For the first year, you can also earn up to 5% cash back in-store when you use your card with Walmart Pay.
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Written byJoe Van Brussel
Joe Van Brussel
Joe Van Brussel is a freelance writer for CNET Money, where he deciphers obfuscatory credit card offers and breaks them down so consumers actually know what belongs in their wallet. He also covers other aspects of personal finance, from life insurance and loans to tax software and the impact of broader economic trends on individuals. Joe believes the United States will win the World Cup in his lifetime, and wishes New York City apartments came standard with thick, noise-reducing windows.
Jaclyn DeJohn
Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Article updated on Oct 27, 2022 Our Experts Written by Joe Van BrusselJoe Van Brussel
Joe Van Brussel is a freelance writer for CNET Money, where he deciphers obfuscatory credit card offers and breaks them down so consumers actually know what belongs in their wallet. He also covers other aspects of personal finance, from life insurance and loans to tax software and the impact of broader economic trends on individuals. Joe believes the United States will win the World Cup in his lifetime, and wishes New York City apartments came standard with thick, noise-reducing windows.
Edited by Jaclyn DeJohnJaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
Our Experts Written by Joe Van BrusselJoe Van Brussel
Joe Van Brussel is a freelance writer for CNET Money, where he deciphers obfuscatory credit card offers and breaks them down so consumers actually know what belongs in their wallet. He also covers other aspects of personal finance, from life insurance and loans to tax software and the impact of broader economic trends on individuals. Joe believes the United States will win the World Cup in his lifetime, and wishes New York City apartments came standard with thick, noise-reducing windows.
Edited by Jaclyn DeJohnJaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
Why You Can Trust CNET MoneyCNET Money’s mission is to help you maximize your financial potential. Our recommendations are based on our editors’ independent research and analysis, and we continuously update our content to reflect current partner offers. How we rate credit cards
Table of ContentsWe rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card’s reward potential, the value you get compared to the card’s cost, the benefits and the card’s rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Rating Breakdown 3.2 Welcome Bonus 3.0 Rewards Program 3.5 Value for Money 3.0 Benefits 3.0 Fees and APR 3.5 How We Rate Rewards / Travel CardsWe rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card’s reward potential, the value you get compared to the card’s cost, the benefits and the card’s rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
5% Introductory offer: Earn 5% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores for the first 12 months when you use your card with Walmart Pay
Annual Fee Rewards Rate1% – 5% Earn 5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases, including pickup and delivery ; Earn 2% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores, Murphy USA and Walmart® fuel stations; 2% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases; 1% cash back on all other purchases everywhere else Mastercard® is accepted
Rec. Credit580 – 850 Fair – Excellent Recommended Credit: Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
19.48% or 29.99% (Variable) CNET SCORE Rating Breakdown 3.2 Welcome Bonus 3.0 Rewards Program 3.5 Value for Money 3.0 Benefits 3.0 Fees and APR 3.5 How We Rate Rewards / Travel CardsWe rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card’s reward potential, the value you get compared to the card’s cost, the benefits and the card’s rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Additional DetailsCard Details Intro Balance Transfer APR N/A Intro Purchase APR N/A Regular APR 19.48% or 29.99% (Variable) Balance Transfer Fee $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Rewards Rates Earn 5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases, including pickup and delivery Earn 2% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores, Murphy USA and Walmart® fuel stations 2% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases 1% cash back on all other purchases everywhere else Mastercard® is accepted CNET SCORE Additional Details Rating Breakdown 3.2 Welcome Bonus 3.0 Rewards Program 3.5 Value for Money 3.0 Benefits 3.0 Fees and APR 3.5 How We Rate Rewards / Travel CardsWe rate credit cards using our Rewards / Travel methodology for cards tailored to earning rewards. We focus on each card’s reward potential, the value you get compared to the card’s cost, the benefits and the card’s rates and fees. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Card Details Intro Balance Transfer APR N/A Intro Purchase APR N/A Regular APR 19.48% or 29.99% (Variable) Balance Transfer Fee $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Rewards Rates Earn 5% cash back on Walmart.com purchases, including pickup and delivery Earn 2% cash back on purchases in Walmart® stores, Murphy USA and Walmart® fuel stations 2% cash back on restaurants and travel purchases 1% cash back on all other purchases everywhere else Mastercard® is acceptedThe Capital One Walmart Rewards® Mastercard®* is the rare retailer credit card that allows you to earn cash back rather than store credit, though it does favor shopping online at Walmart.com to shopping in store.
Despite the preference for online shopping, the Walmart Mastercard offers a few additional rewards categories for everyday spending outside of Walmart, like on restaurant and travel purchases -- though other credit cards may offer more competitive rates. Still, if you wanted to keep the card for strictly Walmart purchases, this credit card has no annual fee so you can effortlessly earn up to 5% back at Walmart.
The Capital One Walmart Card earns 5% cash back on Walmart.com, including pick-up and delivery, and generally 2% cash back in Walmart stores. However, for the first year, you can earn 5% back at Walmart stores if you use Walmart Pay, the digital wallet app, to make your purchases. Outside of Walmart, you’ll earn 2% cash back at restaurants and on travel, and 1% cash back on other purchases.
5% is an excellent rate for general rewards credit cards, but the standard in-brand rate for retailer credit cards. So for online shopping at Walmart, this card is competitive -- or if you’re willing to use Walmart Pay in store for the first year. For travel and dining, you can find better cash-back credit cards with no annual fee that offer higher rates.
The cash back you earn will actually post to your account in the form of rewards points. There are a variety of ways you can redeem your Capital One rewards. When you log into your online account through the Capital One website or mobile app, you can see how many rewards points you’ve earned by clicking on “View Rewards.” Note that your balance will be shown in points, with each point equalling one cent. So 1,000 points is equivalent to $10.
Once in the rewards section, you’ll have the choice to redeem your points as a statement credit, a check, a gift card or as a reimbursement for recent purchases. The reimbursement is similar to the statement credit, except that the purchases reimbursed won’t be counted toward your statement balance at the end of the month.
You can also redeem your points for travel through Capital One’s travel portal.
With no annual fee and a straightforward cash-back program, there aren’t too many drawbacks. If you have lots of different credit cards for different stores and spending categories, make sure you have a good management system in place so you never miss a monthly payment.
The APR is fairly high at 19.48% or 29.99% variable, so it’s especially important to pay off your entire balance every month to avoid interest charges.
The Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards credit card* earns 3% cash back in the category of your choice (as well as earns 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs). You’ll earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, then 1%. The available 3% categories are online shopping, gas, dining, travel, drug stores or home improvement stores.
Walmart is considered a “superstore” so won’t be covered by the 2% category, but if you choose online shopping for your 3% category, you’ll get 3% back at Walmart.com and other places you shop online (excluding non-retail services like insurance, membership organizations, and schools).
See our review of the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards card for more information.
The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card offers an unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases -- one of the best flat-rate cards you can find. While 2% is significantly less than the 5% back you’d get at Walmart.com with the Walmart Mastercard, the flexibility makes the Active Cash credit card a go-to staple for your wallet.
For a welcome bonus, you can also earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. You can also take advantage of the introductory APR to avoid interest charges.
