Review
Updated
Offer status
This credit card is no longer available from Barclaycard. Card details may be out of date. Please see our best cash back credit cards list for alternatives to consider.
Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® was a good card for spenders with modest credit needs. We valued how easy it was to receive the card’s big new cardholder bonus, its competitive cash rewards program, a 0% intro APR offer, and the fact that it includes a $0 annual fee. This lineup of perks made the card one of the most versatile in its cash-back category. Check out our Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® review.
Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard®
Great for: Sign-up bonus
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
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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Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
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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= Best
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= Excellent
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= Good
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= Fair
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= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
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= Fair = Poor
Credit Score
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.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR 0%, 15 months. Balance transfers must be made within 45 days of account opening to qualify
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
15.99% - 23.99%, variable
Rewards
1.5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in the first 90 days
$200
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The big sign-up bonus is a marquee feature that competing no-annual-fee cards rarely can match.
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- New cardholder bonus
- No annual fee
- Competitive cash back rate
- Rewards redemption bonus
- 0% intro APR offer
- Very high redemption minimum
- Foreign transaction fee
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- Get a $200 cash rewards bonus after you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days after account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on every purchase
- Every time you redeem, get a 5% cash rewards redemption bonus to use toward your next redemption
- Redeem your cash rewards for a deposit into a U.S. checking or savings account, a statement credit or gift cards. Redemptions start at $50
- Cash rewards do not expire as long as your account is open, active and in good standing
- Enjoy a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months on purchases. Plus, you'll get a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers for each balance transfer made within 45 days of account opening. After that a variable APR will apply, 15.99%, 20.99% or 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness. Please note, there is a fee for balance transfers
- No annual fee
Alternatives to consider
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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| Discover it® Cash Back | Wells Fargo Reflect® Card |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
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 |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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 |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
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.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
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.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
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Welcome Offer: N/A Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
Welcome Offer: — |
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Rewards Program: 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. 1% - 5% Cashback |
Rewards Program: N/A |
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Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months |
Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers Purchases: 0% intro APR, 21 months from account opening Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers |
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Regular APR: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
Regular APR: 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% Variable APR |
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Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: N/A $0 |
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Full Barclaycard CashForward Card review
This credit card is a good fit for: Cardholders looking for a high cash back rate on purchases or who want to save money with a top-notch 0% intro APR offer.
Top perks
$200 new cardholder bonus
The Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® has one of the lowest hurdles for earning a new cardholder bonus. Simply spend at least $1,000 in the first 90 days after account opening to receive a $200 cash rewards bonus. Many other cards require minimum spending of $3,000 or more in similar periods of time to qualify for sign-up bonuses and the standard for competing cards is a smaller bonus valued at $100 to $150.
$0 annual fee
As a general rule, cards that come packed with features and higher cash back rates tend to carry an annual fee. Barclaycard does a good job balancing this card’s perks with its costs, and the card’s $0 annual fee means that it can fit the needs of heavy and modest card users alike.
Read more: Best No Annual Fee Cards
1.5% cash back
We bias toward cards that have simple, flat-rate rewards programs, and this is one such card. Cardholders 1.5% cash back on purchases and also receive a 5% cash-back bonus when redeeming rewards, which can be used for a subsequent redemption. The fully-baked cash-back rate is 1.575%, when accounting for bonus rewards, giving it a slight edge over the hoard of 1.5% cash back cards on the market.
0% intro APR
The card includes a 0% intro APR for both new purchases and balance transfers. Pay attention to balance-transfer qualifications, though, as the promo APR only applies to each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening.
What could be improved
Foreign transaction fees
Foreign transaction fees can add up quickly when you use a credit card to make purchases overseas. Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® charges a foreign transaction fee of 3% on each purchase. If no foreign transaction fees are a must-have perk, consider one of our picks for the best travel credit cards for a few alternatives.
Minimum redemption hurdle
The card includes a relatively high cash back redemption minimum of $50 vs. no-minimum redemptions offered by some other cash back rewards cards.
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
How to best use
- It’s generally best to pay off your balances by the due date every month. It’s a losing strategy to earn low single-digit cash back rewards, only to see them get eaten up by far higher double-digit interest charges. That means prospective cardholders should consider their primary needs for the card first. If you carry a balance, focus on APRs rather than cash-back terms.
- Transfer high-interest credit card debt to chip away at debt balances faster. We Fools always encourage smart use of debt, and transferring balances to a 0% intro APR card can help avoid costly interest charges. In fact, paying down a $5,000 balance over 15 months will cost a whopping $620 in interest charges at an 18% APR.
- Leverage free access to your FICO® score. Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® provides free access to your FICO® score and this is a huge value! In fact, myFICO charges more than $350 per year to receive, track, and monitor your comprehensive credit history.
Read more: Best Credit Cards
Final take
What you see is what you get with Barclaycard CashForward™ World Mastercard® and that transparency is one factor we covet when vetting cards for Fool. The card offers a simple cash-back rewards program and hefty new cardholder bonus and the card’s all-in cash-back rate of 1.575% plus bonuses for new cardholders ranks well, particularly since it doesn’t carry an annual fee.
Our credit card methodology
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.
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.
Our Credit Cards Expert
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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We'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 does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Wells Fargo 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. Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Mastercard, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services and recommends the following options: long January 2025 $370 calls on Mastercard and short January 2025 $380 calls on Mastercard. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Mastercard.