5 Things to Know About the J. Crew Credit Card

J. Crew clothes can be expensive, so if you’re a fan of the brand, it makes sense to find a way to trim costs where you can. The J. Crew credit card wants to be that money-saver, but the truth is that other credit cards will likely save you more.

Issued by Synchrony Bank, the J. Crew credit card has a $0 annual fee, but you’ll need to spend at least $1,000 a year at J. Crew to get the best rewards rates. Plus, there's no 0% intro APR promotion, and the card's ongoing interest rate is so high that you won't want to use it to finance a new wardrobe.

In most cases, you'll be better served with a general rewards credit card. For example, the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express and the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card have no annual fee and earn excellent rewards on online shopping, which includes not only J. Crew but also hundreds of other retailers. Terms apply.

Here's what to know if you're considering the J. Crew credit card.

» MORE: Before you get a retail credit card, consider your options

1. There are two J. Crew credit cards

The J. Crew credit card comes in two varieties:

• The J. Crew Mastercard, which can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

• The J. Crew Credit Card, which can be used for purchases at J. Crew and J. Crew Factory only. (Note that you can't use it at Madewell, even though that brand is a part of the J. Crew umbrella.)

Which version of the J. Crew card you can get depends on your creditworthiness. Potential cardholders can use the prequalification tool to determine their eligibility for either card.

You must join Passport, J. Crew’s store loyalty program, to apply for the card. Those who have the card but don’t belong to Passport won’t earn rewards.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best store credit cards

2. Rewards hinge on your Passport tier

The rewards you can earn with the J. Crew credit card depend on your status within the Passport loyalty program. There are three tiers: Green, Navy and Gold. All three tiers offer 1 point per $1 spent at J. Crew, but you’ll earn bonus points if you have a J. Crew credit card.

• Green. Free to join. Green members earn 1 point per $1 spent at J. Crew.

• Navy. Must spend $500 annually at J. Crew, or have a J. Crew credit card. Navy members with a J. Crew card earn 2 points per $1 spent at J. Crew.

• Gold. Must spend $1,000 annually at J. Crew. Gold members with a J. Crew card earn 3 points per $1 spent at J. Crew.

The Mastercard version of the card also earns 1 point for every $1 spent on gas and grocery purchases and 1 point for every $2 spent on everything else. (Fuel stations at warehouse clubs and some supercenters and grocery stores don’t qualify.)

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for department stores

3. Rewards are valuable, but redemption is inflexible

Cardholders will automatically receive a $5 reward certificate for every 200 points earned. On the plus side, that means that 1 point is worth 2.5 points, well above the industry standard of 1 cent per point. But there are caveats when it comes to redeeming your rewards.

First, as with many store cards, rewards may be used toward more J. Crew purchases only. Second, because the $5 reward certificate is automatic once you accrue 200 points, you won't be able to "save up" rewards over time for a large purchase — especially given that rewards expire 90 days after their issue date.

Credit cards from issuers like Capital One or Discover have more versatile rewards that never expire.

4. The APR is high

Outstanding balances on the J. Crew credit card will be assessed an interest charge of over 31%, as of this writing. That’s almost 10 percentage points higher than the February 2024 average APR on interest-accruing credit cards, according to the Federal Reserve.

Avoid interest charges by paying off credit card balances in full, whenever possible.

» MORE: Credit card interest calculator

5. Card benefits include a birthday gift and a small sign-up bonus 

Being a J. Crew cardholder comes with a few extra perks beyond elevated rewards rates. Whether you have the J. Crew Credit Card or J. Crew Mastercard, you’ll get a $25 birthday gift, free standard shipping from J. Crew and J. Crew Factory, and free standard alterations.

As of this writing, new cardholders also get a welcome offer in the form of a 20% discount on their first J. Crew purchase with their J. Crew credit card. This discount may be combined with another offer in a single transaction.

However, a 20% coupon pales in comparison with the best credit card sign-up bonuses that are worth hundreds of dollars.

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