Is the Best Buy Credit Card Worth It? The Catch

The short answer: The My Best Buy Credit Card earns 5 percent back at Best Buy, but only as Best Buy reward certificates, and it carries an APR around 31 percent with deferred-interest financing that can backfire badly. You also cannot earn rewards and use the financing on the same purchase. A flexible card buys electronics anywhere with rewards you can actually use.

Rewards locked to Best Buy

The Best Buy card earns 5 percent back at Best Buy, paid as points that convert to Best Buy reward certificates, worth about 2 cents per point but redeemable only at Best Buy. So your rewards are trapped at one electronics retailer, useless anywhere else. Best Buy is an occasional purchase for most people, which makes locking a rewards currency there especially limiting. See are store cards worth it.

The deferred-interest trap

The card carries a steep APR, around 31 percent, and its big selling point is deferred-interest financing on large purchases. Deferred interest is dangerous: if you do not pay the entire balance before the promo period ends, you are charged interest back to the purchase date, which can erase the rewards and more. You also have to choose between earning rewards or using the financing on a given purchase, not both. See the rewards math.

What to use instead

A flat 2 percent cash card or a transferable-points card buys a TV or laptop at Best Buy or anywhere else, earns rewards you can spend on anything, and avoids the 31 percent APR. If you need to finance a big electronics purchase without interest, a card with a true 0 percent intro APR, where interest is waived rather than deferred, is far safer than the Best Buy card. See cash back vs travel rewards.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Best Buy credit card worth it?
Rarely. It earns 5 percent back but only as Best Buy certificates, carries an APR around 31 percent, and pushes deferred-interest financing. A flexible card buys electronics anywhere with rewards you can actually use.
What are Best Buy reward certificates worth?
About 2 cents per point, issued as 5 dollar certificates, but redeemable only at Best Buy. So while the rate looks decent, the rewards are locked to one electronics retailer with no flexibility.
Is Best Buy financing a good deal?
Be careful. It is deferred interest, not a true 0 percent APR, so if you do not pay the full balance before the promo ends, you are charged interest back to the purchase date at an APR around 31 percent.
What is better than the Best Buy card for electronics?
A flat 2 percent cash card or a transferable-points card, which buys electronics anywhere with flexible rewards, plus a true 0 percent intro APR card if you must finance a big purchase without interest.

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Bryce Casson

Bryce Casson, Founder of Cardocrat. Every card is ranked by what it actually returns, with all points valued at a flat 1 cent and offers verified against issuer sources. About the author.