Barnes & Noble Mastercard®
A no-annual-fee cash back card from Barclays.
Rates, fees, and full terms are set by Barclays and can change. See current rates & fees on the issuer’s site, and always confirm the latest terms before applying.
Our review
The Barnes & Noble Mastercard is a simple pitch for readers. It earns 5 points per dollar at Barnes & Noble and Paper Source, 2 at restaurants, and 1 on everything else, and points become B&N gift cards at 2,500 points for $25. That works out to 5% back on books, 2% at dinner, and 1% elsewhere, all spent at Barnes & Noble.
It also has a perk I like for heavy readers: spend $7,500 in a year and you get Premium Membership free. If you already pay for that membership, the card can cover it. If you buy a couple of books a year, you will get more from a card that pays cash.
Think twice if: you only buy a few books a year, because every point turns into a Barnes & Noble gift card.
Our 4.3 out of 10 rating
Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.
Earning rates at a glance
Rewards: how it earns
You earn 5 points per dollar at Barnes & Noble and Paper Source, 2 points at restaurants, and 1 point on everything else. Every 2,500 points becomes a $25 B&N gift card, so each point is worth a penny, the same flat value I use for every card. 5% on books is excellent and 2% on dining is fair. The limit is that rewards only come out as Barnes & Noble gift cards, so your 1% on groceries and gas ends up as more books. For readers, that is not much of a sacrifice.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dining and restaurants | 2x | Bonus category |
| Groceries | 1x | Base rate |
| Gas | 1x | Base rate |
| Travel | 1x | Base rate |
| Streaming | 1x | Base rate |
| Everything else | 1x | Everything else |
The fine print on rates: Points turn into Barnes & Noble gift cards at 2,500 points for $25, so each point is worth 1 cent at B&N. Spend $7,500 in a year and you get Barnes & Noble Premium Membership free. Points do not transfer to travel partners.
Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.
Best ways to earn & redeem
Put your dining spending on this card to earn at its highest rates, and let a different card handle the categories it does not bonus. Its dining rate is on the modest side for that category, so compare before you commit.
When you cash in, take the rewards as cash back or a statement credit, worth a flat 1 cent each. We value every point at a flat 1 cent, so treat any transfer upside as a bonus rather than the baseline — see what your points are really worth.
Pros and cons
- 5 points per dollar at Barnes & Noble and Paper Source
- 2 points per dollar at restaurants
- Free Premium Membership when you spend $7,500 in a year
- $25 gift card after your first purchase
- No annual fee
- Rewards redeem only as Barnes & Noble gift cards
- Only 1 point per dollar on everything else
The welcome bonus
New cardholders get a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card after their first purchase or balance transfer. It is small, but it takes almost no effort, which is about right for a free store card.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | $25 Barnes & Noble gift card |
| To earn it | after your first purchase or balance transfer |
| Est. first-year value* | $347 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $322 |
The welcome bonus makes year one the high point: roughly $347 in value once you count the bonus, this card’s rewards, and its credits, minus the no fee. After that, the honest figure is about $322 a year, so judge whether it earns its keep on the ongoing number, not the first-year headline.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.
Benefits and protections
Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:
- 5 points per $1 at Barnes & Noble and Paper Source
- 2 points per $1 at restaurants
- 1 point per $1 everywhere else
- $25 gift card for every 2,500 points
- Free Premium Membership for any year you spend $7,500
Statement credits
This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.
Who should get it, and who should skip it
Get the Barnes & Noble Mastercard if you regularly buy books, gifts, or stationery at Barnes & Noble or Paper Source. 5% back, plus a free Premium Membership once you spend enough, is a good deal for book lovers.
Skip it if B&N is an occasional stop. Rewards come out only as Barnes & Noble gift cards, so a flat cash back card is the better choice for most of your spending.
Alternatives to the Barnes & Noble Mastercard®
Pairs well with
The Barnes & Noble Mastercard® earns the most in its bonus categories, so pair it with a no-fee flat-rate card to cover everything it only earns a base rate on.
Frequently asked questions
Best-card guides featuring this card
Learn more
How does it rank for your spending?
Every card is ranked by what it actually returns on the way you spend. Run your numbers and see where the Barnes & Noble Mastercard® lands.
Calculate My CardOffer details verified against issuer sources as of October 2026. Editorial opinions are our own. Cardocrat values all points at a flat 1 cent and never inflates redemptions.
