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Credit Cards
Best No Late Fee Credit Card

Advertiser Disclosure Updated: Apr 24, 2024, 2:38pm

Best No Late Fee Credit Cards Of May 2024

Ben LuthiContributor

Ben Luthi is a freelance personal finance and travel writer. He started earning credit card rewards in 2013 and leveraged his passion into a writing career. He's contributed to dozens of other publications and companies in the financial and travel spaces.

Ben Luthi

Ben LuthiContributor

Contributor

Harlan VaughnLead Editor, Credit Cards & Travel Rewards

Harlan Vaughn brings over a decade of experience as a lead editor on the credit cards and travel rewards team at Forbes Advisor. With a deep understanding of the credit card industry, his passion for travel strategies drives his commitment to helping others maximize their credit card rewards. Harlan's expertise has taken him around the world by redeeming millions of points and miles earned with credit cards. His favorite destinations include Iceland, Japan, Hawaii, New Zealand and Chile.

Fact Checked

Harlan Vaughn

Harlan VaughnLead Editor, Credit Cards & Travel Rewards

Lead Editor, Credit Cards & Travel Rewards

Fact Checked

Updated: Apr 24, 2024, 2:38pm

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

Missing a payment on a credit card by just one day can result in late fees, plus a higher penalty APR on your balance. If you’ve missed a payment in the past or you’re concerned about the prospect of late fee penalties, the best no late fee credit cards don’t charge a late fee at all. They also don’t charge a penalty APR.

What’s more, many of these cards also offer other valuable benefits, including excellent rewards, introductory 0% APR promotions and more.

Show Summary

Best No Late Fee Cards

Citi Simplicity® Card *: Best for Balance Transfers
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card *: Best for Credit Newbies
Apple Card *: Best for Digital Wallet Users
X1 Card *: Best for Big Spenders
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®: Best for Fixed Monthly Payments

Find the Best Credit Card

Best No Late Fee Cards of 2024

Best for Balance Transfers

Citi Simplicity® Card *

No Rewards

This card does not earn rewards

Welcome Bonus

N/A

Annual Fee

Regular APR

19.24% - 29.99% (Variable)

Credit Score

Excellent, Good (700 - 749)

Editorial Review

The Citi Simplicity Card offers a very long intro APR offer for balance transfers, with the catch that each transfer incurs a fee. You’ll also get an intro APR offer on purchases. However, there is no rewards program nor any welcome bonus, making this truly a “simple” card for those looking to hold a balance for a long period of time.

Expert Commentary

Adam Frankel

Credit Cards Writer

With over four decades of experience as a portfolio manager and educator, Adam B. Frankel simplifies credit card strategies and complex personal finance topics for anyone seeking to gain a better understanding of how to manage their money. His work has been featured in national personal finance sites including Forbes Advisor, Fortune, MarketWatch and CardRatings.

Adam Frankel

Credit Cards Writer

The Citi Simplicity’s intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers can help ease the financial strain of having to shell out for a big purchase or expedite paying down existing debt. Once that intro offer expires though, the card doesn’t have much to offer.

Pros & Cons

No late fees
No penalty APR
No annual fee
Intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers

High regular APR
No rewards program

Card Details

No late fees or penalty rates
No annual fee
Introductory APR offer
No liability on unauthorized charges

Best for Credit Newbies

Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card *

Up to 10% cash back

1% cash back on eligible purchases right away. Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-timeRead More

Welcome Bonus

N/A

Annual Fee

Regular APR

18.24% - 32.24% (Variable)

Credit Score

Limited/Fair/Good/Excellent

Editor's Take

If you have no credit or limited credit, the Petal 2 Credit Card is our first choice. You can check to see if you’re pre-approved without impacting your credit score (a process that uses a “soft pull”). This card is light on fees, so if you don’t carry a balance you may be able to build a solid credit history with responsible use while limiting your exposure to fees. However, those with missed payments or a bankruptcy on their credit report are unlikely to be approved.

Pros & Cons

No fees: no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, no late fee, no over limit fee
No security deposit
No credit check required

No intro APR offer
No cash advances or balance transfers
Applicants with a damaged credit report may not qualify

Card Details

No late, foreign transaction or annual fees
Earn 1.5% cash back on qualifying purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments
Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away
Earn 2% – 10% cash back on qualifying merchants
$300 – $10,000 credit limits

Best for Digital Wallet Users

Apple Card *

Up to 3X Reward Rate

Earn 3% back on eligible purchases from Apple including the Apple Store, apple.com, the App Store and iTunes; 2% backRead More

Welcome Bonus

N/A

Annual Fee

Regular APR

19.24% to 29.49% variable

Credit Score

Excellent/Good (700 - 749)

Editor's Take

Here is the must-have card for Apple fans, especially those who spend heavily with Apple Pay. The innovative security and debt management features and lack of the usual despised fees make this a fresh and unique addition to your financial toolkit. Android users and those looking for a sign-up bonus or travel rewards program should look elsewhere.

Pros & Cons

Cash back can be accessed each day
Innovative security features
No annual fee
Unique numberless titanium card

Low 1% cash back rate on purchases made outside of Apple or Apple Pay
Requires Apple hardware and Apple Pay
No welcome bonus
Physical card must be requested

Card Details

Earn 3% back on eligible purchases from Apple including the Apple Store, apple.com, the App Store and iTunes
Earn 2% back on purchases when using Apple Pay
Earn 1% back on all other purchases
No annual, late, foreign transaction, penalty or maintenance fees

Best for Big Spenders

X1 Card *

Up to 4X Reward Rate

Earn up to 4X points per eligible dollar each month you refer a friend who gets the card; earn 2XRead More

Welcome Bonus

N/A

Annual Fee

Regular APR

20.24% – 29.99% Variable

Credit Score

Excellent/Good Credit (700 - 749)

Editor's Take

This no annual fee card is strong on earning for those with a low credit score. The rewards options are limited, but if you like them, this is a solid card for everyday spending.

Pros & Cons

Earn 2 points per dollar on every purchase
After you spend $1,000 in a month, you’ll earn 3 points per dollar on your next $6,500 in purchases within that month

No welcome bonus or introductory APR offers
Rewards redemptions limited to X1 partners

Card Details

No annual fee, late fee or foreign transaction fee
Points earned can be redeemed for travel, cash back or at brands including Apple, Airbnb, Lululemon, Nike, Sephora, Wayfair and more
Cell phone protection, trip interruption reimbursement, purchase security, auto rental collision damage waiver, extended warranty protection, return protection and zero liability
First authorized user over 18 is free
Stainless steel card

Best for Fixed Monthly Payments

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

Apply Now

On Upgrade's Website

Click Here To Apply Now

Rates & Fees

Welcome Bonus

$200

Annual Fee

Regular APR

14.99% - 29.99% APR

Credit Score

Excellent/Good/Fair (650 - 699)

Editor's Take

Those with less-than-stellar credit might want a card that nudges them toward responsible credit habits. The Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® offers cash-back rewards, decent travel and purchase protections and potentially lower interest fees than similar cards for those with bad credit. Use it as your safety net while building credit history.

Pros & Cons

No annual fee
Earn 1.5% cash back
Fixed payment amount each month

Potentially high APR
Less flexible repayment structure

Card Details

$200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Plus account and making 3 debit card transactions*
Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment.
Combine the flexibility of a credit card with the predictability of a personal loan.
No annual fee
No touch payments with contactless technology built in.
See if you qualify in minutes without hurting your credit score.
Great for large purchases with predictable payments you can budget for.
Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere.
Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability.
Earn a $200 bonus after you open & fund a Rewards Checking Plus account & make 3 debit card transactions within 60 days. If you previously opened a checking account through Upgrade or do not do so as part of this process, you are not eligible. Payout made within 60 days of meeting the conditions.
Rates & Fees

Here’s a Summary of the Best No Late Fee Cards

Credit Card

Citi Simplicity® Card

Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card

Apple Card

X1 Card

Rates & Fees

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

Credit Card

Best For

Credit Score

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

Citi Simplicity® Card

Best for Balance Transfers

Excellent, Good

N/A

Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card

Best for Credit Newbies

Limited/Fair/Good/Excellent

N/A

Apple Card

Best for Digital Wallet Users

Excellent/Good

N/A

X1 Card

Best for Big Spenders

Excellent/Good Credit

N/A

Rates & Fees

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

Best for Fixed Monthly Payments

Excellent/Good/Fair

$200

Best No Late Fee Cards

The Citi Simplicity® Card* can be a smart choice if you’re looking to pay down a large purchase or high-interest debt on another card to avoid late fees. In particular, it offers one of the longest balance transfer promotions currently available.

Rewards: This card does not earn rewards.

Welcome offer: This card does not offer a welcome bonus.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: The card offers a 0% intro APR for 21 months on balance transfers from date of first transfer and 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.99%. There is an intro balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater, for transfers made within 4 months of opening the account. After that, a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, applies.

That said, the card doesn’t offer rewards of any kind, so it’s difficult to get a lot of value out of it after the 0% APR promotion ends.

If you’re new to credit, it can be difficult to get approved for any credit card, let alone one with decent benefits. The Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card*, issued by WebBank, will consider your credit history if you have one, but a Cash Score may also be used based on your income and expenses to evaluate your eligibility. The card also offers solid rewards for credit newbies.

Rewards: Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away, 1.25% cash back on eligible purchases after making 6 on-time monthly payments, and up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. Plus, earn 2% - 10% cash back at select merchants.

Welcome offer: This card does not offer a welcome bonus.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: The card doesn’t charge fees of any kind, which is a rare feat. As you make on-time payments, you can also qualify for a credit line increase in as little as six months.

That said, the card’s APR can be high, surpassing 30% for some cardholders. It also takes up to 12 months to receive the card’s highest rewards rate on everyday purchases.

The Apple Card* can be a great choice for Apple enthusiasts who prefer to use the tech giant’s digital wallet to make purchases whenever possible. You can also earn extra rewards on purchases made with popular retailers.

Rewards: Earn 3% back on eligible purchases from Apple including the Apple Store, apple.com, the App Store and iTunes, 2% back on purchases when using Apple Pay and 1% back on all other purchases.

Welcome offer: This card does not offer a welcome bonus.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: Like the Petal 2 Visa, the Apple Card card doesn’t charge fees of any kind. And while some card issuers post the rewards you’ve earned after your monthly statement closes, you’ll get credited for your Apple Card rewards daily.

However, you can’t apply for the card if you don’t have an Apple device, and it may not be worth using the card if you don’t regularly use Apple Pay to make purchases. You won’t get a physical card unless you request one.

The X1 Card* offers the chance to earn best-in-class rewards on every purchase you make, but only if you spend over $1,000 in a month. Additionally, the card issuer doesn’t focus solely on your credit history when you apply—it’ll also consider your current and future income potential.

Rewards: Earn 2 points per dollar spent on purchases on the first $1,000 spent, after that earn 3 points per dollar up to a total of $7,500 in purchases (then earn 2 points per dollar on remaining monthly purchases).

Welcome offer: This card does not offer a welcome bonus.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: Even if you don’t spend a lot, you can still enjoy a great rewards rate on your everyday spending. You can also earn up to 10 points per dollar on every purchase when you refer friends who get approved for the card.

While it doesn’t charge an annual fee or late fees, adding more than one authorized user—or adding a child under the age of 18 as one—will result in additional fees.

The Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® offers a unique approach to credit card spending. If you don’t pay off your bill in full each month, your balance will be converted to a fixed-rate loan, which you can pay down over 24 to 60 months—similar to a personal loan. It also offers a welcome bonus and a decent rewards rate on every purchase you make.

Rewards: Earn 1.5% cash back on purchases every time you make a payment.

Welcome offer: Earn $200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking account and making three transactions within 60 days.

Annual fee: $0

Other benefits and drawbacks: In addition to the flat rewards rate on your everyday purchases, you can also earn up to 10% with select retailers through the Upgrade Shopping portal.

To earn the card’s welcome bonus, you’ll need to also open a Rewards Checking Plus account with Upgrade and make three debit card transactions, which may be a bridge too far for some people.

Methodology

To compile the best credit cards with no late fee, we started with cards that have a relaxed late fee policy, then looked at:

Welcome offers
Other fees charged
Bonus earning rates
Introductory APR periods
Ongoing benefits or other perks offered

What Is a No Late Fee Credit Card?

Most credit cards charge a late fee when you don’t pay at least the minimum amount due by your monthly due date. Depending on the card issuer, the late fee can be as high as $41, though you may get a lower one on your first missed payment.

A no late fee credit card doesn’t assess this charge, so you don’t have to worry about being penalized for missing a payment.

Can I Get a Credit Card Late Fee Removed?

If your card issuer has charged a late fee for a missed payment, you may be able to get it removed. In many cases, card issuers are willing to waive the fee if it’s your first time paying late and you have a history of on-time payments on the account.

That said, every situation is different, and while some card issuers will do it as a courtesy, that’s not always the case.

Do All Credit Cards Have a Late Fee?

Not all credit cards charge a late fee, but most of them do. Depending on the card, it may be a flat fee for all late payments or a graduated fee structure, increasing the amount after your first one.

Bottom Line

The best no late fee credit cards won’t hit you with a penalty if you accidentally miss a payment. They also offer other valuable rewards programs and benefits. If you’ve missed credit card payments in the past, it may be good to prioritize no late fees as you consider your next credit card.

However, if you’ve never missed a payment, it may make more sense to focus on other features. Depending on your credit score and preferences, you may be able to benefit from bigger welcome bonuses, better rewards programs and more valuable perks from other credit cards.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How can I avoid late fees on my credit card?

To avoid being penalized for missing a payment, consider setting up automatic payments on your account, and make sure you always have enough cash in your bank account to cover the charge.

If you prefer not to automate your payments, you can set up alerts to get reminders for when you need to pay your monthly bill.

How bad is one late credit card payment?

Missing your due date by just one day can have a significant impact on your finances and credit score. In addition to a late fee, you may get a penalty APR, which is higher than your current APR and can stay in place for a minimum of six months.

You may also lose your grace period until you pay your balance in full. This means that any new purchases you make will start accruing interest immediately. If you go 30 days or more without catching up on your past-due amount, the card issuer will report the late payment to credit bureaus, which can have a significant negative impact on your credit score.

Can a late fee hurt my credit score?

Being charged a late fee won’t impact your credit score in any way, other than adding to your overall balance. But if you don’t pay the past-due amount within 30 days of your due date, your credit score can take a sizable hit.

Next Up In Credit Cards

*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Citi Simplicity® Card, Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card, Apple Card, X1 Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.

Ben Luthi

Contributor

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