5 Things to Know About the Harbor Freight Credit Card

The Harbor Freight Credit Card is a $0-annual-fee store card for Harbor Freight, a retailer selling tools and equipment.

Issued by Synchrony Bank, it's a “closed-loop” card, meaning it can be used only for Harbor Freight purchases made in stores, online or over the phone. It offers the ability to earn rewards or get special financing on larger purchases.

Here are five things to know about the Harbor Freight Credit Card.

» MORE: What is Synchrony Bank, and are its credit cards right for you?

1. Get a discount on your first purchase

While there’s no welcome bonus, you can get 10% off your first purchase with the Harbor Freight Credit Card (unless you choose to finance that purchase — more on that below). This discount excludes shipping and handling, and will be applied at checkout or as a statement credit.

Depending on what you intend to buy right after getting this card, the discount could be substantial. Time your card application carefully so you don’t waste the one-time discount on a $20 set of drill bits.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for home improvement

2. Choose rewards or financing

When you use the Harbor Freight Credit Card after your first purchase, you’ll either earn 5% back in the form of Harbor Freight Money, or you can choose an interest-free financing option for purchases of $299 or more (you can buy multiple less expensive items and finance them, but they would all need to be part of the same transaction). You won’t earn Harbor Freight Money on any purchases you finance.

3. Use rewards on future purchases

Every $1 you spend on the card (assuming you didn't choose the financing option) will earn 5 rewards points. Once you accumulate 500 points, you’ll get $5 in Harbor Freight Money, which will be in the form of a certificate mailed to you with your statement (if you don’t get paper statements, you’ll get an electronic version of the certificate). Certificates are issued in $5 increments, up to $25 per certificate. You can use certificates for in-store purchases, and can combine them with other coupons.

There are some limitations on rewards to keep in mind. You can’t use them to buy gift cards or gift certificates, nor can they be used for online purchases. Also, reward certificates expire 90 days after they’re issued.

A general rewards credit card will be less limiting when it comes to redemptions. For instance, the $0-annual-fee Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns 2% back on all eligible purchases. But unlike the Harbor Freight card, those rewards are in the form of actual cash back, not store rewards, and they don't expire as long as your account remains open — so you'll have a lot more freedom in terms of how to use them.

Also unlike the Harbor Freight card, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card can be used anywhere Visa is accepted, and it comes with a generous welcome bonus: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.

4. The financing option splits payments into installments

If you choose no-interest financing, you’ll make equal monthly payments for a set period of time, which depends on the purchase amount. The terms as of this writing:

• Six months: $299 to $498.99.

• 12 months: $499 to $798.99.

• 24 months: $799 to $1,798.99.

• 36 months: $1,799 and up. 

With these payment plans, your monthly required payment will equal the total amount you owe divided by the number of months you have to repay. If you miss a payment, you’ll be charged a late fee that will be assessed interest.

The monthly payment will be added to your minimum payment due if you have any other charges on the card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best 0% intro APR credit cards

5. Watch out for the interest rate

As of this writing, the card’s standard interest rate is nearly 32%. If you make a late payment, you’ll be charged a penalty APR of 39.99%, which will remain in place “indefinitely,” according to the card’s terms and conditions.

If you enter into an equal pay financing offer for a purchase and make all your payments on time, you won’t pay interest. But if you opt to earn rewards and begin to carry a balance, or make a late payment on a financing plan, the interest rate will affect you.