Bulk savings and rewards with no annual fee

With its generous free samples and one-stop shopping convenience, Sam’s Club is a favorite among savvy spenders seeking bulk savings. If you’re currently a Sam’s Club member, the Sam’s Club® Mastercard® is a solid rewards credit card that can offer additional value and rewards.

Rewards rates differ for loyalty program membership tiers. Sam’s Club offers a basic Club membership and a higher-tier Plus membership. Those enrolled in the Plus membership can earn higher rewards with the Sam’s Club Mastercard:

Earn 5% back on gas (on first $6,000 per year, then 1%)

Earn 3% back on Sam’s Club purchases if you’re a Plus member (or 1% if you’re a Club member)

Earn 3% on dining and takeout

Earn 1% on other qualifying purchases

Know that with this card, you’re capped at earning a maximum of $5,000 worth of Sam’s Cash per year. Heavier spenders at the pump and/or at Sam’s Club may fare better with a card without this restriction on earnings.

There are three options to redeem your Sam’s Cash: Online, in the app, or in-store. You can apply your rewards toward your Sam’s Club membership, or you can cash them out at a Sam’s Club register or Member Services counter.

There are some exclusions when applying your Sam’s Cash toward a purchase. For example, gift cards, fuel, prescription, tobacco, and alcohol are not eligible.

Your rewards won’t expire, but you’ll need to maintain your Sam’s membership in order to use them. If your membership lapses, you can use your rewards again once you reactivate it.

The Sam’s Club Mastercard is a good option for Sam’s Club members with good credit who want to earn rewards back on their gas and Sam’s Club spending and don’t mind earning Sam’s Cash back on dining. If you can pair this card with a 2% cash-back card on all of your other spending, it could be a winning combination for those who spend big in the two highest-earning categories on this card and prefer cash-back vs. other types of rewards.

Due to the limited redemption options, a limited general cash-back credit card can be a better all-purpose choice.Road warriors who exceed the bonus rewards cap at the pump might fare better with a gas credit card.

Generous cash-back rewards on gas and Sam’s Club purchases

Doubles as your membership card

Can prequalify with no impact on your credit

Annual rewards cap applies

Limited redemptions for rewards

Sam’s Club membership required

You can use the Sam’s Club Mastercard anywhere that accepts Mastercards

For instance, if your local gas station accepts Mastercard payments, you can buy gas with your Sam’s Club Mastercard and earn 5% back on your purchase. That’s $2 in Sam’s Cash for every $40 fill-up at the pump. If you fill your tank three times a month, that could be up to $72 worth of Sam’s Cash in a given year.

Online: You can pay your credit card bill online by logging into your Sam’s Club Mastercard account.

By phone: Call the number on the back of your card to make a payment.

By mail: Mail your payment to the address on your monthly billing statement, or call the number on the back of your card to confirm a payment address.

You cannot pay your bill at a physical Sam’s Club location.

If you have questions about your Sam’s Club Mastercard, you can reach a customer service representative by calling (866) 220-0254. Representatives are available to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also call the number on the back of your card to reach someone.

Alternatively, you can log into your Sam’s Club account to review your recent purchases, check your balance, or get general insight into your card usage.

If the Sam’s Club Mastercard® isn’t a fit for your spending patterns, or you want greater flexibility in how you redeem your rewards, consider these cards instead.

Why we like it: With the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited, you can redeem your earnings for cash back as a statement credit or a direct deposit into an eligible bank account, for travel booked through Chase Travel, or use to buy gift cards. The card also comes with a generous intro APR offer. If you typically carry a balance, the low intro period will likely save you more money than the rewards you’d earn with the Same’s Club Mastercard.

Why we like it: If earning different rates on different types of purchases feels like too much to keep track of, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a simple solution. For an annual fee of $0, the card earns 5% cash back when booking hotels or rental cars through Capital One Travel, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. You can redeem those rewards as a statement credit toward your purchases, a check mailed to you or to purchase gift cards through Capital One.

Why we like it: If your credit is closer to fair than good, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good alternative to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. This card offers the same rewards structure as its big sibling card, but its credit score requirements aren’t as strict. With this card, you’ll earn 5% back on hotel and rental car purchases through Capital One Travel and 1.5% back on all other qualifying purchases. But there’s a $39 annual fee for this card and no intro APR offer.

If you’re trying to decide between the Quicksilver and the Quicksilver One cards, your credit standing will dictate the better fit.

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