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If you have a military background and need a card with low fees, the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is one of the best options available. With no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees and low APR rates, this credit card is ideal if you want a low-rate card. The 0% intro APR for 15 months offer can also help you pay off purchases without incurring any interest charges. However, this is not a card that earns rewards.
MoneyGeek broke down all the card’s features and pros and cons in our USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card review.

Card Details to Know Up Front
- Bonus, Fee or FeatureHas or Not
- Has Annual Fee
- Has Balance Transfer Offer
- Has APR Offer
- Has Rewarding Welcome Offer
- Recommended CreditExcellent
USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card at a Glance
The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is one of few options that offers an APR rate as low as 11.15%, depending on your creditworthiness. This low-interest rate and lack of charges, such as annual and foreign transaction fees, making this one of the most affordable credit cards.
- USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
A good no-annual-fee balance transfer card with added protections
- ExcellentRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 11.15% – 28.15% VariableAPR
- 15 monthsBalance Transfer Duration
Pros & Cons Explained
Before you submit your USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card application, be aware of this card’s main pros and cons.
Pros
- BenefitsDescription
- Low APRThe standard APR rate of 11.15% – 28.15% variable is relatively low compared to other credit cards. If you have a good credit score, you may qualify for an APR as low as 11.15%. But even those who do not have good credit will pay low APR rates compared to other credit cards.
- Few FeesThe card has no annual or foreign transaction fees or penalty APR, so it's ideal if you want a low-cost credit card.
- Decent Travel PerksCard benefits include auto rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, and travel accident insurance.
Cons
- DrawbacksDescription
- Only available to people with a military backgroundUSAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is only available to those in the military, veterans or their families.
- No rewardsThis card doesn’t have a rewards program.
The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is one of the best cards for military members. If you don’t have a military background, you can refer to MoneyGeek’s recommendations for the best credit cards based on different profiles and categories, including best rewards credit cards.
Other Features Explained
The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is a low-interest credit card that doesn’t offer rewards but has some of the lowest rates in the market. It also comes with the following main features:
- Card FeatureDescription
- Standard featuresUSAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card benefits include rental car insurance, travel accident insurance, concierge services for reservations, event tickets and shopping, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, baggage delay and reimbursement, and extended warranty protection on U.S. manufacturers' warranties.
- Security FeaturesThis card comes with zero liability for unauthorized transactions. You can also access your account online or via the mobile app to report a stolen or lost card. Cardholders can set up alerts on their account and get notified in case of suspicious activity.
- Customer ExperienceThe USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card comes with round-the-clock access to customer support via phone, live chat or mobile app. You can also conveniently manage your account and make payments online. USAA has an excellent customer service record and received the highest score among all issuers in J.D. Power’s 2021 Credit Card Satisfaction Survey.
When you sign up for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card, you will enjoy a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months. This means you can use this card to pay off balances and purchases at 0% interest and save on interest charges for 15 months.
Understanding the Fine Print
Apart from interest charges, other rates and fees may apply to your USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card. Understanding these charges will help you avoid additional penalties, interest and fees that increase your credit card debt.
- Card FeatureAmount or Rate
- APR11.15% – 28.15% Variable
- Annual Fee$0
- Balance Transfer Fee3%
- Balance Transfer APR11.15% – 28.15% Variable
- Late Feesup to $35
Regular APR
This card has a 0% introductory APR for 15 months, then a regular variable APR of 11.15% – 28.15% variable. You may qualify for even lower APR rates, if you have an excellent credit score.
Annual fee
You will not pay any annual fees for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card.
Cash advance fee
The cash advance fee for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is 3% of the amount, but fees are waived if you transfer funds electronically to a USAA deposit account.
Balance transfer fee
The balance transfer fee for this card is 3% of the amount of each balance transfer.
Foreign transaction fees
You can use the card globally at no extra charge.
Penalty Fees
The penalty fee for late or returned payments is $25 for the first time and $35 for subsequent late or returned payments.
To keep up to date with the features, offers and rates of any credit cards in your wallet, refer to their respective websites, such as the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card website. Your monthly billing statement will also contain updates and other information on rates and terms. Depending on the issuer, you may also be able to get useful information from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s credit card agreement database.
Who Should & Shouldn’t Consider USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card?
Other Considerations for USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is a great primary credit card option because of its low APR. It also offers good value as an additional card in your wallet.
Things to Consider if This Will Be Your First or Only Credit Card
The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card credit score requirement is 670 to 850, meaning you need a good to excellent credit score to qualify. The better your credit score, the lower your APR. If this will be your primary credit card, note that you will not earn any rewards. You should consider getting a separate card for rewards if you want to earn cash back or points on your purchases.
Things to Consider if This Will Be an Additional Card in Your Wallet
If you will use the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card as a secondary card, you can take advantage of its relatively long 0% intro APR period to pay off balances interest free. You can also use this card for cash advances since you don’t pay any fees if you transfer cash advances electronically to a USAA account. This card will also help you save on interest charges when you transfer large purchases made on other cards.
MoneyGeek’s methodology and review process helps us determine the best credit cards for different profiles based on card fees, interest rates, rewards, benefits and more. We follow a comprehensive six-step process that involves collecting credit card information, standardizing data point weights, establishing the cards' values and ranks for different categories, and reviewing data and rankings, among other key rating factors.
How USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card Compares to Other Cards
One of the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card benefits is its low standard APR. Compared to others, this credit card offers one of the lowest APRs available, starting at 11.15%. This card is also relatively low on fees, with no annual or foreign transaction fees or penalty APR. However, if you have a military background and you want a low cost card that also offers rewards in different spending categories, you may be better off with the USAA Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card.
Quick Comparison of USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
USAA Rate Advantage Visa Platinum
- Annual fee: None
- Purchase APR: **11.15% – 28.15% variable
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Rewards rate: No rewards
- Best for: People who want a low-rate credit card and do not need a rewards card
USAA® Rewards™ Visa Signature® Card
- Annual fee: None
- Purchase APR: 14.15%–30.15% (Variable)
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- Rewards rate: 2 points per dollar for gas and dining, 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
- Best for: People who want a low-cost credit card that also offers rewards in different spending categories
Other Helpful Decision-Making Q&As
We answered common questions asked about the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card to help you understand if this is the right credit card for you.
Still not sure about this card? Consider these options.
The USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card is a solid choice for those with a military background who want a credit card with a low APR and few fees. This card also offers travel benefits and perks rare in no-annual-fee cards. However, if you also want a credit card that earns you rewards for spending, you may consider our recommendations for the best rewards cards.
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sources
- Consumer Finance Protection Bureau. "Credit Card Agreement Database." Accessed April 13, 2022.
- J.D. Power. "U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Survey." Accessed April 13, 2022.
- USAA. "USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card." Accessed May 1, 2022.
- USAA. "USAA Rate Advantage Visa® Platinum Credit Card Rates and Fees." Accessed May 1, 2022.
- USAA. "USAA Rewards™ VisaSee note® Signature Credit Card." Accessed May 1, 2022.
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