| Last updated on November 14th, 2023
Synchrony Plus World Mastercard®
Synchrony Plus World Mastercard®
Synchrony Plus World Mastercard®
- 16.74% to 23.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Regular Purchase APR
- 16.74% to 23.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
The Synchrony Plus World Mastercard® offers unli8mited 1% cash back on all purchases plus a simple redemption process, and more with a $0 annual fee.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- No annual fee
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back rewards on every purchase
- Contactless payment compatibility
- Regular Purchase APR: 16.74% to 23.74% variable based on creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Balance Transfer APR: 16.74% to 23.74% 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: 29.99%
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $41
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: $39
- You have good or excellent credit
- You prefer basic cash back rewards as a statement credit instead of other rewards
- You don’t want to pay an annual fee
Synchrony Plus World Mastercard® Review
The Synchrony Plus World Mastercard is the middle-tier cash back credit card option from card issuer Synchrony. Typically, the outlet for store cards, this proprietary card from Synchrony offers a $0 annual fee, unlimited 1% cash back on purchases, and a lot more for those building credit.
Earn Unlimited 1% Cash Back
The Synchrony Plus Mastercard has two selling points: a $0 annual fee and unlimited 1% cash back on all eligible purchases. The lack of an annual fee is a great feature and one that the card shares with its siblings: the Synchrony Preferred World Mastercard® and the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®.
The 1% cash back makes it the middle point of the three Synchrony credit cards, but is 1% back really worth the hassle? That depends. If you plan to pay your balance in full each month, a card like Synchrony Plus can make sense – but only if you follow that strict advice and don’t want any confusing redemption options.
Limited Redemption Options
Redeeming rewards with the Perks™ Rewards Program is straightforward and easy. Synchrony’s Perks™ lets you redeem cash back automatically as a monthly statement credit. Because of this, there is no minimum redemption threshold, and points never expire. If you want more options, then another card might make more sense. But this might be a great fit if you want something to pay bills – and want some additional savings on those bills.
Other Cards to Consider for Good Credit
Earning 1% cash back on all your purchases is a nice feature, but it isn’t anything revolutionary or missing elsewhere from other issuers. In fact, 1% cash back is considered rather paltry for a credit card supposedly aimed at “good” to “excellent” credit scores. The Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on purchases when you make a payment, for instance. That card also features no annual fee and is designed for average credit scores.
Even store cards or other co-branded retail cards from Synchrony may offer greater rewards (and redemption options). The Sam’s Club® Mastercard®, for example, is targeted towards the same credit profile as the Synchrony Plus but offers greater rewards and flexibility – including 5% cash back on gas anywhere Mastercard is accepted (on the first $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% back on dining and takeout, and more.
Here are a few other options to consider:
 Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® |
 Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa® |
 Petal 2 Visa® |
|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Best feature | Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment | Unlimited cash back on payments – 3% on Home, Auto and Health categories and 1% on everything else | Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. |
| Credit needed | Average to Excellent | Averahe to Excellent | Good |
Other Card Features
The Synchrony Plus World Mastercard is extremely limited for the card type. That’s not to say it’s useless or bereft of benefits. Cardholders enjoy EMV chip technology (including mobile wallet compatibility with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and more) and cell phone protection when paying the bill with the card. There are also the usual basic Mastercard protection and security features, including:
| Zero Liability Protection | Mastercard Global Services | ID Theft Protection |
Synchrony Ratings
How does Synchrony Bank compare with other banks? Here is a selection of ratings for the issuer from experts:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4/5 |
2.5/5 |
3/5 |
Should You Apply for the Synchrony Plus World Mastercard®?
Some people will find value in the Plus-version of the Synchrony World Mastercard, but the card suffers from a high APR, limited rewards, and a lack of impressive features. Earning 1% back with average credit is fine – but when it is on a card marketed towards excellent credit scores, that’s a headscratcher.
Even retail credit cards from Synchrony, Comenity, and other banks may provide more versatility and better rewards. The Sam’s Club® Mastercard®, from Synchrony, earns up to 5% back on gas with no annual fee, for example, while the Target RedCard™ Mastercard, from TD Bank, earns unlimited 5% savings at Target and Target.com and 2% back on dining and gas.
Other Credit Card Options:
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