Store Cards vs. General Credit Cards: What’s the Difference?

Updated: December 5, 2024

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Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

Store cards are usually ones that you may use with specific retailers. Examples of such cards include the Target RedCard Credit Card and My Best Buy Credit Card. A regular credit card, on the other hand, is one that you may use with any merchant that accepts payments from the network your card is linked to, be it Visa, Mastercard or American Express.

A co-branded card can serve as a rather effective middle ground. These cards are issued by conventional credit card providers and have tie-ups with various brands. Like store cards, they offer better rewards when you shop with the brand in question, but you also have the freedom to use them elsewhere. The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi qualifies as a good co-branded card.

On This Page:

MoneyGeek’s Takeaways

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Store cards have more relaxed eligibility criteria compared to regular credit cards.

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Store cards tend to come with higher interest rates than conventional credit cards.

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Co-branded cards can give you the perks of store cards and the flexibility of regular cards.

Store Credit Cards vs. Traditional Cards

Store cards are usually closed-loop in nature, meaning you may use them only with specific retailers. Regular credit cards are open-loop and operate using widespread payment processing networks. You may use most such cards globally, not just to make payments but also to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Store Credit Cards

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Pros of Store Cards

  • Most store cards come with no annual fees.
  • May come with high retailer-specific reward rates.
  • Access to special offers and promotions.
  • Typically easier to qualify for one compared to most regular credit cards.
  • May come with free shipping for online purchases.
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Cons of Store Cards

  • Limited usability.
  • Most come with lower credit limits than regular credit cards.
  • Lower credit limits could mean higher utilization rates and hurt your credit score.
  • Similar to a regular credit card, irresponsible use could also hurt your credit score.
  • Most charge higher APRs than regular cards.
  • May need to redeem rewards through the retailer in question.

Regular Credit Cards

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Pros of Credit Cards

  • People with good credit scores may qualify for low APRs and high credit limits.
  • The options for earning and redeeming rewards aren’t limited to any particular brand.
  • Possibility to earn higher rewards through category-based spending.
  • Possibility of getting a spend-based welcome bonus.
  • Ability to use the card at different merchants.
  • Access to various card-specific benefits, such as purchase and travel protection.
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Cons of Credit Cards

  • Might not offer high reward rates at your favored retailer.
  • People with no, little or poor credit history have limited options from which to choose.
  • Although high credit limits are more common with credit cards than with store cards, being awarded one is not guaranteed.
  • If you are awarded a lower credit limit, you may experience higher credit utilization rates, which, in turn, can hurt your credit score.
  • Indiscriminate or irresponsible use has the potential to hurt your credit score.

What Are Co-Branded Credit Cards?

Co-branded cards tend to find their way into the store card vs. credit card comparison because they can give you the best of both worlds. A co-branded card is issued by a conventional credit card provider and is linked to a specific brand, be it a retailer, an airline or a group of hotels. Most such cards offer high reward rates when you spend through the brand in question, and you may enjoy additional brand-specific perks.

Some popular retailers offer both a store card and a co-branded card. For instance, while you may apply for a Bed Bath and Beyond credit card that is issued by Comenity Capital Bank, this chain of retail stores offers a store card too. This is also the case with Best Buy. It offers a store card and a Visa credit card issued by Citi.

Comparing Store, Regular and Co-Branded Cards

While there are similarities in how store, regular and co-branded cards work, paying attention to the differences can help you decide which card type is best for you.

Factors
Store
Regular/General
Co-Branded

Approval

May qualify with poor
credit

People with average
credit may qualify for
some cards

Typically need good
to excellent credit

Limit of Use

At the retailer in
question

At any merchant that
is linked to your
card’s network

At any merchant that
is linked to your
card’s network

Interest Rates

Higher than regular
credit cards

Most competitive
rates of the three

Typically higher than
non-co-branded
cards

Introductory Offers

Not easy to find

Fairly easy to find

Provided by most

Credit Limit

Toward the lower end
of the spectrum

Depends on your
card and other
eligibility criteria

Depends on your
card and other
eligibility criteria

Approval

Conventional credit card providers follow more stringent guidelines than retailers that provide store cards when it comes to the approval process. Several retailers encourage customers to apply for store cards during checkout by offering to link promotions to their purchases. The application process for most store cards is fairly straightforward, and you can usually expect a near-instantaneous decision.

Plus, you may qualify for a store card even if you have less-than-perfect or poor credit. The lowest credit score you need to qualify for a store card depends on the retailer you select but usually varies between FICO scores of 550 to 660. Going forward, using your card responsibly and making all your payments on time helps you build your credit score. Bear in mind that applying for a store credit card, much like a regular credit card, will typically cause your credit score to temporarily drop by a few points.

Limit of Use

When you get a store card, you may use it only at stores that are part of the retail chain in question. For example, you may use the Target RedCard Credit Card only at Target stores. You cannot use this card to get a cash advance or transfer a balance from another card.

If you get a regular or co-branded card, you have considerable freedom in where you may use it, especially if it’s linked to popular networks such as Visa and Mastercard. The Target RedCard Mastercard, for instance, lets you withdraw cash from ATMs, and you may use it globally without worrying about paying foreign transaction fees.

Interest Rates

It is common for even the best store credit cards to come with higher APRs than regular or co-branded credit cards. Compare the average credit card APR of 14.39% across MoneyGeek’s data set of over 2,200 credit cards with store cards that have APRs of well over 20%, and you’ll notice that there’s a considerable difference. As a result, while paying off your credit card balance in full each month is ideal, it becomes all the more important if you get a store card. If you don’t, you may end up paying a tidy sum as interest charges.

Introductory Offers

Store cards generally do not provide a monetary welcome bonus to new cardholders. Instead, many offer a large discount or similar benefit on your first purchase to encourage customers to buy more.

By comparison, many regular and co-branded cards have welcome offers, such as spend-based bonuses and 0% APR offers on purchases and balance transfers.

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card lets you earn an early spend bonus of $200 by spending $500 on purchases in the first three months. It also comes with an intro 0% APR offer on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. Similarly, the Hilton Honors Card from American Express lets you earn a welcome bonus of 100,000 points by spending $1,000 on purchases in the first three months. Both cards have no annual fees.

Credit Limit

Store cards typically have lower credit limits than most conventional credit cards. Depending on the card you get, your initial limit could be between $300 and $500. Traditional and co-branded cards can come with noticeably higher credit limits that can even be upward of $10,000, although this depends on the card you have, your creditworthiness and your income.

Rewards/Benefits

Store cards let you earn rewards when you purchase through that specific retailer. For instance, the My Best Buy Credit Card offers 5% back on all Best Buy purchases. However, you cannot use your Best Buy store card with other merchants. My Best Buy Visa Card, on the other hand, lets you earn rewards on other purchases as well, and it comes with a few bonus categories. Regular and co-branded cards may also come with additional benefits such as complimentary insurance coverage, no foreign transaction fees, statement credits and airport lounge access.

>>More: Flexible Points vs. Miles: Which Credit Card Reward Is Better?

Credit Score

Store cards can affect your credit score in the same way as regular and co-branded cards, for better or worse. Since providers of store cards follow less stringent eligibility criteria, getting one is easier than a regular card if you have a thin credit file or a low credit score. If you have a short or poor credit history, you may use a store card as an effective tool to build or rebuild your credit.

Applying for a new store card usually involves a hard credit inquiry, which will cause your credit score to drop by a few points. As with regular credit cards, paying off your store card’s balances in full each month can help improve your credit score.

You also need to pay attention to your card’s credit utilization ratio, especially if it’s your only card, as this is an important factor in calculating your credit score. Your credit utilization ratio refers to how much money you use from your card’s limit and should ideally remain below 30%. So, if your card comes with a limit of $500, you should try to use no more than $150 at any given time.

>>More: What Does Your Credit Score Start At?
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MONEYGEEK QUICK TIP

Many online retailers pre-qualify customers and offer pre-approvals during the checkout process. This is a great way to get approved for a new card without the uncertainty of applying directly. — Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com

Best Regular, Co-Branded and Store Credit Cards

There is no single best credit card because all the top options are designed to meet specific requirements. For instance, while some are ideal for people who wish to capitalize on their overall spending, others are more suited for those who wish to earn rewards through their favorite brands.

Best Regular Credit Cards

The best regular credit cards are typically ones that come with welcome offers and higher-than-usual reward rates.

Card Name
Best for
Offer
Interest

Travel rewards

  • Early spend bonus of
    75,000 bonus miles if
    you spend $4,000 on
    purchases in the first
    three months
  • Up to 10X miles per
    dollar

17.24% to 24.24%
variable APR

Rewards on gas and
groceries

  • Welcome bonus of
    $400 back if you
    spend $3,000 on
    purchases in the first
    six months
  • 6% cash back on
    groceries at U.S.
    supermarkets (up to
    $6,000 per year)
  • 3% cash back on gas
    at U.S. gas stations

Intro 0% APR on
purchases for 12
months, then 14.74%
to 24.74% variable
APR

Balance transfers

  • Intro APR offer on
    balance transfers and
    purchases for the first
    24 billing cycles

0% on balance
transfers and
purchases for 24
months, then 15.24%
to 25.24% variable
APR

Cash back

  • Spend-based
    welcome bonus
  • Up to 5% cash back
  • Intro APR offer on
    purchases for the first
    12 months

0% on purchases for
12 months, then
13.99% to 19.99%
variable APR

Best Co-Branded Credit Cards

The best co-branded cards are ones that offer high reward rates when you use your card to pay for purchases through the brand in question. They may also come with other brand-specific benefits.

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NOTE

As of May 2024, the Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard® is no longer available for new applicants. Existing Walmart cardholders can continue using their cards, and rewards earned will be transferred to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card at a rate of one cent per point. Cardholders will keep their rewards and any balances will automatically move to the Quicksilver card, which offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

Card Name
Best for (Travel, Cash-Back, Rewards)
Offer
Interest

Rewards on gas,
dining, travel and
purchases at Costco

  • 4% cash back on gas
    purchases, including
    at Costco (for the first
    $7,000 per year)
  • 3% cash back on
    restaurants and travel
    purchases
  • 2% cash back on
    non-gas purchases
    from Costco and
    Costco.com

15.99%
variable APR

Rewards at Walmart,
on travel and
purchases at
restaurants

  • 5% cash back at
    Walmart.com (pickup
    and delivery)
  • 5% cash back in
    Walmart stores for
    the first 12 months,
    2% thereafter
  • 2% cash back at
    restaurants and on
    travel

17.99%, 23.24% or
26.99% variable APR

For rewards on
purchases at
Amazon.com and
Whole Foods, as well
as at restaurants, gas
stations and
drugstores

  • $100 Amazon gift
    card upon approval
  • 5% back on
    Amazon.com and
    Whole Foods
    purchases (with an
    eligible Prime
    membership)
  • 2% back at gas
    stations, restaurants
    and drugstores

14.99% to 22.99%
variable APR

Verizon Visa Card

Rewards on gas,
groceries, dining and
Verizon purchases

  • 4% on grocery and
    gas
  • 3% on dining
    (including takeout)
  • 2% on Verizon
    purchases

21.99% or 25.99%
variable APR

There are many different rewards cards to choose from, so it’s important to pay attention to both your individual preferences and parameters such as reward rates, welcome bonuses, annual fees and APRs. This holds true regardless of whether you are considering applying for a rewards card, a travel card or a cash back card.

Best Store Credit Cards

Bear in mind you’ll only be able to use a store card at the retailer in question. No matter how good your credit score is, chances are you’ll start off with a relatively low credit limit. Carrying balances from one billing cycle to the next is not a good idea because you’ll need to pay high interest charges unless the retailer offers a 0% APR interest promotion on your purchases. Additionally, you’ll need to redeem the rewards you earn through the same retailer. To help you determine if you might benefit from a store card, we have put together a list of some of the top cards that deserve your attention.

Store Card Name
Product/Category
Perks
Card Limit

Bed Bath and
Beyond Store Credit
Card

Merchandise retail
store

  • $20 My Funds if you
    make a $20 purchase
    on the day your card
    is approved
  • 60 points per dollar
    spent at Bed Bath &
    Beyond and its family
    of brands
  • 6-, 12- or 24-month
    financing options

Varies based on
income and credit
history

Target RedCard

Big-box department
store

  • 5% off at Target
    (in-store and online)
  • Free shipping on
    most products at
    Target.com
  • Access to special
    offers
  • Longer
    returns/exchange
    window

Usually from $200 to
upward of $2,500

Lowe’s Advantage
Credit Card

Merchandise retail
store

  • 20% (up to $100) off
    when you open and
    use your new card
    (offer ends 1/31/23)
  • 5% off on all
    subsequent
    purchases
  • Six months special
    financing option
  • 85 months fixed
    payments option
  • Access to special
    offers

Usually from $300 to
over $5,000

My Best Buy Credit
Card

Consumer electronics
retailer

  • 5% back on Best Buy
    purchases
  • 24-, 36- and
    48-month financing
    options

No fixed limit

Other Questions You May Have About Store Credit Cards

Go through answers to other commonly asked questions about store credit cards to determine if getting one or more might work well for you.

Will a store credit card impact my credit score?

Can I use my store credit card anywhere?

How do I get approved for a store credit card?

What if I go over my store credit card limit?

How do I pay my store credit card balance?

Are store credit cards worth it?

Do retail credit cards build credit?

Next Steps

Compare & Review Credit Cards

Learn More About Credit Cards

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


sources
*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
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