- 5% back at participating Simon destination retailers and on select online purchases.
- $150 welcome bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days after account opening.
- $0 annual fee.
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You’ve almost certainly been standing at checkout and staring down the barrel of a painfully rehearsed store credit card pitch. Did you take the bait?
Store credit cards aren’t for everyone—but they’re great for some. Whether you’re interested in bonus cash at stores you frequent or 0% APR opportunities for large purchases, a store card may be right up your alley. But you should take a look at non-store cards to ensure that one of those isn’t a better fit for your spending habits.
Let’s take a look at the best store credit cards to help you find the perfect option.
The Simon® American Express® Credit Card is the perfect cash back tool for mall addicts. You’ll earn $150 back after you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 90 days from account opening. You’ll also get:
You’ll also earn statement credits of up to 10% when purchasing gift cards with merchants like Gap and Banana Republic.
To boost your savings, you’ll also have access to Amex Offers. These are targeted statement credits and bonus rewards incentives that you can add to your card through your online account. Amex Offers change all the time, so be sure to keep an eye out for offers that can help you save on purchases you were planning to make anyway.
If you’re one of the many who have become hooked on food-delivery services over the past few years, you know how expensive the service fees and delivery-driver tips can make a reasonably priced meal. The card_name's annual_fee_disclaimer can go a long way in keeping your costs low.
First, you’ll receive a free year of DashPass (normally $96 annually) after account opening. This comes with perks like $0 restaurant-delivery fees and lower service fees on eligible DoorDash orders. You’ll even get 5% in DoorDash credits when you opt to pick up the food yourself. Each year you spend $10,000 on your card, you’ll get another free year of DashPass.
You’ll also get a solid return for your spending:
Particularly for a no-annual-fee credit card, this is an above-average return for dining, whether you eat at the restaurant or order delivery.
Introductory Offer:
Card Rewards:
Additional Benefits:
Member FDIC
The card_name serves exclusively one demographic: Big Disney spenders. Here’s why:
This card earns Disney Reward Dollars for everyday purchases. You’ll get 5% back on purchases made directly with DisneyPlus.com, Hulu.com, or ESNPlus.com, 2% back at gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and most Disney U.S. locations, and 1% back on all other eligible purchases.
The Disney Premier Card charges a annual_fees annual fee. But you’ll also earn a $300 statement credit after spending $1,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening—making the card well worth a test drive for a year to see if it complements your Disney-crazed lifestyle.
Introductory Offer:
Card Rewards:
Additional Benefits:
Member FDIC
Instacart is a platform that allows you to select and buy groceries (and other things) online from local stores. You can have them delivered, or you can pick them up yourself.
Groceries are the biggest monthly credit card expense for many of us, so getting the absolute biggest return for your grocery spending is important. The card_name offers a huge earning rate on groceries—and a respectable return for other common purchases, too:
You’ll even get a $100 Instacart credit and a free year of Instacart+ membership after you’ve opened your credit card account. That means free delivery for purchases over $35, lower service fees, and a 5% credit when you choose to pick up your shopping (instead of having it delivered). Instacart+ is normally $99 per year.
All information about the Instacart Mastercard® has been collected independently by TIME Stamped.
The card_name is one of the most versatile cash back credit cards you can open because of its monster return rate at Amazon and Whole Foods. Between those two brands, you can get just about anything you’d possibly need.
Here’s what you’ll earn:
You’ll also earn 10% back (or more) for a rotating selection of products thanks to a perk called “Prime Card Bonus.”
While this card does not charge an annual fee, only Amazon Prime members are eligible. If you don’t have Amazon Prime (which costs $139 per year), you’re only eligible for the less-premium Amazon Visa with inferior earning rates.
All information about the Prime Visa has been collected independently by TIME Stamped.
The card's annual_fees (Rates & Fees) annual fee by Citi is surprisingly useful outside the brick-and-mortar walls of a Costco warehouse.
Its crowning feature is the ability to earn 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging (up to $7,000 in spending per year, then 1% thereafter). This includes gas stations that are not affiliated with Costco. There are some strings attached, though—gas purchased at a supermarket, superstore, convenience store, or warehouse club (other than Costco) will only earn 1%. In other words, only standalone gas stations will earn 4% back.
You’ll also earn:
While this card doesn’t tout a public bonus, you can ask in-store if you’re targeted for any special offers for applying. You might get lucky.
One other thing: You can only redeem your cash back once per year after your February statement closes. You can ask for cash or simply use it for free merchandise at Costco warehouses within the U.S.
The Apple Card doesn’t have ground-breaking rewards. It doesn’t offer a welcome bonus, and its bonus categories are a bit on the niche side. But there are some unique aspects to what it offers.
The card earns “Daily Cash,” which is effectively cash back that you can redeem toward a statement credit on your card (or in other ways within the Apple universe). Daily cash is deposited instantly into your rewards account—so when you swipe your card, your available cash balance will increase the same day. Pretty handy, as many other credit cards won’t deposit your rewards until after your billing cycle.
The card earns:
One of the big selling points of the card is the ability to set up monthly installments for Apple purchases. If you’re always purchasing Apple products, this card gives you the power to buy new Apple products and pay over time without incurring interest.
The no-annual-fee Lowe’s Advantage Card has a very generous return rate for in-store purchases that’ll interest anyone who does meaningful spending at Lowe’s. But the real winners are folks like contractors who are in charge of purchasing their own materials (though exclusions may apply based on your situation).
This card comes with an intro offer of 20% off (up to $100) on your first purchase. You’ll then earn a flat 5% back on eligible purchases on Lowes.com and in U.S. Lowe’s stores.
You can also opt to forego the 5% return for special six-month financing on qualifying purchases. Or, you can go with 84 fixed monthly payments at a reduced APR of 9.99%. This only applies to purchases totaling at least $2,000. It’s obviously never a good idea to carry a balance, but this gives you a reasonable interest rate if you need to.
The My Best Buy® Visa® Card is frustrating in that it’s got valuable benefits but can be downright predatory for anyone who fails to read the fine print carefully.
Let’s start with the good stuff. You’ll earn:
The rewards you earn can only be redeemed for items at Best Buy. You’ll also receive exclusive financing thanks to your card. This includes interest-free windows between 12 and 36 months, depending on what you’re buying.
Now for the ugly. If you take advantage of the card’s interest-free financing, but you fail to pay off the purchase in full before the 0% APR period ends, you’ll be retroactively charged all the interest you would have accrued. This is called “deferred interest,” and it’s very dangerous. Don’t opt for it if you aren’t absolutely certain that you can pay off your purchase in time.
To make matters worse, the My Best Buy Card charges a variable interest rate above 30%. Very few cards do this. It can spell huge trouble if you find yourself carrying a balance month-to-month.
It’s also worth mentioning that this card’s annual fee is between $0 and $59, based on your creditworthiness. You won’t know whether your card charges an annual fee until after you apply.
Card name | Annual fees | Credit score | Bonus rewards |
---|---|---|---|
$0 | Good | $150 cash back | |
annual_fees | credit_score_needed | bonus_miles_full | |
annual_fees | credit_score_needed | bonus_miles_full | |
annual_fees | credit_score_needed | bonus_miles | |
annual_fees | credit_score_needed | bonus_miles | |
annual_fees
(Rates & Fees) | credit_score_needed | bonus_miles | |
$0 | Good | K.A. | |
$0 | Good | 20% discount | |
$0 - $59 | Good | 10% back |
There are loads of store credit cards out there. Choosing the right one isn’t always easy—even if you know which store you want to shop at.
We examined the store credit cards that offered the most upside in terms of:
We also considered the ubiquity of each store. In other words, if a credit card had excellent perks but has only a small footprint in the Midwest, we did not include it.
Too often, customers get talked into opening a card at checkout just to receive a 15% discount on their $70 cart. Don’t acquiesce unless you shop at that particular store a lot—and you know that opening another credit card will be a net positive to your wallet.
And don’t let the cashier’s rousing spiel cause you to make any decisions you otherwise wouldn’t.
Credit cards can sometimes become little more than an accessory. If you’re passionate about your favorite store, you may just want a credit card that signals to everyone else your enthusiasm about the retailer.
Make sure the benefits that come with the card are actually worth your application. If a card’s main feature is its ability to confer special financing for large purchases, and that’s something you’ll never use, a simple cash back card would likely be a bigger win for you.
You can bet that whichever store card you’re considering has its share of nickel-and-dime terms and conditions buried in the mouse type. Whether its astonishingly high interest rates for balances carried month-to-month or big fees, read carefully before you sign up.
A store credit card is not to be confused with a “store card.” While both offer unique perks for a specific merchant, they’ve got one massive difference.
A store card can only be used at the issuing store. It can’t be used, for example, at the gas station on the way home. A store credit card can be used anywhere, just like any other credit card. Store credit cards are valuable for those who do a lot of shopping at the same place, but want the freedom to use the card elsewhere if they want.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Statement credits and memberships for specific brands | Welcome bonuses much smaller than the best rewards credit cards |
Rewards are focused on your favorite merchants | Limited value outside the cobranded store |
Special financing occasionally offered for store purchases | High interest rates |
If you find yourself consistently shopping at the same merchant, it could be worthwhile to check out its credit card options. Even if you use a cash back credit card with a solid return on all spending as your daily driver, a store card could have an even higher earning rate, opportunities for 0% interest financing, and big discounts at checkout.
Read the fine print. Store cards can come with less-than-friendly terms. You want to know where the booby traps are so you can avoid them. For example, when a card charges deferred interest, that means it won’t charge you interest for carrying a balance for a specific amount of time. If you fail to pay off your purchase within that window, you’ll receive one massive interest fee in the amount of all the APR that you would have accrued during the months you carried a balance.
Time the welcome bonus. Some store credit cards come with a welcome offer in the form of a rebate for your next purchase (or series of purchases). If the card you want has a similar time-sensitive bonus, be sure you open it at the right time to maximize its value.
Practice healthy credit card habits. Use your store credit card as you do your other credit cards. Pay your balances in full each month to avoid interest charges; keep your credit utilization low. If you're taking advantage of a 0% intro APR offer, pay your bill in full before it ends.
It’s often the case that a credit card not affiliated with a specific merchant can give you the biggest bang for your swipe. You’ll find many cash back and travel rewards cards have more generous purchase protection, higher welcome bonuses, and more versatile rewards.
For example, the no annual fee Citi Double Cash® Card earns 1% back when you make a purchase and 1% back when you pay off that purchase. An effective 2% everywhere is a solid return that may not outperform some store credit cards when shopping in-store, but it can make up for it by earning 2% on all your other expenses, as well. The card also offers an extremely generous balance_transfer_intro_apr,balance_transfer_intro_duration. Learn more from our full review.
With a little bit of research, you’ll find rewards credit cards with welcome bonuses worth $1,000+ in cash. You’ll find travel credit cards that come with many hundreds of dollars in statement credits each year. These are things you won’t find on a store credit card.
For the most part, store credit cards are (understandably) the most competent when used at whichever store name is on the front of the card. Be sure you make enough purchases at that particular store to warrant an application.
If you have no credit, you’ll likely have more luck applying for a closed-loop store card—that is, a “credit” card that only works at the store that issues it. In other words, you can’t use it as a regular credit card for purchases anywhere credit cards are accepted.
The Fingerhut Credit Card has been known to approve applicants with limited credit history.
If you have a credit score of 580, you shouldn’t be focused on rewards credit cards. It’s possible to get a store card, such as the Fingerhut Credit Card, but it’s better to work on improving your score to at least “good” (defined as 670 or above by FICO) before prioritizing rewards.
Store credit cards aren’t particularly hard to get. If you can qualify for any other rewards card, you can likely qualify for the store credit card you’ve got your eye on.
Dozens of stores around the country offer their own rewards card—from drugstores like CVS to furniture stores like IKEA to giants like Walmart to clothing stores like Banana Republic. If your favorite store is a nationwide chain, there’s a good chance it’s got some type of credit card.
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