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If you frequently shop at Target, knowing the right way to pay can help you maximize every purchase.
There's the Target Circle™ Card, which offers discounts on most Target purchases and other perks. But it has a high APR and isn't as rewarding for purchases outside of Target, so it's not the best fit for everyone.
CNBC Select analyzed dozens of credit cards to find the top picks for Target purchases, considering rewards, purchase protections, cash back and more.
Best card for discounts
Who's this for? The Target Circle™ Card is an ideal fit for anyone who does most of their shopping at Target.
Standout benefits: The Target Circle Card offers a 5% discount on nearly every Target purchase (excluding certain items, such as prescriptions and Target Optical™ eye exams). This discount is available for both the debit and credit versions of the card. With the Target Circle credit card, you'll also earn 2% back on dining and gas purchases and 1% back on all other purchases. These rewards are applied toward a Target gift card.
Target Circle™ Card
Rewards
5% discount at checkout on most purchases in-store and at Target.com
Welcome bonus
Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase of $50 or more when approved for a Target Circle™ Credit or Debit Card.
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
28.95% variable
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
N/A
See rates and fees, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Instant 5% discount at checkout
- Free two-day shipping on most items
- Extra 30 days for returns
Cons
- High variable APR
- Small intro bonus offer
Best card for cash back
Who's this for? The Wells Fargo Active Cash earns an unlimited 2% cash rewards on all eligible purchases, so it's great if you want to maximize your return everywhere.
Standout benefits: New cardholders can take advantage of this card's generous intro APR offer. It also offers a handful of protections, such as cell phone coverage (subject to a $25 deductible).
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is great if you want simplicity thanks to its flat-rate 2% unlimited cash rewards on purchases and $0 annual fee.
- High, unlimited flat-rate return on purchases
- Intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- Lower introductory balance transfer fee
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft (subject to a $25 deductible)
- Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
- Balance transfer fee increases to 5% of each transfer (minimum $5) after 120 days
- Limited redemption options unless you pair it with a Wells Fargo card that allows point transfers
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- Earn a $100 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
- 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don't expire as long as your account remains open.
- Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
Balance Transfer Fee
3% intro for 120 days from account opening, then up to 5%, min: $5
Foreign Transaction Fee
3%
Best intro APR period
Who's this for? The Wells Fargo Reflect has an unusually long intro APR, which can be a great way to finance purchases cheaply (if you can pay it off before you incur interest).
Standout benefits: For those looking to finance their purchases with no interest, the Wells Fargo Reflect offers an introductory 0% APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 21 months from account opening. After the introductory period, the interest rate will increase to a variable APR of 17.74%, 24.24%, or 28.49%. Balance transfers made within 120 days of account opening also qualify for the intro offer, with a balance transfer fee of 5% ($5 minimum).
The Wells Fargo Reflect® Card is one of the absolute best cards you can apply for if you want to save on interest and pay down debit quickly thanks to its extra generous intro-APR offer on purchases and qualifying balance transfers.
- Incredible intro-APR for purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- No annual fee
- Cell phone insurance: up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible
- No rewards
- No welcome bonus
- High balance transfer fee
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
- 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 17.74%, 24.24%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate, BT fee of 5%, min: $5.
- $0 annual fee.
- Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
- Through My Wells Fargo Deals, you can get access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants. It's an easy way to earn cash back as an account credit when you shop, dine, or enjoy an experience simply by using an eligible Wells Fargo credit card.
Balance transfer fee
5%, min: $5
Foreign transaction fee
3%
Best card for online shopping
Who's this for? The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards card is a good fit if you want the flexibility to adjust the category where you earn the most or if you do most of your Target shopping online.
Standout benefits: For the first year, you'll earn 6% cash back in one category of your choice, including online shopping. After the first year, you'll earn 3% back in the category you choose. You'll also receive 2% back on grocery stores and wholesale clubs. The 6% back (3% back after the first year) and 2% back categories are limited to the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter, then your return drops to 1%.
- Choose between 6 different categories to earn rewards, which you can change monthly
- Features an intro APR offer on purchases and balance transfers
- Offers a $200 online cash rewards bonus
- Combined quarterly spending cap on the 6% and 2% cash back categories
- Charges a 3% foreign transaction fee
- Balance transfer fee increases after the first 60 days of account opening
Information about Bank of America cards has been collected independently by CNBC Select and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer prior to publication.
Other tips for saving at Target
Target Circle
Even if you don't have the Target Circle™ Card, you can sign up for the retailer's loyalty program, Target Circle. It's free to join and offers non-card users access to exclusive events, discounts and a special birthday gift.
Credit card protections
If something you bought online from Target is damaged, defective or stolen, credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) provide purchase protection and extended warranty protection.
Shopping portals
Shopping portals provide an opportunity to earn additional points, miles or cash back for your Target purchases. You simply find the portal you want to use, create an account and then click through its Target link before you do your online shopping.
There is no shortage of shopping portals to choose from; most airlines and many banks have shopping portals you can use to earn rewards in those programs. There are also portals with their own rewards programs, such as Rakuten, TopCashback and Rove.
The shopping portal payouts for Target (or any site) vary, and the value of the rewards you receive also isn't consistent. To easily compare rates between sites and find the best deal, use a site like Savewise or Cashback Monitor.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards for Target.
Our methodology
To determine which cards offer the best value for Target shoppers, CNBC Select analyzed over 250 of the most popular credit cards available in the U.S.
We compared each card on a range of features, including rewards (e.g., cash back, points and miles), annual fees, welcome bonuses, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fees and foreign transaction fees.
When choosing the best cards, we focused on those with benefits that are relevant to Target purchases. We considered additional perks, cardholder protections, the application process and how easy it is to redeem points.
We also considered CNBC Select audience data when available, such as general demographics and engagement with our content and tools.
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