Rakuten American Express

This card is worth it if Rakuten is already part of how you shop. Earning 4x points on Rakuten purchases is the whole reason to consider it, and the fact that those rewards come as Membership Rewards points gives it more appeal for people who value flexible travel rewards over simple cash back. The $0 annual fee makes it easy to keep for that specific use.

For most readers, though, this is a supporting card rather than a main one. Outside Rakuten, 2x on dining and groceries is usable but not especially strong, and 1x everywhere else is easy to beat. Since there are no listed benefits to help separate it from other no-fee cards, its value depends heavily on whether you will actually route a meaningful amount of online shopping through Rakuten.