In a Nutshell
If you bank with First National Bank of Omaha and are looking to add a credit card from the bank, you may want to consider our picks in three categories of cards. Here are the cards that are best for cash back, low APR and building credit.Finding the best credit card for your needs at a particular bank can be overwhelming.
To make your life a bit easier, we’ve picked the best First National Bank credit cards in three categories. Just know that some of First National Banks’ products can be different depending on your location and aren’t offered everywhere.
Card | Best for |
---|---|
First National Bank American Express® Card | Earning cash back |
Platinum Edition® Visa® Card | Low interest |
Secured Visa® Card | Building credit |
Best for earning cash back: First National Bank American Express® Card
Here’s why: The First National Bank American Express® Card may be a good option if you want to earn cash back without having to worry about how or when to redeem it.
Figuring out how to redeem rewards or cash back can be confusing. If you’d rather have your cash back automatically redeemed as a statement credit whenever you qualify, this card might be for you.
When you reach a cash back balance of $25, your points will be automatically redeemed as a $25 statement credit. So you won’t have to worry about remembering to check your cash back balance or to manually redeem rewards.
Even though the simplicity this card offers is nice, you’ll earn less cash back than you could with other flat-rate cash back credit cards. The First National Bank American Express® Card earns 1.5% cash back on all purchases, while similar credit cards may offer 2% or more cash back.
But your rewards never expire, and you never have to pay an annual fee with this card. Plus, if you spend $500 on purchases within the first three billing cycles, you’ll get a $100 automatic statement credit.
Best for low interest: Platinum Edition® Visa® Card
Here’s why: If you’re looking for a low potential regular APR on purchases and balance transfers, the Platinum Edition® Visa® Card may be for you.
Among our picks, the Platinum Edition® Visa® Card offers the lowest APR on purchases. Annual percentage rates on purchases and balance transfers come in at a variable 12.24% to 20.24%, but the APR you’ll actually get if you qualify for the card can depend on a number of factors, including your credit. If you’re planning to carry a balance, securing the lowest APR possible should be a top priority.
To make things sweeter, you’ll get an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles. After that, the regular variable APR on balance transfers kicks in (12.24% to 20.24%). Unfortunately, fees can take a bite out of the savings from an intro 0% APR for balance transfers. This card charges you an introductory balance transfer fee of $10 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, for transfers made in the first 15 billing cycles. After that, you’ll be charged the greater of $10 or 5% on any transfers you make.
The card has no annual fee and offers a $25 statement credit when you make a purchase within the first three billing cycles.
While this card is decent for a First National Bank of Omaha credit card, some cards from other issuers have better intro balance transfer APRs and may even have intro purchase APR offers.
Best for building credit: Secured Visa® Card
Here’s why: The Secured Visa® Card gives people with no credit or less-than-stellar credit a chance to build their credit health. It reports activity to all three major credit bureaus.
Secured credit cards are a great way to build credit, and the Secured Visa® Card makes that easy. The card doesn’t charge an annual fee, so you won’t have to pay to build your credit unless you carry a balance or incur fees. It even allows you to view your FICO® credit score for free each month to monitor your credit-building progress.
The card offers flexibility by allowing you to request your own credit limit. You do so by providing an initial security deposit between $300 and $5,000 — in multiples of $50 — when you apply (depending on your credit).
You may qualify for a credit limit increase without any additional deposit in as little as seven months, as long as you’re regularly using your card and paying on time. Also, if you maintain a positive payment history, you may even be able to get your deposit back automatically in as little as 11 months. Though the credit limit increase and return of deposit are both subject to credit approval.
Combined, these features may make it easier to stay motivated to maintain positive credit habits while building credit. After all, who doesn’t want their security deposit back?
How we picked these cards
When picking the above categories, we focused on different ways consumers may need to use credit cards. Although some people prefer flexible rewards, automatic cash back may work better for others. We know not everyone is interested in rewards or cash back, so we also included categories for low APR and building credit.
After we settled on the above categories, we took a look at First National Bank of Omaha’s credit card offerings. Then we carefully evaluated each credit card’s benefits as well as any drawbacks before selecting the best First National Bank of Omaha card for each category.
How to make the most of First National Bank of Omaha cards
The main reason to get a First National Bank of Omaha credit card is to keep all of your banking at the same institution. By keeping your checking, savings and credit card account with one institution, you don’t have to keep track of multiple accounts at different locations. This could help reduce stress and keep your finances on track.
While First National Bank of Omaha’s credit card offerings aren’t amazing, they aren’t awful either. That said, you can easily find a better credit card in each of the above categories if you’re willing to open a credit card account with another bank or card issuer. The extra work to keep up with one more statement from a different issuer could be worth it.