There are a lot of mistakes you might make as a consumer when it comes to using credit cards. But one of the biggest credit card mistakes can happen even before you apply for a card — not shopping around for the best deal. A credit card is a financial tool you’ll likely have for years to come, which makes shopping around for the right credit card even more important than shopping around for most things you’ll purchase with it.

Here are three important terms or features you should consider when shopping around for the best credit card deal.

The Best Rates

If you plan to keep a running balance on your credit card or even just use it to finance an occasional large purchase, you’ll want to make sure you have the best interest rates. You should look beyond the purchase rate though. Consider low introductory offers, balance transfer interest rates, and cash advance rates too. Figure out which rates matter most based on how you plan to use the card, and try to get the lowest rates possible.

The Lowest Fees

Nobody likes to pay high annual credit card fees. But it isn’t always possible to get a no annual fee credit card like the HSBC credit card. You might have to accept an annual fee to get a great rewards programme for example. Again, think about how you’ll use the credit card (and what you want most from it). Then shop around for the lowest annual fee in a card that will still give you what you’re looking for. If you want a no frills credit card, a no annual fee offer is definitely worth considering.

The Most Rewards

Do you want to earn rewards points or frequent flyer points for your credit card purchases? Then you should carefully compare rewards programmes and shop around for the best one. Don’t choose a card simply because it gives you the most points per dollar spent. All rewards points are not created equal. Also look at the rewards and their point values. Earning more points isn’t a good thing if it also costs more points for the same rewards.

Ideally, shopping around will get you a credit card with all three of these things. But realistically you might have to decide which is most important to you — great interest rates, low annual fees, or the best rewards programme. Make your top pick your priority when comparing cards, but once you’ve found a few that fit don’t forget to compare the other features for the best all-around deal.