9 best credit cards that offer preapproval in 2024

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Getting preapproved for a credit card doesn’t guarantee you’ll be approved, but it can give you a better idea of your approval odds with no hard inquiry. There is no impact on your credit score until you formally apply.

Not every card issuer offers preapprovals. Below, CNBC Select details the top credit cards that generally offer preapproval or prequalification and how they work. (See our methodology for more information on how we made this list.)

Who’s this for? The American Express® Gold Card is great for earning travel rewards thanks to its generous bonuses on common spending categories like dining and groceries.

Standout benefits: You can get up to $120 in annual dining credit (up to $10 in statement credits per month at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys; enrollment is required) and up to $120 in Uber Cash ($10 per month) to put toward rides in the U.S. and dining via Uber Eats (you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.).

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Pro tip: You can pair this card with an Amex bank account

An American Express® Rewards Checking account comes with a 1.00% APY and no monthly maintenance fees. Plus, you’ll earn Membership Rewards points on eligible debit card purchases (one point for every $2 in eligible spending).

Who’s this for? The Citi Double Cash® Card if you’re seeking a strong introductory APR offer for balance transfers and still want to earn valuable rewards.

Standout benefits: Eligible balance transfers qualify for an intro 0% APR for the first 18 months, then a variable 18.74% – 28.74% APR applies. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer completed in the first four months ($5 minimum). The standard balance transfer fee of 5% of each transfer ($5 minimum) applies thereafter.

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Who’s this for? The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is a perfect fit for anyone interested in paying less credit card interest.

Standout benefits: With a new Wells Fargo Reflect Card, you’ll get a 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. Once the intro APR ends, a variable APR of 17.74%, 24.24%, or 29.49% applies. For a balance transfer to qualify for the intro APR, it must be made within 120 days from when you open the account. There is a balance transfer fee of 5% for each balance transfer with a $5 minimum.

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The American Express® Gold Card is a travel rewards card with a long list of benefits that can easily make the annual fee worth paying. Plus, the Amex Membership Rewards points you earn with this card are some of the most valuable travel points out there since they can be transferred to a variety of airline or hotel partners.

Rewards

• 4X points at restaurants worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X)
• 4X points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X)
• 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com
• 1X points on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Offer ends 11/6/24.

Annual fee

$325 (see rates and fees)

Notable perks

You can receive up to $120 in dining credit per year ($10 in statement credits per month) at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys (enrollment required) and up to $120 in Uber Cash per year ($10 per month) after you add your Amex Gold Card as a payment method in the Uber app ( you must have downloaded the latest version of the Uber App and your eligible American Express Gold Card must be a method of payment in your Uber account. The Amex Benefit may only be used in the United States.). The card also offers no foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), baggage insurance, rental car coverage (secondary), extended warranty, purchase protection and trip delay insurance.

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.

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The Discover it® Cash Back is a no-annual-fee cash-back rewards card that allows you to earn a generous 5% back on rotating spending categories.

Rewards

• 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in purchases in rotating categories each quarter (when you activate), then 1% cash back. Check out Discover’s 5% cash-back calendar.
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

For new cardmembers, Discover will match the cash back you earn at the end of the first year.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

You can receive an intro 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and eligible balance transfers, then a variable 17.74% – 27.74% applies. An intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount you transfer applies to eligible transfers. The standard transfer fee on future balance transfers is up to 5% of the amount of each transfer. (See rates and fees)

The card charges $0 in foreign transaction fees, which can save you money when traveling abroad.

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If you want to build or rebuild your credit, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help you earn rewards along the way.

Rewards

• 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter
• 1% cash back on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Discover will match the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The Discover it® Secured Credit Card has no foreign transaction fees and cash-back rewards that are easy to redeem. It is a secured credit card, but it has a smaller minimum deposit of $200, which is refundable. Discover automatically reviews your account after seven months to determine if you’re eligible to move to an unsecured card and have your deposit returned.

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The Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card has no annual fee, so the cash back you earn is profit from day one.

Rewards

• 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, which can increase up to 1.5% cash back after you make 12 on-time monthly payments
• Up to 10% cash back at select merchants

Welcome bonus

None

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

In addition to no annual fee, the Petal 2 card has no late fee, no returned payment fee and no foreign transaction fee. If you want to grow your credit line, you can be eligible for a credit limit increase after making qualifying on-time payments for six months.

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The Citi Double Cash® Card is a cash-back credit card, but it earns cash back in the form of Citi ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed in lots of ways, including the option to transfer them to travel partners.

Rewards

• 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Plus, a special travel offer, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25.

Welcome bonus

Earn a $200 cash bonus after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first six months of account opening.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

The ThankYou® points can be redeemed for cash back, gift cards and travel at a rate of one cent per point. Cardholders also have access to a small number of Citi’s travel partners, including Wyndham, Choice and JetBlue. If you have a Citi card that enables full transfers, such as the Citi Strata Premier^℠ Card (see rates and fees), you can combine the points you earn with your Double Cash and then transfer those points to all of Citi’s partner hotel and airline loyalty programs.

There are also several special cardmember programs, including Citi Entertainment℠, which gives cardholders first access to purchase tickets for thousands of concerts and events. The card also provides access to Citi® Identity Theft Solutions, a service that will help you if you’re a victim of identity theft.

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The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding student cards and has no annual fee.

Rewards

Welcome bonus

New cardholders can earn $50 when they spend $100 in the first three months.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

There are no annual or foreign transaction fees to pay with the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. As a Capital One cardholder, you’ll have access to Capital One Entertainment and Capital One Dining. When you make eligible purchases, you can breathe easy thanks to this card’s insurance perks, including travel accident insurance and extended warranty coverage.

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The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium credit card with a straightforward rewards structure, a long list of benefits, and a lower annual fee than other high-end cards with similar features.

Rewards

• 10X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel portal
• 5X miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel
• 5X miles on Capital One Entertainment purchases (through Dec. 31, 2025)
• 2X miles on all other purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Annual fee

$395

Notable perks

In addition to the annual $300 Capital One Travel credit and 10,000 anniversary bonus miles, the Capital One Venture X Card comes with airport lounge access for the primary cardholder and authorized users. One great feature of this card is that you can add up to four authorized users for free and each cardholder gets access to Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges and Capital One Lounges.

Other benefits include:

• *Complimentary Hertz President Circle status
• (enrollment required)
• No foreign transaction fees
• Global Entry/TSA PreCheck® application fee credit (worth up to $120)
• Cell phone protection
• Visa Infinite Concierge
• Rental car collision damage waiver (primary)
• Trip cancellation and interruption coverage
• Trip delay reimbursement
• Lost luggage reimbursement
• Extended warranty protection
• Return protection
• Purchase security

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The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a no-annual-fee card that can help you earn cash rewards while enjoying various money-saving benefits.

Rewards

• Unlimited 2% cash rewards on all purchases

Welcome bonus

Earn $200 in cash rewards after spending $500 in purchases in the first three months of account opening.

Annual fee

$0

Notable perks

You can take advantage of cell phone insurance when you pay your monthly bill with the card. This insurance covers damage, theft and loss of a cell phone and has a $25 deductible. You can be reimbursed for up to two claims per 12 months and up to $600 per claim.

You can also save on interest with the card’s intro-APR offer. Purchases and qualifying balance transfers qualify for a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening (after that, a 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% Variable APR applies). Balance transfers made within the first 120 days qualify for an intro transfer fee of 3% of the amount transferred, after that, a 5% fee of the amount you transfer applies ($5 minimum).

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Getting preapproved for a credit card is typically a fairly straightforward process if it’s an option a card issuer provides. Keep in mind, that you may not be able to request a preapproved for a specific card, but instead may get a list of offers you’re eligible for.

Go directly to the issuer

Many card issuers have a specific page or form available where you can enter your info and see what cards you’re prequalified or preapproved for. Below are a few preapproval/prequalification forms for several popular card issuers

• American Express preapproval process: See what American Express card offers you may be eligible for by filling out this form with your name, address, last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN) and your annual income. If you already have an Amex account, you may need to open the form in incognito mode or clear your browser’s cache to access the page.
• Capital One preapproval process: You can see what Capital One cards you’re preapproved for by filling out this form. You’ll need to enter your name, address, email address, phone number, employment status, education, income, housing payment, date of birth, SSN and what type of bank accounts you have.
• Citi preapproval process: See what Citi credit card offers you’re prequalified for with this form. Enter your name, email, address and the last four digits of your SSN.
• Discover preapproval process: There is an online preapproval process for Discover credit cards. You simply enter your relevant information (address, date of birth, housing cost, bank accounts you own, etc.) and you’ll be able to see what offers you’re prequalified for.
• Wells Fargo preapproval process: Fill out this Wells Fargo prequalification form with your name, address and the last four digits of your Social Security Number (SSN). You can log in to expedite the process if you have a Wells Fargo online account.

Use CardMatch

You can receive preapproved offers from several banks by submitting your information to CardMatch. With the CardMatch tool, you can select the type of card you’re interested in and fill in some basic info to generate your offers.

Check your mail (and email)

Credit card issuers will occasionally send out prequalified or preapproved offers through the mail or email. If you’re targeted for an offer, you may have access to a special link or code for the deal.

If you’re preapproved for several credit cards, you can narrow your choices by focusing on each card’s rewards, benefits and costs.

Rewards

Credit cards offer different levels of rewards for certain types of purchases. One card might give you 3X points for every dollar spent on gas purchases, for example, while another might dole out high rewards for grocery spending. Look at your budget to see where you spend the most money, and find a card that offers more rewards for those purchases.

You should also consider the type of credit card rewards you’ll earn with your spending. Cashback is straightforward to earn and use, but reward points can give you far more value depending on your redemption options and lifestyle. If you love to travel, look for a card that earns points you can then transfer to a network of airline and hotel loyalty programs, which can save you thousands of dollars on a trip.

Benefits

Credit card benefits come in all shapes and sizes. A card can have statement credits for specific brands or categories of purchases, insurance protections or elite status perks, to name a few options.

Determining the value of a card’s benefits goes beyond tallying the numbers. It’s more about how it matches your lifestyle. After all, a card with airport lounge access will be more useful to a frequent flyer than someone who only steps into an airport once or twice a year.

Determining the value of a benefit is easy when it’s a straightforward statement credit — a $100 credit is worth $100. It’s trickier to put a price on benefits such as airport lounge access. If you’re a frequent flyer who needs a little luxury before boarding, that’s an enticing benefit. But if you fly once or twice a year, you probably don’t care much about this perk. You always want to match a card to your lifestyle, and not the other way around — otherwise, you could be spending money just for the benefits.

Costs

The main costs of having a credit card are the fees and interest. By paying your card balance on time and in full, you’ll avoid the credit card expenses that often get people in debt, such as interest and late fees.

Many credit cards have no annual fee, however, the credit cards with the best benefits can charge roughly $100 to $700 every year. In these situations, you need to look at how frequently you use the card’s perks and see if it’s worth keeping compared to an option with no annual fee.

Compare checking accounts

Preapproved credit card offers are great because you can get a sense of your approval odds without submitting a full application and having a hard inquiry on your credit report. However, being prequalified doesn’t guarantee your approval since your credit isn’t reviewed.

At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards.

To determine which credit cards offer the best value and preapproval, CNBC Select analyzed the most popular credit cards available to U.S. consumers that also had a publicly available preapproval or prequalification process at the time of writing. We compared each card on a range of features, including the annual fee, employee card fee, rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR and foreign transaction fees. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is to redeem points.

We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.  

For the cards that offered a rewards program, we considered consumer spending data forecasts from location intelligence firm Esri to determine where U.S. consumers are spending the most money, like on dining and travel. We used this to help determine what bonus categories are most useful for consumers. Since the value of a point or mile varies based on what they can be redeemed for, we also considered things like transferability and the ability to redeem for cash-back. 

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For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

For rates and fees of the  Discover it® Cash Back, click here.

For rates and fees of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, click here.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

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