The Banana Republic Store Card is a Gap Inc. credit card you can use to shop at Banana Republic, Gap, Athleta, and Old Navy. While it offers a cashback rewards rate of 5%, redeeming your rewards is complicated. Moreover, your rewards expire, and they can also only be used at Gap Inc. stores (making them voucher rewards rather than true cashback rewards).
Additionally, the Banana Republic Store Card has a relatively high APR of 28.99% (variable).
Table of Contents
Quick Review
When you apply for a Banana Republic credit card, you’ll be approved either for a Banana Republic Store Card or for a Banana Republic Rewards Visa® Credit Card (depending on your credit score). Unlike the Visa alternative, the Banana Republic Store Card can only be used at stores in the Gap brand family: Banana Republic, Gap, Athleta, and Old Navy.
The Banana Republic Store Card offers reasonable rewards, but they’re not easy to understand, the rewards have limited use, and the points you earn can expire. As such, there are plenty of general rewards credit cards that’ll give you more wide-ranging, simpler, and easier-to-redeem 5% cashback benefits.
It’s worth noting that, if you register for the Banana Republic rewards program (which encompasses Banana Republic, Gap, Athleta, and Old Navy) and spend $500 a year at stores in the Gap family, you’ll get the same rewards that you’d get with the credit card. The benefits are even better if you register for the rewards program and spend $1,000, and this applies regardless of whether or not you have a credit card.
Banana Republic Store Card Important Details
Basic Card Details
- Card issuer: Synchrony Bank (switching to Barclays in June 2022)
- Card type: Store card
- APR: 28.99% (variable)
- Annual fee: $0
- Rewards rate: 5%
- Grace period: 23 days
- Can be used at: Banana Republic stores and any other Gap Inc. brands (the Gap, Old Navy, and Athleta)
Additional Information
- 20% off the first time you use the credit card the same day in-store or within 14 days of opening the account at BananaRepublic.com or BananaRepublicFactory.com.
- Authorized users and joint accounts are allowed.
- Standard fraud protection.
- Additional benefits if you earn more than 5,000 points in a calendar year (e.g., faster shipping), but this applies for credit cardholders and non-cardholders alike.
- You lose any special benefits associated with your credit card if you miss two monthly payments in a row.
- Bonus points each quarter that you make a purchase at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, or Athleta.
Banana Republic Store Card Feature Breakdown
To help you better understand what the Banana Republic Store Card has to offer, here’s a breakdown of the card’s key features.
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Late fee: up to $40
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 28.99% (variable)
- Minimum interest charge: $2
Rewards
When you use the Banana Republic Store Card, you’ll earn cashback rewards at a rate of 5%. Here’s how the rewards work:
- Earn 5 points for every $1 you spend in stores or online.
- Once you earn 100 points, you can redeem them for $1
- Apply your redeemed rewards as a discount from the cost of any qualified purchase you make at Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, or Athleta.
You can earn unlimited points, but you’re only allowed to redeem a maximum of $250 in rewards per transaction. You also have to make sure you use your Banana Republic Store Card at least once every 12 months; otherwise, your points will expire.
Other benefits
Banana Republic Store cardmembers get a few additional benefits:
- Special cardmember events like double points days.
- Access to exclusive events and offers.
- A birthday gift (Banana Republic doesn’t specify what this is or how much it’s worth).
- Advance notice of new trends and sale events.
Introductory offers
You can get 20% off your purchase the first time you use your Banana Republic Store Card.
If you open an account at a Banana Republic or Banana Republic Factory store, the discount applies to the first purchase you make in store on the same day. If you open the account online at BananaRepublic.com or BananaRepublicFactory.com, you have 14 days to use the discount code.
Credit reporting
Synchrony Bank reports credit activity to all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
Managing your account
You can manage your Banana Republic credit card account online (including paying your bill). You can also apply for a Banana Republic credit card online.
If there’s something you can’t do online, try calling customer service.
Customer Service
If your Banana Republic Store Card is lost or stolen, you can call (866) 450-2330.
If you need help from customer service (if you want to close your Banana Republic Store Card or request a credit increase, for example), you can call (800) 450-2330.
Customer service reputation
Unfortunately, Synchrony Bank doesn’t have a great reputation for customer service. In a 2021 study, Synchrony received a below-average score for customer service among major credit card issuers.
However, the Banana Republic Store Card will be issued by Barclays as of June 2022.
Should You Get the Banana Republic Store Card?
FinanceJar verdict
We don’t recommend getting a Banana Republic Store Card unless you’re an avid shopper at Gap Inc. stores and have an upcoming purchase for which you can use the 20% welcome discount.
As this card has a limited range of use, a complicated rewards redemption program, and points that can expire, we recommend considering broader-use rewards credits cards or more lucrative store cards.
Who is this card for?
The Banana Republic Store Card is best for:
- Semi-regular Gap Inc. shoppers: If you spend more than $500 a year at the Gap family of brands, you can simply join the rewards program to receive all the same benefits you’d get from the credit card. If you spend less than that but still buy several items a year, you can turbo-charge the normal Banana Republic rewards program (which earns you the equivalent of 1% cash back) by getting a Banana Republic Store Card (and earn 5% cash back).
- New borrowers who want to build credit: You can probably qualify for the Banana Republic Store Card even if you don’t have great credit. If you frequently shop at the Gap family of stores, you can use the card to start building your credit history. However, this strategy may require some discipline. If you won’t be able to pay off your monthly balance (which could cost you a lot in interest on the Banana Republic card), then you’d be better off trying out other ways to build credit.
FAQs about the Banana Republic Store Card
1. What credit score do you need for the Banana Republic Credit Card?
You’ll need at least fair credit to qualify for the Banana Republic Store Card.
Store credit cards are often available to people with relatively low credit scores, which means that you may be able to get the Banana Republic Store Card if you have a score of less than 670. That said, your credit limit will be lower if your credit score is lower.
If your score is higher, you may get a higher credit limit or be approved for a Banana Republic Visa Rewards credit card rather than the Banana Republic Store Card.
2. What’s the difference between the Banana Republic Store Card and the Banana Republic Visa Rewards card?
Unlike the Banana Republic Store Card, you can use the Banana Republic Visa Rewards credit card anywhere that accepts Visa.
However, you’ll need a higher credit score to qualify for a Banana Republic Visa Rewards Credit Card.
When you apply for a Banana Republic Store Card, you can’t choose whether you get the Visa card or the store card; which one you get will depend on your credit.
3. What’s the difference between the Banana Republic Store Card and the Banana Republic Luxe Credit Card?
The Banana Republic Luxe Credit Card is the upgraded version of the Banana Republic Store Card and gives you additional benefits (e.g., free clothing alterations and more opportunities for bonus points). Your Banana Republic Store Card gets upgraded to a Banana Republic Luxe Credit Card when you earn more than 5,000 points in a year.
4. How do I pay my Banana Republic Store Card bill?
You can pay your Banana Republic Store Card bill online, or you can call the number on the back of your credit card.
Comparable Cards
To help you decide whether the Banana Republic Store Card is the right choice for you, take a look at how it measures up against the credit cards offered by other clothing stores.
TJX Rewards® Credit Card vs. Banana Republic Store Card
TJX Rewards® credit card is another Synchrony Bank card that gives you rewards at a family of clothing stores—TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and Sierra Trading Post. Like the Banana Republic Store Card, it gives you 5% back in rewards for shopping at these stores (rewards are redeemed in the form of gift certificates).
Banana Republic’s introductory 20% off offer trumps the TJX Rewards® card, which only offers 10% off your first purchase (and, if you apply and get approved through a mobile device, your 10% off coupon can be used in-store only and not online).
The TJX credit card has an APR of 29.99% (variable), which is slightly more expensive than the Banana Republic Store Card (although neither card is really suitable for carrying a balance) and has similar additional fees.
Overall, the main difference between the TJX Rewards® credit card and the Banana Republic Store Card is the expensiveness of the retailer. If you’re clothes shopping on a budget, the TJ Maxx family of brands is cheaper than the Gap family, so you’ll be better off with the TJX Rewards® credit card than with the Banana Republic Store Card.
Express Credit Card vs. Banana Republic Store Card
Whereas the Banana Republic Store Card lets you earn and spend rewards in four clothing stores, the Express Credit Card can only be used at Express stores or at Express.com.
The Express Credit Card has an introductory offer giving you 20% off your first purchase when you open and use your card on the same day—comparable to the Banana Republic offer. They also give you a birthday gift, although they are more explicit about the value of the gift ($20) than Banana Republic.
However, where the Express Credit Card really shines is the cashback rate: you’ll earn 20 points for every $1 spent on your card and receive a $10 Reward for every 2,500 points you earn (which translates to every $125 you spend). This somewhat confusing system translates into an 8% cashback rate, which is much better than the rate you get with many similar cards, including Banana Republic’s.
If you’re a fan of Express clothing, then the Express Credit Card is a very rewarding option.
Nordstrom Credit Card vs. Banana Republic Store Card
Like the Banana Republic Store Card, the Nordstrom Card works at a number of clothing stores: Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, HauteLook, or Trunk Club.
And, like with the Banana Republic credit card, the benefits of the Nordstrom Card are more or less the same as you’d get joining Nordstrom’s rewards program and spending $500 a year there. Nordstrom’s APR and fees are also much the same as you get with the Banana Republic Store Card.
The Nordstrom Card gives you a reasonable bonus when you sign up—a $40 Note when you make any purchase with Nordstrom on the day you get your credit card. After that, though, the cashback rate is pretty low at only 2%–3% (although there are sometimes bonus points events so that you can earn more). As such, for long-term rewards, the Banana Republic Store Card is a much better bet.
