5 Things to Know About the Kroger Credit Card

If you're a dedicated shopper at one of the many stores in the Kroger family, you might be considering the grocer's branded store credit card, the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard, for your frequent supermarket sweeps.

On the plus side, the $0-annual-fee card — issued by First Bank & Trust and managed by financial technology company Imprint — earns high rewards rates on spending with Kroger brands, whether in-store, online or at Kroger gas stations. But the card's other rewards are lackluster, and redemption options are restrictive, making it less valuable than a general rewards card could be, especially if you're aren't loyal to Kroger and tend to spread your grocery spending around.

Here are five things to know about the Kroger credit card.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best credit cards for groceries

1. Solid reward rates at Kroger

If you get the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard, you'll automatically be enrolled in the store’s loyalty program, the Kroger Rewards Program. (Credit card or not, membership is free and you can enroll online or in a Kroger-owned store.) As a member of that program, you'll earn 1 Kroger reward point for every dollar you spend on non-fuel Kroger purchases, both in stores and online.

Additionally, the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard comes with a complimentary Kroger Boost Essential membership, which among other perks includes a boost to your reward rates. So taken together, here's what you'll earn with the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard on purchases you make at its stores:

• Up to 5 points per $1 on Kroger pickup and delivery orders (3 points from the card, 1 point from the loyalty program, and 1 point from your Kroger Boost Essential membership). 

• 4 points per $1 at Kroger fuel pumps. 

• Up to 3 points per $1 on in-store Kroger purchases (1 point from the card, 1 point from the loyalty program, and 1 point from your Boost Essential membership).

2. Middling value beyond the brand, though

Most store-branded credit cards don't offer much incentive to use them outside of the store itself, and that's also true of the Kroger credit card. Beyond bonus rewards with the brand, it earns 2 points per dollar on dining, utilities and travel, plus 1 point per dollar on all other purchases. Those are low rates on non-grocery spending, and your redemption options will be limited. (More on that below.)

You can do a lot better than that.

Take the $0-annual-fee Chase Freedom Flex®, for example, which earns an ongoing 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores, plus 5% back on travel booked through Chase. Beyond that, it also offers 5% back in rotating bonus categories on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter (activation required; all other non-bonus-category spending earns 1% back). Those 5% categories have historically included popular line items in household budgets, like gas and groceries. And you can use your cash back on whatever you like.

Here's a sampling of other credit cards that offer bonus rewards on groceries and beyond:

3. Limited redemption options

If saving money on your Kroger groceries and gas fill-ups is your priority, then the Kroger credit card could be a good pick. But if you like to be able to redeem your rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards or other options, you'll be disappointed.

Points earned with the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard don't expire, but they can be redeemed only for dollars off of Kroger groceries or savings at Kroger pumps. For groceries, you can redeem your points in-store or online before checking out. Points are worth one cent each when redeemed this way, which means that every 100 points redeemed will get you $1 off your groceries.

That's a solid value per point. Plus, with the card, you can redeem up to 50,000 points a day — for up to $500 in value — off your grocery bill. (Those without the card who earn Kroger rewards through other channels can redeem only up to 1,000 points a day, for up to $10 off groceries.)

For gas discounts, you can redeem your points at participating Kroger Family Fuel Centers and partner stations in your area. Every 100 points you redeem can get you 10 cents off per gallon. You can save up to $1 per gallon up to 35 gallons per fill-up, or $35 per fill-up.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best gas credit cards

4. Potentially useful perks

Holders of the Kroger credit card receive Kroger’s Boost Essential membership when they get the card. Boost Essential membership typically costs $8.99 per month or $69 per year. Membership comes with exclusive benefits, including:

• Earn 1 Kroger Reward point for every dollar you spend on non-fuel Kroger purchases, online and in-stores. (This is independent of the Mastercard’s rewards and rewards earned from Kroger's free loyalty program.)

• Free deliveries on orders over $35 that have next-day delivery times. (This is not applicable to same-day deliveries). 

• Waived delivery service fees on deliveries totaling $35 or more at participating stores. 

Cardholders also receive a $10 birthday reward every calendar year. This can be redeemed toward groceries only, not Kroger gas purchases.

5. Decent welcome bonus

As of October 2026, new holders of the Kroger Rewards World Elite Mastercard can earn a $100 welcome reward when they spend at least $750 outside of Kroger within 90 days of opening their account. That bonus is more than what many other store-branded credit cards offer, although it might be a strain to hit the $750 spending requirement because only non-Kroger spending will count toward it.

The bonus can be redeemed only for eligible grocery purchases and not toward gas purchases.

» MORE: The best credit card bonuses for new cardholders

To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, see this page. To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, see this page.