Review
Updated
Sam's Club credit cards, issued by Synchrony Financial, come in two varieties. There's the Sam's Club Credit Card, which can only be used for purchases at Sam's Club and Walmart. Then there's the Sam's Club Mastercard, which can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted and comes with cash back rewards. Read our Sam's Club Credit Card review to see if either card is for you.
Full Sam's Club Credit Card review
Pros
- Sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Doubles as Sam's membership card
- Mastercard: cash back rewards
Cons
- High APR
- Limited rewards
- Sam's club membership required
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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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 |
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback 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. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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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 |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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 |
60,000 bonus points Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Top perks
The perks you receive depend on which version of the card you get. The Sam's Club Mastercard has many more perks than the regular Sam's Club Credit Card.
Sign-up bonus
New cardholders receive a one-time $30 statement credit. The catch is that you only get the statement credit after you make a purchase of $30 or more with your new Sam's Club Credit Card or Sam's Club Mastercard in your first month. Think of it more as a $30 store discount than an actual cash back bonus. Regardless, this is significantly lower than the average credit card sign-up bonus, even for cards with no annual fee.
No annual fee
It's nice that neither the Sam's Club Credit Card nor the Sam's Club Mastercard requires an annual fee to maintain the card. This is common among store credit cards, but is still worth mentioning. Unfortunately, though the cards themselves don't have annual fees, you need a Sam's membership, which can get costly. Club memberships start at $45 a year, which, for the Sam's Club Credit Card, translates to a fairly high annual fee for a card with no perks or rewards. And the Plus membership, which you'll need to boost your rewards, costs $100.
Learn more: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards
Doubles as a Sam's Club membership card
Cardholders don't need to carry a Sam's Club membership card, as both the Sam's Club Credit Card and the Sam's Club Mastercard serve that function.
Up to 5% cash back on purchases (Mastercard only)
The regular Sam's Club Credit Card doesn't earn any additional rewards. The Sam's Club Mastercard, however, has some decent cash back rewards. For one thing, you'll earn 3% back at Sam's Club, including both in-club and online purchases. If you're a Sam's Club Plus member, you'll get another 2% back on these purchases through that membership, for a total of 5% back.
Note that Sam's Club Plus members can earn up to $500 in cash back per 12-month membership period. That limit applies only to the 2% cash back rate, not the 3% offered by the Sam's Club Mastercard.
You'll earn 5% cash back on gas purchases, though this is capped at $6,000 of gas purchases per year, after which the rewards rate drops to 1%. Cardholders also earn 3% cash back on dining and takeout purchases, and 1% back on everything else. These categories aren't capped, but you can only earn up to $5,000 in total cash back per year.
What could be improved
As with most financial products, there are some negative attributes of the Sam's Club credit cards as well.
High APR
The interest rates can be rather high on both cards. The regular Sam's Club Credit Card has the typical high rate of a store card. The Mastercard version has an APR range that varies based on your credit, but the APR gets into the 20s if your credit score doesn't earn an interest rate from the low end of the range. These APRs aren't sky-high, per se, but are definitely high enough to warrant consideration.
Limited rewards
The most disappointing drawback is the Sam's Club Credit Card earns no rewards at all. So many store credit cards offer some form of rewards, that the basic Sam's Club Credit Card is seriously lacking in this area.
The Sam's Club Mastercard doesn't have that problem, but it still caps the total amount of cash back you can earn in any given year. Once you've reached $5,000 in rewards in one year, you stop earning rewards altogether.
Read more: Best Store Credit Cards
Sam's Club membership required
While the Sam's Club Credit Card and Sam's Club Mastercard are both no-annual-fee credit cards, you still need a Sam's Club membership. This starts at $45 per year, which effectively negates most of the $30 introductory bonus right off the bat if you aren't already a Sam's Club member.
And, unless you cancel the card before your membership renews, you're charged that membership fee every year. Since both applying for and canceling a card can hurt your credit, avoid these cards if you don't plan on keeping your membership.
Find the best credit card for your needs
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Suggested credit score
Ease of approval varies based on which card you're going after. The Sam's Club Credit Card is likely easier to obtain than the Mastercard versions due to its limited utility and lack of rewards. You still probably need at least fair/average credit to qualify. The Sam's Club Mastercard likely requires good credit or better to qualify.
Sam's Club Credit Card is right for you if:
You can qualify for the Mastercard version and will make good use of the rewards on Sam's Club, gas, dining, and takeout purchases. The Sam's Club Mastercard is best-suited for those who want to maximize rewards on Sam's Club purchases.
The Sam's Club Credit Card doesn't have much to offer. Because it doesn't earn any rewards, it's only worth considering if you plan to use it to improve your credit score.
Keep reading: Best Credit Cards
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.
FAQs
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The credit limit for the Sam's Club Credit Card typically ranges from $1,000 to $10,000, although reports indicate it's possible to get higher limits. Your credit limit on your Sam's Club Credit Card is determined by multiple factors, including your annual income and credit history.
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You can use the Sam's Club Credit Card at all Sam's Club and Walmart locations nationwide. If you're approved for the Sam's Club Mastercard, it can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
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Yes, the Sam's Club Credit Card can build credit. Its card issuer, Synchrony Financial, reports the activity on your card to the consumer credit bureaus. If you stick to consistent credit habits, such as paying your credit card bill on time, your card activity can make your credit score go up.
Our Credit Cards Expert
Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
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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.
Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Synchrony Financial is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Brittney Myers has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Mastercard, Target, and Walmart. The Motley Fool 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.