Our Verdict
The only stars we see when looking at the Macy’s Credit Card and its Star Rewards program are the kind you see when hit over the head with a blunt object. The card lacks major benefits and to unlock consistently serious rewards a cardholder must spend a serious amount of money at Macy’s.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Rewards earned are instant
- Birthday gift
Cons
- No low introductory APR period
- Star Money Rewards only valid for 30 calendar days from issuance
- Closed loop card; can only be used at Macy’s
Highlights
- No annual fee
- Up to 5 points per dollar spent at Macy’s on your Macy’s card, must spend $1,200 or more at Macy’s annually
- Gold status members can earn 3 points per dollar (required spend is between $500 and $1,199 at Macy’s annually). Silver status is the default and earns 2 points per dollar on purchases made at Macy’s annually
Introduction
The Macy’s Credit Card offers a closed-loop card (meaning it can’t be used anywhere except Macy’s, Macy’s Backstage and macys.com) with an APR so high it may as well be among the stars: 31.99% variable.
To unlock Platinum status with Macy’s and earn a full 5 points per dollar spent at Macy’s on your Macy’s card, must spend $1,200 or more at Macy’s annually, Gold status members can earn 3 points per dollar (required spend is between $500 and $1,199 at Macy’s annually). Silver status is the default and earns 2 points per dollar on purchases made at Macy’s annually. One thousand points earns $10 in Star Money rewards, which you can spend on anything at Macy’s. These rewards expire after 30 days.
The extra benefits offered by the card aren’t particularly shiny, but it does offer a birthday gift each year and free shipping for Gold and Platinum members with no minimum purchase amount. Cardholders also unlock access to member-exclusive offers, Star Money Bonus Days to earn increased rewards and Star Passes, which promise special savings for cardholders. The card offers a welcome bonus of 20% off Macy’s purchases that extends only to the first two days of shopping at Macy’s and is capped at a savings of $100—meaning the maximum discount of $100 would require $500 in spending at Macy’s.
Compare Macy’s Credit Card With Other Cards
Quick Facts
- $0 annual fee
- Earn 20% off Macy’s purchases that extends only to the first two days of shopping at Macy’s and is capped at a savings of $100.
- Earn 5 points per dollar spent at Macy’s on your Macy’s card, must spend $1,200 or more at Macy’s annually, Gold status members can earn 3 points per dollar (required spend is between $500 and $1,199 at Macy’s annually). Silver status is the default and earns 2 points per dollar on purchases made at Macy’s annually.
- High regular variable APR: 31.99% variable
- Birthday reward and member-exclusive shopping deal benefits
Macy's Credit Card Rewards
Earning Rewards
The Macy’s Credit Card earns 5 points per dollar spent at Macy’s on your Macy’s card, must spend $1,200 or more at Macy’s annually, Gold status members can earn 3 points per dollar (required spend is between $500 and $1,199 at Macy’s annually). Silver status is the default and earns 2 points per dollar on purchases made at Macy’s annually. Cardholders who do not make a purchase within 12 consecutive months or whose account is closed will automatically forfeit all points.
The Macy’s Credit Card also includes a welcome bonus: 20% off Macy’s purchases that extends only to the first two days of shopping at Macy’s and is capped at a savings of $100.
Redeeming Rewards
Upon earning 1,000 points, a $10 Macy’s Star Money reward is issued to the cardholder, valid only for 30 days. This Star Money reward may be used at Macy’s, Macy’s Backstage or macys.com but may not be used in conjunction with a digital wallet payment method or in a self-checkout line.
Rewards Potential
To determine the rewards potential of the Macy’s Credit Card we look at the bonus categories and calculate what an average household might spend in those areas. Forbes Advisor uses data from various government agencies to determine baseline income and spending averages across various categories. The 70th percentile of wage-earning households bring in $116,000 annually and has $36,177 in annual spending that can reasonably be charged to credit cards.
Forbes Advisor estimates our example household spends $3,460 each year on shopping for things like clothing and furniture. If a Macy’s-devoted household spent this entire amount at Macy’s, Macy’s Backstage and macys.com each year, it would earn 998 points on the first $499 in spending, 1,500 on the next $500 in spending and 12,305 for the remaining $2,461 in purchases. This would result in a grand total of 14,803 points, worth 14 $10 Star Money rewards. So long as this household managed to redeem all of these Star Money rewards before they each expired 30 days after issuance, the total reward would amount to $140 in Star Money rewards.
Other Macy's Credit Card Benefits
- Exclusive offers. Product offers and deals unique to cardholders.
- Free shipping. Those who spend enough to qualify for gold or platinum status earn free shipping, with no minimum purchase amount. Does not apply to furniture, mattresses or rugs.
- Birthday surprise. Receive a surprise each year on your birthday, but only if you’ve made a purchase in the last 12 months and meet other eligibility terms, such as not opting out of marketing mail.
Fine Print
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 31.99% variable
- Purchase intro APR: N/A
- Balance transfer intro APR: N/A
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Balance transfer fee: N/A
- Foreign purchase transaction fee: N/A
How the Macy's Credit Card Stacks Up
Macy’s Credit Card* vs. Macy’s American Express® Card*
The Macy’s American Express® Card* offers everything the Macy’s Credit Card does, but because it’s an American Express card, it may be used anywhere Amex cards are accepted and thus also earns 3 points per dollar at restaurants, 2 points per dollar at gas stations and supermarkets (excluding superstores and warehouses) and 1 point per dollar on all other qualifying purchases made outside of Macy’s.
The extra benefits remain the same, but the added rewards certainly create a stronger rewards potential. Because other cash-back cards earn better rewards, we still would only recommend the Macy’s Amex card for those customers who spend enough to unlock and use rewards in the highest membership tiers.
Macy’s Credit Card* vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
For a better all-around rewards potential plus actual benefits and the ability to use your card anywhere Visa is accepted, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card remains a better offer and earns 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Because Wells Fargo Active cash rewards are earned everywhere the card is used and are redeemed for cash rewards and not Macy’s Star Rewards, it’s the better rewards card for almost everybody who wants only one card. Even the most dedicated Macy’s fans might consider this card as a primary card and the Macy’s credit card for use only at Macy’s. In addition to its rewards, the Wells Fargo Active Cash offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, then a 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% variable APR applies. Balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a fee of up to 5%, with a minimum of $5 applies and offers the following welcome bonus: Earn $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Macy’s Credit Card* vs. Target RedCard™ Credit Card*
For those who shop at Target (and those who want to see how much simpler things can be with a competitors’ card) the Target RedCard™ Credit Card* offers an easy-to-understand 5% discount on nearly all Target purchases, applied automatically. While the card also charges a high, variable 29.95% variable APR, it’s not as high as the Macy’s Credit Card.
With free two-day shipping on orders from Target.com, the Target RedCard seems to compete fairly directly with the Macy’s Credit Card’s free shipping perk. But instead of only offering it to those who spend enough, the Target RedCard offers this benefit to all cardholders. The card also offers 30 extra days of returns on in-store or online purchases.
Is the Macy's Credit Card for You?
Probably not. We’re not excited about the Macy’s Credit Card for several reasons but the main one is simply that the best flat-rate cash-back cards on the market offer the same rewards on all purchases that this card’s lowest rewards tier offers on Macy’s purchases. To receive the major reward benefit of this card, you’ll need to spend $1,200 each year at Macy’s—and still, the rewards will be limited to redemption for Macy’s purchases made within 30 days of issue. The card doesn’t compete with the best store cards on the market, but it may be right for you if you’re spending hundreds of dollars at Macy’s each year.
Methodology
Forbes Advisor considers a variety of criteria when assigning credit cards a rating. Cards are graded based on numerous factors including:
- Annual fees
- Welcome bonus offers
- Ongoing earning rates
- Value of individual points or miles
- Included travel or 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: Macy’s Credit Card, Macy’s American Express® Card, Target RedCard™ Credit Card. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
