Best-Looking Credit Cards [2024]: Up Your Wallet Fashion

Metal is better. Or at least that’s our general opinion when it comes to the best-looking credit cards.

We find that cards made from metal often have a more appealing look and tend to have more eye-catching designs than plastic cards. And it doesn’t hurt that they feel nice and solid when you use them to make purchases or as makeshift flat-head screwdrivers.

Let’s explore the best-looking credit cards to see which one(s) deserve a spot in your wallet.

Key takeaways

• The majority of the best-looking credit cards are made of metal, giving them a nice sheen and solid feel.
• No one credit card issuer has a monopoly on good-looking cards. You can find cool cards from Chase, American Express, Capital One, and more.
• Many of the best-looking credit cards are premium offerings, meaning they generally have stricter eligibility requirements and may also have annual fees.

The 8 best-looking credit cards

• Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve^®
• Bilt Mastercard^®
• American Express^® Gold Card
• The Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
• Apple Card
• Discover it^® Cash Back

Comparison of the best-looking credit cards

Credit card	Aesthetics	Welcome offer	Credit needed	Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Shades of blue with three striking blue lines Made from metal	Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel). Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year	Excellent, Good	$95
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Mostly dark blue Minimalistic design Made from metal	Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Excellent	$550
Bilt Mastercard®	All-black Minimalistic design Made from metal	Earn up to 1X points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year; must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points)	Excellent, Good	$0
American Express® Gold Card	Classic Amex border and centurion logo Comes in gold, rose gold or limited-edition white gold colors Made from metal	Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the 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. (Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.)	Excellent, Good	$325 (Terms apply)
The Platinum Card® from American Express	Classic Amex border and centurion logo in platinum Offers exclusive art options Made from metal	Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months	Excellent, Good	$695 (Terms apply)
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card	Completely dark blue Minimalistic design Made from metal	Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	Excellent	$395
Apple Card	All-whit with Apple logo Minimalistic design Made from metal	Earn up to 3% cash back on eligible purchases	Excellent, Good	$0
Discover it® Cash Back	Offers 25 card designs Options include classic Discover colors, landscapes, and more Made from plastic	Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.	Excellent, Good	$0

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of our top travel card recommendations. It’s metal and has an appealing blue design that makes it look and feel premium. In our opinion, it’s also one of the best Chase credit cards available. It’s hard to find another starter travel card that can compete with its rewards and benefits.

Why we like it: You can utilize elevated earning potential on common expenses, including 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and online groceries; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

You can also earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (that's worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel). Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Other benefits include:

• 25% bonus to travel redemptions made on the Chase Travel℠ portal
• Up to $50 annual statement credit for hotels booked through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points bonus for purchases made the previous year

What we don’t like: The Sapphire Preferred doesn’t have the premium travel benefits seen on some other cards, such as airport lounge access or elite status with different loyalty programs. You also have to pay a $95 annual fee, which isn’t high, but it’s not as low as a $0 annual fee.

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

The Chase Sapphire Reserve is a premium travel credit card that looks and feels high-end with its metal construction and sleek, dark blue design. It’s also one of the original premium travel cards that can still hold up today with its benefits, including an annual travel credit and access to loads of airport lounges worldwide.

Why we like it: The Sapphire Reserve can be your go-to option for helping maximize your earning potential on common purchases for travelers.

For example, you can earn 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases.

You can also earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Special benefits include:

• 50% bonus to travel redemptions made through Chase Travel℠
• Up to $300 annual travel credit
• Complimentary airport lounge access to Priority Pass lounges
• Up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years

What we don’t like: Excellent credit is typically required, so not everyone will qualify. You also have to pay a $550 annual fee, which is quite high. Fortunately, you can help offset the annual cost with the card’s many benefits.

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.

Bilt Mastercard^®

The Bilt Mastercard has a great all-black look and a minimalistic design on a heavy, metal credit card. While other metal cards have gotten significantly lighter in recent years, the Bilt credit card stands tall with some actual heft. The Bilt Mastercard can be an excellent option for earning points on rent payments.

Why we like it: The main attraction is earning points on your rent payments, but you also have some other bonus categories. This includes earning 3X points on dining, 2X points on travel, up to 1X points on rent payments without the transaction fee (up to 100,000 points each calendar year), and 1X points on other purchases; must use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points.

You can then redeem your points in different ways, including travel through Bilt’s travel portal or transferring points to different transfer partners. Transfer partners include American Airlines and World of Hyatt.

If you pay a lot in rent, it’s tough to find a better option for earning rewards on rent than this $0-annual-fee card.

What we don’t like: There’s typically no welcome offer for new cardholders, and you can only earn points with your Bilt credit card if you have at least five eligible transactions each month.

Learn more in our Bilt Mastercard review.

American Express^® Gold Card

The Amex Gold displays the classic American Express lettering, centurion, and border, which we feel easily holds up against more modern designs. It helps that the card is made of metal and comes in gold, rose gold or limited-edition white gold. We recommend the Amex Gold for foodies as one of the best cards for dining.

Why we like it: The Amex Gold easily beats many competitors with its earning rates for certain everyday categories. This includes earning 4X Membership Rewards points at restaurants worldwide (up to $50,000 per year, after that 1X), 4X at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X), 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com, 2X on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases.

You can also earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the 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. (Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.).

Food-related benefits include:

• Up to $120 dining credits each year (up to $10 per month) toward purchases made at The Cheesecake Factory, Grubhub and more (Enrollment required)
• Up to $120 Uber Cash (up to $10 per month) that you can use on Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. (Enrollment required)

What we don’t like: The $325 annual fee is a bit high, but the food-related benefits and earning potential can help offset the cost. Another downside is that Amex Gold doesn’t offer airport lounge access.

Learn more in our American Express Gold Card review.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum makes its mark with a classic American Express design on a sleek, platinum-colored metal card. And for some added beautification, you can choose one of the available artistic designs to take your card’s style up a notch. It might seem like a lot, but that’s what this benefits-filled luxury travel card is all about.

Why we like it: Its earning potential is suited to frequent travelers, as you can earn 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

You can also earn 80,000 membership rewards points after spending $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 6 months.

But many of the Amex Platinum’s highlights lie with its airport lounge access and the opportunity to earn various statement credits.

The Amex Platinum provides access to The Centurion Lounge, Priority Pass, Escape Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs, and more. (Select benefits require enrollment.)

As for the statement credits and other benefits of the Amex Platinum, here’s a small tasting:

• Up to $200 in annual statement credits for prepaid Amex Travel bookings through Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection (requires a minimum two-night stay)
• Up to $240 (up to $20 back per month) annual digital entertainment credit
• Up to $155 and applicable local sales tax per year Walmart+ credit
• Up to $200 ($15 monthly plus $20 in December) annual Uber Cash (terms apply)
• Up to $200 airline fee credit per calendar year
• Up to $199 annual CLEAR Plus credit
• Up to $100 ($50 semi-annually) annual Saks Fifth Avenue credit
• Up to $300 in statement credits for Equinox membership

Keep in mind that select benefits require enrollment. Starting 11/8/2024, you must use an Amex card as the payment method to redeem your Amex Uber Cash benefit.

What we don’t like: You have to pay a $695 annual fee, so you have to ensure you’re getting more than enough value from the card’s benefits to offset the annual cost. The earning rate also isn’t very good for everyday spending.

Learn more in our American Express Platinum review.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

The Venture X gives off a sleek vibe as a dark blue, metal credit card with a minimalistic design. This helps accentuate the fact that the card likes to keep things simple, including its earning potential and benefits. The Venture X can be ideal for travelers who want a simple and rewarding card that covers most of their travel needs.

Why we like it: We recommend the Venture X as one of the best Capital One credit cards because you can easily get more than enough value from its perks each year to help offset its $395 annual fee.

Apart from its looks, the Venture X provides a lot that makes it worth hanging onto. This includes earning 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day; 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.

You can also earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

We especially like how using the $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, and the 10,000-anniversary miles each year, just about offset the $395 annual fee. So other benefits, such as airport lounge access and earning travel rewards, can be additional bonuses for cardmembers.

What we don’t like: While you could offset the $395 annual fee using the card’s benefits, it’s still a high cost. And the $300 annual credit can only be used for bookings through Capital One Travel, which limits its flexibility.

Learn more in our Capital One Venture X review.

Apple Card

The Apple Card is a beautiful white and minimalistic credit card crafted out of titanium. We like that you don’t have to pay foreign transaction fees and that you can specifically earn high rewards within the Apple ecosystem. This is especially true if you use Apple Pay, which makes this Card well-suited for Apple fans who value simplicity and security.

Why we like it: The Apple Card has a $0 annual fee and provides 3% cash back on Apple purchases and when you use Apple Pay for purchases from select partners, 2% on other purchases made with Apple Pay, and 1% cash back on everything else.

You earn a percentage of your cash back on eligible purchases as Daily Cash, which is available daily for you to use rather than at the end of a statement period or billing cycle.

What we don’t like: The Apple Card loses a lot of its earning potential if you don’t use Apple Pay. The fact that you should be using Apple Pay with this card also makes the physical Apple Card less likely to be used.

Learn more in our Apple Card review.

Discover it^® Cash Back

The Discover it Cash Back is available in 25 unique designs, ranging from classic Discover colors to landscapes and animals. Unfortunately, it’s not made of metal, but we like that you can choose from different designs. And the card’s rotating categories can provide loads of value year after year.

Why we like it: You can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

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

What we don’t like: Rotating categories can provide high cashback rates, but they might not be worth it if you don’t want to worry about tracking them quarterly.

Learn more in our Discover it Cash Back review.

How to choose the best-looking credit card

Consider these factors to help choose the best-looking credit card for you:

• Welcome offer: How many rewards you could earn from a welcome offer or welcome offer could be the deciding factor between two credit cards with similar benefits.
• Earning potential: What are your typical spending habits? It makes sense to align your credit card choice with your everyday spending to earn more credit card rewards. For example, eating out a lot might mean going for a card that provides bonus rewards on dining purchases.
• Material: Is it made from plastic or metal? In almost every case, metal credit cards tend to look and feel cooler.
• Fees: Cards with high annual fees tend to have more benefits, but the cost might not always make sense. It’s also important to consider whether you have to pay foreign transaction fees on a card if you frequently travel abroad.
• Credit score: Many credit cards require a good or excellent credit score, which is at least a 670 on the FICO scoring model. Note that your credit score alone doesn’t guarantee approval, as credit card issuers also use various other factors when determining your creditworthiness.
• Perks and benefits: The best credit cards often have excellent benefits. If you want a specific benefit, such as airport lounge access, make sure a credit card has it before you apply.

FAQ about the best-looking credit cards

Best-looking credit cards: bottom line

Beauty might be in the eye of the beholder, but there’s something to be said for sleek, metal credit cards and cards that showcase eye-catching designs. They’re popular and for a good reason. Having a card with excellent rewards and benefits is one thing, but it’s even better if the card also looks cool.

For more of our top recommendations of varying degrees of beauty, compare credit cards to find the right credit card offer.

Methodology

To choose the best-looking credit cards, we examined the designs, aesthetics, and visual appeal of various credit cards from major credit card issuers. We also considered each card's welcome offer, earning potential, and minimum credit score, among other factors.

It is important to note that we did not analyze a particular client base or perform surveys. Instead, our recommendations are founded on general design preferences that might not be appealing to everyone. We acknowledge that aesthetic tastes are subjective and might differ from person to person.

Because of this, our recommendations aim to give a broad overview of a selection of visually appealing credit cards available from major credit card issuers. Our article aims to provide readers with general information about these credit cards to help them further explore their options.

Easy-to-Earn Unlimited Rewards

Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card

Benefits

Card Details

• $0 annual fee
• Simple, flat-rate rewards
• Flexible redemption options
• Up to 75% preferred Rewards bonus potential
• Apply Now

• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.74% - 28.74% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

4.1

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

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Intro Offer

Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases

Annual Fee

$0

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Why we like it

• The Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card is great for individuals who enjoy earning rewards and traveling.

• Cardholders will enjoy the flexibility to redeem points with no blackout dates and receive a statement credit to pay for travel and dining purchases.

• Earn 1.5X points on all purchases everywhere, every time.

• Apply Now