Petco Pay Mastercard: Save On Every Purchase

In-Depth Review: Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card

The Petco Pay Mastercard is a cash back credit card for lovers of animals of all shapes and sizes. The card earns impressive rewards on Petco purchases, including a special first purchase discount – all for no annual fee.

How to Earn Rewards

The Petco Mastercard earns cash back on several categories of purchases. The most important of these categories is Petco purchases. The card earns 8% back on purchases at participating Petco locations and on petco.com. The card also earns 2% back on grocery store purchases and 1% back on all other purchases. New cardholders also enjoy a $25 Pals Reward for spending $500 outside of Petco within the first 90 days of approval.

Cash Back Applies Towards Pals Rewards

A card that offers 8% back sounds almost too good to be true – and that’s the case with the Petco Pay Mastercard. Rewards aren’t cash back in U.S. dollars, but rather Petco’s Pals Rewards program.  The Pals Rewards program lets cardholders redeem their cash back towards treats for their four-legged friends, food for their pets, or other essentials to keep their furry (or not-so-furry) companions healthy and happy.

Rewards points are calculated at a rate of five Pals Reward Dollars for every 100 Points earned by a member, which the member may use towards $5 off any future purchase. Pals Rewards points expire after one year when the loyalty program member holds either a Petco Pay store card or the Petco Pay Mastercard.

Pet Credit Card Comparison

	Petco Pay Mastercard	Best Friends® Visa
Issuing Bank	Comenity	Credit One
Annual fee	$0	See terms
Rewards	2X points per $1 at Petco and Petco.com and groceries, plus 1X on all other purchases	5% back on eligible pet shops, pet food, and supplies stores purchases for the first $5,000 spent per calendar year; 1% back on all other purchases
Pet perks	$25 Pals Reward when you spend $500 outside of Petco in the first 90 days of opening an account; 1 year extension of Vital Care Rewards balance	Best Friends Society receives a donation in an amount equal to 1% of eligible purchases

Donations with Every Purr-chase

Petco takes its charitable commitments seriously, and that is apparent with the Petco Pay Mastercard. Just using the card to make a purchase is enough for the company to donate a portion of every dollar spent towards helping animals in need. Petco donates to the Petco Foundation with every Petco Pay Credit Card purchase – a great feature.

Shot At the Petco Credit Card If You Don’t Qualify

There are two versions of the Petco Pay with credit cards. The first is the card we are reviewing here, the Petco Pay Mastercard. This version of the Petco credit card is “open loop,” meaning you can use it anywhere Mastercard is accepted. The other card option is the closed-loop Petco Pay Credit Card.  All applicants are automatically considered for the Mastercard version of the card, and those who are found to be ineligible will automatically be considered for the closed-loop card instead. 

Unlike the Petco Mastercard, you can only use the Petco Credit Card at Petco stores or online at Petco.com. Because of this, the card also offers slightly reduced rewards versus the open version – namely, you won’t earn 2% back in Pals Rewards at grocery stores or 1% back anywhere else Mastercard is accepted.

Some good news, however, is the slight improvement in approval odds for the store brand version. Store cards offer slightly better approval odds because they feature lower credit limits and fewer opportunities to earn bonus rewards. Retailers may offer these cards to individuals with limited credit history or lower credit scores. Since closed-loop cards often have more lenient approval criteria, they can be a starting point for individuals without strong credit profiles.

Other Card Features

The Petco Mastercard Credit Card also comes with various other pet-centric perks, including a complimentary birthday gift for the account holder and the option to personalize the card with a photo of your pet at no additional charge.

Petco PALS Rewards members also enjoy special financing on eligible Petco purchases or Petco vet visits. However, this special financing option excludes third-party vets associated with Petco (like Thrive Vet Hospitals) or Just Food for Dogs Kitchens purchases.

Other notable card features include:

• No annual fee
• Mastercard Zero Fraud Liability coverage
• ID Theft protection
• Mastercard Global Service

Comenity Ratings

How does Comenity rate as a credit card issuer? Here is a selection of reviews and ratings for the bank and its parent, Bread Financial:

Should You Apply for the Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card?

Do you frequently shop at Petco? If so, the Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card might be for you. The card offers up to 8% back (in the form of Pals Rewards dollars on every purchase at Petco, plus 2% back on groceries. The addition of 20% off your first purchase and a $25 Pals Reward for meeting minimum spending requirements are also nice – as is the donation with every time you swipe the card.   

The interest rates with the Petco Card are anything but exciting, however. Retail cards, in general, have higher-than-average APRs, and the Petco Card is no different. Sure, those with excellent credit can expect a rate around 18%, but for many, the APR will be in the mid-20s.  Fortunately, special financing might help to keep excessive interest from piling up.

Overall, the Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card is a decent retail card for the animal lover who wants to save – and apply those savings towards even more goodies for their favorite friend.