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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Can I Use My Walmart Credit Card Anywhere? 3 FAQs (Feb. 2024)

Can Use Walmart Credit Card Anywhere
Ashley Fricker

Written by: Ashley Fricker

Ashley Fricker
Ashley Fricker

Ashley Fricker has more than a decade of experience as a finance contributor and editor, and has specialized in the credit card industry since 2015. Her credit card commentary is featured on national media outlets that include CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, and Reader's Digest, among many others. She has worked closely with the world’s largest banks and financial institutions, up-and-coming fintech companies, and press and news outlets to curate comprehensive content and media. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in multimedia journalism from Florida Atlantic University.

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Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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Advertiser Disclosure

If you’re wondering if you can use your Walmart credit card anywhere, the short answer is — well, it depends. It may not be the tidy answer you’re looking for, but read on as we explain.

Walmart is the largest retail company in the world and has remained in the top position among other American retail chains since 2002. Known for its “Everyday Low Prices,” people love the convenience and affordability Walmart brings to the (dinner) table. With everything from clothing and furniture departments to full-service pharmacies and delis, Walmart is a one-stop-shop for many families.

So naturally, it makes sense to get a credit card from a store you visit often — each week, nearly one-third of the US population will go to a Walmart store! But what about when you want to go to Target, or literally anywhere else? We’ve done some research on the Walmart credit cards and where they can be used to make purchases, the rewards you can (and can’t) earn, along with some comparable (and superior) credit card options.

1. It Depends on Which Walmart Credit Card You Carry

There are two Walmart credit cards you can apply for — the Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Mastercard and the Walmart Rewards Card. The latter can only be used at Walmart stores, Walmart.com, Sam’s Club, and its associated gas stations. The Walmart Mastercard, however, can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card

Only the Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ Card can be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted.

Being Mastercard is one of the largest and most popular global networks, you can bet your card will be accepted most everywhere.

While you may not be able to use the Walmart Rewards Card everywhere, you may be happy to know that both cards earn up to 5% cash back for purchases made on Walmart.com and 2% back for purchases made in store. That’s not bad considering neither card charges an annual fee.

However, if you want to earn bonus rewards at more places than just Walmart and its gas stations, you’re probably shorting yourself of the best rewards-earning potential, as we’ll explain next.

2. Both Carry High APRs, So You May Have Better Options

While known for low prices, Walmart isn’t necessarily known for low-interest rates. The Walmart Rewards Card carries a variable 26.99% APR, while the Walmart Rewards Mastercard begins at 17.99% APR up to 26.99%, based on creditworthiness, per the terms and conditions.

If you have a poor credit score, it’s unlikely you’ll be approved for the Walmart Rewards Mastercard, but the Walmart Rewards Card provides more lenient approval standards.

If you make most of your purchases online at Walmart.com, both cards can provide great cash-back value at 5% for all qualifying transactions. If you’re making the bulk of your purchases in-store, the cash-back value isn’t so appealing, sitting at just 2% per qualifying purchase. This is less than ideal when cards like the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offer top-tier back in rotating quarterly categories that can include Walmart at least one quarter per year.

Screenshot of Walmart.com

Your cash back rewards can be applied as a statement credit for your previously made purchases through the Capital One app or by visiting walmart.capitalone.com. Redemptions typically take two to three days to appear on your statement. You can also redeem your rewards for gift cards, and if you’re approved for the Capital One Mastercard, your cash back rewards can be redeemed for travel.

If you carry a balance, however, this means the rewards you’ve earned are only helping to lessen the interest you’re paying, so you’re not really earning much at all, or at least it won’t feel like it.

Not only can the following cards be used everywhere Visa and Mastercard are accepted, most offer lower APRs and better cash back rewards that can be redeemed for a check, travel rewards, gift cards, merchandise, or statement credit if that’s what you prefer — and there are options for all credit types — no bad credit denials to worry about.

Good Credit (700+) | Fair Credit (650+) | Poor Credit (

Rewards Cards for Good Credit

Those with good credit scores have the best offers to choose from, especially when it comes to cash back. Instead of earning 1% on outside purchases with the Walmart Mastercard, earn up to 5% cash back with one of these.

Discover it® Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

GOOD CREDIT RATING
★★★★★
4.9
OVERALL RATING
  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good
GOOD CREDIT RATING
★★★★★
4.9
OVERALL RATING
  • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
  • Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% for 15 months
0% for 15 months
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$0
Excellent, Good
GOOD CREDIT RATING
★★★★★
4.9
OVERALL RATING
  • Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
  • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
  • Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
  • No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% for 15 months
0% for 15 months
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
$0
Excellent, Good

+ See More Cards for Good Credit

Rewards Cards for Fair Credit

“Fair” credit means you’re kind of sitting there right in the middle of the credit score spectrum between “good” and “bad.” By using one of the following cards responsibly (always paying on time, keeping your balance low), you can increase your credit score over time, and still earn comparable rewards to that of the Walmart Rewards Card. The primary difference, of course, being merchant acceptance — earn rewards everywhere, not just at Walmart.

FAIR CREDIT RATING
★★★★★
4.8
OVERALL RATING
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
  • No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
  • Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
  • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
  • Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
  • Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
30.74% (Variable)
$39
Average, Fair, Limited

Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®

This card is currently not available.

Fair Credit Rating
★★★★★
N/A
OVERALL RATING
N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card with Cash Back Rewards

This card is currently not available.

Fair Credit Rating
★★★★★
N/A
OVERALL RATING
N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

+ See More Cards for Fair Credit

Rewards Cards for Poor Credit

Regardless of your credit rating, you still have options for earning cash back rewards on all of your qualifying purchases — the caveat being you may be required to pay an annual fee. This is the price you’ll quite literally pay to have a card that isn’t restricted to one store when you have less-than-perfect credit. These cards can also be used to mend your credit score with responsible use, and you can eventually qualify for better offers.

Credit One Bank® Visa® with Free Credit Score Access

This card is currently not available.

Bad Credit Rating
★★★★★
N/A
OVERALL RATING
N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card

This card is currently not available.

Bad Credit Rating
★★★★★
N/A
OVERALL RATING
N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit

This card is currently not available.

Bad Credit Rating
★★★★★
N/A
OVERALL RATING
N/A
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A

+ See More Cards for Bad Credit

3. Special Financing is No Longer Available

When the holidays roll around, or really any time you want to make a large purchase, it’s nice having the option to “buy now and pay later” with Walmart special financing. Special financing allows you to pay no interest on your purchase, however, this feature was removed from Walmart credit cards when they were recently taken over by Capital One.

If interest-free financing appeals to you, you’re better off with a 0% intro APR credit card, allowing you to purchase anything — not just a qualifying Walmart product — and pay no interest for up to 15 months or longer! The pair of Walmart credit cards have their perks, especially when buying online, but every wallet should have a more versatile option that allows cardholders to earn rewards everywhere.

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