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Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® Review: Only for Cabela's Biggest Spenders

Updated
Lyle Daly
Steven Porrello
By: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
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Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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 and  Steven Porrello
Steven Porrello
Steven Porrello
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Steven is a personal finance writer covering topics from mortgages to credit cards to market news. He has written for The Motley Fool Canada, Ramsey Solutions, Nerdwallet, Clever Real Estate, and other major outlets. Steven launched his writing career at the age of four with his first book, "Revenge of the Bad Guys." He currently lives in Portland, Oregon.

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Ashley Maready
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Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.

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If you enjoy the outdoors, chances are you've heard of Cabela's. The company sells all kinds of supplies for hunting, fishing, camping, and everything in between, and you can make purchases through its site, catalogs, or one of its massive stores.

For Cabela's enthusiasts, you might be wondering if it's worth getting the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard®. True, the card earns points for use at Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop stores. But like other store credit cards, this one has some drawbacks you should know about before you apply.

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 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. Circle with letter I in it. N/A 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. 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: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Best for cash back 		Up to $300 cash back Circle with letter I in it. 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 Circle with letter I in it. 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: Circle with letter I in it. 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.

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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
Best for earning travel rewards 		75,000 Miles Circle with letter I in it. 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening 2X-5X miles Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

Intro:

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Apply Now for Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Full Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® review

Top perks

No annual fee

The Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® is a no annual fee card, so you can carry it free of charge.

Up to $50 CLUB Points bonus

When you're approved for the card, you have the chance to get up to $50 in CLUB Points. Here's how it works:

  • Get $20 instantly. Upon approval, you'll get $20 in CLUB Points that you can use toward any Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop purchase.
  • Get $10 after two Cabela's or Bass Pro Shop purchases. These purchases have to be made within 30 days of account approval. They also have to be made on two separate visits.
  • Get $20 after five purchases on your card. Finally, you can get another $20 in CLUB Points if you make five purchases on your Mastercard within 30 days of account approval.

To be sure, $50 is nowhere near what the best sign-up bonuses offer, but at least you can get some quick, easy rewards.

Up to 2% back

This card earns 2% back on purchases at Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, and participating Cenex® locations. It earns 1% back on other purchases. Just like the card's introductory bonus, the rewards earned are CLUB Points that can be used with Cabela's or Bass Pro Shops.

Up to 5% back through upgrade opportunities

The first Cabela's credit card you can get is the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® Classic, but there are also two upgrades available if you spend enough:

  • Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® Silver: Requires $10,000 in annual spending using your Cabela's credit card. Earns 3% back on purchases at Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, and participating Cenex® locations.
  • Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® Black: Requires $25,000 in annual spending using your Cabela's credit card. Earns 5% back on purchases at Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops, and participating Cenex® locations.

There is a credit history review required for these cards, so you're not guaranteed a new card just for spending enough.

Low APR for Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops purchases

You're charged an APR of just 9.99% for purchases at these stores. It's still better to pay your credit card bill in full and avoid interest entirely. But if you need some extra time, a 9.99% APR is much lower than you'd get with most other credit cards.

Access to special events

Cabela's offers two types of events throughout the year exclusively for its cardholders (and cardholders of Bass Pro Shops credit cards). There are Signature Outdoor Adventures, which are hunting and fishing trips to destinations around the world, and Experiences, which are behind-the-scenes events with popular brands in the outdoors industry.

You typically need to be in the Silver or Black spending tiers to get access to these events. There's also a fee to participate, with activities generally costing several thousand dollars or more.

What could be improved

Rewards rate

The Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® earns a lackluster 2% unless you spend enough to get the Silver or Black versions of the card. In contrast, several store credit cards earn 3% to 5% at their issuing stores from the beginning.

Must redeem rewards for purchases

A common flaw with store credit cards is that their rewards can only be used for purchases from that store. This can save you money on purchases you were going to make anyway, but it doesn't help if you don't need to buy anything from Cabela's or Bass Pro Shops. Cash back credit cards tend to be a better choice compared to store cards, because they offer rewards you can use no matter where you shop.

Can't double dip with the Outdoor Rewards® program

Another way to earn rewards at Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops is to join the retailer's Outdoor Rewards® program. As a member, you'll earn 2% back on purchases made at those locations, just like you would by using the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard®.

Here's the problem -- the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® and the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Rewards® program don't work together to give you more rewards. You'll always earn 2% back, even if you try to use them together. It would actually be better to use a different rewards credit card not affiliated with Cabela's and be a member of the Outdoor Rewards® program. That way, you'll earn rewards both on the credit card and with Cabela's on the same purchase.

Read more: Best Store Credit Cards

Find the best credit card for your needs

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

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Suggested credit score

There's no guarantee of approval regardless of your credit score, and there's also a chance that you could be approved with a lower credit score. Aside from considering your credit score, credit card issuers generally review your credit history, income, and current debt as well.

This credit card is right for you if:

We recommend the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® to one very specific type of consumer -- a person who is going to use the card for all their expenses and wants access to the experiences and other offers Cabela's has for its cardholders.

For everyone else, the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® gets a hard no. There are plenty of cash back cards that can earn you more back on your spending, and that's before you consider how you can use those cash back cards with a Cabela's CLUB REWARDS membership to double up on your rewards.

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.

FAQs

  • You can use the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

  • Yes, the Cabela's CLUB Mastercard® can help to build credit, as with any credit card. The card issuer, Capital One, reports card activity to all three consumer credit bureaus. If you use the card regularly and pay the bill on time, it can improve your credit score.