After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2019, Forever 21 was saved by three companies (Authentic Brands Group, Simon Property Group, and Brookfield Property Partners) that decided to jointly acquire and continue its operation in the US and other places. Now, the fast-fashion retailer continues to wow us with incredible designs and style in its products. And to keep up with its competitors, it keeps on offering its goods at affordable prices. Further sweetening the deal is the Forever 21 credit cards of the store. With the cards, the store promises to help the shoppers earn back some of their dollars and get rewards throughout the entire year.
Intro Bonus: 20% off
Regular APR: 26.99% Variable (Forever 21 Credit Card) / 24.99% Variable (Forever 21 Visa)
Credit Score: Fair to Good
Annual Fee: $0
Highlights:
- The cards are available in closed-loop and Visa versions.
- The $10 birthday discount needs a minimum of $25 in purchases.
- Cardholders will receive a handful of bonuses from birthday discounts to card anniversary bonuses and more.
- Three hundred points are convertible to a $5 Reward Certificate.
- The points and Rewards Certificate have expirations.
Forever 21 Credit Cards Review:
Forever 21 has 2 credit cards to offer: the closed-loop Forever 21 credit card and the Forever 21 Visa. Both have no annual fees, but they differ in some sections of the Forever Rewarded Loyalty Program, especially how they earn points.
As Forever 21 store cards, the two cards can earn three points for each $1 spent at Forever 21 stores and online at www.forever21.com. However, as an open-loop card, the Visa version can also get two points for each $1 spent at qualifying restaurants and one point per dollar where Visa is accepted. The 1 point base rate is not the best, but if you frequently use the Visa card on Forever 21 purchases, your 3 points can equal 5% back.
You can convert every 300 points you collected for a $5 Reward Certificate. Apart from that, the two Forever 21 credit cards will receive various benefits such as a 20% off welcome bonus, 15% welcome kit offer, $10 birthday discount, 21% off Forever Rewarded Anniversary bonus, 21% off Forever 21’s Birthday Bonus, free standard shipping events, and exclusive offers through the year.
In addition to the benefits above, the Forever 21 Visa gets another $10 bonus reward. Simply use it to make a purchase outside of Forever 21 within 90 days of account opening, and you’ll receive it.
On the other hand, note that the points and Rewards Certificate have expiration dates. The points will expire 24 months after the date that they are posted to your Points balance, while the Reward Certificates expire 60 days from the date they are issued.
The APRs of the two cards have distinct differences. The closed-loop Forever 21 credit card has a massive 26.99% APR on purchases, while the Forever 21 Visa has a 24.99% purchase APR. Meanwhile, the APRs for balance transfers and cash advances of the Visa card comes at 26.99%. There are also transfer fees that will apply for balance transfers and cash advances, which are either $10 or 5% of their amounts, whichever is greater. Lastly, expect a 3% foreign transaction fee for the Visa card, so you might want to keep it in your wallet when you’re traveling outside the US.
Final Thoughts:
If you have encountered other store cards before, you know that most of them have underwhelming bonuses and rewards structures. And compared to them, the Forever 21 credit cards are still on the fair side. The number of bonuses you’ll get is good, and so is the earning rate. The required number of points to redeem a Rewards Certificate is also doable.
Despite those things, however, Forever 21 credit cards can’t still beat the features and versatility of general rewards cards. While Forever 21 Visa can earn points in other stores, the number of earning categories is limited. Plus, you can only use the points at Forever 21.
Traditional credit cards are more versatile. Their earning rates are better (either points or cashback), and they offer a rich selection of redeeming options. Moreover, some provide excellent features and offers like 0% intro APR, special financing, and more. If you want some of the best suggestions, look at our reviews of the best credit cards from Wells Fargo, Citi, Capital One, Bank of America, Discover, Amex, and Chase.