The Best Buy® credit card comes in two forms: a store card, which is available for use at Best Buy only, or a Visa card, which can be used anywhere. Both card types offer 5% cash back on Best Buy purchases, as well flexible financing and interest rate options.
However, the Best Buy® credit card comes with a lot of fine print and an overly complicated reduced interest plan. Furthermore, the cashback rewards program is misleading, as you won’t get actual cash back. Instead, you can redeem points as Best Buy certificates, eligible only on Best Buy purchases.
Table of Contents
Quick Review
The Best Buy® credit card is issued by Citibank. It offers a flexible credit limit, a regular APR of 29.99% (variable), and a cashback rewards program.
While the Best Buy® credit card has notable limitations, it’s a good resource if you frequently shop at Best Buy or plan to make an expensive Best Buy purchase (given the card’s favorable introductory rewards offer).
However, understanding how the Best Buy® credit card works and whether it’s a good deal can be confusing. The first thing you need to understand is that there are three card options: one store card and two Visa cards.
What are the 3 Best Buy® credit card options?
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of Best Buy® credit cards:
Card name | Can be used… | Annual fee |
---|---|---|
My Best Buy® Credit Card | At Best Buy only | $0 |
My Best Buy® Visa® Gold Card | Anywhere Visa is accepted | $59 |
My Best Buy® Visa® Platinum Card | Anywhere Visa is accepted | $0 |
The application for all three cards is the same, and which card you get will depend on your creditworthiness. You’ll first be considered for the Best Buy® Platinum card, then the Best Buy® store card, then the Best Buy® Gold card.
Here are the notable pros and cons of each Best Buy® credit card:
My Best Buy® Credit Card Pros & Cons
My Best Buy® Visa® Gold Card Pros & Cons
My Best Buy® Visa® Platinum Card Pros & Cons
Best Buy® Credit Card Important Details
Basic Card Details
- Card issuer: Citibank
- Card type: Store card or Visa card
- APR: 29.99% (variable)
- Annual fee: $0 or $59
- Rewards rate: 1%–6%
- Introductory offer: 10% cash back on first day of purchase
- Grace period: 25 days
Additional Information
- Authorized users and joint accounts are allowed
- The Best Buy® store card (non-Visa option) can only be used at Best Buy
- Offers a deferred APR program
- Flexible financing options on purchases $299 and up
Best Buy® Credit Card Feature Breakdown
To better understand what the Best Buy® credit card has to offer, here’s a breakdown of the card’s key features.
Fees
- Annual fee: $0–$59 (depending on card type)
- Late fee: $29–$40
- Balance transfer fee: 5% (minimum $15)
- Foreign transaction fee: $0
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 29.99% (variable)
- 48-month reduced rate plan* rate: 11.90%
- 36-month reduced rate plan* rate: 8.99%–12.99%
- 24-month reduced rate plan* rate: 0%–11.99%
- Minimum interest charge: $2
* The reduced rate plans are promotional offers on certain products. If you buy something with a reduced rate plan, you’ll continue accruing interest as you normally would, but at a lower rate than usual.
Deferred interest program
Best Buy offers a deferred interest program to Best Buy® credit card users. Many retailers and lenders don’t do a great job of clarifying to customers what deferred interest is, but it’s important to note that it’s not the same as no interest.
You may also see these offers referred to in the following ways:
- Special financing
- Flexible financing
Like the reduced rate plans, deferred interest offers are outside of your control. Rather, Best Buy will indicate special financing offers on certain products (only available on items priced $299 and up).
If you purchase such products, you may receive one of the following deferred interest offers:
- No interest if paid in full in 6 Months
- No interest if paid in full in 12 Months
- No interest if paid in full in 18 Months
- No interest if paid in full in 24 Months
- No interest if paid in full in 36 Months
- No interest if paid in full by a Specified Date
If you pay the full balance on that purchase in the allotted time, you won’t need to pay any interest. However, if you fail to pay the full balance by the final due date, you’ll be charged interest from your entire borrowing period.
Given the high price of failing to pay your balance by the designated time, the deferred interest program is only beneficial if you know you can pay off your purchase within the timeframe.
Instead, consider applying for a credit card with a true 0% APR introductory offer, which won’t backcharge months of interest if you fail to pay your balance in full.
Rewards
The main benefit of the Best Buy® credit card is the cashback rewards program. Here’s how the rewards work:
My Best Buy® store card users get:
- 5% cash back on all Best Buy purchases (2.5 points for every $1 spent).
- 6% cash back on all Best Buy purchases if they’re a My Best Buy Elite Plus member.
My Best Buy® Visa® card users get:
- 5% cash back on all Best Buy purchases (2.5 points for every $1 spent).
- 6% cash back on all Best Buy purchases if they’re a My Best Buy Elite Plus member.
- 3% cash back on gas purchases (1.5 points for every $1 spent).
- 2% cash back on dining and groceries (1 point for every $1 spent).
- 1% cash back on all other purchases (1 point for every $2 spent).
The big caveat with the rewards program is that points can only be redeemed in the form of rewards certificates, which can only be used on Best Buy purchases. Essentially, Best Buy cashback rewards act as store credit rather than true cash back.
Introductory offer
Best Buy boasts a pretty impressive introductory offer of 10% cash back on your first day of purchases within 14 days of account opening.
So if you have a big upcoming purchase from Best Buy, consider applying for their credit card first and enjoy a major discount on that expensive buy.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when taking advantage of the 10% cashback rewards offer:
- Don’t choose any special financing (aka deferred interest) plan on your purchase, as that will make you ineligible for cashback rewards.
- If you have bad credit, you’ll most likely qualify for the Best Buy® Visa® Gold card, which has an annual fee of $59. If you’re only opening a Best Buy® card to save money on your initial purchase, make sure the rewards amount exceeds $59.
- Plan your first day of purchases ahead of time to capitalize on these rewards.
- This offer is only available within 14 days of your account opening, so don’t forget to make the most of it in that timeframe.
Credit Reporting
Citibank, the Best Buy® credit card issuer, reports credit activity to all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
Customer Service
If you need to reach customer service regarding your Best Buy® credit card, here’s how you can contact them:
- Customer service: (888) 574-1301
- Technical assistance: (888) 738-4624
- TTY for the hearing impaired: (888) 824-2323
- Collect calls from outside US, Canada, or Puerto Rico: 1 (423) 467-6543
Is the Best Buy® Credit Card Worth It?
FinanceJar verdict
The Best Buy® credit card is only worth it if you’re an avid Best Buy shopper, can qualify for the Best Buy® Visa® card, and are able to pay off your balances. Otherwise, this card has limited rewards, a high APR, and complicated terms.
Who is this card for?
The Best Buy® credit card is best for:
- Best Buy frequent shoppers: Given the 5% cashback rewards on Best Buy products and 10% cashback introductory offer, this card could easily be worth it for a regular Best Buy customer.
- New students: The Best Buy® credit card is available to people with bad or no credit, meaning new adults with limited credit histories can easily qualify for the card. Students who need to make large tech purchases, like a new laptop, can benefit from the Best Buy® card.
FAQs About the Best Buy® Credit Card
1. Where can I use the Best Buy® credit card?
The My Best Buy® Credit Card can only be used at Best Buy (in-stores and online).
The My Best Buy® Visa® Gold Card and My Best Buy® Visa® Platinum Card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.
2. Is the Best Buy® credit card hard to get?
No, the Best Buy® credit card isn’t hard to get. However, your credit will determine which type of Best Buy® card you qualify for. If you have bad credit, you may only qualify for the Best Buy® store credit card or for the Best Buy® Visa® Gold Card, which has an annual fee of $59.
3. How do I apply for the Best Buy® credit card?
You can apply for the Best Buy® credit card online through a secure portal, or in-stores by asking a cashier for a printed application.
4. How do I make payments on my Best Buy® credit card?
There are five ways for you to pay your Best Buy® credit card bill:
- Online
- Over the phone
- Through text
- By mail
- By overnight express mail.
Here’s how to use all of those options.
- Online: Make payments through your My Best Buy Credit Card account
- By phone: Call (888) 574-1301
- By text: Text PAY to 81964 using the phone number attached to your My Best Buy Credit Card account.
- By mail: Send your payment to one of the following addresses (check which address is listed on your statement):
1. My Best Buy® Credit Card Payments
P.O. Box 9001007
Louisville, KY 40290-1007
2.PO Box 70601
Philadelphia, PA 19176-0601
- By overnight delivery: To make express payments, mail to the following address:
Attn: Consumer Payment Dept.
6716 Grade Lane
Building 9, Suite 910
Louisville, KY 40213
5. How do I use my Best Buy® credit card points?
To accumulate and use your points, you need to join the My Best Buy program. You can sign up for an account online or at any Best Buy store.
For every 250 points you earn, you can collect a $5 rewards certificate. Rewards certificates will be automatically issued and emailed to you after you reach the 250 point threshold. However, you can go to your account and set your certificate preference level above 250 points.
Once a certificate is issued, you must use it before the expiration date listed on the certificate. The expiration date is usually 60 days after the certificate is issued.
Comparable Cards
If you’re not sure whether the Best Buy® credit card is the right choice for you, compare how it stacks up against other electronics retailers with similar credit cards.
My Best Buy® Credit Card vs. Newegg Store Credit Card
The Newegg credit card is a store card which offers special financing and promotional offers on Newegg purchases. Unlike the Best Buy® credit card, there’s no Visa® option, making the Newegg card a store-only credit card.
While the special financing plans are more transparent on Newegg’s website, the lack of cashback rewards makes this credit card less appealing than the Best Buy® credit card.
My Best Buy® Credit Card vs. Amazon.com Store Card
One of the many credit cards offered by Amazon is the Amazon.com store card. This card is similar to the Best Buy® store card, as they both can only be used at their associated retailers.
Unlike the Best Buy® card’s special financing option—which is complicated and varied based on product—the Amazon store card offers special financing on all orders over $150.
Furthermore, the Amazon store card gives new cardholders a $60 Amazon gift card upon approval for the card. Unlike the Best Buy introductory offer, this benefit isn’t dependent on how much you spend or making an initial purchase.
Lastly, Amazon has a wider selection of goods, so credit card users will likely have more opportunities for earning and redeeming rewards than with the Best Buy® credit card. All in all, the Amazon store card is a better alternative to the Best Buy® credit card.
My Best Buy® Credit Card vs. Capital One® Walmart Rewards® Card
Similar to the Best Buy® Visa® card is the Capital One® Walmart Rewards® card. This card offers cashback rewards on Walmart purchases as well as everyday categories like gas, dining, and groceries.
Keep in mind that this card only gets you 3% cash back on purchases made at Walmart stores, and 5% cash back for purchases made through the Walmart website.
However, there’s an introductory offer for 5% cash back on all Walmart purchases (in-stores and online) for the first 12 months after account opening. Additionally, cash back isn’t limited to store certificates, but can be redeemed as hard cash.
These deals, along with the wide range of products at Walmart, make the Walmart Rewards® card a better choice, especially for new students.