Banana Republic Rewards Mastercard®

If you shop Banana Republic often enough to consistently use the rewards you earn, this card can make sense as a no-annual-fee store card. The main appeal is straightforward: 5 points per dollar at Banana Republic, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee. For someone who already spends heavily within the brand, that is a decent return on purchases you were going to make anyway.

For most readers, though, this is not a strong primary card. Outside Banana Republic purchases, the card earns just 1 point per dollar, and the rewards are tied to Gap Inc. brands rather than flexible cash back or travel points. If your shopping is spread across many stores, or you want rewards you can use anywhere, a general cash-back card will usually be the better fit.