Barclays
AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® from Barclays
Key Features
| Annual Fee | $0.00 |
| Sign-up Bonus | $100 Cash Back Bonus |
| Rewards Rate | 1%-3% Cash Back |
| Intro APR | 0% introductory APR for the first 15 billing cycles following each balance transfer that posts to your account within 45 days of account opening. |
| Regular APR | The variable APR is 20.49% to 29.99%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. After that (and for balance transfers that do not post within 45 days of account opening) your APR will be 20.49% to 29.99%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. 29.99%. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate. |
| Other Fees | Balance transfer fee – Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. The minimum monthly interest charge will be $1.00. Cash advance fee: 5% (min. $10). Foreign transaction fee: 3%. |
| Network | Mastercard |
About this card
The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® from Barclays receives an overall rating of 2.6, placing it in the 'Fair' category. This card presents a mixed bag, with some appealing features significantly undermined by critical drawbacks, most notably the high regular APR and the issuer's poor reputation for customer service.On the positive side, the card stands out with a $0 annual fee, which is a strong advantage. It also offers competitive cash back rates in specific categories, providing 3% on gas and drugstore purchases and 2% on eligible medical expenses. These categories are particularly beneficial for its target demographic, aligning well with common expenditures. The sign-up bonus of $100 is modest but achievable, and flexible redemption options are a plus.However, the card's value proposition is severely hampered by its high regular APR, ranging from 20.49% to 29.99%. This makes it a very expensive option for anyone carrying a balance, effectively negating any cash back earned. Furthermore, while it offers a 0% intro APR on balance transfers, a high 5% fee applies. Other fees, such as the 3% foreign transaction fee, also detract from its competitiveness.The most significant deterrent is the consistently poor reputation of Barclays' customer service. Widespread user complaints regarding unhelpful representatives, aggressive fraud alerts, and unexpected credit limit reductions create a substantial risk for cardholders. This issuer-related issue diminishes the practical appeal and reliability of the card, making any benefits less enjoyable and potentially leading to frustrating experiences.In conclusion, while the AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard offers targeted rewards for a specific niche and has no annual fee, its high APR, uncompetitive general earn rate, and especially the well-documented customer service issues with Barclays, prevent it from being a strong recommendation for a broad audience. It's a card for a very specific user who can strictly avoid carrying a balance and is prepared to navigate potential customer service challenges.
Pros & Cons
What's great
- No annual fee
- Intro APR period on balance transfers
- Generous sign-up bonus
- High rewards rate on everyday categories
- Cashback on purchases
- Free credit score access
Things to consider
- High regular APR
- High balance transfer fee
- Foreign transaction fees apply
- Cash advance fees
What this card offers
Sign-up bonuses
- Earn a $100 Cash Back Bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
Rewards
- Earn Unlimited 3% Cash Back on Gas and Drug Store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart).
- Earn Unlimited 2% Cash Back on eligible Medical expenses (like purchases at doctors, dentists, chiropractors, glasses, hearing aids and more).
- Earn Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases.
Other features
- Unlimited Rewards That Never Expire There’s no limit to the amount of rewards you can earn, and they’ll never expire as long as your account is open and in good standing.
- Flexible Redemption Options Rewards can be redeemed for cash back, statement credits, AARP memberships, gift cards, and merchandise.
- AARP memberships can be redeemed for yourself or as a gift, starting at $16 in rewards.
- $0 Fraud Liability Protection You’ll never be responsible for unauthorized charges made on your account.
- Low Intro Rate on Balance Transfers 0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable APR will apply: 20.49% to 29.99%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. There is a fee for balance transfers.
- Charitable Contribution Barclays will donate $10 to AARP Foundation for every new AARP-branded credit card account that's opened, plus 1% of all eligible electronic and telecommunications purchases made with the card, up to $1 million annually.
- Complimentary FICO® Credit Score Get complimentary online access to your FICO® Credit Score.