The Brim Mastercard has clearly curated its target audience to be millennials with a trendy smartphone app and partner-based rewards, but it can still appeal to other demographics. Its unique features help it stand out in a competitive marketplace for cards with no annual fee.

Bonuses & Fees

There is currently no welcome bonus available on the card.

The card has no annual fee, making it a good long-term keeper for anyone.

Earning Rewards

This card offers a tiered rewards structure:

• Up to 30 points per dollar spent at select Brim partners
• 1 point per $2 spent on all other purchases

Brim's partners range from large brands to small local businesses. You can check which vendors are eligible for bonus rewards in the Brim app. You can read more about Brim's individual partnerships program on their website. If you shop a lot at partner stores, you can take advantage of special offers in the Brim app. In particular, look for Milestone Bonuses from specific vendors in the Brim Marketplace. Also, you're eligible for the same partner bonuses that you'd get with the higher-tier Brim cards. If you shop a lot at those stores, you don't need to shell out a large annual fee, or have a high income, to benefit. Even if you don't shop much at Brim's partners, you'll still earn rewards at other stores.

Redeeming Rewards

Brim Rewards can be redeemed at a rate of 1 cent per point at any time as a statement credit. Given how easy it is to redeem points, it's safe to say they're equivalent to cash back. Redeem your points by clicking the “Redeem” button next to your transactions in the Brim Portal in the app.

Perks & Benefits

This card charges a 1.5% fee for foreign transactions. While that's lower than the standard 2.5%, the Brim Mastercard used to offer no foreign transaction fees, which was one of the main reasons to get the card. You'll get a Boingo Wi-Fi membership as a cardholder, a nice perk that's usually only seen on higher-tier Mastercards.

Insurance Coverage

As the entry level card in the Brim line-up, this card does not offer travel insurance, only limited common carrier accident coverage and the typical extended warranty you'll see on most credit cards. Instead, Brim offers event ticket protector insurance, a unique policy that's not seen on any other credit cards. If you can't attend an event due to one of the covered reasons (such as emergency medical or common carrier accident), you'll be reimbursed for the cost of your event tickets up to $1,000. You'll also get mobile device protection for loss, theft, or damage. Both of these policies are quite a treat to find on a no-fee card.