Best Credit Cards for Everyday Use
》Best Debit Cards for Everyday Use
Credit card approval generally requires meeting at least one of these conditions: a bachelor’s degree or higher, an existing credit card, an active auto or mortgage loan, or six months of social security records. The more conditions you meet, the higher your credit limit will be.
The cards recommended below are mostly zero-threshold options:
First is the food delivery card. Our top recommendation is the China Construction Bank Lifestyle Card. Simply download the CCB Life app, register, and apply online to get a digital card with no physical counterpart. It supports online payments and qualifies for various CCB promotions. The two main benefits are:
1. Daily and weekly delivery payment coupons (redeemable and usable only through the CCB Life app; they stack with food delivery platform red packets as supplementary payment discounts)
2. Two monthly CCB swipe instant discount giveaways, where you can draw three times per period based on amount or transaction count, with a minimum guaranteed discount of 3 yuan—roughly 6 yuan per month in baseline savings (from instant discount draws)
Next is ICBC. The standout option is the Wujie Card available through UnionPay QuickPass. Select ICBC when applying. Key advantages include:
1. The UnionPay Wujie Card offers at least two fixed annual promotions with consistent rewards: one 10 yuan offline payment coupon and one online membership quarterly pass per occasion. Additionally, the dynamic premium benefits include one free health checkup annually (requires claiming promptly but is not difficult to secure)
2. ICBC e-Life Plus provides a guaranteed 10–3 yuan WeChat instant discount every month (other restricted-channel rewards omitted for brevity)
Both of these are digital cards, so approval is typically straightforward and immediate (though stricter risk controls may now require visiting a branch to activate).
Finally, consider the Evergrande Visa credit card, whose core advantage lies in JD.com shopping perks:
1. During major JD.com shopping festivals, Evergrande offers substantial payment coupons—often worth dozens or even over a hundred yuan (pair this with the guide》 2022 JD Plus and 1号店 Membership Usage Guide
2. A monthly 1 yuan purchase option (video memberships, 20-yuan JD cards, health checkups, etc.—requires quick claiming but remains achievable)
3. Visa’s foreign currency support is a valuable addition if you engage in cross-border transactions (e.g., overseas servers, international streaming subscriptions, Apple US Store charges, or upfront payments for cross-border e-commerce)
Both Evergrande and ICBC run regular fuel discount promotions, such as 200 minus 20, 200 minus 88, or 200 minus 120. These are commonly available through Alipay (with occasional 30-yuan spending red packets during major sales months), WeChat, and UnionPay QuickPass partner offers. The cards highlighted above require no special qualifications—everyday swipe spending automatically qualifies you, making them essentially zero-threshold to redeem.
Approval is equally straightforward: meet any one of these conditions (six months of social security, a bachelor’s degree or above, an existing credit card, or an active auto/mortgage loan). Satisfying multiple criteria increases your credit limit. After applying, you’ll receive a call from a field representative to finalize card issuance in about half an hour.
Overall, these three credit cards offer the best value. Annual fees are either nonexistent or easily waived through regular swipe activity—simply meeting the minimum number of transactions each year suffices. Thresholds are effectively nonexistent.
You can apply directly via the CCB and ICBC apps with minimal friction. For Evergrande, scanning a QR code during application improves approval odds. Avoid submitting multiple applications in quick succession, as this triggers risk controls. Instead, space out your applications by two to three months, prioritizing based on your personal needs.
Additionally, once you hold a credit card, repayment discount promotions function similarly to WeChat instant discounts and can be directly cashed out》First Discovery of Clever Credit Card Repayment Tactics
For daily use, these three cards should be sufficient. We don’t recommend China Merchants Bank—its promotions are increasingly difficult to capitalize on (the 10 yuan storm has deteriorated), and most people aren’t equipped to chase high-tier benefits, making the effort unrewarding.
It’s wise to also open corresponding debit cards alongside all three credit cards. Any excess repayment discounts can be transferred without loss into your debit card for cash access. Pair this with frequent UnionPay QuickPass usage, payment discounts, and points accumulation—all of which function as direct cash savings》UnionPay QuickPass: The Best Mobile Bank Card Management Tool Available Today
》Best Debit Cards for Everyday Use
If you rarely order food delivery, you can skip the above card combination and instead use the Evergrande Wujie Card as your primary card (for utility bill payments, repayment discounts, and enhanced JD.com festival promotions). Pair it with a CCB Visa card for overseas spending (featuring a recurring monthly 1 yuan purchase offer, effectively yielding ~20 yuan in savings). Make your third card flexible—you can choose any ICBC card, as promotional offerings are reliable, including a monthly 5 yuan red packet frequently shared in community groups.
Apply by scanning QR codes whenever possible, as this streamlines approval.