Best Credit Cards for Gamers
A gaming credit card with rewards features allows you to capitalize on your love for video games by letting you earn while you spend.
Typically a rewards credit card can either let you earn a percentage of your purchase — in the form of "cash back" — or accrue points every time you buy that can be redeemed for various items.
Ultimately, a gaming credit card makes it possible for you to easily use your rewards or points for gaming purchases, like games themselves or electronics.
Short Review of Best Credit Cards for Gamers
| Card Name
| Annual fee
| Regular APR
| Rewards
|
|---|
| Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
| $0
| 17.99% - 27.99%
| 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores.
|
| Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®
| $0
| 17.99% - 27.74%
| 5% Cash Back at Walmart.com, including pickup and delivery.
|
| Chase Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
| $0
| 17.99% - 25.99%
| 5% Cash Back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market with an eligible Prime membership.
|
| Comenity Bank PlayStation® Visa®
| $0
| 15.49% - 24.24%
| 5x Points on PlayStation or Sony purchases.
|
| Citi My Best Buy® Visa®
| $0
| 29.24%
| 5% Cash Back in rewards at Best Buy (6% back in Rewards for Elite Plus Cardmembers).
|
| TD Bank Target REDcard™
| $0
| 25.15%
| 5% Cash Back on purchases at Target and Target.com.
|
| Wells Fargo Active Cash℠
| $0
| 14.99% - 24.99%
| 2% Cash rewards on purchases.
|
| Citi Double Cash
| $0
| 17.74% - 27.74%
| 2% Cash Back on every purchase with unlimited 1% Cash Back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for purchases.
|
Who should apply
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Do you frequently use streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Disney Plus? Then the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card should be on your radar. This card offers unlimited 3% cash back for dining, streaming, grocery store, and entertainment purchases. And, if something doesn't fall into those categories, you can receive 1% cash back on all other purchases.
This card has a $0 annual fee, offers a $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 within the first three months of the account opening, and has a 0% intro APR for 15 months (19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that).
While it isn't directly tied to a game store, if you frequently dine out, engage in entertainment activities like movies or concerts, or make eligible streaming purchases,this card is worth checking out.
Read more about Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Chase Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
If Amazon is where you do most of your shopping, then the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card should be on your list to consider as a credit card for gamers. Each $1 in % reward is equal to 100 points.
You earn 3% back for purchases at Amazon and Whole Foods Market, but if you have an eligible Amazon Prime account that has your card loaded onto it, then you can earn 5%.
You can earn 2% back at qualifying restaurants, gas stations, and drugstores and 1% back on utilities, rideshares, and other purchases. You can redeem rewards for eligible purchases at Amazon.com, but points can also be redeemed for cash, travel, gift cards, and in a couple of other ways. There's also no foreign transaction fee or annual fee.
This card can be a great addition to your wallet if you purchase games or game-related items through Amazon.
Read more about Chase Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature
Comenity Bank PlayStation® Visa®
Is Sony or Playstation your game store of choice? If so, the PlayStation® Visa® credit card may be the right video game credit card for you. First, if you open and spend $500 on non-Playstation or Sony items within 60 days of account opening, you can receive a free $75 game if enrolled in the Sony Rewards Program.
The gaming credit card rewards perks don't stop there. When you use the PlayStation® Visa® credit card, you'll earn 5 points for every $1 you spend on Sony and Playstation store purchases or through authorized retailers.
You'll earn 3 points for every $1 you spend on cable and internet bill payments and 2 points for every $1 you spend at restaurants. For all other purchases, rewards are 1 point for every $1 spent.
Remember that earning will only be awarded if the purchase's merchant code matches the category eligible for the offer. This is a great credit card for gamers who spend a lot on Sony or PlayStation-related products. It allows you to earn on utilities like cable and the internet, something most gamers likely already spend money on.
Read more about Comenity Bank PlayStation® Visa®
Citi My Best Buy® Visa®
Best Buy is a popular place to score electronics and video game-related items. Because of that, it should be in the running as one of the best credit cards for gamers.
The My Best Buy® Visa® Credit Card offers 5% back rewards, which amounts to 2.5 points per every $1 spent on qualifying Best Buy purchases.
You can increase your rewards if you sign up for an Elite Plus membership, as those enrolled in this program receive 6% rewards back (an additional .5 points) for every qualifying Best Buy purchase.
The My Best Buy® Visa® Credit Card comes with the additional perk of offering 10% back in rewards (an extra 2.5 points for every $1 spent) for the first day of qualifying Best Buy purchases if you buy something within 14 days of account opening. You could also qualify for a $0 annual fee depending on creditworthiness.
However, where this card shines is with its financing options. At the time of this writing, depending on your credit score, you could qualify for 0% APR financing on eligible purchases if you repay the balance in full within 24 months. This is a great deal if gaming-related expenses are on your radar.
Read more about Citi My Best Buy® Visa®
TD Bank Target Circle™️
The Target Circle™️ Mastercard can be an excellent gaming credit card, mainly if you buy a lot of your gaming supplies online at Target. Unlike the other cards on this list, the Target Circle™️ Mastercard offers a 5% discount on Target purchases in-store and online instead of offering rewards or points.
You also are eligible for free shipping on most purchases, and you receive an additional 30 days for returns. The Target Circle™️ seems to be most beneficial if you make many eligible Target purchases throughout the month.
Read more about TD Bank Target Circle™️
Wells Fargo Active Cash℠
The Wells Fargo Active Cash℠ Card is an ideal credit card for gamers, as it is one of the most flexible options on this list. Instead of picking one or two rewards categories, this card offers unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Other perks include 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (20.24% - 29.99% variable APR thereafter) and a $0 annual fee. You can also earn a $200 cash rewards bonus if you spend $1,000 in the first three months of account opening.
If you don't have a specific game store that you shop with and you desire more flexibility, this is a card to consider.
Read more about Wells Fargo Active Cash℠
How to choose the best credit card for gaming
Selecting the best credit card for gaming depends on factors like your credit score, the value you're seeking, and where and what you spend your money on.
Many top rewards cards require you to have a good or excellent credit score. So, if your score doesn't meet their requirements, you should spend some time building your credit — which can include ensuring bills are paid on time or clearing up any fraudulent details on your credit report — before applying for a gaming credit card.
Also, ask yourself if the cash back or rewards you're receiving are worth it. For example, the Target Circle™️ Mastercard only offers a discount on purchases, whereas the Capital One SavorOne card provides a maximum of 3% cash back in specific categories. Do the math to see what the best option is for you.
Lastly, you want to keep factors like monthly purchases and your preferred game store in mind. For example, if you don't shop at a particular store, getting a co-branded card like the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature or the My Best Buy® Visa® Credit Card may not make sense.
Additionally, suppose you find that much of your monthly expenses go to grocery shopping or eating out. In that case, cards like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards or Discover it® Cash Back offer the most bang for your buck.
Gaming credit card rewards
There are different types of gaming rewards credit cards out there. Here are a few examples of some you may run into:
- Discounts: Some cards, like the Target Circle™️ Mastercard, allow you to receive discounts for purchases. If you buy many things from a specific retailer, this could be a decent option for you.
- In-game purchases: Make a lot of in-game purchases? A card like the PlayStation® Visa® card provides purchase rewards for in-game spend, which is excellent if you are constantly getting gaming items as you play.
- Cash back rates and rewards: Most cards offer either cash back as a percentage of your purchases, or points that you can collect and redeem for items through credit card companies or an authorized retailer.
The best card for you will depend on your spending and needs.
How can you save money on gaming using a credit card?
The primary ways that you can save money on gaming using a credit card include:
- Stick to the rewards categories you already spend in: Don't make purchases that you usually wouldn't. Look at where you frequently shop and find a card that aligns with what they already are.
- Avoid interest payments: Be sure to avoid interest by paying your statement balance before the monthly billing cycle is up. You can find out what your statement balance and payment due date are on your credit card's online portal or by calling your credit card issuer. Doing this will allow you to avoid any interest payments and potentially spending more money than you’ve intended.
- Use the points on gaming purchases: Many of the rewards credit cards either allow you to redeem rewards on certain items through their website or get cash back in the form of a check, statement credit, or gift card. You can put these earnings toward gaming items.
FAQ
What are other credit cards to consider?
If you want broader cash back options that can go toward gaming purchases, then the Citi Double Cash Card and the US bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card are honorable mentions as best credit cards for gamers.
The former allows you to earn 2% cash back on unlimited purchases: 1% when you buy something and 1% when you pay it off on the card. It also offers 0% intro APR for 18 months for balance transfers (19.24% - 29.24% variable APR after that). There’s also no annual fee.
The US bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card offers 5% cash back on purchases within two categories of your choosing (on your first $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter), 2% cash back in one everyday category like gas and items from grocery stores, and 1% on everything else.
The card also comes with a $0 annual fee and $200 in cash back rewards bonus if you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases in 120 days.
