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Petco credit card review: everything you need to know
May 14, 2024
If you’re an animal lover looking to maximize your credit card rewards in a way that’ll keep your furry friends well looked after, one option that’s worth considering is the Petco credit card.
Comenity Capital Bank issues Petco’s co-branded credit card, and there are two unsecured Petco card options to choose from: the Petco Pay credit card and the Petco Mastercard.
Both options offer generous cashback and rewards features for frequent Petco shoppers; however, the Petco Mastercard offers a wider range of benefits and functions than its sister card. That’s why this guide will focus primarily on the Petco Mastercard — but we’ll cover the basic features of the Petco Pay credit card, too.
This guide will explain whether the Petco Mastercard is right for you, how the rewards structures of Petco’s credit cards work, and how you can apply.
Is the Petco credit card for me?
Simply put, either of the Petco credit cards is a great option for pet owners who spend big on their pets at Petco stores or online at petco.com.
The Petco Pay credit card offers double Petco Pals points (Petco’s member rewards scheme) when you use it to pay for Petco purchases. This means you’ll get two Pals points for every $1 you spend.
If you spend a lot of money on your pets, those rewards will add up pretty quickly.
But if you’re looking for a rewards card that you can use to generate a more diverse set of rewards or a 0% APR promotional rate to stretch big purchases, the Petco Pay credit card might not be the best card option for you.
What makes this credit card different?
Simply put, the Petco Pay credit card is different from other cards because it rewards pet owners quite well when they spend money at Petco branches or online at petco.com.
But it’s important to distinguish between the two co-branded Petco cards here.
First, there’s the Petco Pay credit card.
The Petco Pay card is a “closed-loop” credit card, so you can only use it to finance purchases at Petco branches or petco.com. That means you can spend as much as you want to (within your limit) on Petco merchandise — but you won’t be able to use your Petco Pay card to go to Target afterward.
By contrast, the Petco Mastercard is an “open-loop” card, so you can use it to make purchases anywhere that Mastercard credit cards are accepted.
With the Petco Mastercard, you’ll enjoy all the benefits of the Petco Pay card, such as generating rewards points when you make purchases in Petco stores or online. Unlike the Petco Pay card, the Petco Mastercard also gives you 2% cash back on grocery store purchases and 1% cash back everywhere else that Mastercard is accepted.
What are my chances of getting approved?
Comenity Capital Bank issues Petco’s co-branded rewards credit cards. Although Comenity doesn’t publish the minimum credit score you’ll need to get approved for a Petco credit card, most of their cards require a good or excellent credit score.
That typically means a credit score of between 600 and 850.
Translation: if you have a good credit rating, you’ll likely be approved. If you have fair or bad credit, your chances of approval will be low.
Fortunately, there are several other options available for those with poor credit scores. You could consider a secured rewards card, like the Revvi credit card, the Self Visa card, or the Destiny credit card. These cards are all designed for those with poor credit (or no credit history at all) and offer some incentives to help you earn rewards while you build your credit.
Looking for more options? Use our card explorer tool to explore our wide range of credit card recommendations.
All the details of the Petco Pay credit card
Perks and rewards
The biggest reason to consider a Petco credit card is for its generous rewards program for regular Petco customers.
To help you understand how the Petco rewards scheme works, let’s break down the basics.
Petco Pals points
The Petco Pals rewards scheme is linked to both Petco credit cards, which means you’ll earn double points on all Petco purchases when you use your Petco credit card to pay.
Once you’ve earned a Pals Reward Dollar, you can load it onto your account to redeem it in-store or add it to your basket at checkout on petco.com.
If you get the Mastercard version of the Petco credit card, you won’t just earn Pals points, but you’ll also get 2% back in points on grocery store transactions and 1% back everywhere else Mastercard is accepted.
Welcome offer
As a special welcome offer, new Petco credit card holders get 20% off their first card purchase when they qualify for their card and use it on the same day.
If you qualify for the Petco Mastercard, you can also earn $25 worth of Pals Rewards if you spend $500 outside of Petco within the first 90 days of getting your new credit card.
Special financing offers
Depending on a customer’s credit and account standing, Petco may offer a deferred-interest financing plan for big purchases.
This includes:
- 6-month financing on purchases of $299 or more
- 9-month financing on purchases of $399 or more
- 12-month financing on purchases of $499 or more
Just bear in mind that if you accept a financing offer, the purchases you make won’t earn you Pals points.
Charitable donations
In addition to earning points for yourself, your Petco purchases can earn points for charity.
For each purchase you make using a Petco credit card, Petco will donate 25 cents to its charity, the Petco Foundation.
How to apply
Before you can apply for a Petco credit card, you’ll need to become a Petco Pals member. Petco Pals is the company’s customer rewards scheme, and joining online or in-store is fast and simple.
After you’ve joined Petco Pals, you can apply online and find out if you prequalify by filling out a short form on the credit card’s website.
To apply, you’ll need to include basic information like your name, address, and email address. You can indicate whether you’d like to be considered for the Petco Pay credit card or the Petco Mastercard.
After you submit your application, Comenity Capital Bank will run a soft credit check and let you know whether you’ve been approved. Bear in mind that it’s possible to qualify for the Petco Pay credit card even if you don’t qualify for the Petco Mastercard.
Contact info
The Petco credit card is issued by Comenity Capital Bank. The phone number for Comenity Capital Bank’s customer service is 1-(877)-751-1607. You can also find answers to common questions on the card’s website.
You can also contact the Comenity Bank customer service department by mail:
Comenity Capital Bank
PO Box 183003
Columbus, OH 43218-3003
Other stuff you should know
In addition to its rewards scheme, the Petco Mastercard offers a number of basic card protection benefits.
These include:
- A card lock feature
- Emergency card replacement (ECR)
- Emergency cash disbursement
- $0 fraud liability
- An auto rental collision damage waiver
The Petco Mastercard also supports balance transfers (at 26.99% APR) and cash advances (at a variable APR).
Alternative credit cards to the Petco credit card
1. Famous Footwear credit card
Features of the FAMOUSLY YOU REWARDS credit card include:
- Unsecured rewards card issued by Comenity Capital Bank
- Rewards Famous Footwear customers for spending money at Famous Footwear
2. Citi Double Cash Card
Features of the Citi Double Cash Card include:
- Unsecured rewards card
- 2% cash back on purchases
- Uncapped rewards
3. Toyota Rewards Visa
Features of the Toyota Rewards Visa include:
- Unsecured rewards card issued by Comenity Capital Bank
- Rewards Toyota owners for spending money at official Toyota dealerships
4. Revvi credit card
Features of the Revvi Visa card include:
- Secured credit-building card
- Offers 1% cash back
5. American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card
Features of the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card include:
- Offers up to 6% cash back on eligible purchases
- Annual fee of $95
Final recommendation
At the end of the day, the Petco credit card is a great way to get rewards if you’re a frequent Petco shopper. Both versions of the card offer generous rewards points when you spend at Petco, and you can redeem those points for future purchases for your furry friends.
But if you’re looking for a rewards card that you can use more widely, this might not be the card for you. Other rewards cards offer a wider range of redemption options, and you can also find rewards cards with higher cash back levels.
Want to make sure you’re maximizing your credit card rewards and keeping costs down?
Kudos sorts through data across thousands of cards and millions of websites so that when you’re ready to check out, our assistant can scan your wallet to tell you how you should pay and what rewards and benefits you’ll get on that purchase.
You can also use our card explore tool to find the perfect card for you.
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