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Credit Cards

Best Obscure Credit Cards

Updated Jun 20, 2023   |   5-min read

When something is considered obscure, it is considered “not discovered or known about,” according to Oxford Languages. Luckily, as you’ll see with the cards below, lesser known doesn’t necessarily mean lesser rewards.

Here are the best obscure credit cards that provide great rewards and a level of exclusivity to your wallet.

Best obscure credit cards

Best for cash back: U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card

  • LendEDU Rating: 4.7/5
  • Rewards rate: 1x – 4x points
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Editor’s thoughts: This card offers a generous welcome bonus and high rewards rates for dining and other food-related purchases

The U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card offers excellent rewards and doesn’t get as much attention as it should. New cardmembers can earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. This is a $200 value redeemed for cash back, gift cards, travel, and more.

Here are some of the rewards and benefits of this card:

  • 4x points on dining
  • 2x points at grocery stores
  • 2x points on streaming services
  • 2x points at gas stations
  • 1x points on all other purchases
  • $15 credit for annual streaming service purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees

Final thoughts

The U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Signature Card offers numerous opportunities for earning rewards on category-specific spending and all other purchases.

If you spend $2,000 on dining, $2,000 on groceries, streaming, and gas combined, $2,500 on all other purchases, and add in the welcome bonus, you can earn nearly 200,000 points in the first year. A card with so many rewards opportunities at no annual fee is rare and could lead the card to become a more well-known option soon.

To learn more about this card and its benefits, click here.


Best for credit building: Petal 2 Visa Card

  • LendEDU Rating: 4.9/5
  • Rewards rate: 1% – 1.5%
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Editor’s thoughts: This card offers an excellent cash back opportunity while checking off all the boxes for a card that can help you achieve a strong credit history

Petal credit cards are issued by WebBank, Member FDIC

The Petal 2 Visa Card is our top-rated credit building credit card and is an option many have probably never heard of. The card is marketed as “all rewards, no fees.”

Here are some of the rewards and benefits of this card:

  • Earn 1% cash back with the opportunity to earn up to 1.5% when you pay on time
  • Earn 2% to 10% at select merchants
  • Freeze your card at any time to protect your account
  • Account activity is reported to all three credit bureaus
  • No annual or internal fees
  • No late or returned payment fees
  • An app that allows you to manage all credit needs from one place

Final thoughts

The Petal 2 Visa Card comes with a higher credit limit than most other credit building cards with the added benefit of a higher than average cash back rate. The Petal app has received many positive reviews and allows you to monitor your credit score and spending from one location.

To learn more about this card and its benefits, click here.


Best for students: Deserve EDU

  • LendEDU Rating: 4.5/5
  • Rewards rate: 1%
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Editor’s thoughts: This card is an excellent option for students who want to earn rewards and other perks while building credit

The Deserve EDU card is an excellent student credit card that receives less attention because it’s not issued by one of the more well-known national issuers. When you simply compare the card’s rewards and benefits, it’s one of the top options for students. New cardmembers can apply for an Amazon Prime Student account and be reimbursed for up to a year of membership if the annual plan is selected.

Here are some of the rewards and benefits of this card:

  • 1% cash back on all purchases
  • Cellphone protection up to $600
  • No international transaction fees
  • No Social Security number required by international students
  • $100 off Feather subscriptions
  • $10 Lemonade credit

Final thoughts

The Deserve EDU card offers plenty of unique perks for cardholders, including credits and free subscriptions to popular tech companies such as Amazon, Lemonade, and Feather. If you already use the companies just mentioned, this card can help you temporarily cover some of the costs of those subscriptions.

To learn more about this card and its benefits, click here.


Best for small business: Brex

  • LendEDU Rating: 4.1/5
  • Rewards rate: 1x – 7x
  • Annual fee: $0
  • Editor’s thoughts: This card comes with higher credit limits and no personal guarantee, making it an excellent option for businesses focused on tech

The Brex card comes with high rewards rates and even higher credit limits. New businesses can earn 25,000 in Brex Rewards points and waived card fees for life after signing up.

Here are some of the rewards and benefits of this card:

  • 7x points on ridesharing
  • 4x points on flights and hotels booked through Brex Travel
  • 3x points on dining
  • 3x points on eligible Apple products, via the Brex portal
  • 2x points on recurring software
  • 1x on all other purchases
  • Brex partner offers totaling $150,000 in value
  • Receive a credit limit 10 to 20 times higher than traditional cards
  • No personal guarantee, no fees, and no interest

Final thoughts

The Brex card offers several benefits that can make this an extremely valuable card for businesses. Cardholders can access built-in expense management software, automatic receipt-matching, and instant virtual cards for employees.

To learn more about this card and its benefits, click here.


Recap of obscure credit cards

Card nameBest forAnnual fee
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa SignatureCash back$0
Petal 2 Visa CardBuilding credit$0
Deserve EDUStudents$0
BrexBusinesses$0

How we chose the best obscure credit cards

To find the best obscure credit cards, we reviewed cards that offered competitive rewards but were provided by lesser-known issuers. These cards are great options for those looking to add a sense of uniqueness to their wallet.

If you’d like to see how the cards above compare to other more well-known options, check out our picks for the best credit cards.


LendEDU has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. LendEDU and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.