EDITOR'S NOTE: The Houzz Mastercard and Houzz Credit Card are no longer accepting new applications.
Houzz (pronounced “howz”) offers a one-stop shop for homeowners looking to make improvements: It offers photogenic inspiration, sells everything from bathroom vanities to rugs, and connects you to professionals who can take on your project. And now, it also offers credit cards.
Issued by Comenity, the $0-annual-fee Houzz Mastercard and Houzz Credit Card come with slightly different benefits that are most useful to people who plan to spend a lot of money on the site. Here are five things you should know about the cards.
1. Both cards earn 5% back on Houzz purchases ...
With both cards, you'll snag 5% back in Houzz "Reward Dollars" for every purchase on Houzz.com.
With the Houzz Mastercard, you also earn 1% back for all other spending outside Houzz. (The Houzz Credit Card can be used only at Houzz.)
2. ... But rewards are redeemable only toward Houzz purchases
Earning 5% back in rewards can be nice for Houzz loyalists, but there's not a lot of flexibility with those rewards.
Reward Dollars post to your account each month, and you can redeem them for Reward Certificates, which are issued in $25 increments. Those certificates can only be put toward purchases at Houzz, and you can't use more than one certificate per purchase — nor can you combine or "stack" them with other discounts.
Plus, Reward Certificates expire 90 days from the date they're issued.
Even huge Houzz fans might do better with a general cash-back credit card that has a high rewards rate, no minimum redemption threshold and lets you use your rewards toward whatever you want. The Discover it® Cash Back fits that description to a T.
3. Both cards come with a sign-up bonus
With both the Houzz Mastercard and the Houzz Credit Card, you earn a $50 welcome reward in Houzz Reward Dollars after you open and use your card on Houzz.
With the Houzz Mastercard, you earn an additional $50 in Houzz Reward Dollars if you spend $500 on your card outside of Houzz within the first 90 days of opening your account.
4. You can access your credit line instantly
Typically, once you're approved for a credit card, you have to wait several days for the physical card to arrive in the mail before you can start using it. Not so with the Houzz Mastercard and Houzz Credit Card. Once you're approved, a temporary account number will be sent to you electronically, meaning you can start using your card immediately.
5. The Houzz Credit Card offers special financing
Unlike the Houzz Mastercard, the Houzz Credit Card offers deferred-interest financing:
- If you buy a single item worth $350 with your Houzz Credit Card, you will pay no interest if you pay it off within six months.
- If you purchase a single item worth $700, then you pay no interest if you pay it off within 12 months.
Keep in mind that these are not true 0% intro APR offers, but rather deferred interest promotions. If you don't pay off the full amount before the promotional period ends, you'll owe interest starting from the purchase date.
