Commerce Bank Miles credit card review

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If you plan to carry a balance and like the idea of earnings rewards in exchange for paying interest, the Commerce Bank Miles credit card can be appealing. This unusual rewards card helps take the sting out of paying off your credit card debt by awarding an extra three points for every dollar you’re charged in interest.

You may want to hold off, though, if you plan on transferring a balance. The Commerce Bank Miles credit card charges one of the steepest balance transfer fees on the market, so you may not want to use it to consolidate debt. The Commerce Bank Miles card is also limited in its availability. Only cardholders living in Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas are eligible to apply.

Decent APR

If you can qualify for the card’s lowest available APR, the interest rate on the Commerce Bank Visa card is relatively affordable – especially for a rewards card. Commerce Bank charges a minimum APR of just 10.74 percent, which is significantly lower than what most credit cards charge. The average low rate credit card, for example, charges an average APR of 12.36 percent, according to CreditCards.com data. The card’s maximum APR of 20.74 percent is on the high side, though, so it may be a bad idea to carry a balance on this card if you can’t qualify for a lower rate.

Bonus points for carrying a balance

The card’s unusual rewards structure may also tempt you into carrying an unnecessary balance, which can be risky if your APR is high. Commerce Bank encourages cardholders to carry debt from month-to-month by awarding an extra three rewards points for every dollar spent on interest. The bonus can make paying down credit card debt less painful, but you shouldn’t get lured into carrying a balance during months you can afford to pay it off. Cardholders are also offered one point for every dollar spent on general purchases, which is lower than what some rewards cards offer but typical for a rewards card that charges such a low APR.

Expensive to transfer a balance

The biggest downside to the Commerce Bank Miles card is its exceptionally high balance transfer fee. Commerce Bank charges 5 percent for every balance transfer, which is significantly more than what most balance transfer cards charge. Most competitors charge just 3 percent to transfer a balance. Commerce doesn’t give you much time to pay down your balance transfer either. Cardholders are given just six months to make interest-free balance transfers. In addition, the Miles card offers a zero percent APR on purchases, but the promotion only lasts for half a year.

High fees

In addition to the balance transfer fee, the Commerce Bank Miles card charges a number of other hefty fees that drag down its overall value. For example, the Miles card charges a higher-than-average late fee and an unusually high cash advance fee. You’ll also want to leave this card at home when you travel abroad, since it charges a significant foreign transaction fee.

Good perks

On the plus side, the Miles card does offer some substantial perks that can make owning the card worth the risk of paying a higher-than-average penalty. For example, it offers several premium travel perks, including car rental and travel accident insurance, and complimentary concierge service. It also offers a monthly FICO credit score so you can monitor your credit for free.

Why get the Commerce Bank Miles card?

• You have excellent credit and want a low rate card that offers some rewards.
• You plan to carry a balance and want a discount on your interest.
• You always pay bills on time and so are unlikely to incur the hefty fees.
• You already have an account with Commerce Bank and want a card with the same bank.

How to use the Commerce Bank Miles card:

• Use this card for any purchases you can’t pay off in full, but try to limit how much you charge on it.
• Skip transferring a balance, taking out a cash advance or charging foreign purchases. It’s not worth the sky-high fees.
• Take advantage of the card’s free FICO credit score service by tracking your score with every bill and monitoring it for changes.
• Use your card for domestic travel purchases, such as car rental insurance, in order to take advantage of the benefits.

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