Writer: Ray FitzGerald
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Ashley Fricker
Disclosure: When you apply through links on our site, we may earn a referral fee from our partners. For more, see our ad disclosure and review policy.
In the early days of collecting gold coins and saving princesses, who would have thought that video games would grow into an industry so large that it needed its own credit card?
Dedication to the hobby — which has become a profession for some — is what drives GameStop. A member of the Fortune 500 with more than 50 million rewards club members, the company has helped turned gaming into a way of life.
While GameStop may be among the world's leaders in retail video game and system sales, its credit card offering — with no rewards, a high APR, and limited use — stalls out before it reaches the end of Level 1.
Better Cards to Use at GameStop
Given its closed-loop status, the GameStop PowerUp Rewards card has no use outside of the chain's stores and website. Having no annual fee is a major plus for the card, but without rewards or interest deals, the card won't serve a large purpose in your wallet.
Cash Back
Gamers know all about rewards. It's the basis of many marathon sessions that last well into the morning hours. If you want rewards for your effort in a game, why shouldn't you get rewarded for buying the game or system? A cash back card would do just that, plus give rewards for every other purchase you make. With some cards scoring rewards in the 3-5% cash back range, the amount you earn can escalate quickly.
4.9
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishings purchases.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
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Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
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18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
0% APR
If you're like most gamers, the average shelf life of a game isn't long. A 32% APR can have you paying off that game way after you've beaten it.
With a low-APR card, you're not as likely to accrue the rewards that other cards offer, but you'll be rewarded with lower interest charges if you tend to carry a balance. Some issuers offer an introductory period for transferred balances, meaning you can take an existing debt on another card and carry it over to make it easier to pay off in a shorter period.
4.8
- $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
- Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice, automatic 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club quarterly purchases) and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.
- Choose 3% cash back on gas and EV charging station, online shopping/cable/internet/phone plan/streaming, dining, travel, drug store/pharmacy or home improvement/furnishings purchases.
- If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more cash back on every purchase. That means you could earn 3.75%-5.25% cash back on purchases in your choice category.
- No annual fee and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
- 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
- Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
- This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.
|
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
|
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days (Balance Transfer Fee 3% for 60 days from account opening, then 4%)
|
18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
Additional Disclosure: Bank of America is a CardRates advertiser.
Travel Rewards
With perks that can be rolled into airline miles, the destinations are endless and more rewarding through one of these cards. Some offer redemption possibilities with no blackout dates or airline restrictions, making them the go-to choice for travelers who want flexible rewards.
4.9
- $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
|
19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
Casual gamers and consumers who haven’t played since Pong would be better equipped with a rewards or low-APR card that gives them real benefits for their purchasing power and can be used anywhere and any time.
GameStop Card Overall Rating: 1.0/5.0
The GameStop PowerUp Rewards Card features a 32.24% APR, which is astronomically high — even for a store card. And there are no rewards or interest-free financing deals to be had. There is quite literally no reason to have this credit card, other than if you wanted to buy something from the store and forgot to bring your wallet, and needed an immediate financing option. The only potential upside is that it can help you build credit with consistent on-time payments, but even that applies to every credit card.
You can earn rewards from GameStop through the GameStop Pro rewards program, but that's a separate program apart from the credit card. Pro members pay $25 a year to earn free shipping, a $10 welcome reward and $5 annual renewal reward, plus various other savings incentives. But again, the credit card is not required to become a Pro member.
GameStop Credit Card
- APR: 32.24% as of Feb 2024
- Annual Fee: $0
- Rewards: None
With millions of gamers worldwide, the opportunity to build a card geared toward their needs seems like a no-brainer, but the card falls short. Consumers would be better served with a cash back card that could be used anywhere they shop.
Although the company also owns popular brands like Game Informer Magazine, Simply Mac, Spring Mobile and Cricket Wireless as well as thinkgeek.com, which has a growing number of brick-and-mortar stores atop its already popular website, the card can only be used in GameStop stores.
A paid membership boosts potential rewards but minimizes their savings after the fee is paid.
An average cash back card that gives between 1% and 1.5% back on all purchases would pay for that Pro membership much faster if you use it to pay monthly bills and other expenses that you can instantly pay off. A far better interest rate makes a cash back card a clear choice.
Approval Requirements & Application
The GameStop PowerUp Rewards Credit Card is noted for its relaxed acceptance policy, with consumers reporting approval with credit scores in the low-600s. While the card could be used for building credit history over time, it's limited in the ways it can be used — even if you're an avid gamer.
What Others Say About the GameStop Credit Card
Although GameStop is hailed among gamers, it got headlines in 2017 for less celebratory reasons. The company reported that a data breach put the financial information of anyone that placed an online order between August 10, 2016, and February 9, 2017, at risk. That alone is a reason to give pause to any application you may be considering. Other reviewers have taken issue with the card's online portal and payment system.
I picked this card up back when I went to purchase the Vanilla Xbox One and to repair my credit as well. I lucked out for GameStop had just had a promotion for 0% interest over the course of six months which allowed me to pay off the system without any interest. I also managed to repair my credit and now have a 700 score but from my research, they don't really factor in store credit cards but this one is easy to get with a "fair" credit score. — WalletHub.com
”
I only bought about $65 in video games but paid over $200 in various fees and charges. Their website never worked properly from the day I signed up. I finally made payment in full a second time and closed the account. Then they had the gall to try to add additional charges and send me a bill. I want negative overdue payment reports erased. They were mainly due to their website being unable to show me details about my account and/or accept payments. They also need to erase their latest attempt to add charges to a closed account with a zero balance. I also consider all of their charges other than the one purchase I actually placed shortly after opening the account as fraudulent since their website was so poor that I was never able to successfully use it since the date the account was opened. — ConsumerAffairs.com
”
Whether you’re a devoted gamer or ccasionally shop at GameStop, know that there are significantly better options for you than the GameSpot Credit Card. Unlike most other store credit cards, the GameSpot Credit Card doesn’t offer any significant benefits for signing up. Users can earn a low sign-up bonus and not much else. The card advertises the ability to pay off your purchases later. However, with a high APR of 27.24%, we don’t recommend anyone do that. Otherwise your interest charges will be through the roof. — ValuePenguin.com
”Is the GameStop Card Right for You?
Gamers are a loyal bunch. They tend to have a favorite system and developer and stick to the options provided by those companies. The same is often said for where they buy their games. You're either with GameStop — or against them.
No matter which side you choose, there are better options for using a credit card to purchase your games or systems. The closed-loop nature of the PowerUp Rewards Credit Card limits the usefulness of it to your wallet.
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