9 Best-Looking Credit Cards with the Coolest Designs
Since you shouldn't apply for a credit card solely due to its design, we decided to include the best-looking credit cards offered through our partner. These cards come with great rewards, such as cash back, travel discounts, and more.
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These days, credit card issuers not only try and offer top of the line rewards, but they also try and create a physical design that grabs the eye. If a credit card provides many fantastic features, why not go for the coolest looking credit card you can find?
This article will review some of the best-looking credit cards offered through our partner. Take a look to see if any of them meet your financial needs – or catch your eye.
9 Best-Looking Credit Cards
Here are our picks for the best-looking credit cards offered through our partner. We determined what each card was best for after selecting the cards that had the coolest designs. Check out what each card is best for and make sure that the nicest looking credit card to you also offers valuable rewards.
- Best for extensive cash back opportunities: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
- Best for unlimited cash back: Chase Freedom Unlimited
- Best for food-related cash back: American Express® Gold Card
- Best for traveling: Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card
- Best for unlimited cash back with Amex: American Express Cash Magnet
- Best for exclusivity: Mastercard Gold Card
- Best for students: Deserve EDU
- Best for less than good credit: Capital One Platinum Credit Card
- Best for small businesses: American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Best for extensive cash back opportunities
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express has a design worthy of the rewards associated with the card. This mostly dark blue card has a Roman centurion (the Amex mascot) featured on the left half of the card.
This card can reward you significantly if you frequently spend on groceries, streaming, transit, and gas. The $95 annual fee is lower than other cards in the industry that offer similar rewards.
Here are some additional details regarding the card:
- Welcome offer: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first six months.
- Rewards: Earn 6% back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%), 6% back on select U.S. streaming services, 3% on transit, 3% at U.S. gas stations, and 1% on other purchases
- Annual fee: $0 for the first year; then $95
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card
Best for earning unlimited cash back
The Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card comes in multiple blue shades and has a cool-looking pattern across it that is unique compared to other cards on this list.
This is one of the best cash back credit cards on the market and offers several rewards rates to enjoy both the look and value of your card. There is no annual fee and cardholders can take advantage of contactless payment to avoid interaction with merchant payment machines.
Here are some additional details regarding the card:
- Welcome offer: Earn an additional 1.5% back back on all purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year)
- Rewards: After the first year or $20,000 spent, earn 5% on Chase travel purchased through Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining, 3% at drugstores, and 1.5% on all other purchases
- Annual fee: $0
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
American Express® Gold Card
Best for food-related rewards
The American Express® Gold Card is an all gold looking card made out of metal. The look is relatively simple, making it an excellent fit for people looking for a gold shine on their card. Not interested in the standard gold? You can now take the card out in rose gold too.
This travel card is a great option for those looking to earn rewards on food-related purchases such as dining and groceries.
A $120 credit is offered in the form of a dining credit. Cardholders can earn up to $10 per month in statement credits when the card is used at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment is required.
Here are some additional details regarding the card:
- Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first six months
- Rewards: Earn 4x points on restaurants, 4x points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per year, 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com, and 1x points on other purchases
- Annual fee: $250
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card
Best for people who like to travel
The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card is a mostly dark blue card with some touches of orange. The lines seen on the card seem to be used to show how the Boundless card stands out amongst the rest when it comes to travel.
With a hefty sign-up bonus, multiple ways to earn unlimited points, and Elite Status perks, this card can ease the financial burden of traveling the world.
Here are some additional details regarding the card:
- Welcome offer: Earn three free night awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months with the card
- Rewards: Earn up to 17x points on purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy, 3x points on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases at grocery stores, gas stations, and restaurants, and 2x points on all other purchases
- Annual fee: $95
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
Cash Magnet Card
Terms Apply.
Best for unlimited cash back through Amex
The card has a similar look to the Blue Cash Preferred Card mentioned above with the large Roman centurion image located on the card’s left side. The main difference between the two cards comes in the shade of blue, as this card is much lighter.
This card is a great option for those interested in owning an American Express card and having a cash back program that provides one rate for all purchases, rather than multiple bonus category rates.
Here are some additional details regarding the card:
- Welcome offer: Earn $200 after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your card within the first three months of card membership
- Rewards: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Annual fee: $0
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about the card and what it offers, click here.
Mastercard Gold Card
Best for exclusivity
The Mastercard Gold Card is for high earners who are more focused on looks than actual rewards. This card is made with 24 carats of real gold that certainly puts it in the best-looking credit card conversation.
Rewards include redemption benefits, 24/7 concierge services, an annual airline credit, VIP airport lounge access, and more.
Here are some additional details regarding the card:
- Rewards: Redemption value of 2% for airfare and cash back
- Annual fee: $995
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
Deserve EDU
Best for students
The Deserve EDU card is for students who are just beginning their credit journey. Unlike other cards, this card is designed in a vertical position that fits more in line with current payment methods. The design and colors are cool and fit the younger generation well.
Rewards from this card include reimbursement for up to one year of Amazon Prime Student, cell phone protection, no international transaction fees, and 1% cash back on all purchases.
Here are some additional details regarding this card:
- Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Annual fee: $0
- Credit needed: No specified credit requirements
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Best for less than good credit
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card has a new blue and black design that looks futuristic. Outside of the pattern and colors, the look is pretty straightforward.
Since this card is meant for those with fair or worse credit, there are no cash back or travel-related rewards. Instead, the card is designed to help cardholders monitor their credit and spending habits to improve their credit report for the future.
Here are some additional details regarding this card:
- Benefits: Automatic credit line reviews, CreditWise access, fraud coverage, and contactless payment
- Annual fee: $0
- Credit needed: Fair
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card
Best for small businesses
The American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card is a cool looking card with no annual fee. Rewards include cash back on eligible purchases and limited-time offers from companies that can help your business grow.
The card’s design is similar to other Amex cards but has multiple shades of blue with a neat pattern going across the entire face of the card. This card is made out of plastic.
Here are some additional detail regarding this card:
- Rewards: Earn a $250 satement credit after you make $3,000 in purchases on your card in the first three months. Plus, earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%
- Annual fee: $0
- Credit needed: Good to excellent
To learn more about this card and what it offers, click here.
Recap of the best-looking credit cards
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | $95 | Welcome offer & cash back |
| Cash Magnet Card | $0 | Welcome offer & cash back |
| American Express® Gold Card | $250 | Welcome offer & points |
| Marriott Bonvoy Boundless | $95 | Welcome offer & points |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited | $0 | Welcome offer & cash back |
| Mastercard Gold Card | $995 | Points |
| Deserve EDU | $0 | Welcome offer & cash back |
| Capital One Platinum Credit Card | $0 | None; for building credit |
| American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card | $0 | Cash back |
How to choose the coolest looking credit card
Everyone has their own opinions on what looks cool and what doesn’t. Because of this, picking the best-looking credit card can only be done by you. Some things to consider when comparing credit card designs include:
- Is the card metal? A metal credit card can create additional weight to the card and give it a different look that seems more valuable.
- Is the card vertical or horizontal? As the times change, many credit card issuers have experimented with new designs that make checkout easier. One such approach is making credit cards that are designed vertically instead of horizontally. This vertical design makes chip cards and tap-to-pay features easier to use.
- What colors and patterns are used? Most credit cards use similar colors, but one thing that is typically unique to each card is the pattern or images used on the card.
While having a card that you enjoy looking at and showing off is nice to have, it shouldn’t be the main factor in determining which credit card to apply for. You should make sure to compare reward offerings, annual fees, and welcome offers to find a credit card that rewards you every time you use it. By doing this, you may find that the card that best fits your spending habits also ends up being a pretty cool looking credit card.
LendEDU has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. LendEDU and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
