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Best Credit Cards for Couples of January 2025

Updated: Dec 23, 2024
Sara Rathner
Written by
Senior Writer/Spokesperson
Caitlin Mims
Reviewed by
Content Management Specialist
Kenley Young
Edited by
Fact Checked
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
Sara Rathner
Written by
Senior Writer/Spokesperson
Caitlin Mims
Reviewed by
Content Management Specialist
Kenley Young
Edited by
Fact Checked
Assigning Editor
Fact Checked
+ 2 more
+ 2 more
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.

Whether couples share finances or keep them separate, some credit cards are ideal for twosomes — those who like to travel together, just stay home or anything in between. Most popular credit cards don’t offer joint accounts anymore. (More on that below.) But couples can use a two-player strategy with their cards by making each other authorized users.

  • 400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)

  • 80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

  • 27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months

  • Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.

  • 400+ credit cards reviewed by our team of experts (See our top picks)

  • 80+ years of combined experience covering credit cards and personal finance

  • 27,000+ hours spent researching and reviewing financial products in the last 12 months

  • Objective comprehensive ratings rubrics (Methodology)

NerdWallet's credit cards content, including ratings and recommendations, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in credit cards. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, USA Today, The New York Times, MarketWatch, MSN, NBC's "Today," ABC's "Good Morning America" and many other national, regional and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.

NerdWallet's Best Credit Cards for Couples of January 2025

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Find the right credit card for you.

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

Find the right credit card for you.

Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.

FULL LIST OF EDITORIAL PICKS: BEST CREDIT CARDS FOR COUPLES

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Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Our pick for: Everyday spending

Among flat-rate cash-back cards, you'll be hard-pressed to beat the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It earns an unlimited 2% back on all purchases, which is excellent. But in addition, the card offers a rich sign-up bonus and a decent intro APR period on both purchases and balance transfers. That's an impressive, hard-to-find combination of features on a card with a $0 annual fee. Read our review.

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Our pick for: Homebodies

If your household spends a lot on groceries, gas, transit and streaming, the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is for you. The rewards it pays in those categories — particularly at U.S. supermarkets and on select U.S. streaming subscriptions — are among the richest of any card. There's a nice welcome offer for new cardholders and an introductory APR period, too. The generous benefits come at a cost, though: Unlike most cash-back cards, this one charges an annual fee. Terms apply. Read our review.

  • Honorable mention: The Prime Visa is great for couples who share an Amazon Prime account. It offers 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership, 2% back at restaurants and gas stations, plus local transit and commuting costs, including rideshare. All other purchases earn 1% back. It carries an annual fee of $0, but requires a paid Amazon Prime membership. Set it and forget it as your payment method on Amazon.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Our pick for: Socializers

Some credit cards reward you well for going out, others for staying in. The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is the rare card that does both. It offers a terrific cash-back rate not only on dining and entertainment but also at grocery stores and on popular streaming services. Toss in a good bonus offer and intro APR period, and this card is a winner. (see rates and fees). Read our review.

Chase Freedom Flex®

Our pick for: Parents

The Chase Freedom Flex® offers bonus cash back in quarterly categories that you activate, as well as on travel booked through Chase, at restaurants and at drugstores. Category activation can be a hassle, but if your spending matches the categories — and for a lot of people, it will — you can rack up hundreds of dollars a year. There's a fantastic bonus offer for new cardholders and an intro APR offer, too. Read our review.

Chase Freedom® and Chase Freedom Flex® bonus rewards categories for 2025

Q1 (Jan. 1-March 31)

  • Grocery stores.

  • Fitness clubs.

  • Hair, nails and spa services.

  • Norwegian Cruise Line.

Q2 (April 1-June 30)

TBD. (In 2024: Select hotel bookings; restaurants; Amazon.com.)

Q3 (July 1-Sept. 30)

TBD. (In 2024: Gas stations and EV charging; select live entertainment; movie theaters.)

Q4 (Oct. 1-Dec. 31)

TBD. (In 2024: McDonald's; PayPal; Pet shops and vet services; select charities.)

  • Honorable mention: If you really want to optimize, one partner can also get the Discover it® Cash Back. It also earns 5% back on up to $1,500 in spending on rotating quarterly categories (activation required; 1% back on all other purchases). Bonus categories historically have included restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations and more. With the two cards together, you’ll have more 5% categories each quarter.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Our pick for: Traveling couples

For a reasonable annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card earns bonus rewards (up to 5X) on travel, dining, select streaming services, and select online grocery purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem them for travel booked through Chase, or you can transfer them to about a dozen airline and hotel partners. The sign-up bonus is stellar, too. Read our review.

U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card

Our pick for: Big shoppers

The U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card is tailor-made for consumers who spend a lot of money at retailers that don't fit into (or are specifically excluded from) the bonus categories offered by other credit cards. The card also offers a higher-than-usual rate on spending outside its bonus categories. The downside: There's an annual fee. Read our review.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

Our pick for: Travel companion benefits

Every airline has a premium card that gets you into its airport lounges, but the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card also gets you into American Express's Centurion Lounges when flying Delta, and it comes with an annual companion certificate that's good even in first class. Read our review.

Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card

Our pick for: Home improvement

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card gives you a little more control over your credit card rewards by letting you choose which category earns the highest cash-back rate, from a list that includes gas stations, restaurants, travel, home improvement and more. You also get bonus rewards at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, plus a great new-cardholder bonus offer. Read our review.

  • Honorable mention: The Citi Custom Cash® Card can earn 5% cash back on up to $500 spent in your highest spending category for the billing cycle — and "home-improvement stores" is an eligible category. The $500 monthly cap makes this card better for lower-cost, and perhaps more frequent, home-improvement projects.

Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card

Our pick for: Renters

The Bilt World Elite Mastercard® Credit Card stands out by offering credit card rewards on rent payments without incurring an additional transaction fee. The ability to earn rewards on what for many people is their single biggest monthly expense makes this card worth a look for any renter. You also get bonus points on dining and travel when you make at least five transactions on the card each statement period, and redemption options include point transfers to partner hotel and loyalty programs. Read our review.

Wells Fargo Reflect® Card

Our pick for: Tackling debt

The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card has one of the longest intro APR periods on the market — approaching almost two years. You'll be hard-pressed to find a longer interest-free promotion, and it applies to both purchases and balance transfers. Read our review.

• • •

What about joint credit card accounts?

Joint credit card accounts aren’t offered widely anymore. Issuers prefer to approve credit cards for individuals, largely based on their personal credit history (although, sometimes partially based on joint income.)

So now, the common strategy to optimize credit cards is for each partner to get complementary cards as primary users, then add the other as an authorized user. That way, each person can use the best card for earning points or taking advantage of perks. It works best when both partners have excellent credit. And to optimize, it works best when both partners agree to use the right card for certain purchases. Learn more about the two-player strategy.

A notable exception is the Apple Card, which allows "co-owners" who equally share the responsibility of paying bills.

• • •

NerdWallet's Gregory Karp contributed to this article.

To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, see this page.

Last updated on December 23, 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet's credit cards team selects the best credit cards in each category based on overall consumer value. Factors in our evaluation include fees, promotional and ongoing APRs, and sign-up bonuses; for rewards cards, we consider earning and redemption rates, redemption options and redemption difficulty. A single card is eligible to be chosen as among the "best" in multiple categories. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

About the author

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Sara Rathner

Sara is a NerdWallet travel and credit cards expert. She has appeared on the “Today” show, Nasdaq and CNBC’s “Nightly Business Report.” Read full profile
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