Rakuten Cash Back Visa® Platinum Credit Card

At a Glance    

The Rakuten Cash Back Visa® Platinum Credit Card gives cardholders 3% cash back on all purchases made through Rakuten.com in addition to the cash back rewards that the site provides all its shoppers. Rakuten credit cardholders also get 1% cash back on all other purchases and a $10 bonus on their first purchase. This is a very appealing credit card with cash back rewards, as there is no annual fee and no limit on how much cash back you can earn with the Rakuten card.

Ideal for Those Who:

• Already shop on Rakuten and want to earn more cash back
• Do a lot of online shopping at one-stop-shop virtual malls
• Don’t want to pay an annual fee

Rakuten Cash Back Visa® Platinum Review

The Rakuten platinum credit provides cardholders with so many benefits in addition to the cash back offers that Rakuten offers all its shoppers. Shoppers can stack their card’s 3% cash back rewards on top of the site’s existing discounts to get even more cash back. Cardholders also get 1% cash back on all other purchases, unlimited cash back rewards, a $10 bonus, and no annual fees.

Extra 3% Cash Back on Rakuten Purchases

Rakuten is a website that offers shoppers cash back on purchases from a huge selection of retailers. After creating an account, a user can browse through hundreds of big-name retailers and shop for anything from electronics to meal kits. The website indicates how much cash back you can get from your purchase, and that figure is added to your account once your order is processed. 

Every quarter, Rakuten shoppers can expect to receive a check or PayPal payment for any cash back amounts they had accumulated in that quarter. The advantage of having a Rakuten credit card is that shoppers can get 3% cash back added to any other cash back deal that the site currently offers. Shoppers can often earn over 10% cash back on their purchases when using their Rakuten cards this way, and the site sometimes offers even bigger bonuses on select purchases. 

Cardholders can even take advantage of this perk at select physical retail stores if they link their Rakuten credit card account to an in-store offer, bring the offer to the retail location, and pay with their Rakuten card. The extra 3% cash back also applies to bookings made through Rakuten’s travel and vacations site.

1% Cash Back on All Other Purchases

The Rakuten card also offers cardholders 1% cash back on any purchases not made through Rakuten. Rakuten doesn’t offer any rewards for balance transfers. And as with many cash back credit cards, cardholders will not earn any rewards for cash advances, finance charges or fees that may be added to their credit card balances. 

All cash back earned, even on non-Rakuten purchases, will be added to a Rakuten account. So, even if cardholders don’t plan on shopping on Rakuten, they will still need to create an account to view their cash back rewards. Rakuten will only issue payment when cardholders have accumulated $5 or more in cash back rewards. If a cardholder has less than $5 in cash back rewards in his or her account, then that balance will roll over into the next quarter.

$10 First Purchase Bonus

New Rakuten cardholders can earn a $10 bonus on their first purchase after they are approved for a new card. The sweetest part of this deal is that there is no minimum purchase amount requirement to receive this bonus, so shoppers can pretty much buy anything with their new Rakuten card and get $10. Rakuten will add this bonus to any other cash back credits in a cardholder’s account. All that’s left to do is wait for the next quarterly payout date to receive a check or PayPal payment from Rakuten.

Additional Perks

Rakuten offers some extra benefits to its credit cardholders. For starters, there are no annual fees to worry about, and there is no limit to how much cash back you can earn. Cardholders also receive benefits that come with many other types of Visa® cards. If a cardholder makes a purchase and then finds that the same item is available for less money elsewhere, he or she can be reimbursed the price difference through Visa®’s Price Protection. 

Cardholders have up to 60 days to make a claim, and Visa® reimburses a maximum of $500 per item and $2,500 per year. Cardholders can also take advantage of Visa®’s Return Protection if a retailer won’t accept returned merchandise, and Visa® will reimburse cardholders up to $250 per item. Certain limitations apply. Other Visa® Platinum perks include access to extended warranty protection, auto rental collision damage waivers, 90-day purchase security, travel and emergency assistance services, and travel accident insurance.

Should You Apply for The Rakuten Cash Back Visa® Platinum Credit Card?

While many retail cards have fixed cash back rates that are limited to purchases made at only a handful of stores, the Rakuten Cash Back Visa® Platinum Credit Card gives cardholders plenty of chances to earn huge cash back rewards on purchases made through thousands of retailers. Cardholders aren’t limited to online purchases, either, as Rakuten offers many in-store cash back promotions. 

This credit card is a great fit for individuals who already shop on Rakuten or love hunting for deals online. 1% cash back on all non-Rakuten purchases is a great additional perk and lets cardholders earn rewards on pretty much anything they purchase. Unlimited cash back, no annual fee, and Visa® Platinum perks are like the whipped cream on the sundae. 

The $10 first purchase bonus may seem meager, but keep in mind that there is no minimum purchase requirement. Given all the additional benefits of this card, this is like an extra little gift from Rakuten to make its credit card even more attractive to shoppers.