Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard credit card review

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Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard Review: More Details

While hunting, shooting, fishing and camping enthusiasts have an opportunity to benefit from the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard credit card, the card’s low baseline rewards, small sign-up bonus and exorbitant spending requirements to enjoy its full value leave much to be desired.

An easy-to-navigate redemption program might be its biggest selling point, but you won’t really benefit from that unless you’re willing to make a significant investment in your outdoor hobbies and activities (or already do). Finally, a potentially sky-high APR and paltry rewards on outside purchases definitely make the Cabela’s CLUB card unsuitable for day-to-day use.

Sign-up bonus

The sign-up bonus on the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard is nothing special – only worth up to $60 in points – but the spend threshold is moderately easy to reach. You earn your first $20 in points immediately upon approval, an extra $20 after 2 Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s purchases within 60 days of account approval, and $20 more after 3 purchases anywhere else Mastercard® is accepted within 60 days of account approval.

Earning Cabela’s points

A major downside to the Cabela’s CLUB card is its rewards program, which awards just 2 points per dollar on Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops purchases and on purchases made at participating Cenex gas stations and convenience stores. It also offers 1 point for every dollar you spend everywhere else.

Here’s the thing: Members of Cabela’s Outdoor Rewards loyalty program already earn 2 percent on their Cabela’s purchases, regardless of how they pay. The one major difference between the credit card and regular Rewards card, then, is the ability to earn 2 percent at Cenex locations and 1 percent rewards on other purchases — a rate that, frankly, is easily matched or beaten by many cash back cards that also happen to boast more flexible redemption options.

Even the biggest Cabela’s fan is most likely better off sticking with the store’s loyalty program and signing up for a separate cash back card for everyday purchases.

Earn more as you spend more with membership tiers

Cabela’s Club cardholders do have the opportunity to earn better rewards, but advancing to those higher tiers won’t be easy for most. Everyone starts out with a Classic card, which offers the aforementioned 2:1 rewards on Cabela’s purchases. However, Silver cardholders, who are upgraded when they reach an annual Cabela’s spend of $10,000, earn 3:1 points on their Cabela’s purchases. Spend an extra $15,000 — for an eye-opening annual total of $25,000 — to reach the Black tier and score 5:1 rewards.

What are Cabela’s points worth?

Each Cabela’s point is worth one cent, which is comparable with other rewards programs. However, redemption options are slim, which detracts from the appeal.

Redeeming Cabela’s points

One bright spot with the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard is that its redemption rules are more flexible than that of the average store credit card. Unlike many of its counterparts in the retail category, there’s no waiting to cash in your points — you can instantly redeem them at the time of purchase with your CLUB Rewards card. And while points can only be redeemed for Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops merchandise (standard procedure for most retail cards), they don’t expire.

Points can also be stacked with other coupons and discounts, so be sure to visit the clearance section when you’re shopping in-store and online.

Lower APR for Cabela’s purchases

While the regular APR on the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard is high, you do get a relatively low APR on Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops purchases. Users are only charged 9.99 percent on qualifying purchases.

If you want to use your Cabela’s card to finance a larger purchase at the store and pay it over time, this could be a perk. But if financing a large purchase is your top priority, you might be better off signing up for a card with a 0 percent introductory APR for the first few months. Even though the Cabela’s purchase APR is reasonable, the interest can still add up quickly on a larger purchase.

Other card features

Though it doesn’t come with many extra features, the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard does have a few extra perks. For example, you can earn extra points on certain purchases from Cabela’s Gear Guide collection over and above your regular rewards. You’ll also enjoy Mastercard benefits including price protection, extended warranty and ID theft protection. Further, Silver and Black cardholders have exclusive access to Cabela’s Signature Outdoor Adventures, as well as what’s known as “The Experience,” which includes backpacking trips, specialized trainings and more.

However, the card doesn’t offer perks such as purchase protection, which protects against accidental damage and theft on recent purchases.

Customer experience

The Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard is issued by Capital One, which has a good customer service ranking. Capital One scored an 808 on the 2020 J.D. Power credit card satisfaction study, ranking fifth out of major issuers. The bank also offers 24/7 customer service and an online chat feature, making it easy to ask questions as they arise.

The Capital One app also has relatively high ratings, scoring a 4.8 out of 5 in the Google Play Store and 4.7 out of 5 in the Apple app store.

Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard vs. Bass Pro Shops Mastercard

The Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard offers rewards on both Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops purchases, thanks to their intertwined rewards program. While Bass Pro Shops offers its own Mastercard, the programs are essentially identical.

Alternatives to the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard

Since you need a fairly high annual spend to get a competitive rate out of the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard, you might be better off signing up for a card with a flat cash back rate. That way, you can earn the same rewards on every purchase as you do on Cabela’s purchases and enjoy the flexibility of cash back.

Citi Double Cash® Card	Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card	Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card*
Rewards rate 1% cash back on general purchases 1% additional cash back as you pay for those purchases	Rewards rate 1.5% cash back on every purchase 2% cash back for current/former military members or with Access America checking account	Rewards rate 1.5% cash rewards on general purchases
Sign-up bonus $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening	Sign-up bonus $100 statement credit if you spend $1,500 in first 90 days	Sign-up bonus $150 if you spend $500 in first 3 months 1.8% cash rewards on Google Pay™ and Apple Pay® purchases for first 12 months from account opening
Annual fee $0	Annual fee $0	Annual fee $0
Other things to know Redeem points for check, statement credit, gift card or checking or savings account Purchase protection	Other things to know Redeem any amount of cash back No foreign transaction fees	Other things to know Redeem for gift cards, merchandise, travel, cash, digital rewards and charitable donations Purchase protection

Citi Double Cash card

As long as you pay your bill on time every month, the Citi Double Cash card has the potential to earn users up to 2 percent cash back on every purchase (1 percent when you buy, 1 percent when you pay for those purchases). To redeem your cash back, you can opt for a check, statement credit or direct deposit into your bank account.

Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature

The Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature does not offer its competitive 2 percent cash back rate to all cardholders – but it is pretty easy to achieve. Even if you are not a current or former military member, you can boost your cash back on every purchase by signing up for an Access America checking account. (Note: You’ll need to meet PenFed credit union’s requirements of being a current or former member of the U.S. military, government employee or relative of an eligible individual.) Then, you can redeem any portion of your cash back rewards at any time.

Wells Fargo Cash Wise

The Wells Fargo Cash Wise only offers 1.5 percent cash rewards on general purchases, but it’s unique sign-up bonus allows users to boost earnings to 1.8 percent in the first 12 months from account opening when they use Google Pay™ or Apple Pay®. The card also offers a $150 intro bonus to users who spend $500 in the first three months.

Why get the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard?

• You’re a current Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops customer or otherwise spend a lot of money on outdoor gear and clothing.
• You want access to Cabela’s Signature Travel Adventures and/or “The Experience.”
• You want hassle-free redemption, including the ability to use your rewards right away.
• You don’t plan to use this card for everyday purchases (besides what’s required to earn the sign-up bonus).

How to use the Cabela’s CLUB Mastercard:

• Use the card for all Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops and Cenex purchases to boost your rewards rate.
• Pay your bill in full each month to avoid high interest rates.

*All information about the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® card has been collected independently by CreditCards.com. The issuer did not provide the content, nor is it responsible for its accuracy.

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