J.D. Power and Bankrate’s latest data. That way, it may be a bit easier to start off with the most balanced credit card evaluations possible.

Current Bankrate Award winners

If you don’t want to get into the weeds, the 2025 Bankrate Award winners are a great place to start, since we highlight the best options on the market for different types of cardholders. Every year, Bankrate’s credit card experts research, rate and compare hundreds of cards and crown the best in each major category as Bankrate Award winners based on their outstanding features, rewards value and more.

Several of the cards on this month’s Best Credit Cards page were winners in previous years as well, including:

• American Express® Gold Card: Best credit card for foodies (four-time winner*)
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best credit card for jet-setters (four-time winner*)
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best standalone credit card, Best credit card for entertainment (one-time winner*), Best credit card for families (two-time winner*)
• Chase Freedom Unlimited®: Best credit card for everyday use, Best credit card for cash back fans (three-time winner*), Best credit cards for stacking (three-time winner* with the Chase Freedom Flex® and Chase Sapphire Reserve® cards)
• Citi Double Cash® Card: Best cash back card combo (with the Citi Custom Cash® Card), Best credit cards for stacking (with the Citi Custom Cash and the current-day Citi Strata Premier℠ Card)
• Citi Custom Cash® Card*: Best credit card for commuters (two-time winner*), Best cash back card combo (with the Citi Double Cash® Card), Best credit cards for stacking (with the Citi Custom Cash and the current-day Citi Strata Premier℠ Card*)
• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: Best credit card for families (two-time winner*), Best credit card for commuters (one-time winner*), Best credit card for streaming services (two-time winner*)
• Citi Strata Premier℠ Card: Best credit cards for stacking (with the Citi Custom Cash® Card and Cit Double Cash® Card)
• Citi Simplicity® Card*: Best credit card for debt consolidators (two-time winner*)

We base card scores almost entirely on objective measures — not just opinion.

— Nouri Zarrugh
Bankrate credit cards senior editor

Perfect Bankrate review scores

Bankrate Scores can also highlight especially great cards. Review scores are calculated on a scale of 1 to 5 and are based mainly on a card’s rewards value, perks, introductory offers, APR and other fees. But we take our grading seriously.

“We base card scores almost entirely on objective measures — not just opinion,” says senior editor and key architect of Bankrate’s card rating database, Nouri Zarrugh. “Our scoring formulas grade each card relative to others in its category and consider only the criteria most relevant to that category, since cardholders have different needs and expectations for different card types.”

Although several fantastic cards hold a score of 4 and above, scoring a perfect 5/5 is quite an accomplishment.

Here are the exceptional cards that currently hold a 5/5 Bankrate review score:

J.D. Power’s top-rated credit cards

The annual J.D. Power credit card satisfaction study details the major credit card industry trends each year, and the 2024 study added individual card rankings to the survey. For an extra vote of confidence, here are the top three credit cards according to consumers in the 2024 survey’s five categories (scored on a 1,000-point scale):

J.D. Power’s top-rated credit card companies

J.D. Power’s annual credit card satisfaction survey is perhaps the definitive gauge of the best credit card issuer. We even use J.D. Power credit card issuer scores as part of our Bankrate Score methodology.

“For as long as we’ve been scoring cards, J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction studies have played a key role in how we evaluate cardholder experience,” Zarrugh says. “Customer service factors into our scoring for every type of card.”

The 2024 survey ranked 16 credit card issuers — major and regional — on a 1,000-point scale based on their customers’ satisfaction with their experience. American Express ranked first with Discover in second place, which is typical of these issuers’ neck-and-neck battle for the top two spots. It’s also worth noting the average score was 610, which means only American Express, Bank of America, Discover Chase Capital One and Citi achieved an above-average customer satisfaction rating.

Here is how the top nine issuers rank based on J.D. Power’s 2024 survey results, how many Bankrate Awards the issuer’s cards have won since 2022 and an estimated point or mile value for top rewards cards:

It’s also worth noting that the study’s seven midsize issuers — mostly regional banks and credit unions — offer cards that have earned Bankrate Awards or offer rewards that Bankrate includes in its point valuation database. Of these midsize issuers, TD Bank won “Best Bank for Sign-Up Bonuses” and PNC won “Most Trusted Bank” in the 2023 Bankrate Awards for banking.

What’s next?

The bottom line

Although personal takes and first-hand experience accounts can be resoundingly helpful for choosing which credit cards to consider, adding a statistical layer can give your personal decision an additional, more objective vote of confidence. By comparing J.D. Power’s and Bankrate’s most recent data, several steadfast options become frontrunners, including the Chase Freedom Unlimited, Blue Cash Preferred, Capital One Savor and Citi Simplicity cards.

The information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card, Bank of America® Premium Rewards® Elite Credit Card, Citi Custom Cash® Card, Citi Simplicity® Card, Chase Freedom Flex®, Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card, BankAmericard® credit card, Apple Card, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and Petal 2 Visa® Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.