Introduction: Credit Card Comparison and the Best Sites to Compare Credit Cards Side by Side
Owning a credit card is one of the financial comforts that, when used wisely, can yield plenty of benefits for the credit card holder.
While credit cards have gained a reputation for being nothing more than debt machines, they can be an extremely useful tool for people who have good financial discipline.
Not all credit cards are made equal, however, and comparing credit cards is a necessary task before choosing which credit card is best for you.
You probably receive dozens of pieces of junk mail each week from different credit card companies. With so many different companies and cards out there, how should you compare credit cards and compare the credit card offers that fill up your mailbox every week?
Image Source: Best Credit Card Comparison
In this brief article, AdvisoryHQ will look at why you should always take the time to compare credit cards before signing up for one. Furthermore, we’ll look at the potential benefits of doing a credit card comparison before revealing what aspects to be on the lookout for in credit card comparisons including learning how to compare credit card rewards, compare credit card offers, and compare student credit cards.
We’ll also provide you with a credit card comparison chart so that you can find easily do a credit card rewards comparison and compare credit cards to find the best terms and conditions for your personal financial goals.
Lastly, we will direct to you a few websites that offer quality credit card comparison tools to help you with your search for the best credit card for you.
See Also: Top Credit Unions Credit Cards | Ranking | Best CU Secured & Unsecured Credit Card Offers
Why You Should Always Compare Credit Cards
Every credit card company offers different benefits and advantages. While some cards may offer quality cash back rewards, others may come with other rewards such as travel perks or online shopping coupons.
The right credit card for you will depend on how you plan to use the card and what you want to get out of it. A simple credit card comparison can help you find the card that fits your needs.
If you are financially disciplined and routinely pay off your credit card balance in full every month, then you shouldn’t have to worry about high interest rates. As long as you pay off the full balance every month, you’re effectively using the card for free. A credit cards comparison can help you find a card that doesn’t have an annual fee but that does bring serious rewards.
While some cards might offer stingy rewards programs, a credit card rewards comparison can help you find how to get the most out of the use of your credit card.
If you do have a tendency to let your credit card balance grow to the point that you need to make monthly payments, it’s probably in your best interest to find a card that offers the lowest interest rate. A number of credit card comparison tools can help you find the cards with the lowest interest rates available.
Finding the best sites to compare credit cards side by side is a necessary step in getting a credit card. Instead of simply applying for the first credit card that sends you information in the mail, taking the time to do a thorough credit card comparison can end up saving you money and receiving more rewards.
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Benefits of Credit Card Comparisons
If you habitually use your credit card for everyday purchases or for large, online purchases, you need to make sure that you are receiving the most value for that credit card use. With so many different credit card companies out there, the competition has driven down interest rates and created quality rewards programs. Comparing credit cards, however, can seem like a monumental task since there are simply so many options.
For people who do take the time to compare credit card rewards and compare credit card offers, they may be able to save up to 2% on every purchase they make. While one credit card company may only offer you paltry rewards such as $50 for every $5,000 spent, other companies may offer you up to a 2% discount on every purchase you make. If you use your card as your main spending tool, you can end up saving hundreds of dollars. The only way to find the cards offering the best rewards program, however, is through a credit card rewards comparison.
If you are a frequent traveler, applying for a credit card offered by an airline you fly with regularly may help you add miles to your frequent flyer account. Since the cost of air travel is always going up, you can effectively subsidize your plane tickets through using a credit card offered by an airline. It’s important, however, to do a credit cards comparison between these offers. Whereas one airline may only offer 1 mile per dollar spent, a credit card comparison can help you find other cards that offer between 2 and 4 miles per dollar spent.
Taking the time to compare credit cards will help you find how to get the most value from your spending. If rewards or points programs don´t interest you, however, comparing credit cards to find the best interest rate is another way to save money.
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What to Look for in a Credit Card Comparison
When doing credit card comparisons, it’s important to know what you want out of your credit card. Credit cards that offer great rewards programs or points programs tend to have much higher interest rates while non-reward cards offer much lower interest rates. Be sure to find a credit card comparison tool that will compare only the types of cards you’re interested in.
According to Money Crashers, “those who carry a balance should not use a reward card, since by pursuing rewards, cardholders with a balance lose the opportunity to receive the lower interest rates offered on non-reward cards.
Since the savings from the lower interest rates will far exceed the value of any cash back, points, or miles, it is best to ignore rewards altogether. Also, people who are struggling with credit card debt should not be motivated to spend more in order to earn rewards.”
Furthermore, a credit card rewards comparison should also take into account what type of reward program works best for you. While some people like specific rewards, others prefer a more direct cash back program.
Travel rewards from credit cards can range from money back for air travel purchases to increased miles for money spent. When you compare credit cards, you need to make sure that you understand the different types of rewards that are offered.
Compare Credit Card Rewards
So how do you go about discovering how to compare credit card rewards? The rewards programs can seem unnecessarily complex and hard to understand, especially with so many different options out there. When you compare credit cards for the best rewards program, your overall goal should be to maximize the value you receive for every dollar spent.
Credit card companies are masters of deception, and they understand that most people will simply not take the time to do a thorough credit card comparison are search the best sites to compare credit cards side by side. While cash back programs may be enticing to many people, some credit cards may only offer you $1 per every $200 spent, a paltry 0.5% return.
Other rewards and points programs, however, may not offer cash back but rather a statement credit each month. If you take the necessary time to do a credit card comparison and calculate your potential savings, you may find that you can get $0.02 to $0.05 in rewards for each dollar spent.
Sometimes the best rewards come in the form of different perks offered by the credit card company. For example, some credit cards affiliated with airlines may not offer many direct rewards, but will waive a checked baggage fee that can cost up to $75 per bag. If you fly regularly, that can add up to serious savings. The only way to find these deals, however, is by taking the time to compare credit cards.
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Compare Credit Card Offers
Many times, the best way to compare credit cards is through choosing to compare credit card offers. In order to gain more clients, many companies may extend quality offers. These credit card offers can be incredibly varied and change every month. For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card is currently offering a $300 annual travel credit, effectively giving you an extra $300 per year on top of their regular rewards program.
Image Source: Compare Credit Cards
When doing a credit card comparison, you should also consider sign up bonuses offered by credit card companies. Depending on how often you use your card, you may be able to qualify for up to $500 in a sign-up bonus just for switching to a certain card. This credit comparison tool specifically compares credit cards and the sign-up bonuses they currently offer.
Compare Student Credit Cards
For college-aged students, taking the time to compare student credit cards is a great way to save money and get perks directed toward the specific needs of students. Student credit cards can help you start building credit as well as get you needed discounts on everything from textbooks to meals at student cafeterias.
When you compare student credit cards, be sure to look for cards that offer rewards based on your educational performance. If you keep up a high GPA, some companies may even offer you an extra reward every year. This website compares credit cards that offers quality rewards for students.
Credit Card Comparison Chart
One of the easiest ways to do a quick and effective credit card comparison is with the help of a credit card comparison chart that conveniently places the best cards side by side. These credit card comparison charts are also helpful if you want to choose cards by category based on different types of rewards, lowest APR, or some other category.
You can find a quality credit card comparison chart at Wallet Hub. This credit card comparison tool allows you to easily compare credit cards that are of most interest to you.
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Best Places for Comparing Credit Cards
There are numerous resources online to help you do a quality credit card comparison. Below we offer three of the best sites to compare credit cards side by side.
This is one of the best sites to compare credit cards side by side. You can easily select from a number of card categories to help you direct your credit card comparison. You can choose from low interest cards, cards that allow balance transfers, 0% cards, and the best rewards programs.
This website allows you to easily compare credit cards based on a number of different categories. Furthermore, the credit card comparison that they offer is based on your credit score which will allow you to find options best suited to your personal financial situation.
CompareCards.com
This website also allows you to do a credit card comparison based on card category, card type, or your personal credit history. They also offer airline reward credit cards as one of the search options for people interested in comparing credit cards that offer travel-based rewards.
How a Quality Credit Card Comparison Tool Can Help You Find the Best Deal
When you compare credit cards, the most important thing is to know what you are looking for, how you plan to use the card, and what type of reward will give you the most value for your usage of the card.
There are a number of online credit card comparison tools online to help you do a thorough credit card comparison that will make you sure you find the best deal for you.
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