Credit Cards

What’s the best way to apply for a credit card? While we’re all used to being able to apply for major credit cards through the mail, the fact that online credit card applications are becoming more and more common might lead you to wonder about the best application method. The truth is that the way in which you apply is merely a matter of personal preference, but making an educated decision about the card you wish to get should not be.

You can’t evaluate credit card offers in a vacuum; you need to view each in light of what the rest of the market has to offer. Sure, you can lay a bunch of credit card applications side by side on your kitchen table and do your due diligence that way, but at Card Hub, comparing hundreds of credit cards is as simple as a few clicks of your mouse.

Once you identify the card for which you’d like to apply, you may have up to four choices for how you’d like to submit your application, depending on the bank: 1) via mail; 2) over the phone; 3) online; or 4) at an actual bank branch. For those of you concerned about sharing personal financial information over the Internet, every online credit card application is encrypted using SSL technology, and you can read more about our data protection practices here.

What’s the best credit card company, and what's the best card network? In practical terms, your card's network really only matters if you plan on traveling overseas given that Visa and MasterCard are much more widely accepted abroad than Discover and American Express. Just make sure to get a no foreign transaction fee credit card on one of these networks, and you will be all set for your international travels.

When it comes to deciding on credit card offers from different companies (e.g. a Capital One credit card vs. a Citibank credit card), we recommend that you focus on getting the best interest rates and rewards possible since the money you save by doing so will benefit you more in the long term than things like better customer service.

I had a bad experience with my credit card a few years ago, what's different now? The CARD Act is what's different now. The new credit card law, which went into effect in February 2010, increased transparency in the credit card industry and dramatically strengthened consumer rights. Among the highlights of the law are provisions that lower penalty fees, eliminate arbitrary interest rate increases on existing balances, require better communication between issuers and consumers, and provide for favorable allocation of payments. Whereas many credit card offers used to be characterized by bait-and-switch tactics, you can now trust that what you see during the course of your credit card comparisons is what you get and that the benefits of using a credit card will not be marred by shady practices. While the CARD Act unfortunately does not apply to business credit cards, any company that offers credit cards is not held to a higher standard.

What if I have questions about my existing credit card account? If you have specific questions regarding an existing credit card account (e.g. problems with your monthly statement or logistical issues), contact its respective issuer directly by calling the number on the back of your card. Credit card companies do not share any information with Card Hub that will allow us to help you with any account-specific issues.

Nevertheless, we hope that you ask general credit card questions (e.g. questions about types of cards, strategies, terminology, etc.) and share your experiences on Card Hub. You see, our credit card finder tools help you identify the right credit card offer for your needs, but those tools become better the more consumers rate and write reviews for cards that they have used.