Apple Card Faces Serious Competition from the Best Credit Cards of 2019

Apple Card Credit: Sarah Tew / CNET
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The Apple Card is the talk of the town in the credit card and technology markets — and for good reason. It’s cool, secure and comes with a variety of clever features that you won’t find in more traditional credit cards.

Of course, the Apple Card isn’t necessarily the best credit card on the market. It suffers in a few areas, such as small business options, travel rewards, and introductory bonus offers. If you’re looking for a card that ticks these particular boxes, you might want to go with more established players in the market. With that in mind, here are some of the best credit cards of 2019 that aren’t the Apple Card.

Discover It Cash Back

Discover It1

One of the Apple Card’s main draws is the ability to get cash back daily — something that’s pretty unprecedented in the market. But despite that, Apple Card has fairly mediocre cash back rates on most services. So if you’re looking to maximize your rewards, you may want to check out the Discover it card.

The card features 5% cash back in different categories each quarter. One quarter might be grocery stores, while the next could be Amazon.com, for example. You’ll also earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. And unlike Apple Card, Discover will match all of the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Learn more here.

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Chase Sapphire

As we mentioned previously, the Apple Card doesn’t currently offer any sign-up bonuses. That may be a dealbreaker for some card customers. On the other hand, if you’re in the market for the credit card with the best current sign-up offer, you may want to consider Chase’s Sapphire Preferred.

It’s a travel card that offers 2x points on travel and dining worldwide and 1 point on all other purchases. But if you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of having your account, you’ll net 60,000 bonus points. That translates to about $750 in toward travel — which you can redeem through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards program. Learn more here.

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card 032217 10

The Apple Card doesn’t offer any travel-based rewards. Because of that, if you’re a frequent traveler (whether for business or pleasure), you’ll probably want to look elsewhere for your daily driver card. The Capital One Venture Rewards card is a good choice.

You’ll earn 2x the miles on every purchase you make, plus 10x miles on thousands of hotel purchases through January 2020. You can also net up to $100 in credit toward Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check fees and a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles if you spend $3,000 on purchases within three months of the account opening. Best of all, your miles won’t expire, and there are no limits on how much you can earn. Learn more here.

American Express Blue Cash Preferred

Amex

If you’re like most of us, you probably shop at grocery stores fairly often (and you probably have a couple of streaming service subscriptions). If that sounds like you, then AmEx’s Blue Cash Preferred card can help you maximize the amount of cash back you can get.

The card lets you get 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. streaming subscriptions. You’ll also get 3% cash back on transit, ride-shares and gas stations. While there’s a $95 annual fee for the card, you’ll get a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months. Learn more here.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card

Capital One Quicksilver

Sometimes, you just want to maximize the rewards you get without worrying about rotating categories or category-specific rates. That’s the Capital One’s Quicksilver card comes in. It’s one of the best flat-rate credit cards on the market. It also beats Apple’s 1% cash back if you’re using the physical card (because not everywhere accepts Apple Pay).

You’ll earn 1.5% cash back on every single purchase. Your cash back also won’t expire and there’s no limit on how much you can earn or redeem. There’s also no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and an intro 0% APR offer on purchases for the first 15 months. You can also get a one-time $150 bonus after you spend $500 within the first 3 months. Learn more here.

Citi Simplicity Card

Citi Simplicity Card

Carrying a balance on a high interest credit card isn’t a smart move. That’s why balance transfer cards can be a good idea, depending on your circumstances. It’s also why the Apple Card isn’t a great choice — it currently doesn’t offer any type of balance transfers from other credit cards.

If you need to transfer your balance to a lower-rate card, take a look at Citi Simplicity. It offers 0% introductory APR on balance transfers for 21 months (though you’ll need to transfer your balance in 4 months). Like the name suggests, it’s a simple card. But there are no late fees, no penalty rates and no annual fees to be found here. Learn more here.

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

Chase Ink Business Unlimited

While it’s great for consumers, the Apple Card isn’t well-suited for small business owners. It doesn’t currently support authorized users and the card itself is attached to an individual iCloud account. If you want a card that can help net some rewards on business purchases, the Ink Business Unlimited may be a good bet.

You’ll earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business, which can help you save on expenses. It also offers employee cards at no additional cost, a 0% intro APR for 12 months, and a $500 cash back bonus if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months you have the card. Learn more here.

Capital One Savor Credit Card

Capital One Savor Credit Card

We all like to enjoy the good things in life, whether it’s trying out that restaurant down the street or seeing a movie on opening night. So why not get a credit card that rewards you for doing so?

Capital One’s Savor card gives you a hefty 4% cash back on dining and entertainment with no limits. You can also earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases. If you eat out at restaurants or go out often, then this may just be the best credit card for you. Learn more here.

Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card

Wells Fargo Propel

The Apple Card’s cash back isn’t quite as attractive as some other cash rewards cards. And if you’re looking to maximize your rewards at a flat rate across various non-rotating categories, take a closer look at the Wells Fargo Propel card.

You’ll earn 3x the points on dining (including ordering in), travel, gas stations and transit, and popular streaming services. It also offers 1 point on all other purchases and 30,000 bonus points if you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months of your account. There’s also no annual fee and no foreign currency conversion fees. Learn more here.

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