Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
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When you shop at the same retailer often, opening a store credit card could help you save money there. Although this type of credit card can be hit or miss, the best store credit cards have valuable perks, such as rewards and discount offers, and often for no annual fee.
Our experts have reviewed a variety of retail card offers to choose the best store credit cards below.
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Robin Hartill, CFP®, is The Ascent’s Head of Product Ratings and has worked for The Motley Fool since 2020. Her work has appeared in various national publications, including Yahoo! Finance, NerdWallet, Investopedia, CNN Underscored, MSNBC, USA Today, and CNET Money. She previously wrote The Penny Hoarder’s syndicated “Dear Penny” personal finance advice column.
On Citi's Secure Website .
Compare This CardGreat for: Gas and EV charging stations
On Citi's Secure Website .
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
On Citi's Secure Website .
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it.Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 per year and then 1% thereafter 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases. 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com. 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it.
Hard to beat for Costco shoppers with the lucrative rewards program and no annual fee for members. The cash back rates on gas and EV charging are among the highest you'll find. Read Full Review
Great for: General purpose card with high cash back
On Wells Fargo's Secure Website .
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
On Wells Fargo's Secure Website .
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it.Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Intro APR Circle with letter I in it.
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening
Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers
20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it.
Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
$200 cash rewards
This card’s unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases is the highest we’ve seen for a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee. It also has an incredibly easy-to-earn $200 welcome bonus and a decent intro APR offer. We simply haven’t come across this combination of top perks in one card before. Read Full Review
Great for: General purpose card for bonus-category cash back
On Discover's Secure Website .
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
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= Poor
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
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Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
On Discover's Secure Website .
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it.Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it.
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for cards with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches all the cash back new cardholders have earned at the end of the first year. That cash back can seriously add up when you earn 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories (when you activate them, up to the quarterly maximum) and 1% on other purchases. Read Full Review
Great for: General purpose card for bonus-category cash back
On Chase's Secure Website .
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
On Chase's Secure Website .
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it.Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Intro APR Circle with letter I in it.
0% Intro APR on Purchases
Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter! Plus, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% on dining and drugstores, and 1% on all other purchases.
5% cash back offer
Annual Fee Circle with letter I in it.
Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it.
Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening!
This Chase card is one of our favorites, and with good reason. You earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate, alongside other standout perks (and at least 1% on all purchases). Plus, this one comes without an annual fee and with a generous welcome bonus. Read Full Review
Great for: Grocery store rewards and purchase protections
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
19.48% or 29.99% (Variable)
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
5% back on purchases online at Walmart, including Grocery Pickup and Deliver, 2% back on purchases in Walmart stores, 2% back on restaurants and travel purchases, 1% back on other eligible purchases
Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it.
5% back on in-store purchases for the first 12 months
A compelling offer for Walmart fans, but not a fit for anyone seeking a one-card wallet with versatile rewards.
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
Compare This CardGreat for: Home improvement
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Intro APR Circle with letter I in it.
6 months special financing on purchases of $299 or more
Purchases: 6 months special financing
Balance Transfers: N/A
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
5% off Lowe's purchases or 6 months special financing, or 84 fixed monthly payments with reduced APR financing
5% off Lowe's purchases
Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it.
Get 20% off your purchase today when you open and use a new account now through 1/31/24. Up to a $100 discount. Terms apply.
20% off first purchase
You can get quite a bit of value at Lowe's with this card, but that's also the only place you'll be able to use it.
Great for: Target purchases discount and free shipping
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Rewards Circle with letter I in it.
5% discount on Target and Target.com purchases. 2% cash back on gas and dining purchases. 1% cash back on other purchases outside of Target.
Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase over $50 when approved for a credit card.
Good for loyal Target shoppers who can make the most of the purchase discount and free shipping benefits. Target RedCard Credit Card cardholders can also earn rewards on all purchases toward a Target gift card. Otherwise, the card's features are limited for most other people.
With this type of card, the amount of money you save and how often you visit the store in question are usually closely related. Here's how you can pick the best one:
It's only worth getting a store credit card if you shop at a store often -- at least once a month, and it's even better if you visit the store once every week or two.
As you evaluate store cards, here are a few questions that can help you narrow down your options:
Once you've made a list of stores, you can start looking at each of their retail card options to see how they compare to each other. Our credit card comparison tool is a good way to do this.
There are two types of store credit cards:
A closed-loop store credit card can only be used with that specific retailer. For example, a closed-loop Target card will only work for purchases at Target and on Target.com. You can recognize this type of store card because it doesn't have any payment network, such as Visa or Mastercard, stamped in the corner.
An open-loop store credit card is part of a major payment network, typically Visa or Mastercard. It can be used anywhere that payment network is accepted.
An open-loop store credit card is much more useful, since you can pay with it anywhere that type of card is accepted, just like with a regular credit card. There are also good closed-loop store cards available, but they're more limited. You'll need another card for your spending everywhere else, outside that store.
You may want to get a store credit card if you shop at a store multiple times per month. A store credit card can also be a good choice when you want to build credit. Many are available to applicants with lower credit scores, so you could get a store credit card with fair or bad credit.
Outside of those situations, make sure to consider all your card options. In most cases, store cards don't offer nearly as much value as the best credit cards, but there are some exceptions to the rule.
Follow these tips to maximize rewards with a store credit card:
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Gas and EV charging stations
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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= Fair
= Poor
General purpose card with high cash back
2024 Award Winner Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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= Poor
General purpose card for bonus-category cash back
2024 Award Winner Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars. 5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
General purpose card for bonus-category cash back
Rating image, 3.50 out of 5 stars. 3.50/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Grocery store rewards and purchase protections
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars. 4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it.Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Target purchases discount and free shipping
Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® is unavailable on The Ascent. All information was collected independently and not reviewed for accuracy or provided by the credit card issuer. Some items may be out of date.
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
You typically need a credit score of at least 580 to qualify for a store credit card. Credit score requirements vary depending on the store card, so you may need a higher score depending on which card you want.
Credit limits on a store credit card can range from $200 or less to over $5,000. The credit limit you get depends on a variety of factors, including the store card you applied for, your income, and your credit score.
The Fingerhut Credit Account is the easiest store credit card to get. There's no minimum credit score required, and applicants have been approved with bad credit. Note that the Fingerhut Credit Account only works on Fingerhut, a site that tends to charge higher prices for its products than you'd find in other stores. You may want to look at other options to improve your credit, such as secured credit cards.
Share This PageWe're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Wells Fargo is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Costco Wholesale, JPMorgan Chase, Mastercard, PayPal, Target, Visa, and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services and Lowe's Companies and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard, short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard, and short September 2024 $62.50 calls on PayPal. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard and Visa.
