The ones with fees have rewards points associated with them generally, some will let you use the points to waive the fees. I would suggest getting one without the rewards though, it's really hard to make use of them on time and they are more of a gimmick to get people to run their balance up.

Typically the cards I see that charge annual fees are cards geared towards individuals with poor credit. The fee helps hedge their risk if they issue you a card, you run the balance up, and then file bankruptcy or disappear.

If you have good/excellent credit, you should go with a card that charges no annual fee. Keep in mind, however, that if a card has an annual fee but has a lower interest rate, it might still be worth your while, depending on your spending habits.

Those would be quite the crazy mad spending habits though.

I have always just went with the ones that have no fees. I only have one credit card now. But I have been seeing a ton and in the little fine print it say annual fee. Heck it looks like that is the first charge on your card from what I can see.

The identity protection programs some cards offer are bogus too, they have to do most of that stuff by law anyway.

You're right that they do have to do this by law if I remember right. They get the people for that insurance that don't realize that.

or those $30 checks in the mail that automatically enroll you in the program.

Yes but you are not enrolled unless you cash the check right? That's just how I thought it worked but I could be wrong.

That's correct, if you look under the endorsement (on the back of the check) it is actually a bunch of fine print saying that you agree to sign up for all that stuff.

It's actually called ....sucka fees.