Money Credit Cards
Article updated on Jul 25, 2024
Virtual card numbers are an extra level of security you can use when shopping online or in person through a phone's digital wallet.
Why You Can Trust CNET Money
Our Experts
Written by Jaclyn DeJohn Editor Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink. Liliana Hall Associate Writer Liliana Hall is a writer for CNET Money covering banking, credit cards and mortgages. Previously, she wrote about personal credit for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She is passionate about providing accessible content to enhance financial literacy. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in journalism, and has worked in the newsrooms of KUT and the Austin Chronicle. When not working, she is probably paddle boarding, hopping on a flight or reading for her book club.
Edited by Courtney Johnston Senior Editor Courtney Johnston is a senior editor leading the CNET Money team. Passionate about financial literacy and inclusion, she has a decade of experience as a freelance journalist covering policy, financial news, real estate and investing. A New Jersey native, she graduated with an M.A. in English Literature and Professional Writing from the University of Indianapolis, where she also worked as a graduate writing instructor.
Reviewed by Jason Steele Credit card expert and founder of CardCon As a freelance personal finance writer since 2008, Jason has contributed to over 100 outlets including Forbes, USA Today, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News, Money.com and NerdWallet. As an industry leader, Jason has spoken at dozens of conferences and is the founder and producer of CardCon, an annual conference for credit card media. Jason also consults with individuals and small business owners to create customized plans to help them earn and spend travel rewards. He can be reached via his website, JasonSteele.com and on LinkedIn.
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
Reviews ethics statement
Written by
Jaclyn DeJohn Editor Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Liliana Hall Associate Writer Liliana Hall is a writer for CNET Money covering banking, credit cards and mortgages. Previously, she wrote about personal credit for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She is passionate about providing accessible content to enhance financial literacy. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in journalism, and has worked in the newsrooms of KUT and the Austin Chronicle. When not working, she is probably paddle boarding, hopping on a flight or reading for her book club.
Edited by
Courtney Johnston Senior Editor Courtney Johnston is a senior editor leading the CNET Money team. Passionate about financial literacy and inclusion, she has a decade of experience as a freelance journalist covering policy, financial news, real estate and investing. A New Jersey native, she graduated with an M.A. in English Literature and Professional Writing from the University of Indianapolis, where she also worked as a graduate writing instructor.
Reviewed by:
Jason Steele Credit card expert and founder of CardCon As a freelance personal finance writer since 2008, Jason has contributed to over 100 outlets including Forbes, USA Today, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News, Money.com and NerdWallet. As an industry leader, Jason has spoken at dozens of conferences and is the founder and producer of CardCon, an annual conference for credit card media. Jason also consults with individuals and small business owners to create customized plans to help them earn and spend travel rewards. He can be reached via his website, JasonSteele.com and on LinkedIn.
Article updated on Jul 25, 2024
-
Best for travel and dining
American Express® Gold Card
See rates & fees; terms apply
3.9/5
Rating Breakdown 3.9
Welcome Bonus 4.0
Rewards Program 4.0
Value for Money 4.0
Benefits 4.25
Fees and APR 3.0
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $325
Rewards Rate
View Rewards
Intro offer available Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
Learn More -
Best for groceries and gas
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
See rates & fees; terms apply
4.1/5
Rating Breakdown 4.1
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 5.0
Value for Money 5.0
Benefits 3.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.
Rewards Rate
View Rewards
Intro offer available Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
Learn More -
Best cash-back card with virtual account numbers
Citi Double Cash® Card
See rates & fees
4.0/5
Rating Breakdown 4.0
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 5.0
Value for Money 5.0
Benefits 2.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1% - 5% Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.; Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
Intro offer available Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Apply Now with Citi
-
Best premium travel card
The Platinum Card® from American Express
See rates & fees; terms apply
3.3/5
Rating Breakdown 3.3
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 3.0
Value for Money 5.0
Benefits 5.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $695
Rewards Rate
View Rewards
Intro offer available Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Learn More -
Best virtual card option with a long intro APR
Citi® Diamond Preferred® Card
3.8/5
Rating Breakdown 3.8
Offer Length 5.0
BT Fee 3.0
Offer Terms 3.0
On-going Value 3.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Balance Transfer / Intro APR
We rate credit cards using our balance transfer / Intro APR methodology for cards whose primary feature is a promotional period where new purchases or a transferred balance will accrue no or low interest for a period of time. We rank these credit cards based on the quality of their introductory offers, fees, lasting value and standard rates. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
-
Best travel card with virtual card capability
Citi Strata Premier℠ Card
See rates & fees
3.7/5
Rating Breakdown 3.7
Welcome Bonus 3.5
Rewards Program 4.0
Value for Money 4.0
Benefits 3.5
Fees and APR 3.0
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $95
Rewards Rate
1x - 10x Earn 10 points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.; Earn 3 points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.; Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
Intro offer available Earn 70,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $700 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
Apply Now with Citi
-
Instant virtual card for Apple enthusiasts
Apple Card
2.7/5
Rating Breakdown 2.7
Welcome Bonus 1.0
Rewards Program 4.0
Value for Money 3.5
Benefits 2.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1% - 3% 3% cash back with Apple and select merchants when you use Apple Card with Apple Pay.; 2% cash back when you use Apple Pay.; 1% cash back when you use the titanium card or your virtual card number wherever Mastercard is accepted.
-
Travel rewards with no annual fee
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
3.1/5
Rating Breakdown 3.1
Welcome Bonus 3.0
Rewards Program 2.5
Value for Money 4.0
Benefits 3.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Rewards / Travel
We rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card's reward potential, the value you get compared to the card's cost, the benefits and the card's rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1.25x - 5x Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options; Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day.
Our Experts
Written by Jaclyn DeJohn Editor Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink. Liliana Hall Associate Writer Liliana Hall is a writer for CNET Money covering banking, credit cards and mortgages. Previously, she wrote about personal credit for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She is passionate about providing accessible content to enhance financial literacy. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in journalism, and has worked in the newsrooms of KUT and the Austin Chronicle. When not working, she is probably paddle boarding, hopping on a flight or reading for her book club.
Edited by Courtney Johnston Senior Editor Courtney Johnston is a senior editor leading the CNET Money team. Passionate about financial literacy and inclusion, she has a decade of experience as a freelance journalist covering policy, financial news, real estate and investing. A New Jersey native, she graduated with an M.A. in English Literature and Professional Writing from the University of Indianapolis, where she also worked as a graduate writing instructor.
Reviewed by Jason Steele Credit card expert and founder of CardCon As a freelance personal finance writer since 2008, Jason has contributed to over 100 outlets including Forbes, USA Today, Newsweek, Time, U.S. News, Money.com and NerdWallet. As an industry leader, Jason has spoken at dozens of conferences and is the founder and producer of CardCon, an annual conference for credit card media. Jason also consults with individuals and small business owners to create customized plans to help them earn and spend travel rewards. He can be reached via his website, JasonSteele.com and on LinkedIn.
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
Reviews ethics statementWhy You Can Trust CNET Money
Virtual credit cards add an extra layer of protection to your personal credit card information, masking your card number with a temporary 16-digit number tied to your account. This virtual card number is typically only available for a one-time use, though some card issuers let you use it more than once. You can use your virtual credit card number when shopping online to avoid sharing sensitive data. You may have access to a virtual credit card number with an existing credit card, but not all issuers offer virtual card options.
You’ll want to weigh a variety of factors when choosing the best virtual card. First, consider the card’s rewards, annual fees, welcome bonus, other perks and virtual card capabilities. You should know that virtual credit cards impact your credit score in the same way a standard card — you’re still liable for missed payments and interest charges.
Virtual credit cards come in handy if security is a primary concern, as they minimize fraud risk. But there are limitations to keep in mind, such as not being able to use a virtual credit card number for in-person transactions (though some payment portals allow you to pay by app).
Table of Contents
- Best virtual credit cards
- What are virtual credit cards and how do they work?
- Pros and cons of using a virtual credit card
- How to get a virtual credit card number from your issuer
- How to use a virtual credit card
- Alternatives to virtual credit cards
- Should you use a virtual credit card number when shopping online?
- How to apply for a credit card
- The bottom line
- FAQs
- Our methodology
- Other credit cards we researched
Written by
Jaclyn DeJohn
Editor
Read more from Jaclyn
Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Written by
Liliana Hall
Associate Writer
Read more from Liliana
Liliana Hall is a writer for CNET Money covering banking, credit cards and mortgages. Previously, she wrote about personal credit for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. She is passionate about providing accessible content to enhance financial literacy. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in journalism, and has worked in the newsrooms of KUT and the Austin Chronicle. When not working, she is probably paddle boarding, hopping on a flight or reading for her book club.
