Best credit cards for back-to-school shopping at Target (August 2024)

As summer winds down, parents and students across the country are preparing for a new school year by stocking up on the tech, clothing items, school supplies, and other gear required for the classroom and dorm room.

Target is already a major destination many back-to-school shoppers use to cross every item off their lists. But if you’re also a year-round Target regular, you may want to add a credit card to your wallet to maximize savings before you begin school shopping this year.

Here are some of today’s top rewards credit cards for Target purchases.

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases within the first six months

Rewards:

• 2% cash back on all other purchases (1% as you spend, 1% as you pay off your purchases)

• 5% cash back on hotels, rental cars, and attractions booked through Citi Travel (through Dec. 31, 2024)

Why we like this card: With the Citi Double Cash, you can earn cash back anywhere you go. The card’s flat 2% cash-back rewards are great for maximizing purchases that don’t fall within common credit card rewards categories (such as shopping at Target).

For new cardholders, there are also a lot of perks that can help you save on upcoming shopping trips. With the cash-back welcome offer, you’ll get $200 bonus cash after spending $1,500 within the first six months (or about $250 monthly). Plus, you can use Citi Double Cash to help pay down any existing debt with a competitive 0% APR intro offer on balance transfers.

Read our full Citi Double Cash® Card review

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Save $50 on a future qualifying purchase after approval

Rewards:

If you’re approved for a Target Mastercard, you’ll get additional rewards:

Why we like this card: If you regularly shop at Target for everyday necessities, groceries, and electronics, you can earn ample annual savings with the recently revamped Target Circle Card. Instead of points or cash back, you’ll get an automatic 5% discount at checkout on your eligible Target spending in-store and online. That discount also applies to in-store Starbucks locations, drive-up services, and same-day delivery.

Depending on the info in your application, you may also be approved for the Target Mastercard version of the card, which offers an additional 2% rewards on dining and at gas stations and 1% on all other (non-Target) purchases. These rewards go toward a Target gift card.

Other Target benefits that come with the card include free two-day shipping on eligible items, an extra 30 days for returns and exchanges, and access to cardholder bonus offers. Finally, if you also join Target Circle 360, which offers unlimited same-day delivery, Shipt access, and more, you’ll save $50 off the annual membership cost ($49 instead of $99).

Read our full Target Circle Card review

Annual fee: $0 for the first year, then $95

Welcome offer: Earn $250 cash back after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 120 days

Rewards:

• 6% cash back on your first $1,500 in combined eligible purchases each quarter from two retailers of your choice

• 3% cash back on your first $1,500 spent each quarter in one everyday category of your choice (wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, or bills and utilities)

• 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Why we like this card: You may have to strategize your spending to maximize the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards more than other cards, but you can also unlock substantial savings. Start with the 6% cash back at two choice retailers, on up to $1,500 spent each quarter. Target is one of the retailers you can choose from, along with Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Wayfair.com, Amazon.com, and more. If cash back at Target is your priority, you could max out the $1,500 each quarter at Target alone and earn $360 cash back annually.

Beyond the 6% category, you’ll earn 3% back on another $1,500 each quarter in one choice category, between wholesale clubs, gas and EV charging stations, and bills and utilities. Plus, a flat 1.5% cash back on all other purchases rounds out this card’s great cash earnings (most other tiered cash rewards cards only earn 1% on non-category spending). In exchange for those big rewards, you’ll pay a $95 annual fee, though it’s waived the first year.

Annual fee: $0 (see rates and fees)

Welcome offer: Earn a $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first six months

Rewards:

• 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%)

• 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%)

• 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 spent per year, then 1%)

• 1% cash back on all other purchases*
  *Cash back is earned as Reward Dollars, which you can redeem as a statement credit

Recommended credit score: Good to excellent

Why we like this card: With 3% cash back on spending with U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 spent per year), the Blue Cash Everyday from Amex can be valuable for frequent Target shoppers who prefer to shop online. If you max out the category with your Target.com or other online purchases, you could earn $180 in cash back each year, not including the 1% you’ll still earn after the max.

That’s not all — the same cash-back rate also applies to spending at U.S. supermarkets and gas stations (up to the same $6,000 annual cap), making Blue Cash Everyday a solid choice for everyday spending. In addition to cash rewards, this card has a solid intro 0% APR offer for new purchases and balance transfers, plus ongoing annual credits to help offset your regular spending.

Read our full Amex Blue Cash Everyday Card review

Annual fee: $95

Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months, plus receive a one-time $250 Capital One Travel credit in your first year

Rewards:

Recommended credit score: Good to excellent

Why we like this card: If you like earning travel rewards, the Capital One Venture’s unlimited 2x miles on every purchase can help you maximize your spending at Target and beyond for future travel. Your regular purchases at Target — groceries, electronics, home goods, clothing, pharmacy needs, or anything else — all earn 2x miles. You can use your miles to book travel through Capital One Travel, put them toward a travel purchase already charged to your card, or transfer them to airline and hotel partners.

In addition to rewards on spending, the Capital One Venture card has no foreign transaction fees, up to a $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry, access to the Lifestyle Collection hotels, and a $50 experience credit when you book an eligible stay through Capital One Travel. This card does carry a $95 annual fee, so compare your average spending and budget before you apply.

Read our full Capital One Venture Rewards review

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Earn $50 after spending $100 within the first three months

Rewards:

• 10% back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases (plus get monthly Uber One membership costs covered) through Nov. 14, 2024

• 1.5% back on all other purchases

Recommended credit score: No credit history required

Why we like this card: Incoming college students ready to shop for back-to-school can save money and start building credit with a student credit card. The Capital One Quicksilver Student card is a great entry-level option that also allows you to earn rewards on all your spending. The 1.5% cash back applies to all the purchases you make, including at Target.

The Quicksilver Student card has no annual fee. And if you’re shopping for school in the fall, you could use those expenses to score the $50 cash-back welcome bonus after spending $100 within the first three months. Over time, use your card to build credit by making timely payments and avoid debt by spending only what you can afford to pay in full each month.

Read our full Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash review

Back-to-school supply lists can quickly become lengthy and expensive. This year, Americans expect to spend $875 for back-to-school and $1,365 for back-to-college per household, according to recent data from the National Retail Federation. With totals that high, every dollar counts — and shopping at discount retailers like Target can help you save.

In fact, Target has already rolled out a few opportunities to save throughout the 2024 back-to-school season. Here are just a few:

• One-time 20% off teacher discount through Aug. 24

• One-time 20% off discount for verified college students through Sept. 28

• Waived sales tax in specific sales tax holiday states over eligible weekends (find info about your state here)

These are in addition to the many back-to-school deals and sale items you’ll find on Target.com and in Target stores throughout the season.

What to look for in a credit card for Target spending

Finding the best credit card for rewards and savings at Target is definitely worthwhile if you frequent the superstore. But deciding on a card may be more complicated than with some other retailers since Target (along with Walmart and wholesale clubs) is often excluded from common rewards categories.

Because of that, credit cards with flat-rate rewards on every purchase — regardless of category — can make an excellent choice for frequent Target shoppers. These cards may earn those flat rewards as cash back, which you can redeem for statement credits toward your account balance. But you can also find flat rewards on travel credit cards that earn points and miles. Then, you can use these rewards toward future travel through the issuer’s portal, transfer to partners, book directly with airlines or hotels, and more.

The other option is a credit card with specific rewards at Target. The cards on our list above (including the Target Circle card) offer significant savings for those who regularly shop in-store or at Target.com.

Beyond rewards at Target, look for benefits and protections that suit your spending. These might include a great welcome bonus with a spending threshold within your budget, annual credits with brands you already use, or purchase and travel protections.

Is the Target credit card worth it?

The Target Circle Card (previously called the Target RedCard) can offer major savings for Target loyalists. Its rewards structure is simple, with a 5% discount on eligible Target purchases instead of points or cash-back rewards. In other words, you’ll get $5 off a $100 shopping trip, $25 off a $500 haul, and so on.

With the Mastercard version, you’ll also earn 2% back (toward a Target gift card) on dining and at gas stations, plus 1% on other purchases. You can find better rewards rates in these categories elsewhere, but if you don’t already earn rewards when you eat out or fill up your gas tank, these categories can still add value.

Finally, the Target Circle Card’s added benefits are best suited for frequent Target shoppers — from free two-day shipping on eligible online purchases to a longer window for returns and exchanges and savings on the Target Circle 360 loyalty program.

Before you apply, though, think about how much you really shop at the superstore. Review your spending over the past few months or look at previous card statements. If you haven’t spent much there, you may get more value from a more flexible general rewards card. You’ll get the most from the Target Circle Card only if you’re already a frequent shopper.

Should you use a credit card for Target?

Like any other time you shop, using a credit card at Target can be a smart move.

Rewards are valuable, but credit cards also help protect you and your purchases. Most issuers have zero liability for charges if your card is lost or stolen, and you can sign up for alerts if an unexpected charge appears on your account. Purchase protection — which covers your purchases against damage or theft up to a certain amount of time — and extended warranty are two more benefits to look for.

At the same time, you must be careful when shopping with a credit card to avoid high-interest debt. You can quickly wipe out any savings you’ll get from rewards and discounts if you cannot pay your balance in full by the time your statement is due. Don’t let the promise of rewards entice you to spend more than you can afford, so you can continue to reap the benefits without costly interest charges.

Our methodology

To find the best credit cards for Target spending, we first focused on cards with rewards or discounts at the big box retailer. Be warned: Purchases at stores like Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs generally fall outside standard credit card bonus categories. For instance, credit cards with great rewards at grocery stores will usually not earn bonus rewards when you shop at Target based on standard merchant category codes.

Then, we broadened our search to rewards credit cards that may apply to Target purchases more generally. For example, cards with rewards for online purchases (for use at Target.com) and cards with flat rewards across any category.

We did not include rotating bonus category credit cards. While these cards do sometimes offer rewards at Target, it’s often limited to only one quarter per year. If you shop at Target stores regularly, this may not be enough value to make the most of your year-round spending.

Our final picks include credit cards that both match the above criteria and score highly among our general credit card rubrics — which evaluate details like annual fee, APR, benefits, issuer protections, customer service, and more.

This article was edited by Alicia Hahn

Editorial Disclosure: The information in this article has not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. All opinions belong solely to Yahoo Finance and are not those of any other entity. The details on financial products, including card rates and fees, are accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information. This site doesn’t include all currently available offers. Credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.