5 Things to Know About the H-E-B Credit Card
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When the Texas-based grocery chain H-E-B announced in April 2023 that it was launching its own credit card, media outlets big and small rushed to cover the news. Such fanfare for a store credit card is the exception, not the rule.
H-E-B’s massive popularity — despite the fact that its stores are limited to Texas and Mexico — almost certainly had something to do with it. With the new H-E-B credit card, customers already loyal to H-E-B can, rather effortlessly, earn cash back on their grocery orders.
Issued by First Electronic Bank, the H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card has no annual fee, and it earns high rewards at H-E-B — but only on purchases of H-E-B brands. For that reason, the card makes the most sense for people who love H-E-B and its store brands. If you aren’t wedded to H-E-B, or you don’t live near an H-E-B store, check out some of the best credit cards for groceries, which earn rewards no matter where or what you buy.
Here are five things to know about the H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card.
The H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card was launched in tandem with the Central Market Visa Signature Credit Card. As its name suggests, that card serves shoppers of Central Market, H-E-B’s high-end counterpart. Both cards earn an unlimited 5% back on H-E-B brand items and 1.5% back on everything else.
1. Excellent rewards on H-E-B products
The H-E-B card’s rewards structure is great for fans of the supermarket chain, but it’s a solid "everywhere else" card. The H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card earns:
Unlimited 5% cash back on H-E-B brand products from H-E-B, Central Market, Joe V’s Smart Shop and Mi Tienda stores and locations where curbside and home delivery are available. In-store and online orders from heb.com qualify for 5% back.
Unlimited 5% cash back on Favor delivery orders, H-E-B’s on-demand delivery service.
Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases where Visa is accepted.
Note that the 5% rate applies only to H-E-B brands such as Hill Country Fare, Kodi, Cocinaware, GTC and more. So if your cart contains a mix of H-E-B and non-H-E-B items, you’ll receive 5% back on part of your order, while the remainder earns the base rate of 1.5%. Orders placed through the H-E-B Go app, at H-E-B Go kiosks and on in-store mobile point-of-sale systems earn 1.5% as well.
Getting 1.5% back isn’t anything to sniff at, though. That rate is competitive with cards from major issuers like the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card. Both of those cards boast a 1.5% flat rate on all purchases, meaning they lack the 5% bonus category the H-E-B card has.
The H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card is a different product from the H-E-B Debit Card, a Mastercard. Like the H-E-B credit card, the debit card earns 5% cash back on H-E-B brand products, but it doesn’t earn 1.5% on other purchases.
2. Easy, flexible redemptions
Rewards earned with the H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card may be redeemed for a statement credit, check or direct deposit to a linked bank account. There’s no redemption minimum for a statement credit or direct deposit, but it’s a $20 minimum if you want a physical check.
Rewards don’t expire as long as the account is open and in good standing.
H-E-B partnered with the financial technology company Imprint to manage its rewards program, so cardholders must download the Imprint app to redeem rewards.
3. Lacks perks that are standard on other credit cards
As of this writing, H-E-B credit card holders can't request credit limit increases or add authorized users. The inability to add an authorized user can be particularly inconvenient because it limits each household to just one H-E-B credit card per account. Say you and your partner share the grocery shopping duties. Unless you add the card to your digital wallets, you’d have to pass it back and forth before each shopping trip to ensure you get cash back from each haul.
The H-E-B Visa Signature Credit Card also lacks a sign-up bonus and doesn’t allow balance transfers.
4. Pre-qualify without a hard pull
There’s a pre-qualification process for the H-E-B credit card that allows you to see whether you qualify for the card without a hard inquiry on your credit report.
However, if you decide to officially apply for the H-E-B credit card after pre-qualification, the issuing bank will pull your credit, and that may temporarily lower your credit scores.
5. Get immediate access to the card
Upon approval for the H-E-B credit card, new cardholders can get instant access to a virtual card through the Imprint app. The virtual card can be used to make online purchases, or you can load the card’s information into Apple Pay, Samsung Pay or Google Pay wallets, enabling you to make in-store purchases wherever touchless payments are accepted.
The physical H-E-B credit card should arrive within seven to 10 days after cardholders accept their offer.
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