Our Verdict
For the Kroger shoppers who want to save every possible cent on gas and don’t mind dealing with the inconvenient terms, the Kroger Rewards World Mastercard®* may have some benefit. Otherwise, we recommend a better card for groceries.
Pros
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Easy-to-redeem rewards
Cons
- No low introductory APR period
- Limited cash-back reward categories
- Highest bonus category rewards are capped
Highlights
- Earn 5% cash back on eligible mobile wallet purchases for the first $3,000, 1% thereafter
- Earn 2% cash back in in-store Kroger purchases and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- Kroger Fuel gas savings
- No annual fee
Introduction
The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard earns 5% cash back on eligible mobile wallet purchases for the first $3,000, 1% thereafter; 2% cash back on in-store Kroger purchases and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Kroger Pay is not included as a mobile wallet payment method and mobile wallet transactions do not stack with in-store purchase bonus rewards. For example, you will not earn 5% for a mobile transaction at Kroger and an additional 2% because the purchase is made at a Kroger store—you will only earn rewards for the mobile wallet transaction if you haven’t reached your annual reward cap on mobile wallet transaction rewards yet.
A major advertised perk of the card is its first-year $0.25-per-gallon discount on fuel at Kroger Family Fuel Stations every time you redeem at least 100 existing fuel points earned in a single month. You must redeem fuel points and pay with a Kroger Family of Companies Rewards World Elite Mastercard to receive the fuel discount and the discount is only valid for one year from card approval date.
After that date, if you’ve spent at least $6,000 on net eligible purchases in the first 12 months your account is open, you’ll receive a $0.25 discount on fuel for the remainder of the calendar year and for the entirety of the next calendar year. When the discount period ends, you can also continue earning $0.25 off every gallon by maintaining that spend threshold of $6,000 annually and redeeming 100 fuel points per visit. If not, you’ll still receive a fuel discount when using the card—just $0.05 instead.
If these hoops sound appealing to jump through in order to extract the maximum value when paying at the pump, this card might be for you. But for everyone else, there are plenty of cards offering high rewards on groceries and at gas stations.
Compare Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard® With Other Cards
Quick Facts
- $0 annual fee
- This card does not offer a welcome bonus
- Earn 5% cash back on eligible mobile wallet purchases for the first $3,000, 1% thereafter; 2% cash back on in-store Kroger purchases and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
- Receive fuel discounts at Kroger Family of Companies Fuel Centers
Rewards
Earning Rewards
The Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard earns 5% cash back on eligible mobile wallet purchases for the first $3,000, 1% thereafter; 2% cash back on in-store Kroger purchases and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Rewards expire after 36 months and account closure results in immediate forfeiture of all rewards.
Redeeming Rewards
Rewards earned with the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard may be via U.S. Bank’s Real-Time Rewards after making a minimum $10 purchase, via statement credit once a cardholder has accumulated at least 1,000 points. One thousand points is redeemable for a $10 statement credit. Rewards may also be redeemed for gift cards, with a 2,500 ($25) minimum redemption amount.
Rewards Potential
To determine the rewards potential of the Kroger Rewards World Mastercard®*, we consider what an American household might spend on a credit card each year. Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies in order to determine both baseline income and spending averages across various categories. Forbes Advisor estimates that a household in the 70th percentile of income earns $116,000 with $36,177 in annual expenses that could reasonably be charged to a credit card.
Of this, we expect this household to spend $6,692 on groceries. If a cardholder is diligent about ensuring the first $3,000 in mobile wallet purchases do not overlap with the expected spend on groceries, he or she might be able to expect to earn a $150 reward for the mobile wallet spend, $88.48 rewards on groceries if all grocery purchases are made in-store with Kroger and $294.85 in rewards on the remaining credit card purchases if all of them are made with this card. This adds up to $533.33 annually and does not include additional savings on gas that may be possible by meeting the first-year requirements for and ongoing additional fuel discounts available through card ownership.
Other Card Benefits
- $0 fraud liability: No cardholder responsibility for unauthorized transactions.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits: Complimentary 24/7 concierge service, access to Mastercard Priceless Experiences, access to Mastercard Travel & Lifestyle Services and exclusive offers from popular shopping brands.
- Mastercard ID theft protection: Identity protection services as a part of Mastercard World Elite Benefits.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 19.24% - 29.99% variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Balance transfer fee: Either 4% of the amount of each transfer or $10 minimum, whichever is greater
- Foreign transaction fee: None
How the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard® Stacks Up
Kroger Rewards World Mastercard®* vs. Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Want grocery rewards regardless of store? The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express charges an annual fee of Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express (terms apply, see rates & fees), but earns 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. The card’s excellent reward potential may make up for its annual fee, but carefully calculate your reward potential based on your spending habits and budget.
The Blue Cash Preferred Card from Amex also offers myriad additional benefits the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard lacks. For example, the Blue Cash Preferred offers secondary car rental loss and damage insurance¹, return protection² and an up to $84 annual Disney Bundle statement credit with enrollment (up to $7 statement credit per month). If you’re willing to pay the annual fee, you may find much more value with the Blue Cash Preferred Card.
Kroger Rewards World Mastercard®* vs. Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi*
For those who shop for groceries in bulk and don’t mind waiting in the often-longer gas line for almost-always cheaper gas, the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi* offers excellent rewards on gas. The card earns 4% cash back on eligible gas and EV charging purchases for the first $7,000 spent annually, 1% thereafter, 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases, 2% cash back on purchases from Costco and Costco.com and 1% cash back on all other purchases. A Costco membership is required to apply. One downside: Rewards are redeemed automatically only once per year.
Though the Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi charges no additional annual fee, an annual Costco annual membership starts at $60 per year. Compared to the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard’s $0 annual fee, this may not be worthwhile for those only in it for the gas rewards. The Costco Anywhere Visa by Citi is likely only a fit for those who otherwise benefit from a Costco Membership, too.
The Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi also charges no foreign transaction fees and though light on other benefits, does offer a purchase protection benefit to cover purchases against theft and damage for up to 120 days (90 days for New York residents).
Kroger Rewards World Mastercard®* vs. Target RedCard™ Credit Card*
Another major source of groceries can be a superstore such as Target, which offers the Target RedCard™ Credit Card*. The card earns 5% off on purchases at Target in store or online purchases but cannot be used outside of Target stores or websites and mobile shopping apps.
Though the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard does offer use outside of Kroger, its rewards compared to the Target RedCard on in-store purchases seem paltry—especially since the RedCard’s rewards stack with other savings and deals. The Target RedCard also offers a free standard shipping benefit and exclusive offers that could save you even more on your purchase.
Is the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard for You?
If you shop at Kroger often and find yourself buying gas there as well, the card may have some value, but other cards also offer rich rewards on groceries, gas or both without the complicated structure of this card.
To view rates and fees for the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express please visit this page.
¹Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
²Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors, including:
- Annual fee
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points
- Included merchant credits
- Additional cardholder benefits
Card features we expect cardholders to use the most often are weighted more heavily in our ratings. Altogether, the factors came together to provide a star rating for each individual card.
Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards
*The information for the following card(s) has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor: Kroger Rewards World Mastercard®, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi, Target RedCard™ Credit Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
