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Best store credit cards of 2024

We've broken down which store cards are worth your attention this year.

Kevin Joey Chen's headshot
Steven Dashiell's headshot

By

Kevin Joey Chen

&

Steven Dashiell

Updated

Fact checked

When it comes to store credit cards, the “best” one can often depend on where you spend the most time and money. Ultimately, a store credit card isn’t any good if you can never use it.

Given this, we picked cards for our list based on which products were most effective for their respective retailers. We placed heavy value on the highest rewards rates. When appropriate, we considered cards with standout benefits.

  • Why trust us? Unlike our competitors, Finder’s credit card experts research and write about all credit cards, including those from providers who aren’t partners on our site. Our trustworthy, unbiased evaluations are solely meant to help you choose the best credit card for your financial needs.

Best super-store credit card

Target REDcard™ Credit Card

Welcome Offern/a
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score580

Best store card for online shopping

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Terms apply, see rates & fees.
Welcome Offer$200
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670

Partner terms and conditions
The information about Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card has been collected independently by Finder and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer.

Best store card for travel

Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi

3.4
★★★★★

Finder score

Welcome Offern/a
RewardsUp to 4% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score740

Best store card for flexible spending

My Best Buy® Visa® Card

Welcome Offern/a
RewardsUp to 6% cash back
Annual feeUp to $0
Minimum credit score670

Partner terms and conditions
Information about this card has been collected independently by Finder.

Best store card for everyday purchases

Walmart Rewards™ Mastercard®

Terms apply, see rates & fees.
Welcome Offer
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score580

Best warehouse shopping card

Sam's Club® Mastercard®

4
★★★★★

Finder score

Terms apply, see rates & fees.
Welcome Offer$30
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670

Best store card for Apple fans

Apple Card

Welcome Offer$50
RewardsUp to 3% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670

Compare all store credit cards

Browse more store credit card to earn rewards and get store benefits.
See all cards

How to choose the best store credit cards

There are countless rewards credit cards available through retailers. Choosing one comes down to a few key factors:
  • Review which stores you shop at most. This is probably the easiest place to start. If you don’t normally shop at a given store, you won’t find much value in the corresponding store card.
  • Look at the rewards. Check the rewards rate you’ll earn on store purchases. For example, with an open-loop card, you may earn bonus rewards for other bonus categories too.
  • Consider the store perks. A store card can sometimes be worth picking up just because of its benefits. You might want access to free shipping, for example, or invitations to exclusive events. Carefully check a card’s benefits page to see if there are any can’t-miss features.
  • How easy is the card to use? Store credit cards can sometimes have more restrictions than general credit cards. You may, for example, need a store membership in order to apply for a card. And you’ll want to check whether a card is open-loop or closed-loop. With store cards, you often earn a rewards certificate only after you reach a specific number of points. Check what this threshold might be, and consider how easily you can reach it.
  • What is the APR? Store cards tend to have very high interest rates. Check the APR before signing up.

How do store credit cards work?

Store cards work like any other card where you use it at the store to make purchases and get some benefits like rewards, free shipping or deferred interest. But unlike other cards, store cards have two versions: closed-loop and open-loop.

A closed-loop card means you can use the card only with the issuing store or its designated partners. An open-loop card means you can use the card anywhere that accepts its card network. For example, you might see a Visa logo on the card, meaning the card is valid anywhere Visa is accepted.

Pros and cons of using store credit cards

Like any other product, there are advantages and disadvantages of store credit cards.

Pros

  • Rewards. Store credit cards reward you with points you can use to shave a few dollars off your next purchase.
  • Bonuses. Some store credit cards have sweeteners like gift certificates or bonus points on signup.
  • Shopping benefits. You may be eligible for exclusive extras such as special financing or free shipping.
  • Build credit. Most store credit cards report your usage to the three major credit bureaus. For potential cardholders with poor or fair credit scores, this can prove a decent supplement to a secured card.
  • Deferred interest. This feature is offered with some store credit cards, and it’s a double-edged sword. If used correctly, it can be an incredibly useful feature.

Cons

  • High interest. Store credit card debts generally accrue interest at a higher rate than other credit cards. They may also come with higher fees than you’d find on a nonstore card.
  • Limitations. You may earn fewer points per dollar spent when you shop at a retailer not affiliated with the store card provider, or may be restricted in where you can redeem your rewards. Many store cards also may have reward limitations, such as earning store points rather than cashback rewards.
  • Many are closed-loop. With a closed-loop store card, it means you can only use it for purchases within the affiliated store. This drastically cuts down on the overall utility of the card.
  • Lower credit limits on average. Since store cards tend to have more forgiving credit requirements than other kinds of cards, they tend to offer smaller maximum credit limits compared to a standard rewards card.

When is a store card card worth it?

Because of its features such as rewards, deferred interest, store-exclusive benefits and discounts, store cards are often worth it.

  • Get a store card if you often shop at the store and you always pay your balance on time.
  • Don’t get a store card if you tend to carry your balance and the card doesn’t offer a deferred interest or an interest-free period.

You asked, we listened: Top 3 common questions

  1. Where else can I use a store credit card? This depends on whether the card is closed-loop or open-loop. If it’s closed-loop, you can use it only within the issuing store network. If it’s open-loop — meaning it has a card network on it, such as Visa or Mastercard — you can use it anywhere the network is accepted.
  2. How do I transfer my credit card balance to a store credit card? Store credit cards often don’t allow balance transfers. You might not be able to make these transactions even with an open-loop card. However, some cards do allow them. If you’re unsure whether your card allows balance transfers, check its terms and conditions. Alternatively, call your provider and ask to speak with a representative.
  3. What credit score do I need to apply for a store credit card? Unfortunately, there’s no hard-and-fast rule, but many applicants have luck applying with fair credit scores. Of course, you’ll have better odds with a good to excellent credit score.

How are store cards different than traditional credit cards?

The difference between traditional and store credit cards largely depends on the latter. If the store card is Visa or Mastercard, it’s often the same as a traditional credit card. The difference comes with a close-loop store card.

Store card

  • Close-loop. Close-loop cards can only be used at the store or at partner stores and nowhere else. This makes it a poor choice if you want to use it for purchases at other retailers.
  • Deferred interest. Store cards may offer a deferred interest. This means you can make a purchase at the store and pay it off in many months without paying interest. However, if you fail to pay it off by the time the deferred interest period is up, you’ll pay interest accrued from the moment you made your purchase.
  • Limited redemption options. Store cards rarely allow you to redeem your rewards for travel purchases, gift cards or anything other than credit to use at the store.
  • Poor signup bonus. Store cards rarely offer a signup bonus that rivals standard credit cards. This is typically a discount or a gift card you can use at the store up to $50.

Traditional credit cards

  • Open-loop. Use your credit card wherever cards are an accepted payment method in the US and abroad.
  • Intro APR period. Unlike deferred interest, a 0% intro APR period doesn’t charge interest retroactively if you fail to pay off your balance by the time the interest period is up. You only start to accrue interest once the intro APR period is over and on any remaining unpaid balance.
  • Various redemption options. You can often redeem your rewards for statement credit, cash deposit into your account, on travel purchases, gift cards, merchandise, to pay for Amazon.com purchases and more.
  • Generous signup bonus. Depending on the card, you can earn up to $400 in redemption value as a signup bonus all without paying an annual fee. If you pay an annual fee, you can earn a value of up to $4,000.

What’s the customer service like on these cards?

Any customer service you require when it comes to your store credit card is handled by the card’s provider, not the store itself. That means if you’re having problems with your My Best Buy® Visa® Card, no one at Best Buy is going to be able to help you with your problem. Instead, you’ll get in touch with either American Express, Mastercard, Visa or Discover to handle your service request.

Calling the number listed on the back of your store credit card will connect you with the proper customer service rep that can help.

Bottom line

The best store card depends on where you like to shop. If our top picks don’t include your favorite store, compare more store cards to find the one that’s right for you.

Credit card ratings

★★★★★ — Excellent

★★★★★ — Good

★★★★★ — Average

★★★★★ — Subpar

★★★★★ — Poor

Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.

We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.

Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.

Kevin Joey Chen's headshot
Writer

Kevin Chen is a personal finance expert and a former writer at Finder. His expertise has been featured in CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com, among other top media. See full bio

Steven Dashiell's headshot
Co-written by

Senior writer

Steven Dashiell is an editor for Bankrate and CreditCards.com and formally a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in credit cards, banking and growing and protecting your income. His insights and expertise has been featured on Nasdaq, U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, ABC, Fox Business, Lifehacker and Martha Stewart Living, among other top media. Steve holds a BA in English from University of Maryland, Baltimore County, minoring in composition and rhetoric. In his spare time Steve nerds out on birds, paints and plays a whole lot of Street Fighter. See full bio

Steven's expertise
Steven has written 62 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Credit cards
  • Budgeting and saving
  • Rewards programs
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