You earn more rewards, and get them faster, when you use this card at the book seller.
Who the Barnes & Noble MasterCard Is For
- People who want to earn rewards on their Barnes & Noble purchases.
Credit Rating Required
- Fair to excellent (660+)
About the Barnes & Noble MasterCard
Pros
- Generous spending rewards on Barnes & Noble purchases.
- Quick, automatic redemption of Barnes & Noble rewards.
- $25 gift card after first purchase or balance transfer.
- Instant credit decisions.
Cons
- For Barnes & Noble loyalists only.
Rewards
- 5% back on Barnes & Noble purchases.
- 1% back on all other purchases.
- $25 gift card after first transaction.
APRs
- 13.99% or 24.99% on purchases, depending on credit history.
- 0% on balance transfers the first six months, then the purchase rate.
- Penalty APR: 30.24%.
Fees
- No annual fee.
- Late payment fee: Up to $35.
- Returned payment fee: Up to $35.
- Balance transfer fee: 4% of balance.
Barnes & Noble MasterCard Review
The Barnes & Noble MasterCard has two tiers of rewards. You earn more points, and get them faster, for purchases at the bookseller, less so for purchases elsewhere.
For purchases at Barnes & Noble stores and its website, bn.com, you get 5% back, which is credited to you automatically on your next monthly statement. For other purchases, you earn one point per dollar, or 1%. When you earn 2,500 points on those purchases, you get a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card.
The big bonus is a $25 gift card that you get by mail after your first transaction, either a purchase or a balance transfer.
There's no annual fee, and if you have good credit you get a relatively low 13.99% APR on purchases. There's also a 0% APR on balance transfers for the first six months.
The Barnes and Noble MasterCard is issued by Barclays Bank Delaware.
Recommendation
Archrivals Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble each have their own credit card, and both are good. This card isn't as rich and as flexible as the Amazon.com Rewards Card, and it's also a little more complicated. But it's still a good deal. If you shop frequently at Barnes & Noble, you shouldn't be without this card.