Review
Updated
You don't need to be a senior to appreciate a card that rewards you for prescriptions or medical purchases. You also don't need to be an AARP member to get the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®. This cash back card has useful bonus categories and no annual fee, but it does have some noticeable limitations. Read our full AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® review for all the details.
AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Best
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= Excellent
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= Good
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= Fair
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= Poor
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor
Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR N/A
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
21.99%, 25.99%, or 29.99%, variable
Rewards Earn 3% Cash Back on Gas and Drug Store purchases (excluding Target and Walmart), 2% Cash Back on Medical expenses, 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
1% - 3% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer $100 cash back for spending $500 in the first 90 days
$100
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The standout feature is 2% back on medical expenses, which narrows down the audience who'd be interested in this card. For that type of person, the card is worth considering.
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- Cash back rewards
- Sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- Intro APR on balance transfers
- Charitable contributions
- Foreign transaction fees
- No intro APR for purchases
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- Earn a $100 Cash Back Bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 90 days.
- Earn Unlimited 2% Cash Back on Medical expenses.
- Earn Unlimited 3% Cash Back on Gas and Drug Store purchases
- Earn Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases.
- Barclays will donate $10 to AARP Foundation for every new account.
- Barclays will donate 1% of eligible purchases to AARP Foundation.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
|
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
75,000 bonus points Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠. | 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining and 2x on all other travel purchases Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more. |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 21.49%-28.49% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
On Chase's Secure Website. |
Full AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard review
This credit card is a good fit for: Anyone who wants to earn bonus rewards on gas, drugstore, and medical purchases.
Top perks
The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® caters its perks to AARP members, but almost anyone can benefit.
Earn up to 3% cash back on purchases
The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® offers a unique blend of cash back rewards categories that could appeal to many AARP members. The card offers 1% cash back, plus three bonus categories.
It starts with 3% cash back on gas and drugstore purchases. If you spend a lot on prescriptions or other drugstore necessities, this could be quite valuable. The downside is that big-box stores, like Target and Walmart, and grocery stores won't qualify for the drugstore category. You'll only earn the bonus if the store codes as a drugstore.
The stand-out feature of the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is the unlimited 2% cash back on medical expenses. Given that even basic medical care can wind up with a three-digit price tag, every little bit helps.
It should be pointed out that some cash back rewards cards do offer unlimited 2% on everything. But you won't get the additional gas and drugstore bonus categories with these alternatives.
Easily attainable $100 sign-up bonus
A sign-up bonus on a credit card is always appreciated. The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® comes with a $100 sign-up bonus for new cardholders who spend $500 on purchases in the first 90 days.
In comparison to other rewards credit cards, the bonus for the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is modest, at best. Many similar no annual fee cards have sign-up bonuses of $200 or more, even with no annual fee. The lower bonus does mean a lower spending requirement, though, which could make it more attainable for small spenders.
No annual fee
The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® charges no annual card fee. You won't need to fork over any cash just for the pleasure of keeping it in your pocket. This is a nice bonus since a big annual fee can turn an otherwise good rewards card into a big miss. That's not to say some cards with annual fees aren't worth it, but in this case, the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® made the right call.
0% intro APR offer on balance transfers
Another part of the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® welcome offer is an introductory 0% interest rate deal on balance transfers. New cardholders can get 15 months of 0% APR on transferred balances.
While a decent deal, know the fine print. The APR deal doesn't apply to new purchases. You'll need to transfer your balances within 45 days for the deal to apply. You should also watch out for the balance transfer fee. It'll cost you $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Charitable contributions
Another unique feature of the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is that you can donate to the AARP Foundation just by using your card. As a part of the card offering, Barclays will donate 1% of your eligible card purchases.
As an added boost, there's a little welcome bonus contribution. More specifically, the AARP Foundation will receive $10 from Barclays for every new AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® account. That's on top of your cash back sign-up bonus.
What could be improved
There are a few things the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® could do better.
Foreign transaction fee
Perhaps the biggest problem with the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® is that it charges foreign transaction fees. You'll be charged a 3% fee on every transaction you make in a foreign currency. Foreign transaction fees can also be charged on purchases made that route through a foreign bank. This could get expensive if you plan to travel abroad (say, while retired). But you don't have to travel to get hit with a foreign transaction fee. Some online purchases can also wind up being eligible for the extra fee.
No intro APR for purchases
If you're interested in a card with 2% cash back on medical expenses, you likely have your fair share of them. A card that helps you save interest on those expenses would be nice. Unfortunately, the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® isn't that card.
Although the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® comes with an intro 0% APR deal for balance transfers, that deal doesn't apply to new purchases. You'll pay the regular purchase APR right from the start. This means the only way to avoid interest fees on your purchases is to pay your balance in full every month before the due date.
Suggested credit score
Applicants should aim for a good credit score when applying for the AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard®. In general, this refers to a FICO® Score of 670 or higher.
That said, Barclays will look at your entire credit profile when making a decision, not just your credit scores. You'll also need to meet certain income qualifications. As such, you could be approved with a lower credit score -- or denied with a higher score.
The AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard is right for you if:
The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® has a set of rewards that may appeal to many of its member base. But it could also be valuable for anyone with a lot of drugstore or medical expenses.
At the same time, a flat-rate 2% cash back card might provide more rewards overall, especially if paired with a gas rewards card. The AARP® Essential Rewards Mastercard® also lacks an intro APR offer for purchases that might be important for people who want longer to pay off medical expenses.
Read more: Best Rewards Credit Cards
Our Credit Card Methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
Our Credit Cards Expert
Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
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