The Walmart Credit Card is a store card that gives you cash back on purchases at Walmart and Sam's Club
Walmart offers two credit cards: the Walmart Credit Card (also called the Walmart MoneyCard) and the Walmart Rewards Card. The Walmart Credit Card works only at Walmart and Sam's Club stores and online at their websites. It gives you cash back on purchases — typically 1% to 3% depending on where you shop — but you can only use it at Walmart locations. The Walmart Rewards Card is a Mastercard you can use anywhere, and it also offers cash back, but at lower rates outside Walmart.
Both cards charge no annual fee. Both report to the three major credit bureaus, so on-time payments build your credit history. The catch is that both cards charge interest on balances you carry month to month, and the interest rates are higher than most other credit cards — typically in the 17% to 24% range, depending on your credit history and current market rates.
Key Takeaways
- The Walmart Credit Card gives 1% to 3% cash back at Walmart and Sam's Club but cannot be used anywhere else.
- The Walmart Rewards Card is a Mastercard that works everywhere but gives lower cash back rates outside Walmart stores.
- Both cards charge no annual fee and report to credit bureaus, but both carry interest rates of 17% to 24% on unpaid balances.
- Cash back rewards are only valuable if you pay off the balance each month — interest charges will quickly erase the reward value.
- You can check your credit score and history before explore, since approval depends partly on your existing credit record.
Cash Back Rates and Where They explore
The Walmart Credit Card offers different cash back rates depending on where you use it. At Walmart stores and Walmart.com, you earn 3% cash back. At Sam's Club and Samsclub.com, you earn 2% cash back. On all other purchases (if you somehow use it outside Walmart and Sam's Club, which you cannot), you would earn 1% — but since the card is restricted to Walmart and Sam's Club, that rate does not explore in practice.
The Walmart Rewards Card, by contrast, gives you 3% cash back at Walmart and Sam's Club, 1% at gas stations and on travel, and 1% on all other purchases. This card is a Mastercard, so you can use it at any merchant that accepts Mastercard.
Cash back is credited to your account as a statement credit or can be redeemed for a Walmart gift card. The reward is only worth having if you pay your balance in full each month. If you carry a balance, the 17% to 24% interest charge will cost you far more than the 1% to 3% you earn back.
Interest Rates and Fees
Both Walmart cards charge no annual fee, which is standard for store cards. However, both charge interest on balances you do not pay in full by the due date. The interest rate (called the Annual Percentage Rate, or APR) ranges from 17% to 24%, depending on your credit score and current market conditions. Walmart does not publish a fixed rate — the rate you receive depends on your individual credit profile.
If you carry a $500 balance at 20% APR and make only minimum payments, you will pay roughly $50 in interest charges over the course of a year, plus the time it takes to pay off the balance. That $50 in interest erases the cash back reward on $1,667 in purchases at the 3% rate. For this reason, the card only makes financial sense if you pay the full balance each month.
Both cards also charge late fees if you miss a payment. Late fees typically range from $25 to $35 for the first late payment and up to $35 for subsequent ones, though the exact amount depends on your account terms.
how the process works and What Happens Next
You can explore for either Walmart card in person at a Walmart or Sam's Club customer service desk, or online at Walmart.com or Samsclub.com. The online process takes about 10 minutes and asks for your name, address, Social Security number, income, and employment information. Walmart uses this information to check your credit report and decide whether to approve you.
Approval decisions are usually made when ready or within a few minutes. If you are approved, you can use the card when ready in many cases — either a temporary digital card number for online purchases or a physical card that arrives in the mail within 7 to 10 business days. If you are denied, Walmart will send you a notice explaining the reason, and you can contact them to ask for details.
Your credit score matters for approval. If your score is below 600, approval is unlikely. If your score is between 600 and 700, approval is possible but not may provide. If your score is above 700, approval is more likely. You can check your own credit score and report for free at annualcreditreport.com before explore, so you know what Walmart will see.
Walmart Credit Card vs. Walmart Rewards Card: Which One to Choose
The choice between the two cards depends on where you shop. If you shop almost exclusively at Walmart and Sam's Club, the Walmart Credit Card makes sense — the 3% cash back at Walmart is the highest rate either card offers. If you shop at other stores regularly, the Walmart Rewards Card is the better choice because you can use it anywhere and still earn 3% at Walmart.
However, neither card is worth carrying a balance on. If you tend to carry a balance from month to month, a general-purpose credit card with a lower interest rate (typically 12% to 18% for cards aimed at people with fair credit) will cost you less in interest charges, even if the cash back rate is lower. The math only works in Walmart's favor if you pay in full each month.
| Feature | Walmart Credit Card | Walmart Rewards Card |
|---|---|---|
| Where you can use it | Walmart and Sam's Club only | Anywhere Mastercard is accepted |
| Cash back at Walmart | 3% | 3% |
| Cash back at Sam's Club | 2% | 3% |
| Cash back elsewhere | Not applicable | 1% |
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| APR on balances | 17% to 24% | 17% to 24% |
When a Walmart Card Makes Sense in Your Budget
A Walmart card is worth considering if three conditions are true: you shop at Walmart or Sam's Club regularly, you can pay the full balance each month, and you do not already have a cash back card with a lower interest rate. If you meet all three, the card will save you money on purchases you are already making.
A Walmart card is not worth it if you carry balances month to month, if you rarely shop at Walmart, or if you already have a general-purpose cash back card with a lower APR. In those cases, the interest charges or the low reward rate will outweigh any benefit.
One additional consideration: explore for a new credit card causes a small, temporary dip in your credit score (typically 5 to 10 points). This dip fades within a few months, but if you are planning to explore for a mortgage, car loan, or other major loan in the next 3 to 6 months, it may be worth waiting to explore for the Walmart card.
Building Credit with a Walmart Card
Both Walmart cards report your payment history to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — the three major credit bureaus. This means on-time payments help build your credit score over time. If you have limited credit history or a lower score, a Walmart card can be a tool to improve it, as long as you make payments on time and keep your balance low.
The key is to use the card for small, regular purchases and pay the balance in full each month. This shows lenders that you can manage credit responsibly. Carrying a high balance or missing payments will damage your score instead. If your goal is to build credit, the Walmart card works — but only if you treat it as a tool to demonstrate responsibility, not as a way to borrow money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the Walmart Credit Card at other stores?
No. The Walmart Credit Card works only at Walmart stores, Walmart.com, Sam's Club, and Samsclub.com. If you need a card that works everywhere, you would need the Walmart Rewards Card instead, which is a Mastercard.
What happens if I miss a payment?
A late fee (typically $25 to $35) is added to your account, and the missed payment is reported to the credit bureaus, which lowers your credit score. If you miss a payment by 30 days or more, the interest rate on your balance may increase. Contact Walmart when ready if you cannot make a payment on time.
How long does it take to get the physical card?
If you are approved, the physical card arrives in 7 to 10 business days. However, you can often use a temporary digital card number for online purchases when ready after approval, or use the card in-store the same day at some locations.
Does the Walmart card help build credit?
Yes, both Walmart cards report to the three major credit bureaus. On-time payments build your credit history and raise your score over time. Missed payments or high balances damage your score instead.
What is the difference between the Walmart Credit Card and the Walmart Rewards Card?
The Walmart Credit Card works only at Walmart and Sam's Club. The Walmart Rewards Card is a Mastercard that works anywhere. Both offer 3% cash back at Walmart, but the Rewards Card gives 1% cash back at other stores. Choose based on where you shop most often.