Venti-sized disappointment: A overview of the Starbucks Rewards Visa bank card
Editor’s notice: This card is not accepting new purposes.
Starbucks Rewards Visa Credit score Card overview
When you’re a Venti latte-loving Starbucks fanatic and frequent the chain recurrently, the Starbucks Rewards Visa bank card could also be for you. However with its $49 annual price and sophisticated redemption construction, most everybody else can be higher off with a money again or rewards card that doesn’t simply satiate your caffeine repair. Card Ranking*: ⭐⭐½
*Card Ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.
With over 34,000 shops around the globe, Starbucks is a behemoth of a espresso chain. Whether or not you benefit from the model’s espresso is one other story, however there’s definitely a trustworthy Starbucks viewers. In truth, Starbucks Rewards, the corporate’s loyalty program, has over 26 million U.S. members on final rely.
The Starbucks bank card was unveiled again in 2018, nevertheless it’s seen notable modifications over the previous couple of years — and so they haven’t been for the higher. Most of those modifications align with a revamp of the Starbucks Rewards program, together with tiered redemptions for menu gadgets (learn: dearer).
With that mentioned, there’s nonetheless a subset of Starbucks lovers that may profit from this bank card in the event that they have already got it of their pockets (it is not out there for brand new purposes). Earlier than you sip that Frappuccino, although, let’s take a better have a look at every thing you might want to know concerning the Starbucks Rewards Visa card.
The data for the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Who is that this card for?
If Starbucks is already a part of your common routine and you may maximize the menu-only redemptions of the Starbucks Rewards Visa bank card, then it could be value footing the invoice for this card’s $49 annual price.
The cardboard dietary supplements the present Starbucks Rewards program. The free food and drinks gadgets you obtain via Starbucks Rewards can prevent a reasonably penny – and the Starbucks Visa helps speed up incomes “Stars.” Nevertheless, with these Stars, you’re additionally limiting your redemption choices to Starbucks.
Take into account this Starbucks bank card is issued by Chase, which suggests it’s included in Chase’s 5/24 bank card rule. In case you are strategizing in your new card purposes, take this under consideration — the Starbucks Visa would possibly make even much less sense.
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If Starbucks isn’t a part of your go-to every day ritual, there are higher long-term money again and rewards card options to get a much bigger bang on your buck.
When it comes all the way down to it although, the Starbucks Visa bank card provides worth solely to essentially the most loyal. If that’s you, there are worse playing cards on the market than this one.
What’s Starbucks Rewards?
Earlier than explaining the precise earnings, perks, and advantages of the Starbucks Visa bank card, you’ll have to be accustomed to Starbucks Rewards, the loyalty program through which you earn and redeem Stars.
Starbucks Rewards isn’t essentially the most simple loyalty program on the market, to say the least. Get that caffeine prepared, right here’s an summary.
Starbucks Rewards is revenue-based, that means that you just earn Stars on what you spend. You get 2 Stars per $1 whenever you add funds within the Starbucks app utilizing any fee possibility. When you use money or a debit card on the register (as a substitute of the app), you may solely get 1 Star per $1. That half is straightforward.
How you can redeem Stars
You’ll be able to solely redeem Starbucks Stars that you just earn for menu gadgets. Be aware that Stars don’t expire so long as your card account is open, and expire six months after closing your account.
Here’s a full menu record of what you may get at every Star stage:
- Drink modifications (corresponding to an additional shot) – 25 Stars.
- Brewed scorching espresso, bakery merchandise or scorching tea – 50 Stars.
- Handcrafted drink, scorching breakfast or parfait – 150 Stars.
- Lunch sandwich, protein field or salad – 200 Stars.
- Choose merchandise or at-home espresso – 400 Stars.
What’s a Starbucks Star value?
You’ll be able to redeem Stars for quite a lot of gadgets at every stage, so in a means, the worth of your Stars is dynamic and depending on what you wish to get from Starbucks.
Nevertheless, let’s check out a number of fashionable menu gadgets to get a tough estimate of what a Starbucks Star is value. I gathered the worth from the Starbucks app for pickup from my native retailer:
- Venti Blonde Roast espresso — $3.21 or 50 Stars (6.4 cents per Star).
- Venti Mocha Frappuccino Blended Beverage — $6.48 or 150 Stars (4.3 cents per Star).
- Rooster and Quinoa Protein Bowl — $9.20 or 200 Stars (4.6 cents per Star).
- Natural Yukon Mix At-House Espresso Mix — $13.95 or 400 Stars (3.5 cents per Star).
Let’s say you get an common worth of 4 cents per Starbucks Star, retaining in thoughts it’s possible you’ll not redeem for the most costly merchandise inside a sure tier.
Incomes, perks and advantages
In a nutshell (or espresso bean), the incomes, perks and advantages of the Starbucks Rewards Visa bank card aren’t notably profitable on their very own.
The cardboard earns as much as 3 Stars per $1 spent at Starbucks: 1 Star per $1 on digital Starbucks account reloads, plus 2 Stars per $1 when utilizing that card in-store. Nevertheless, that one Bonus Star solely applies when digitally loading funds with the Starbucks Rewards Visa and particularly excludes cash added on the register in-store.
Then, you’ll get 1 Star per $2 spent at grocery shops, on native transit and commuting, and on web, cable and telephone companies.
Lastly, you’ll get one Star per $4 spent wherever else.
All-in-all, at a four-cent valuation per Star, you’re successfully getting a 4% return on Starbucks bank card reloads, 2% return for the bonus classes of groceries, transit, and web, telephone and cable, plus a 1% return in every single place else.
Different advantages
As a Starbucks cardholder, you’ll additionally get eight “Barista Picks” despatched to your account every year, which should be used inside 30 days. In line with Starbucks, these are “handpicked meals and drinks shared with you as a thanks for being a cardmember.” Be aware that substitutions and customizations aren’t allowed until particularly permitted by the Barista Decide coupon.
The cardboard additionally provides a number of notable card protections:
Does the Starbucks bank card have a overseas transaction price?
Sure, the Starbucks Rewards Visa bank card has a overseas transaction price of three% so this isn’t a card we’d advocate utilizing exterior of the US.
Which playing cards compete with the Starbucks Rewards Visa?
Rewards playing cards that offer you bonus factors at cafes and eating places can be a fantastic different to the Starbucks bank card. For example, the American Categorical® Gold Card earns 4 factors per greenback at eating places and earns profitable, transferable Membership Rewards factors.
Or for a no-annual-fee possibility, the Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card provides you 3% money again on eating.
Backside line: Is Starbucks bank card value it?
This isn’t a really rewarding bank card until you’re a die-hard Starbucks buyer. For most individuals, I’d advocate getting a extra versatile rewards card that earns factors or money again at Starbucks — one which doesn’t power you to redeem for espresso beans. These are the greatest playing cards for Starbucks purchases.
Extra reporting by Ryan Wilcox.
