Top 4 Credit Cards for Investors

More than almost anyone else, investors tend to be keenly aware of just how valuable their time is. Hours they spend studying markets and learning their craft must be used wisely if they hope to make it count. After all, when you’re angling to get the highest return and outsmart other investors, time is money.

For that reason, it’s fairly common for investors to use travel and other rewards credit cards to their advantage. Doing so takes up hardly any time at all, yet the rate of return can be astronomical.

With the right rewards card, you can easily earn up to 5% back on all your regular spending. Since you can achieve these returns without any effort or time invested, this is truly “free money,” provided you have the discipline to pay your bill in full each month.

4 Top Credit Cards for Investors

But, which travel or rewards card will you get? Most investors are inclined to consider cards that offer the highest rate of return for their time and effort. Here are four cards you should absolutely consider:

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is consistently named as one of the top travel rewards cards on the market and for good reason. This card offers a great rate of return with a $95 Annual Fee. You also get a signup bonus and important consumer protections.

Here’s exactly how this card works: Sign up and spend $4,000 on your card within three months of account opening to earn their best offer yet of 60,000 bonus points. You’ll enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.

You can redeem your points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal or transfer them 1:1 to popular loyalty partners like United MileagePlus, Southwest Airlines, Marriott Rewards, and British Airways. You can also cash them in for high-value gift cards and statement credits at a rate of one cent per point.

On the consumer side, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card offers more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. The annual fee on this card is $95, but there are no foreign transaction fees charged with this card, making it ideal for international trips.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Another personal credit card that’s ideal for investors is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. This card is unique in the fact that you earn an unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, every day. On the redemption side, you can cash in your points for any travel you want at a rate of one cent per point.

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. The annual fee is $95.

Rate & Fees *Information for this card is not reviewed by or provided by Capital One

Ink Business Preferred ^® Credit Card

While it’s smart to have a rewards card that lets you earn points and miles on your regular spending, you should have a separate business credit card if you own your own business. Doing so will allow you to keep business spending separate from personal spending. You’ll also be able to earn rewards on your business spending, which could add up quickly if you have considerable business expenses to cover.

One of the best cards for business owners who are also investors, is the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card. This card has a $95 annual fee, but it lets you earn valuable points in the Chase Travel℠ travel program. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for business owners who travel abroad.

Earn 90k bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 cash back or $1,125 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Travel℠. Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year. Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Travel℠.

Since these points belong in the Chase Travel℠ program, you can use them in multiple ways. Not only can you redeem them for travel booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards® portal, but you can transfer them 1:1 to Chase transfer partners. You can also use them for gift cards or statement credits.

The information related to The Ink Business Preferred® credit card has been collected by CreditSoup.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

If you’re an investor and business owner who doesn’t want to keep track of specific rewards programs, you should also consider the Capital One Spark Miles for Business. This card lets you earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. On the redemption side, your best bet is cashing in your points for any travel expense you want at a rate of one cent per point. However, you can also redeem your points for statement credits or gift cards.

Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles – equal to $500 in travel – once you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. The $95 annual fee is also waived the first year, making this a stellar card option for someone who wants to try out their new card’s benefits for a year for free. Finally, there are no foreign transaction fees with this card and the miles you can earn are unlimited.

Rate & Fees *Information for this card not reviewed by or provided by Capital One

The Bottom Line

If you’re an investor who is angling to get the most bang for their buck, make sure to explore travel and rewards card options that could help you earn free travel, cash-back, and more. Many cards make earning rewards easy, and you’ll score free money provided you avoid debt and use credit responsibly.

For investors seeking a high rate of return for their time, it doesn’t get any better than that.