The Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses of May 2025

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Comparing the best credit card sign up bonus offers

After looking at all of the credit cards with sign-up bonus offers, here are our selections for the top offers on the market right now:

What is a credit card sign-up bonus?

A credit card sign-up bonus, also known as a welcome offer, is a limited-time promotion on a rewards credit card. You can use a sign-up bonus to earn cash back, miles, points, or other perks by meeting a specific spending requirement within a certain time frame.

Typically, you’ll need to spend a certain amount within the first three to six months to qualify for the bonus. Typically, the higher the required spending, the more lucrative the bonus.

“A trend I’ve observed is that issuers are competing for consumers’ business based mostly on sign-up bonuses and rewards for ongoing spending,” says Ted Rossman, CreditCards.com industry analyst. “Whether you’re interested in travel or cash back, you can take advantage of offers that can put $500, $750 or even more into your wallet.”

Types of sign-up bonuses

Anything a credit card issuer offers that serves to incentivize new cardholders to sign up can be considered a sign-up bonus, but the most common types of sign-up bonus come in these forms:

• Cash back: Cash back is one of the more common forms of sign-up bonuses and will usually fall between $100 and $500, depending on the credit card. Cash back sign-up bonuses frequently show up as a statement credit on the card account.
• Travel miles: When signing up for a general travel card or a co-branded airline credit card, the best cards typically offer airline miles or travel points redeemable for flights, hotels and more.
• Rewards points: Points are likely the most flexible sign-up bonus option, as they can be redeemed for travel purchases, cash back or statement credits. However, keep in mind that points may not translate to miles or cash back at a 1:1 ratio.

Pros and cons of credit cards with sign-up bonuses

While sign-up bonus offers can be truly valuable, it’s important to evaluate your situation before going after one.

Who should get a sign-up bonus card?

You should get a sign-up bonus card if:

• You have good to excellent credit and can qualify for a rewards credit card.
• You have a solid budget and typically pay your card balances in full each month.
• You’re comparing credit cards and need a tie-breaking factor.

You shouldn’t get a sign-up bonus card if:

• You’re building credit.
• You tend to overspend and don’t pay your credit card bills in full each month.
• You don’t like the card for anything but the sign-up bonus.

How to choose the best credit card sign up bonus

Sign-up bonuses are alluring, but not every credit card’s welcome offer may be the right one for you. Here’s how you can choose the best sign-up bonus credit card to add to your wallet. Consider these factors as you compare sign-up bonus cards:

• Spending requirement and time frame. Understand how much you need to spend to earn the bonus, how long you have to meet the requirement, and whether that aligns with how much you’re planning to spend.

• Reward type and redemption. Consider what kind of reward the sign-up bonus provides and how easy it is to redeem the rewards.

• Ongoing rewards and long-term value. Just as important as a sign-up bonus are a card’s ongoing rewards, which can offer valuable perks beyond the initial bonus.

• Annual fee. Cards with an annual fee can erode the value of a sign-up bonus, so do the math on whether a card’s annual fee cost outweighs the rewards and benefits you’ll get back from it.

• Credit score impact. Frequent applications for new cards can temporarily lower your credit score, so each new card should be worth the trouble.

“Figure out how you spend your money and what you value most,” says Rossman. “Card issuers have grown tired of the sign-up bonus arms race and customers who churn through bonuses,” says Rossman. “They’d rather keep you spending with incentives on dining, transportation and streaming. Sign-up bonuses are great, but don’t lose sight of the big picture. Constantly opening and closing cards can hurt your credit score, too. The best credit card rewards strategies mix introductory bonuses with long-term value.”

How to maximize credit card sign-up bonuses

Signing up for the right bonus at the right time can help you take your sign-up bonus the extra mile. Here are some tips to squeeze more value out of your sign-up bonus:

• Look for targeted offers and keey an eye on the bonus after you sign up. If an offer increases during your promotional period, you should ask if you can qualify for the larger bonus.
• Sign your spouse up for the same card so you can earn twice the rewards.
• Keep track of your spending toward the offer minimum and understand what counts. Typically, cash back, balance transfers, and your annual fee don’t count toward the sign-up bonus spending requirement. Returns can also interfere with earnings.
• Avoid accumulating debt for sign-up bonus rewards. Make sure you can afford to meet the spending requirement and aim to pay your monthly balance in full.

How we picked the best credit card sign up bonus offers

We evaluated credit cards with welcome offers to identify the top bonuses currently on the market. The major factors we considered include:

• Value of bonus: We assessed the amount of rewards associated with specific welcome offers, how much that amount might be worth within the card’s rewards program, and whether the bonus stood out relative to competitors in the same category.
• Required spend: Welcome bonuses typically require you to spend a certain amount on the card to unlock extra points, miles, or cash back. We evaluated whether the required spending threshold was reasonable for the card’s target audience and whether it was competitive compared to similar cards in its category.
• Base rewards: We considered the ongoing rewards you could earn beyond the welcome offer, including the rate of points, miles, or cash back you could earn on regular purchases. This helped us assess the card’s long-term value and whether the base rewards rate made the card a good choice for continued use.
• Fees: We looked at how common fees, such as the annual fee, penalty fees, and foreign transaction fees, compared to the card’s welcome bonus and ongoing rewards. While an annual fee isn’t always a deal-breaker, we evaluated whether the value of the sign-up bonus and long-term rewards could offset any costs.
• Annual percentage rates (APR): While rewards credit cards typically carry higher APRs than low-interest cards, we still took into account where a card’s APR range fell compared to the industry standard and whether it was likely to impact cardholders who carry a balance.

Our comparison service is compensated by our credit card company partners, which may affect product placement. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. Star ratings are based solely on our independent card scoring methodology and are not influenced by advertisers or card issuers. Learn more about ourpartners and how we make money.

Not sure what welcome offers you might qualify for? Our CardMatch tool can show you what credit cards you may qualify for without hurting your credit score.

Additional information on best credit card sign up bonuses

For more information on sign-up bonus offers, continue reading content from our credit card experts:

• Sign-up bonus rules you should know before applying
• How to use rent payments to score welcome bonuses
• High credit card sign-up bonuses starting to return

About the Author

Ryan Noonan

Ryan Noonan Ryan Noonan is a former writer for Bankrate and CreditCards.com and is a graduate of the School of Journalism at Ohio State University. 

About the Author

Jessica Merritt

Jessica Merritt is a personal finance writer with 8 years of experience covering credit cards, banking, and financial wellness. She specializes in turning complex financial topics into clear, actionable advice, with work featured in U.S. News, CNN Underscored, and DepositAccounts.com.

About the Editor

Tracy Stewart

Tracy Stewart is a personal finance writer specializing in credit card loyalty programs, travel benefits, and consumer protections. He previously covered travel rewards credit cards, budget travel, and aviation news at SmarterTravel Media. His money-saving tips have appeared in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports, MarketWatch, Vice, People, the Zoe Report and elsewhere.

About the Reviewer

Erica Sandberg

Erica Sandberg is a prominent personal finance authority and author of "Expecting Money: The Essential Financial Plan for New and Growing Families." Her articles and insights are featured in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, Pregnancy, Babytalk, Redbook, Bank Investment Consultant, Prosper.com, MSN Money and Dow Jones MarketWatch. An active television and radio commentator, Sandberg is the credit and money management expert for San Francisco’s KRON-TV, a frequent guest on Forbes Video Network, Fox Business News, Bloomberg TV and all Bay Area networks. Prior to launching her own reporting and consulting business, she was affiliated with Consumer Credit Counseling Services of San Francisco where she counseled individuals, conducted educational workshops and led the media relations department. Sandberg is a member of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and on the advisory committee for Project Money.