The 21 Best Metal Credit Cards of 2023

Metal credit cards aren’t new, but they’ve become increasingly popular among credit cardholders because of their aesthetic appeal. What’s more, you no longer have to be wealthy to get one — there are more and more metal cards with a low annual fee or no annual fee at all.

While having a metal credit card sounds cool and could feel like a status symbol, it’s important to pick a card based on the total value you gain from all of its features. Here’s what you need to know about metal credit cards and how to pick the right one.

The best 21 metal credit cards to consider

If you like the idea of having a metal credit card, there are plenty of options from which you can choose. Here are different cards from major credit card issuers to consider.

5 metal credit cards for frequent travelers

• Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• American Express^® Gold Card
• Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card
  

• Mastercard^® Titanium Card™

2 metal credit cards for cashback enthusiasts

• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Verizon Visa^® Card
  

2 metal credit cards with no annual fee

• Apple Card
• Prime Visa

3 metal credit cards for business owners

• American Express^® Business Gold Card
• The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

9 metal credit cards for luxury travelers

• The Platinum Card^® from American Express
• Chase Sapphire Reserve^®
• U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card
• Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®
• United Club℠ Infinite Card
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card
• Mastercard^® Black Card™
• Mastercard^® Gold Card™
• Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card
  

Comparison of the best metal credit cards

	Who it is for	Rewards rate	Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	Frequent travelers	5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and eligible online grocery purchases; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases	$95
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	Frequent travelers	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel	$95
American Express® Gold Card	Frequent travelers	4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X) and at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases	$250 (Terms apply)
Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card	Frequent travelers	3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and at hotels; 2X miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets; and 1X miles for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases	$250 (Terms apply)
Mastercard® Titanium Card™	Frequent travelers	1X point per dollar spent on all purchases	$195
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card	Cashback enthusiasts	10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats (through 11/14/2024); 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment; 4% cash back on dining, entertainment, and select streaming services; 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart® and Target®), and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$95
Verizon Visa® Card	Cashback enthusiasts	4% on grocery store and gas purchases; 3% on dining, including takeout; 2% on Verizon purchases, including your monthly bill; and 1% on all other purchases	$0
Apple Card	People who don’t want annual fees	3% cash back on Apple purchases and when you use Apple Pay for purchases from select partners, 2% on other purchases made with Apple Pay, and 1% cash back on everything else	$0
Prime Visa	People who don’t want annual fees	5% cash back at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases; 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, and on local transit and commuting; 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0
American Express® Business Gold Card	Business owners	4X Membership Rewards points for the first $150,000 spent in two select categories each year (after that 1X), and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases	$295 (Terms apply)
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express	Business owners	5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases	$695 (Terms apply)
Amazon Business Prime American Express Card	Business owners	5% back in Amazon Rewards points or no interest for 90 days on U.S. Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods purchases (on up to $120,000 in purchases per calendar year, after that 1%); 2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and purchases with U.S. wireless providers; and 1% back on all other eligible purchases	$0 (Terms apply)
The Platinum Card® from American Express	Luxury travelers	5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases	$695 (Terms apply)
Chase Sapphire Reserve®	Luxury travelers	5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases	$550
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Card	Luxury travelers	5X on prepaid hotel and car rentals booked in the Altitude Rewards Center; 3X points on eligible travel and mobile wallet purchases; and 1X points for all other eligible purchases	$400
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®	Luxury travelers	10X miles on hotels booked through aa.com/hotels and eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars, 4X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases (after spending $150,000 per calendar year this increases to 5X for the remainder of the calendar year), and 1X miles for every $1 spent on other purchases	$595
United Club℠ Infinite Card	Luxury travelers	4X miles on United purchases; 2X miles on other travel and dining (including eligible delivery services), 1X miles on all other purchases	$525
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card	Luxury travelers	6X points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3X points at worldwide restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X points on all other eligible purchases	$650 (Terms apply)
Mastercard® Black Card™	Luxury travelers	1X point per dollar on all purchases	$495
Mastercard® Gold Card™	Luxury travelers	1X point per dollar spent on all purchases; points are redeemable at a 2% rate for cash back and air travel	$995
Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card	Luxury travelers	3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and 1X miles for all other eligible purchases	$550 (Terms apply)

5 metal credit cards for frequent travelers

If you enjoy travel but can’t stomach a high annual fee, these cards could give you the benefits and travel rewards you want, plus the heft of a metal design.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

Weight: ~13 grams

Overview: The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®; 3X points on dining, select streaming services, and eligible online grocery purchases; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases. 

The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is one of the best rewards credit cards for frequent travelers, and you’ll get 25% more value if you redeem your points for travel through Chase. You can also potentially get more value when you transfer your rewards to one of Chase’s travel partners. The card’s annual fee is $95, which is modest in comparison to the Chase Sapphire Reserve.

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Other perks: You’ll get various travel protections, including trip cancellation and interruption insurance, primary rental car insurance, trip delay reimbursement, delayed luggage reimbursement, and more. Each year on your card anniversary, you will also earn bonus points equal to 10% of the total purchases you made in the previous year.

Get more details at our Chase Sapphire Preferred Card review.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Weight: ~16 grams

Overview: The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card offers 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. You can redeem your rewards for just about any type of travel by using the card to book your travel and then using miles to get a statement credit against the purchase. The card’s annual fee is $95.

Early spend bonus: Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

Other perks: The card offers an application fee credit of up to $100 every four years for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. You’ll also get travel accident insurance and the option to create temporary credit card numbers for secure online shopping.

Find out more in our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review.

American Express^® Gold Card

Weight: ~15 grams

Overview: The American Express Gold Card carries a relatively high annual fee of $250. But people who spend a lot on dining, groceries, and travel could easily make up for it. You’ll earn 4X Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per year, after that 1X) and at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., 3X on flights booked directly with airlines or on Amextravel.com, and 1X on all other eligible purchases.

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first 6 months of card membership.

Other perks: The card offers up to $120 each year in dining credits with participating retailers and food delivery services. Select benefits require enrollment.

Get more details at our American Express Gold Card review.

Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card

Weight: ~15 grams

Overview: The Delta SkyMiles^® Platinum American Express Card also comes with a relatively high annual fee of $250. But if you travel often, you could benefit from the ability to earn 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and at hotels; 2X miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets; and 1X miles for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.

Welcome bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.

Other perks: The Delta SkyMiles Platinum comes with various travel-related perks and benefits. This includes an annual companion certificate for each year you renew your card membership that can be used to add a companion to a round-trip flight. Select benefits require enrollment.

Get more details at our Delta SkyMiles Platinum review.

Mastercard^® Titanium Card™

Weight: ~22 grams

Overview: The Mastercard^® Titanium Card™ offers 1X point per dollar spent on all purchases, and gives you one cent per dollar on cash back redemptions and two cents per dollar on airfare redemptions. While that’s not overly impressive, the card does come with some luxury travel benefits at an annual fee of $195.

Sign-up bonus: N/A

Other perks: The card comes with several travel benefits, including chauffeured transportation, cruise privileges, charter services, global luggage delivery, car rental discounts and upgrades, and various trip protections.

Get more details in our Mastercard^® Titanium Card™ review.

2 metal credit cards for cashback enthusiasts

If you prefer a cash rewards credit card over earning points and miles, these cards may be a good fit.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Weight: ~17 grams

Overview: The Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card is a solid choice for foodies. It offers 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats (through 11/14/2024); 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment; 4% cash back on dining, entertainment, and select streaming services; 3% at grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart® and Target®), and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The annual fee is $95.

Early spend bonus: Earn a $300 cash bonus after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months.

Other perks: The card provides access to curated culinary experiences, as well as discounts and VIP packages at music and sporting events.

Learn more in our Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card review.

Verizon Visa^® Card

Weight: ~17 grams

Overview: With an annual fee of $0, the Verizon Visa^® Card gives you the opportunity to earn cash back that you can redeem toward your monthly Verizon bill and Verizon store purchases, among other redemption options. Using this card, you can earn 4% on grocery store and gas purchases; 3% on dining, including takeout; 2% on Verizon purchases, including your monthly bill; and 1% on all other purchases. 

Intro bonus: Earn a $100 credit when you make your first purchase on the card in the first 90 days.

Other perks: You can receive two free TravelPass days per calendar year as a Verizon Visa cardholder. You can use your TravelPass to talk, text, and use data in more than 210 countries. The normal cost of TravelPass is $10 per day.

Find out more in our Verizon Visa^® Card review.

2 metal credit cards with no annual fee

Apple Card

Weight: ~15 grams

Overview: The Apple Card has a $0 annual fee, and is primarily designed for use with Apple Pay — you’ll get a physical card, but it won’t have your card number on it. You’ll earn 3% cash back on Apple purchases and when you use Apple Pay for purchases from select partners, 2% on other purchases made with Apple Pay, and 1% cash back on everything else. Cash back is paid out daily.

Sign-up bonus: N/A

Other perks: The card’s primary benefits are its integration with the Wallet app along with its security. It uses a virtual card number for apps and websites, comes with a physical card with no numbers on it, and doesn’t track purchase data through Apple Pay.

Learn more in our Apple Card review.

Prime Visa

Weight: ~12 grams

Overview: While the Prime Visa has a $0 annual fee, it’s only available to Amazon Prime members. The card offers 5% cash back at Amazon.com, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases; 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, and on local transit and commuting; 1% cash back on all other purchases. You can redeem your rewards on Amazon.com or as cash back.

Welcome offer: Earn a $100 Amazon gift card upon approval.

Other perks: The card offers travel accident insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, baggage delay insurance, travel and emergency assistance services, and more.

Find out more in our Prime Visa review.

3 metal credit cards for business owners

If you have business-related expenses, you may be better off with a business credit card than a personal card. Here are a few business cards that are made of metal.

American Express^® Business Gold Card

Weight: ~15 grams

Overview: The American Express Business Gold Card has a steep $295 annual fee but makes up for it with flexible rewards and perks. You’ll earn 4X Membership Rewards points for the first $150,000 spent in two select categories each year (after that 1X), and 1 point per $1 spent on other eligible purchases. 

When redeeming your rewards, you’ll get 25% more value if you use them to book flights using Pay with Points. You can also transfer them to Amex travel partners for potentially more value.

Welcome bonus: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $10,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

Other perks: Foreign transaction fees: None.

In addition to no foreign transaction fees and a valuable rewards program, you’ll also get free employee cards.

Get more details at our American Express Business Gold Card review.

The Business Platinum Card^® from American Express

Weight: ~17 grams

Overview: The Business Platinum Card from American Express is a premium business card. While it carries a $695 annual fee, frequent travelers and big spenders will likely have an easy time getting that back and more each year. You’ll earn 5X points on flights and prepaid hotels on Amextravel.com; 1.5X points on eligible purchases at U.S. suppliers of construction materials and hardware, U.S. retailers of electronic goods, U.S. providers of shipping, software and cloud systems, and eligible purchases of $5,000 or more (up to $2 million per year, then 1X); and 1X points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.

Welcome bonus: Earn 120,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

Other perks: The card is packed with benefits, including up to a $400 annual Dell credit, complimentary access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide (including the Centurion Lounges), an application fee credit of up to $100 every 4 years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck, complimentary Marriot Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status, and more. Select benefits require enrollment.

Get more details at The Business Platinum Card from American Express review.

Amazon Business Prime American Express Card

Weight: ~14 grams

Overview: The Amazon Business Prime American Express Card is designed for business owners who have an Amazon Prime or Business Prime membership. The card itself, however, has a $0 annual fee. It offers 5% back in Amazon Rewards points or no interest for 90 days on U.S. Amazon Business, AWS, Amazon.com, and Whole Foods purchases (on up to $120,000 in purchases per calendar year, after that 1%); 2% back at U.S. restaurants, U.S. gas stations, and purchases with U.S. wireless providers; and 1% back on all other eligible purchases.

Welcome bonus: Earn a $125 Amazon gift card upon approval.

Other perks: The card offers enhanced data views for your purchases, the ability to add receipts and notes to transactions, free employee cards, and various purchase and travel protections.

Learn more in our Amazon Business Prime American Express Card review.

9 metal credit cards for luxury travelers

If you travel on the regular and want a VIP experience every time, these luxury cards can make the difference you’re looking for. Just be prepared for the likelihood that you'll need an excellent credit score as well.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Weight: ~17 grams

Overview: The Platinum Card from American Express is a rewards card that offers significant travel perks, a generous welcome bonus, and a flexible rewards program. Cardmembers earn 5X points per dollar spent on eligible airfare (on up to $500,000 per calendar year, after that 1X) and eligible hotel purchases, and 1X points per dollar on all other eligible purchases. This card’s annual fee is $695.

Welcome bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $8,000 on purchases on your new card in the first 6 months.

Other perks: Like the business version, this card provides several elite benefits that make the annual fee easier to justify. This card offers up to $200 in annual Uber Cash and up to $100 in Saks Fifth Avenue credits each year. You’ll also get complimentary airport lounge access to several different networks, an application fee credit of up to $100 every 4 years for Global Entry or up to $85 every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck, complimentary Marriot Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status, and more. Select benefits require enrollment.

Get more details at The Platinum Card from American Express review.

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

Weight: ~12 grams

Overview: The Chase Sapphire Reserve combines the strength of the Ultimate Rewards program and a suite of elite travel perks. Cardholders earn 5X points on flights and 10X points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually; 3X points on other travel and dining & 1X points per dollar on all other purchases. 

When redeeming rewards, you’ll get 50% more value if you use points to book travel through Chase. Alternatively, you can transfer your points to the bank’s travel partners. The card has a $550 annual fee.

Welcome offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Other perks: The card offers a slew of perks, including an annual $300 travel credit, an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and complimentary access to Priority Pass airport lounges. You’ll also get access to various trip protections, including primary rental car insurance, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, emergency evacuation and transportation, and more.

Get more details at our Chase Sapphire Reserve review.

U.S. Bank Altitude^® Reserve Visa Infinite^® Card

Weight: ~13 grams

Overview: While the U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite card isn’t as much of a heavy-hitter as other general premium credit cards, it still packs a punch for existing U.S. Bank customers. You’ll earn 5X on prepaid hotel and car rentals booked in the Altitude Rewards Center; 3X points on eligible travel and mobile wallet purchases; and 1X points for all other eligible purchases. The annual fee is $400.

Sign-up bonus: Earn a 50,000 point bonus after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days.

Other perks: Card benefits include up to a $325 annual travel credit, a complimentary 12-month membership to Priority Pass lounges with eight free visits per membership year, an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, and chauffeur and rental car perks.

Get more information in our U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite card review.

Citi^® / AAdvantage^® Executive World Elite Mastercard^®

Weight: ~18 grams

Overview: If you book air travel often and prefer American Airlines, the Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard could provide benefits that go above and beyond the typical priority boarding and free checked bags. You’ll earn 10X miles on hotels booked through aa.com/hotels and eligible car rentals booked through aa.com/cars, 4X miles on eligible American Airlines purchases (after spending $150,000 per calendar year this increases to 5X for the remainder of the calendar year), and 1X miles for every $1 spent on other purchases. The annual fee is $595.

Sign-up bonus: Earn 70,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $7,000 within the first 3 months of account opening (limited time offer).

Other perks: The card offers priority check-in, priority airport screening, and preferred boarding for you and up to eight others on your flight reservation. You’ll also get an application fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, Admirals Club lounge membership, a 25% discount on in-flight food and drinks, and 10,000 Loyalty Points when you spend $40,000 or more in a year.

Find out more in our Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard review.

United Club℠ Infinite Card

Weight: ~12 grams

Overview: Frequent United flyers could find incredible value in the United Club Infinite Card, including lounge access and other common airline card perks. Cardholders earn 4X miles on United purchases; 2X miles on other travel and dining (including eligible delivery services), 1X miles on all other purchases. The card’s annual fee is $525.

Welcome offer: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.

Other perks: Unlike most airline cards, this card gives you your first and second checked bag free. You’ll also get United Club lounge membership, Premier Access, IHG Rewards Platinum Elite status, $75 IHG credit through Dec. 31, 2023, and more.

Get more details at our United Club Infinite Card review.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant^® American Express^® Card

Weight: ~15 grams

Overview: If you’re a fan of Marriott Bonvoy hotels, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card may add a lot of value to your experience. Cardholders earn 6X points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, 3X points at worldwide restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2X points on all other eligible purchases. The card’s annual fee is $650.

Welcome bonus: Earn two 85K Free Night Awards after spending $6,000 in purchases in the first 6 months (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for each award; offer ends 11/1/2023).

Other perks: The card offers up to a $300 annual (up to $25 per month) statement credit toward eligible dining purchases, one free night worth up to 85,000 points for your account anniversary, complimentary Platinum Elite status, Priority Pass Select membership, and more. Select benefits require enrollment.

Get more details at our Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express card review.

Mastercard^® Black Card™

Weight: ~22 grams

Overview: The Mastercard^® Black Card™ is an elite travel card that provides luxury perks you can’t get with most other metal credit cards. Cardholders can redeem their rewards for airfare at a rate of 2% and will get 1.5% back when they redeem for anything else. The Mastercard Black Card has an annual fee of $495.

Sign-up bonus: N/A

Other perks: Cardholders get access to several perks, including a $100 annual airline credit, luxury gifts, cruise privileges, charter services, chauffeured transportation, airport meet and assist, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit, Priority Pass Select lounge access, and more.

Get more information in our Mastercard^® Black Card™ review.

Mastercard^® Gold Card™

Weight: ~22 grams

Overview: The Mastercard^® Gold Card™ has the highest annual fee of any of the cards on our list at $995. But that cost may be worth it for some who like the card’s prestige and the perks it provides. The card has a 24-carat gold-plated design and cardholders can redeem their points at a 2% rate for airfare and cash back rewards.

Sign-up bonus: N/A

Other perks: Cardholders will receive luxury gifts, as well as have access to global luggage delivery, cruise privileges, charter services, chauffeured transportation, airport meet and assist, a $200 annual airline credit, a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application credit, Priority Pass lounge access, and invitation-only, once-in-a-lifetime experiences through Mastercard Priceless.

Learn more in our Mastercard^® Gold Card™ review.

Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card

Weight: ~12 grams

Overview: The Delta SkyMiles^® Reserve American Express Card enables you to earn 3X miles per dollar spent on purchases made directly with Delta and at hotels; 2X miles per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets; and 1X miles for every dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. It has an annual fee of $550.

Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first 6 months.

Other perks: The Delta SkyMiles Reserve gives you complimentary access to the Delta Sky Club. You can get complimentary access to the Centurion Lounge when you book your flight with your Delta SkyMiles Reserve card. Select benefits require enrollment.

Get more details at our Delta SkyMiles Reserve review.

What’s the deal with metal credit cards?

The first metal credit cards made their debut in the 1920s when department stores began issuing metal charge plates and coins that allowed customers to buy on credit. However, those “cards” were designed to be used at one store only.

When the first multi-purpose charge card, the Diners Club card, came around in 1950, it was made of cardboard and could be used at 28 different restaurants and two hotels. In 1958, when Bank of America created the first general-purpose credit card, which is what we’re used to today, plastic became the norm.

Then in 1999, American Express launched The Centurion Card from American Express, which was made of titanium. This introduction gave rise to other luxury metal credit cards, including the Visa Black Card — now the Mastercard^® Black Card™ — and more.

Now there are more than a dozen metal credit cards on the market. While some have steep annual fees, others are much more affordable, making it possible for just about anyone to have one in their wallet.

What are metal credit cards made of?

Depending on the card, it could be made of brass, copper, brushed stainless steel, gold, or palladium. Some cards are made from alloys or a combination of plastic and metal.

The weights of metal cards also vary — here are a few cards we weighed to compare:

• The Business Platinum Card® from American Express weighs 0.7 ounces
• Chase Sapphire Reserve weighs 0.5 ounces
• Regular plastic cards, on average, weigh about 0.2 ounces

Metal credit cards are heavier and sturdier than plastic credit cards and can add a little prestige to your experience. But they’re more difficult to destroy if you decide you want to close your account. Also, they may set off metal detectors at the airport and other places that require similar screening.

How to pick a metal credit card

Metal credit cards look pretty and feel nice in your hand, but their true value tends to go beyond their aesthetics. To find the right metal credit card for you, compare different cards and consider multiple factors, including earning potential and benefits.

1. Welcome offers

Most rewards credit cards provide welcome offers to new cardholders that are typically a simple way to earn loads of rewards over a short period of time. There’s often a spending requirement involved, but you can leverage everyday purchases to help qualify for a welcome offer.

If you’re deciding between two similar metal credit cards, you might choose the card with the better welcome offer to potentially receive more upfront value.

2. Rewards program

Points, miles, and cash back are the three most common types of credit card currencies associated with rewards credit cards. One type of currency isn’t necessarily better than the other, as it depends on the specific card and how you want to use your rewards.

But, in general, points and miles make sense if you want to redeem rewards for travel. And cash back is useful for earning cashback rewards on your eligible purchases.

It’s also important to compare earning rates between credit cards. For example, you could go with a simple rewards rate that earns the same amount on every eligible purchase. Or you might want higher reward rates on specific categories, such as groceries and dining, because that’s where you spend most of your money.

3. Perks and benefits

There’s a wide variety of credit card benefits, ranging from airport lounge access to annual statement credits. You might also receive access to a 24/7 concierge service or a useful travel portal, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Travel.

The best perks and benefits for you depend on your preferences, so be sure to find a card that aligns with your lifestyle and/or personal finance goals. For example, it could make sense to apply for a card with a 0% intro APR offer on purchases if you have upcoming large purchases to make.

4. Fees

Some cards have annual fees, while others don’t. Depending on the card, you may or may not have to pay foreign transaction fees on applicable purchases. Looking for these differences between cards can help you find a card that makes sense for you.

FAQs

Bottom line

Metal credit cards are becoming more accessible than ever, and some of them don’t even have an annual fee. As you consider different travel credit cards and other rewards cards, it’s important to view them holistically to find the right new card for you. Check out our list of the best travel credit cards for more information.

If the best credit card for you happens to also be made of metal, you’ll get the extra “wow” factor that comes with it. If not, you can still have the certainty that you’re getting the best value that you qualify for.

Methodology

To determine the best metal credit cards, we first compiled a list of metal credit cards available for consumers and business owners. Then, we identified the key features that can provide value in a metal credit card, including rewards rate, welcome bonus, lounge access, and additional perks. We also considered annual fees and other essential factors.

It is important to note that we did not include all available options. This article is meant to serve as a starting point for further research. It's best to compare your options and do your own research before deciding on the metal credit card that best meets your needs.