L.L.Bean Mastercard®
A no-annual-fee cash back card from Citi.
Rates, fees, and full terms are set by Citi and can change. See current rates & fees on the issuer’s site, and always confirm the latest terms before applying.
Our review
The L.L.Bean Mastercard is a card for people who already own three L.L.Bean fleeces and know a fourth is coming. It earns 5% back at L.L.Bean, 2% at restaurants, and 1% on everything else, all paid in Bean Bucks, with no annual fee. Bean Bucks spend like cash at L.L.Bean, which is great if you shop there and useless if you do not.
Away from the store it is an ordinary card. A plain 2% cash back card beats it on groceries, gas, and everything else, and the 3% foreign transaction fee rules it out for trips abroad. I think of it as a tool you pull out at L.L.Bean and at dinner, not a card that belongs at the front of your wallet.
Think twice if: you only shop at L.L.Bean once or twice a year, because Bean Bucks cannot be cashed out and a flat cash back card earns more everywhere else.
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 get 5% back in Bean Bucks at L.L.Bean, 2% at restaurants, and 1% on everything else. A Bean Buck is a dollar at the store, so valuing them at a flat cent is fair, and on that basis the L.L.Bean rate is strong and the dining rate is fine. The catch is where the rewards go. Every Bean Buck has to be spent at L.L.Bean, so the 1% you earn on groceries or gas still ends up as store credit. If you already spend a few hundred dollars a year there, that is no problem. If you do not, those rewards have nowhere useful to land.
| 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: Rewards post as Bean Bucks, which spend like cash but only at L.L.Bean. They do not transfer to travel partners. The card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so leave it home when you travel abroad.
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% back in Bean Bucks at L.L.Bean
- 2% back at restaurants
- 20% off an L.L.Bean purchase when you are approved
- No annual fee
- Bean Bucks can only be spent at L.L.Bean
- Only 1% on groceries, gas, and everything else
- 3% foreign transaction fee
The welcome bonus
The welcome offer is 20% off an L.L.Bean purchase once you are approved. That is a discount, not a cash bonus, so it only has value if you were going to buy from L.L.Bean anyway. Save it for a bigger order like a winter coat or a pair of boots and it can beat the sign-up bonus on plenty of free cards.
First-year value vs ongoing value
| Welcome bonus | 20% off at L.L.Bean upon approval |
| To earn it | one L.L.Bean purchase |
| Est. first-year value* | $322 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $322 |
There is no lump-sum welcome bonus, so first-year and ongoing value are about the same, roughly $322 a year on typical spending after the fee. What you see is what you get from day one.
*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.
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 L.L.Bean Mastercard if L.L.Bean is a regular stop for you. 5% back on top of the store's own sales, plus a 20% discount to start, adds up quickly for families who buy their outdoor gear there.
Skip it if you rarely shop at L.L.Bean or you travel abroad often. The rewards are locked to one store, and the 3% foreign transaction fee makes it a poor card to carry overseas. A flat 2% card like the Citi Double Cash is the better everyday pick.
Alternatives to the L.L.Bean Mastercard®
Pairs well with
The L.L.Bean 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
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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 L.L.Bean 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.
