Along with purchase interest rates, annual fees are probably one of the most popular features people consider when comparing credit cards. That’s because all credit cards either have an annual fee (meaning there is a similar point of comparison) or they use “no annual fee” as a marketing tactic to set a card apart.

The fact that it’s an easy comparison point isn’t a good enough reason to consider annual fees though. After all, those fees may be worth it with one card that offers a lot of perks and a rewards programme and completely not worthwhile with another credit card. But even though annual fees don’t really lend themselves to simple direct comparisons, there are still several reasons these fees are important. Let’s take a look at three reasons you should take a serious look at a credit card’s annual fee before applying for it. read more..