Rewards programs are one of the best things about using a credit card. But today’s credit card users are less satisfied with such perks than in the past, according to the J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study.
For the study, the consumer research firm polled more than 31,000 credit card customers and ranked several types of credit cards based on seven factors that affect customer satisfaction, including rewards. Of the seven, rewards earned the lowest satisfaction scores.
Despite this unhappiness, the specific credit cards that earned the highest customer satisfaction scores are bank rewards cards. The Bank of America Premium Rewards Elite, for example, earned the highest score of all — 712 out of 1,000 points — but it comes with a hefty $550 annual fee.
For the more frugal users of plastic out there, what follows is a look at the bank rewards credit cards without annual fees that ranked highest for customer satisfaction.
1. Capital One SavorOne Rewards Card
This card’s score for overall customer satisfaction: 666 out of 1,000 possible points
The Capital One SavorOne Rewards Card offers unlimited 3% cash back on:
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Streaming services
- Groceries
You also get 1% cash back on all other purchases.
2. Discover it Student Cash Back
This card’s score for overall customer satisfaction: 658 out of 1,000 possible points
The Discover it Student Cash Back Card lets you earn 5% cash back at a different place each quarter. Examples include:
- Amazon
- Grocery stores
- Restaurants
- Gas stations
You also earn 1% cash back on other purchases.
3. Blue Cash Everyday Card
This card’s score for overall customer satisfaction: 655 out of 1,000 possible points
The American Express Blue Cash Everyday Card earns you 3% on:
- Groceries
- U.S. online retail purchases
- Gas
You get 1% cash back on other purchases.
Other top-ranked bank rewards cards without annual fees
J.D. Power included more than two dozen bank rewards credit cards with no annual fees in its 2023 study. The average customer satisfaction score among them was 626 out of 1,000 points.
The other fee-free rewards cards that ranked above average, and their scores, are:
- Chase Freedom Unlimited: 653 out of 1,000
- Chase Freedom Flex: 650
- Citi Double Cash Card: 650
- Active Cash Visa Signature (Wells Fargo): 644
- Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards: 643
- Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students: 635
- Discover it Cash Back: 634
- Capital One Quicksilver Rewards: 629
Military bank rewards cards without annual fees
Four other bank rewards credit cards with no annual fees excelled in the survey, topping the average score of 626. However, they were not included in the official ranking because they did not meet the study award criteria.
All of these cards are aimed at those who have ties to the military. They are:
- Navy Federal cashRewards: 662
- USAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card: 648
- Navy Federal GO REWARDS Card: 646
- USAA Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card: 630
If you are in the market for a new credit card to build credit or make your debt more manageable, stop by our Solutions Center and find the right card for you.
