You’ll gain a few perks and Easter eggs, but if flexibility is your desire, prepare to get ‘owned.’ Even frequent GameStop credit card users will be better off with a different card.
The GameStop Credit Card from Comenity Bank might sound like a good move for gamers looking to turbocharge their savings. But unfortunately, in gaming parlance, this card is quite thoroughly nerfed.
It can only be applied at GameStop physical stores or on the retailer’s website, and the rewards you’ll receive—which also can only be applied with GameStop—aren’t particularly valuable. Additionally, while the card itself doesn’t have an annual fee, you’ll get the most out of its use if you have a paid GameStop membership.
Other credit cards aimed at gaming could offer more value, or a cash-back credit card with flexible redemption terms.
How does the Gamestop Credit Card Work?
The GameStop Pro Credit Card is issued by Comenity Bank, a Bread Financial Company. The same bank that issues the PowerUp Rewards Credit Card is Comenity Bank.
It can be redeemed on GameStop.com, the GameStop mobile app, and U.S. GameStop stores. Just enter the card or account number and PIN on the payment page during checkout.
In order to use your gift card, trade credit, or PowerUp Rewards card online, your gift card needs to have a scratch-off PIN. The PIN is located on the back of eligible gift cards.
Rewards at Gamestop Credit Cards
It’s free to be a basic GameStop member, and indeed you’ll need to be one in order to earn points with the GameStop Pro credit card.
But the retailer also has a paid membership tier, called GameStop Pro. And while you don’t need to be a GameStop Pro member to get the GameStop Pro credit card, being the member will boost your reward earnings. Here’s how it works:
A GameStop Pro membership, which costs $25 annually, earns you several benefits, including 20 points per dollar spent on eligible GameStop purchases. (Gift cards don’t qualify.)
Likewise, the GameStop Pro credit card earns 20 points per dollar on eligible GameStop purchases. Among the benefits on the card, you’ll get a year of GameStop Pro membership free.
So if you have both the GameStop Pro credit card and a Pro membership, you can stackably earn points to get 40 points for each dollar you spend at GameStop. That might seem like a lot of points, but it’s useful to know how much they’re actually worth.
What is Gamestop’s Value Point Like?
Per GameStop’s terms, you can trade “as few as 1,000 points for a $1 Reward Certificate.” That makes points worth a measly 0.001 of a cent per point.
To put that in perspective, high-end rewards credit cards give points that are at least a whole penny per point. Given that point valuation, it’s probably easier to think of your rewards rate in terms of a percentage:
GameStop Pro members who have the GameStop Pro credit card essentially earn 4% back (in points, not cash) on each dollar spent at GameStop.
Individuals who have a GameStop Pro credit card but are not GameStop Pro members earn 2% back in points per dollar spent at GameStop. Because you’re earning points instead of cash back, you can only redeem your rewards through GameStop.
It’s also worth noting that, unless you have the GameStop credit card, points expire one calendar year from when you earned them. If you cancel your GameStop Pro membership or let it lapse, you’ll also lose any points you’ve accumulated.
Even if you’re a big GameStop spender, you’ll fare as well or better using a general rewards credit card like the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card. It also charges a $0 annual fee, but you’ll earn 2% cash back on all eligible purchases, not just at GameStop.
And the rewards won’t expire. If you bought a GameStop Pro membership and put your GameStop purchases on the Wells Fargo Active Cash Card, you’d still get a total of 4% back in rewards (2% cash back on the card, 2% back in store points as a GameStop Pro member).
On top of that, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has a generous welcome offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. That could equal a lot of potential gaming.
Bottom Line
The card has no cost to carry, which is ideal for credit noobs and can make it easier to stomach holding onto a card for longer.
Credit history length, or the duration of time an account has been opened, is a significant factor in your credit scores. Overall, it can be beneficial to your credit to keep a credit card open and in good standing.
The purchase APR variable can be over 35%. This is well above the average APR for cards that charge interest and makes it expensive to carry a balance on a monthly basis.
To avoid interest charges, try to pay your balance in full and on time every month if you can. And if you must carry a balance, seek out a card with a 0% introductory APR or low regular interest rate that can make it less expensive to do so.
