(San Francisco, CA) – Javelin Strategy & Research today released its 2025 Mass-Market Credit Cards Scorecard, an assessment of 42 general-purpose credit cards from major issuers, with the rankings split among cards with annual fees and those without. The scorecard finds top cards deliver value across multiple features, with generational differences shaping preferences—some consumers favoring low interest rates while others prioritized rewards. Cards were evaluated across six categories: purchase APR, annual fee, introductory offers, balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees, and rewards. In a market where roughly 189 million U.S. adults are eligible for mass-market cards, the competition is fierce.
USAA and U.S. Bank captured Best-in-Class honors. The USAA Eagle Navigator® Visa Signature® displaced last year’s winner in the annual-fee category with a well-rounded mix of rewards, introductory offer, and competitive rates. The U.S. Bank Altitude® Connect Visa Signature® repeated as the leading no-annual-fee card, standing out with a rewards structure that rivals many fee-based travel cards.
“To win in the mass market, a card must deliver both rewards and value,” said Ben Danner, Senior Analyst of Credit and Commercial Payments at Javelin Strategy & Research. “The leaders in this year’s scorecard balanced competitive rates, no foreign fees, and rewards in categories consumers actually use. This demonstrates that it takes the full package to rise to the top.”
As with last year’s Mass-Market Credit Cards Scorecard, fee-based and no-annual-fee cards are ranked separately. Cards with annual fees require an upfront investment and typically provide richer incentives to justify the cost, while no-fee cards appeal to consumers seeking value without that commitment. Maintaining separate rankings ensures a fair comparison and allows Javelin to recognize the best products in each category.
Millennials remain the largest and most influential generation in the mass market, with 85% using a general-purpose credit card in 2025, far surpassing debit usage. Their higher spending on travel and premium experiences makes these consumers particularly responsive to cards with strong rewards and introductory bonuses, although Millennials also weigh APRs and foreign transaction fees in their decision-making.
Anniversary bonuses, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s 10% annual spending reward and the Discover it® Cashback Match, demonstrate how issuers can boost retention and appeal to rewards-focused consumers.
