Advertiser Disclosure

Aspiration Zero Credit Card

Cory Santos

| Last updated on September 11th, 2023

Aspiration Zero Credit Card

Aspiration Zero Credit Card
Excellent-Good
BestCards refers to a variation of FICO Score 9, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when deciding whether to approve you for a credit card. Please note that the range shown here is our own estimation and not a guarantee of credit needed to be approved for any given card. Recommended Credit: Excellent / Good
Mastercard Processing Network
$60 Annual Fee

Aspiration Zero Credit Card

  • 16.40% to 26% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
  • 16.40% to 26% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
  • 23% to 26.00% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Cash Advance APR

At a Glance

The Aspiration Zero Mastercard is a fintech credit card that strives for carbon neutrality. Like the Aspiration Debit Card, the Zero offers the chance of cash back rewards and tree planting for every purchase made – for a $60 annual fee.

  • Best Benefits
  • Rates & Fees
  • Why Should You Apply?
  • Plant a tree with every purchase
  • Reach carbon neutral and earn 1% cash back for every purchase in that billing period
  • Sustainable card design, made with plant-based materials
  • Regular Purchase APR: 16.40% to 26% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
  • Balance Transfer APR: 16.40% to 26% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
  • Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
  • Cash Advance APR: 23% to 26.00% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
  • Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
  • Annual Fee: $60
  • Foreign Transaction Fee: 2% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
  • Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $10
  • Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $35
  • You are passionate about saving the planet
  • You want to plant a tree with every eligible card purchase
  • You plan on using this card often for all types of purchases

Aspiration Zero Credit Card Review

The Aspiration Zero is a credit card with a difference. The card works exactly like any other credit card but can help users reduce their carbon footprint with regular use.

Aspiration Zero achieves its lofty goals by planting one tree for every purchase made with the card. Make a purchase – and plant a tree – every day, and Aspiration can help the cardholder reach carbon-neutral status. Getting carbon neutral status entitles the cardholder to 1% cash back on all purchases, with this cash back reward payable every eligible month.

Introductory Bonus

The Aspiration Zero offers far more than basic cash back and the prospect of carbon neutrality. The card also comes with a decent sign-up bonus of $300 back after spending at least $3.000 on purchases within the first three months of opening an account. The sign-up cash back offer isn’t spectacular but provides an additional nudge to those on the fence about getting the card – especially as it amounts to 10% cash back on your first $3,000 in spending.

Sustainability Built-In

Aspiration’s commitment to sustainability extends far beyond merely planting trees. The card itself is sourced from sustainable materials, and the physical Aspiration Mastercard is sourced entirely from plant-based material and not plastic. This construction helps the consumer feel good knowing that they are planting trees, earning cash back, and breaking the cycle of creating plastic waste.

Competitive Rates and Fees

The interest rates with Aspiration Zero are competitive with other cash back cards on the market. The APR with the card starts at around 12%, which is significantly lower than the average APR for a cash back credit card. The card features an annual fee of $60. This yearly charge may also be off-putting, but given a chance to plant 60 trees or more every month, it’s worth it for those who have an eye on conservation.

Other Card Features

Other notable features of the Aspiration Zero Mastercard include:

Zero Liability Protection Mastercard Global Services ID Theft Protection

Other noteworthy features include:

  • Apple Pay and Google Pay compatibility
  • EMV chip and contactless payment technology
  • Aspiration mobile app to track carbon footprint
  • 2% foreign transaction fee

FAQs About Aspiration

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the Aspiration Zero Card:

  • Any U.S. Citizen or permanent resident age 18 or over with a Social Security Number and checking or savings account can apply. The minimum to open an Aspiration Account is $10. Signing up online is easy, and our application takes less than five minutes to complete.
     
  • If you are enrolled in Aspiration Plus, you earn 10% cash back on purchases by using your Aspiration debit card at businesses that are members of the Conscience Coalition. There are no limits on how much cash back you can earn.

Aspiration Credit Card Ratings

How does the Aspiration Mastercard stack up? Here are a selection of expert reviews for the card:

Should You Apply for the Aspiration Zero Mastercard Credit Card?

Overall, Aspiration sets lofty goals of carbon neutrality – goals it mostly meets. The card provides 1% cash back on all purchases after the cardholder reaches carbon neutrality for the billing period – which Aspiration equates to one purchase per day. This goal is very achievable, especially when considering that the company will plant trees for those purchases.

The $60 annual fee might be off-putting to some, especially given the basic rewards, but that charge is justified for those who care about reaching carbon neutral. Each month, reaching that status results in roughly 60 trees being planted, meaning each cardholder can plant over 700 trees every year.

Ultimately, Aspiration Zero offers enough to justify an application for those with excellent credit, a passion for helping the environment, and a desire to earn cash back with every purchase. Other popular no annual fee options include the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer (unlimited 2% back), WF Active Cash (also 2% back) and the Citi Custom Cash℠ Card.

Browse Other  Card Offers

Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards.com's reviews, articles, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author(s). These opinions do not reflect those of any card issuer or financial institution, and editorial content on our site has not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless noted otherwise. Further, BestCards.com lists credit card offers that are frequently updated with information believed to be accurate to the best of our team's knowledge. However, please review the information provided directly by the credit card issuer or related financial institution for full details.

Advertiser Disclosure

BestCards is an independent, Florida-based credit card comparison platform. Many of the card offers that appear on this site are from companies from which BestCards receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). BestCards does not include all card companies or all card offers available in the marketplace.