Great Card If
- You frequently shop at Kohl’s.
- You spend a lot on gas, grocery stores, superstores, and warehouse clubs.
- You can easily manage redeeming rewards in specific timeframes.
- You pay off your balance in full every month.
Don’t Get If
- You never shop at Kohl’s.
- It’s hard for you to stay organized with rewards.
- You tend to carry a balance on your credit cards.
Kohl’s Rewards Visa: Is It Worth It?
The Kohl’s Rewards Visa from Capital One is best for Kohl’s shoppers, though you can earn additional rewards at other merchants like gas stations and grocery stores.
You earn rewards as part of the Kohl’s Rewards program, but these rewards are converted into Kohl’s Cash on the first day of every month.
While this card can be beneficial for Kohl’s shoppers, its Kohl’s Cash rewards are limited. You can only use Kohl’s Cash for Kohl’s purchases (with limitations), and you only have 30 days to redeem your Kohl’s Cash, which means you have to shop at Kohl’s (or Kohls.com) at least once per month.
Although having the additional rewards for purchases on gas and groceries is nice, there are plenty of other cards that offer bonus points for gas and groceries, and others, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, give you 2x on everything and have a much more flexible rewards redemption structure.
Finally, the APR on this card is almost 30%, and the card comes with costly fees, such as late fees, which means carrying a balance or paying late definitely negates any rewards — and puts you into debt. Think carefully before getting this card.
Hot Tip:
When you apply for a Kohl’s credit card, you’ll be approved for either a Kohl’s Credit Card or the Kohl’s Rewards Visa. Note that the former is a store card only valid for use at Kohl’s. It offers 7.5% back, Most Valuable Customer status after spending $600 at Kohl’s in a year, and a 40% welcome offer coupon.
Kohl’s Rewards Visa Top Benefits and Perks
One of the top benefits of the no-annual-fee Kohl’s Rewards Visa is the 40% coupon welcome offer valid for 1 transaction within the first 30 days. Keep in mind that Kohl’s coupons aren’t valid on all brands sold by the store, and Kohl’s Cash also comes with certain limitations.
Other perks of the card include:
- 7.5% back at Kohl’s stores or Kohls.com, excluding gift cards
- 3% back on gas
- 2% back at grocery stores (excluding warehouse clubs and superstores such as Costco and Walmart)
- 1% back on purchases everywhere else Visa is accepted
- Most Valuable Customer status, with exclusive discounts and occasional free shipping, by spending $600 at Kohl’s in a calendar year
- Rewards issued as Kohl’s Cash on the first day of each month (in $5 increments)
- Access to My Kohl’s Card, where you can pay your bill online and track your balance
- 24-hour-a-day Visa Signature Concierge, emergency, and travel assistance services
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Your Kohl’s Rewards
The best way to earn Kohl’s Rewards is to shop at Kohl’s, where you get 7.5% back in rewards.
Your Kohl’s Rewards then become Kohl’s Cash on the first day of every month, coming in $5 increments. Just make sure to spend your Kohl’s Cash within 30 days to avoid losing it. Also, be aware of brand limitations, as your Kohl’s Cash is not valid on everything the store sells (it’s not redeemable on gift cards, Sephora purchases, or Kohl’s Cares items).
Alternative Cards to the Kohl’s Rewards Visa
Consider these credit cards as valid alternatives to the Kohl’s Rewards Visa:
If you spend a lot on groceries and gas, this card is an excellent fit. You earn 6% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in eligible purchases (then 1%), 6% cash-back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% cash-back at eligible U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis and ride-sharing, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more) purchases, and 1% cash-back on everything else. Cash-back is in the form of Reward Dollars. These are much more flexible than Kohl’s Rewards, as you can redeem them as a statement credit.
Plus, if you struggle with carrying a balance, this card has 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable APR of 19.49%-28.49% (rates & fees). The card has a $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95 annual fee (rates & fees).
If you want to work on paying off your card balance, this card offers 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from the date of account opening. After that, 19.49%-28.49% variable APR (rates & fees). Plus, you earn 3% cash-back at U.S. supermarkets, 3% cash-back on U.S. online retail purchases (yes, this includes Kohls.com), and 3% cash-back at U.S. gas stations (up to $6,000 per year for each category, then 1%). Your rewards are flexible, coming as Reward Dollars that can be redeemed for a statement credit to cover your purchases. The card has a $0 annual fee (rates & fees).
