Old Navy Credit Card: everything you need to know

When you think Old Navy, maybe credit cards aren't the first thing that come to mind. But like a lot of successful brands, the popular clothing retailer has its own, specially designed credit card to reward its loyal customers.

The Old Navy Credit Card has its share of pros and cons, and in this article you’ll read how its features stack up – and consider whether it might be right for you. You’ll also read about Wise and it can help you save money.

Old Navy Credit Card – the key features

Before getting into the detail, here’s an overview of the Old Navy Credit Cards' features¹:

• Earn points, most of all at Gap Inc. stores (including online)
• Access sales early
• No annual fee
• Zero fraud liability
• Variable purchase APR of 25.99%
• Extra perks once you’ve earned 5,000 points

Types of card

First off, you should know that there are several different credit cards on offer from Old Navy.

• Standard option: new members have the option of a standard card that can only be used in Gap Inc. store.
• Visa card: new members also can go for a Visa, that can be used across the Visa network - so, almost anywhere, and with no store limitations¹
• Navylist: if you earn 5,000 points with either card option, you can upgrade to a Navylist Credit Card, which works in exactly the same way but features a few extra perks. To maintain Navyist status, cardholders have to requalify every calendar year.

The cards are issued by Synchrony Bank, not Old Navy itself¹. And what do these cards actually offer? That’s the next question.

Rewards: choose the card well...and the store

With any credit card at all, you’ll want to take a good look at how you can earn points and get rewards. With an Old Navy Credit Card, you’ll find it most useful for when you’re shopping at Old Navy itself – or equally at other stores, real or online, in the Gap Inc. family that Old Navy’s a part of.

1. Old Navy Credit Card users get 5 points for every dollar when shopping at Gap Inc. brands. You can only use it in those stores, online or retail.
2. The Visa card can be used outside Gap Inc. brands, but doing so will get you just 1 point per dollar spent
3. The Navylist Credit Card, which you can upgrade to once you’ve accrued 5,000 points, gives you extras¹:

• Free 3-5 day shipping on any online order with Gap Inc. brands
• 20% extra points per quarter, based on the points you get quarterly
• Free alterations on purchases (only in Banana republic purchases)
• Private and free priority line: 866-450-5295

However, the question of what you can do with all these points is also important to bear in mind.

Redeeming rewards: only at Gap Inc. brands

How do you redeem your points? You get a $5 reward for every 500 points you earn. But here’s the catch: you can only redeem them when shopping at Gap Inc. brands.

Which brands belong to Gap Inc.? Here’s the list:

• Old Navy
• Gap
• Banana Republic
• Athleta
• Gap Factory
• Banana Republic Factory

Outside of those real or virtual stores, you won’t be able to use your points at all. So you’d better like clothes shopping.

It’s also worth considering the smallprint when it comes to rewards. They’re only issued in $5 increments, up to a maximum of $50 each time. So say you earn 999 points one month, you’ll only get $5 reward, even though you’re just one point away from the next step up.

The good news there is that points do carry over from one billing cycle to the next, so you’ll start on 499 points next time round. They expire after 24 months if you stop using the card².

Also, you can only redeem up to 3 rewards at once in store, or up to 5 online or on the phone².

Other perks

With any of the Old Navy credit card options, you can also get early access to popular sales, some exclusive offers, and zero fraud liability. There are also some offers and promotions that only Visa cardholders can access¹.

Fees and interest rates

The less fun part of choosing any credit card is facing up to the worst-case scenario – what happens if you don’t make a prompt repayment. While earning points can sometimes leave you better off, missing a payment has the potential to do serious damage to your bank balance.

There’s no annual fee for the Old Navy Credit Card, which is great news. But you will face a variable purchase APR that is currently set at 25.99%. The minimum interest charge is $2¹.

How to apply

Applying for an Old Navy Credit Card is easy: you can do it via Old Navy’s website. During the signup process you can also put your name down for emails and paperless statements in order to get a bunch more points.1

You could also currently get 20% off your purchase when you open a card account¹.

This is a credit card, of course, so your approval isn’t guaranteed. You’ll be asked to provide your social security number³.

Old Navy Credit Card – pros and cons

There are upsides and downsides to the Old Navy Credit Card, and its benefits will ultimately depend on you and your own shopping habits. But here’s our analysis of where it stands.

	Pro	Con
Points – earning	5 points per dollar	You only get 5 points per dollar at Gap Inc. stores. 1 point per dollar, which you get with the Visa card, is low
Points – spending	Convenient if you often shop at Gap Inc. stores	Points are only redeemable with Gap Inc., which is more restrictive than what other credit cards offer
Fees and interest	Zero annual fee	High variable APR of 25.99%; no initial discount; Foreign transaction fee of 3%
Other perks	Tempting options for loyal Gap Inc. customers. Zero fraud liability	Largely restricted to offers involving Gap Inc.
Upgrade options	You can upgrade it to Navyist	To get to Navyist, you’ll need to earn 5,000 points first

Conclusion

It’s a strange one: you might imagine that the Visa credit card option was the better deal, because it can be used far more broadly – but in fact, if you do want to get an Old Navy Credit Card, the basic Gap Inc. brand only option might be the more sensible choice.

That’s because, either way, you can only claim your rewards when shopping at Old Navy, Gap, and so on. Other credit cards offer a wider range of ways you can make something out of those hard-earned points – so for your everyday purchases, there’s probably a card out there that can offer you a reward scheme that is literally more rewarding.

If you think of the Old Navy card differently, however, then it could look like a decent deal after all. Treat it as more like a store discount system than a full credit card for everyday use, and it could add up to some noticeable discounts at several different clothing stores. Especially for families with children, who get through a lot of clothes after all, that could be useful.

Of course, do bear that high APR in mind. If you’re in any danger of not paying it off one month, you could well end up regretting it.

All in all, the Old Navy Credit Card could be perfect for you – if you’re an extremely frequent shopper with Gap Inc. brands and you’re confident and secure with your monthly finances.

If that doesn’t sound like you, there may be other credit cards out there better suited to your needs.

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Sources:

1.Old Navy Credit Card
2. Gap Inc. credit card rewards program terms and conditions
3.Old Navy Credit card: applying for it