Best Clothing & Department Store Credit Cards (2026)

Almost every clothing and department store pushes its own credit card at checkout. T.J. Maxx, Kohl’s, Macy’s, JCPenney, Dillard’s, Belk, Ross, Burlington, Old Navy, Nordstrom, Victoria’s Secret, and American Eagle all offer one, each with its own first-purchase discount and its own rewards program. Most of these only pay off if you’re already a loyal, repeat shopper at that specific store and you pay the balance in full every month. Pick the wrong one and it becomes dead weight in your wallet the moment you shop somewhere else.

This page ranks all 12 clothing and department store cards side by side. We’ve personally opened and used a few of these ourselves (TJX Rewards, Ross Mastercard, and Nordstrom Visa), and researched the rest against official issuer terms and independent secondary sources. The short answer is that most of these cards are closed-loop, meaning they only work inside one store or store family, so there’s no single “best” card the way there might be for a category like gas or dining. Which one is right for you depends entirely on where you actually shop and whether you want a card that also earns somewhere else.

A handful of these stores share a parent company or a payment network, and a few of the closed-loop cards here have separate open-loop siblings with different terms entirely, so we’ve flagged those distinctions in each card’s section below. Two of our own head-to-head comparisons, Kohl’s Card vs Macy’s Credit Card and Ross Mastercard vs TJX Rewards Credit Card, already ran the specific spending math for the two pairs on this list that are genuinely comparable. We lean on those findings here rather than re-deriving them.

Quick Picks

Don’t read the “Key Rate” column as one scale. Eight of these 12 cards are closed-loop, meaning the rate only applies inside one store or store family and the card earns $0 anywhere else. The other four, American Eagle, Nordstrom, Ross, and Victoria’s Secret, run on a real Visa or Mastercard network and earn something everywhere that network is accepted, even outside the store the card is named for. All 12 charge no annual fee, so the fee isn’t what separates them: where you shop, and whether you want a card that still works when you’re not shopping there, are what actually matter.

Card-by-Card Breakdowns

1. TJX Rewards Credit Card — Best Overall

TJX Rewards has the widest merchant footprint of any closed-loop card in this lineup. One card earns 5 points per $1, worth 5% back, across T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Sierra, and Homesense, both in-store and online. It’s closed-loop, so it earns $0 anywhere outside those five banners, but few off-price shoppers stick to just one of them.

New cardholders get 10% off their first purchase, with no minimum spend required. Purchase APR runs 30.49% variable, and there’s no foreign transaction fee, which is a moot point on a closed-loop card that can’t be used internationally anyway. Approval sits at Fair credit, 620 or higher, the most accessible bar of any card on this page.

I’ve carried this card myself for T.J. Maxx and HomeGoods runs, and the flat 5% rate across five different store banners is genuinely rare for a closed-loop card. If your off-price shopping is spread across the TJX family rather than locked to one chain, this is the easiest pick on the list.

Full review: TJX Rewards Credit Card

2. American Eagle Real Rewards Visa — Best Reward Rate

The Real Rewards by American Eagle & Aerie Visa pays 40 points per $1, worth 16% back, on AE and Aerie purchases, the single highest raw reward rate of any card on this page. Because it’s a real Visa, it still earns 5 points per $1 (2% back) everywhere else Visa is accepted, also the best “everywhere else” rate in this lineup.

The sign-up bonus is 30% off your first AE or Aerie purchase, with no spend requirement beyond making that first purchase. Purchase APR is 33.24% variable, and the card carries a 3% foreign transaction fee, worth knowing if you plan to use it while traveling. American Eagle doesn’t publish a minimum credit score for this card.

This is a research-based pick rather than a card we’ve personally carried, but the math is straightforward: nothing else on this page pays 16% at its own store while still earning a genuine 2% everywhere else. That combination makes it the strongest reward rate here by a wide margin.

Full review: American Eagle Real Rewards Visa

3. Nordstrom Visa Credit Card — Best for Everyday Spending

The Nordstrom Visa Credit Card is the most versatile card in this lineup. It earns 2 points per $1 at Nordstrom, Nordstrom.com, and Nordstrom Local (up to 3 points per $1 at the Ambassador tier, which requires $5,000 or more in annual spend), plus a 5% instant discount at Nordstrom Rack. Outside Nordstrom, it still earns 2 points per $1 on gas, EV charging, groceries, dining, and streaming, and 1 point per $1 on everything else, because it’s a real Visa.

New cardholders get a $40 Nordstrom Note, issued on approval with no spend requirement. Purchase APR is 31.90% variable, confirmed directly on TD Bank’s official Account Opening Disclosure. Approval requires Good credit, 670 or higher, and there’s no foreign transaction fee.

I hold this card myself, and the everyday categories are what make it worth keeping in rotation even on weeks I’m not shopping Nordstrom at all. A genuine 2% on groceries and dining, on top of the in-store bonus, is something none of the closed-loop cards on this page can match.

Full review: Nordstrom Visa Credit Card

4. Kohl’s Card — Best Welcome Offer

The Kohl’s Card earns 7.5% in Kohl’s Rewards on every Kohl’s and Kohls.com purchase, the only category it earns in at all since it’s closed-loop. What sets it apart is the welcome offer: 40% off one qualifying purchase, valid within 30 days of the credit becoming available, with no minimum spend.

Purchase APR runs 30.24% variable, and there’s no foreign transaction fee. Approval requires Good credit, 670 or higher. This card ties JCPenney for the highest flat in-brand rate of any closed-loop card here, and pairs it with the single best welcome offer on this page.

This is a research-based pick. For a shopper who already plans to spend at Kohl’s regularly, 40% off on day one, on top of an ongoing 7.5% rate, is hard for any other closed-loop card here to beat.

Full review: Kohl’s Card

5. JCPenney Credit Card — Best for JCPenney Shoppers

The JCPenney Credit Card earns 1.5 CashPass points per $1, worth 7.5% back, on JCPenney purchases in-store and at jcp.com, and $0 anywhere else. It matches Kohl’s flat rate but trades Kohl’s percentage-off welcome offer for a flat-dollar discount instead: $35 off a $35-$499.99 purchase, or $125 off $500 or more, valid through 11/30/2026.

Purchase APR is 33.24% variable, and there’s no foreign transaction fee on this closed-loop card. That last point matters because a separate JCPenney Mastercard exists with a 3% foreign transaction fee; the closed-loop card reviewed here is not that card. Approval requires Good credit, 670 or higher.

JCPenney also runs a separate “Special Financing” program on furniture and mattress purchases of $499 or more, and it’s deferred interest rather than a true 0% rate — worth understanding why some store financing offers charge interest retroactively before you use it for a large purchase.

For a shopper who already knows roughly what they’re about to spend, a flat-dollar welcome discount is simpler math than a percentage-off coupon, even if the headline number looks less flashy than Kohl’s 40%.

Full review: JCPenney Credit Card

6. Belk Rewards+ Credit Card — Best for High-Spend Loyalists

Belk Rewards+ runs on a tiered structure: 4 points per $1 at Insider status (the entry tier), rising to 5 points per $1 at Premier status after $300 in net Belk spend in a calendar year, and 7 points per $1 at Elite status after $1,000. That 7-points-per-$1 ceiling is the highest of any tiered card in this lineup, and $1,000 a year is a reachable bar for a genuinely loyal Belk shopper.

New cardholders get 1,000 bonus points, a $10 value, for a purchase made the day the account is approved, plus a flat 20% off first-purchase coupon. That 20% figure is a correction from an older 20%-25% range you may see published elsewhere; two independent current sources confirm the flat figure. Purchase APR is steep at 34.99% variable, with a 39.99% penalty APR for late or missed payments, and Belk doesn’t publish a minimum credit score.

This card rewards loyalty over flash. A shopper who crosses the $1,000/year Elite threshold outearns every closed-loop card on this page; a shopper who doesn’t is stuck at a middling 4%.

Full review: Belk Rewards+ Credit Card

7. Ross Mastercard — Best for Off-Price Shoppers Who Want a Backup Card

The Ross Mastercard earns 5% in Ross Rewards Dollars at Ross Dress for Less, and 1% everywhere else Mastercard is accepted, since it’s a real Mastercard rather than a closed-loop card. That makes it a low-value but genuinely usable backup card for spend outside Ross, something none of the fully closed-loop cards here can offer.

The sign-up bonus is 10% off your first purchase, and purchase APR runs 30.49% variable. There’s a 3% foreign transaction fee, and approval requires Fair credit, 640 or higher. The tradeoff to watch is redemption speed: Reward Dollars certificates expire in just 60 days, the tightest window of any card on this page.

I’ve carried this card, and the certificate clock is the thing that catches people off guard. Earn 5% at Ross all you want, but if a certificate sits unredeemed past 60 days, it’s gone. Our Ross Mastercard vs TJX Rewards Credit Card comparison walks through how that plays out against TJX Rewards’ looser redemption terms.

Full review: Ross Mastercard

8. Burlington Credit Card — Best for Burlington, Cohoes Fashions & MJM Shoppers

The Burlington Credit Card earns 1 point per $1 across Burlington, Cohoes Fashions, and MJM Designer Shoes, with 100 points converting to a $5 Rewards certificate, roughly 5% back. It’s closed-loop and earns $0 outside those three banners.

The welcome offer is 10% off your first purchase, usable same-day in-store or within 2 days of approval online via an emailed code. Purchase APR is the steepest of this off-price sub-group at 33.99% variable, and approval requires Fair credit, 640 or higher. The foreign transaction fee isn’t confirmed by a clear numeric statement from either Comenity or WalletHub, though as a closed-loop, U.S.-only card, it isn’t a practical concern either way.

This is a research-based pick. A genuine 5% back across three banners with no annual fee is solid, but it shares Ross’s tight 60-day certificate expiration, so redeem promptly rather than letting a balance sit.

Full review: Burlington Credit Card

9. Macy’s Credit Card — Best for Macy’s Loyalists

The Macy’s Credit Card runs on Star Rewards tiers: 2 points per $1 at Silver (new cardholders, under $500/year in Macy’s spend), 3 points per $1 at Gold ($500-$1,199/year), and 5 points per $1 at Platinum ($1,200 or more/year). It won’t beat Kohl’s or JCPenney’s flat 7.5%, but Gold and Platinum are the only tiers among these closed-loop cards that clear a flat 2% cash-back card.

The welcome offer is 20% off in-store or 30% off macys.com, capped at $100 total, on the day of approval; sources vary on whether that window is strictly the day of approval or the first two days, so we’re stating the more conservative version. Purchase APR is 32.74% variable, and there’s no foreign transaction fee on this closed-loop card. That matters because a separate Macy’s American Express co-brand exists with a 3% foreign transaction fee; the card reviewed here is not that card. Approval requires Fair credit, 640 or higher.

Our Kohl’s Card vs Macy’s Credit Card comparison already ran the head-to-head math between these two department store cards if you’re deciding between them specifically.

Full review: Macy’s Credit Card

10. Victoria’s Secret Mastercard — Best for VS & PINK Shoppers

The Victoria’s Secret Mastercard earns 10 points per $1 (5% back) at Victoria’s Secret and PINK on the Base/Silver tier, rising to 15 points per $1 (7.5% back) once you reach Gold/VIP status after $750 or more in annual spend. Bras earn an even higher rate, 30 points per $1 on Base/Silver or 45 points per $1 on Gold/VIP. On Mastercard purchases outside those categories, it earns 4 points per $1 (2% back) on dining, travel, and streaming, and 2 points per $1 (1% back) on everything else. Points redeem at 2,000 points = $10.

The sign-up bonus is $25 off your first Victoria’s Secret or PINK purchase. Purchase APR runs 35.99% variable, the steepest of any card on this page, and approval score isn’t published. The foreign transaction fee is 3%, a correction worth flagging: this Mastercard version carries the fee per Comenity’s own cardholder terms and a CFPB-filed agreement, even though “no foreign transaction fee” is correct for the separate closed-loop VS store card.

This is a research-based pick. A real Mastercard paying a strong 5% at VS/PINK (7.5% once you hit Gold/VIP), with an even higher rate on bras and useful bonus categories elsewhere, is a genuine value for a loyal VS/PINK shopper.

Full review: Victoria’s Secret Mastercard

11. Dillard’s Credit Card — Best for Easier Approval

The Dillard’s Credit Card earns 2 Rewards Points per $1, roughly 1.33% back, at Dillard’s locations, by phone through Dillard’s, in the Dillard’s mobile or digital wallet, and at dillards.com. It’s closed-loop and earns $0 anywhere else. It’s also the weakest ongoing reward rate on this page, trailing a generic flat 2% cash-back card.

What it offers instead is easier approval: Fair credit, 640 or higher, alongside a genuine near-term discount, 10% off a Welcome Shopping Pass on your first statement, capped at $100, after $100 in Dillard’s spend on the day you’re approved. Purchase APR is 32.49% variable, and there’s no foreign transaction fee on this closed-loop card; a separate Dillard’s Mastercard variant does carry one, so don’t confuse the two.

This is a research-based pick. If reward rate is your top priority, this isn’t the card. If you value an accessible approval bar and a real discount on your first Dillard’s purchase, it delivers both.

Full review: Dillard’s Credit Card

12. Old Navy Credit Card — Best for Gap Inc. Family Shoppers

The Old Navy Credit Card earns 5 points per $1 across Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, with 500 points converting to a $1 reward, roughly 1% back. It’s closed-loop and earns $0 outside those four banners. Barclays’ own page states this 5-point rate is promotional through 12/31/2026, stepping down to 3 points per $1 afterward, so treat it as a time-bound rate rather than a permanent one.

The welcome offer is 30% off your first Old Navy purchase, made with the card within 14 days of account opening, tied with American Eagle for the best welcome-offer percentage on this page. Purchase APR is 33.24% variable, and Old Navy doesn’t publish a minimum credit score. The foreign transaction fee isn’t confirmed for this exact closed-loop card: Barclays operates a separate open-loop Old Navy Encore Mastercard that does carry a 3% fee, and the only sources citing a number for this store-only version may be describing that sibling product instead, so we’re not printing a figure here until it’s confirmed. As a card usable only at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, this isn’t a practical concern for most cardholders either way.

This is a research-based pick. The 30%-off welcome offer across four Gap Inc. banners at once is genuinely strong, but the tradeoff is the weakest ongoing ceiling on this page once the promotional 5-point rate steps down after 2026.

Full review: Old Navy Credit Card

How We Picked These Cards

All 12 cards on this page charge no annual fee and are tied to a clothing or department store. We ranked first by ongoing reward-rate strength, then by versatility, since a real Visa or Mastercard that keeps earning after you leave the store beats a closed-loop card that only works in one place, then by welcome-offer value and how accessible the credit score requirement is. Credit score minimums across this lineup range from Fair (620) to Good (670); see our breakdown of approval-score minimums across store cards if you want the full picture, along with how opening one of these affects your credit score in the first place. We only considered cards with an already-published, independently verified review. The Lane Bryant Credit Card isn’t included here because its review is still in progress and hasn’t published yet; we’ll revisit this lineup once it goes live.

Several of these run through the same banks behind the scenes: TJX Rewards, American Eagle, JCPenney, and Belk share the Synchrony Bank umbrella behind several of these cards, while Ross, Burlington, and Victoria’s Secret share the Comenity/Bread Financial umbrella behind several of these cards.

Bottom Line

TJX Rewards Credit Card is the top pick on this page because it’s the widest merchant footprint of any closed-loop card here, five store banners under one card, at a flat 5% back, with the most accessible credit bar of the group.

That doesn’t make the other 11 filler. American Eagle pays the single highest raw rate at its own store while still earning 2% everywhere else. Nordstrom’s Visa is the most versatile everyday card here. Kohl’s and JCPenney both tie for the highest flat closed-loop rate, and Belk’s tiered structure rewards genuinely loyal shoppers with the highest ceiling on the page. Ross and Burlington both work as low-value backup cards outside their own stores, provided you redeem certificates before the 60-day window closes. Macy’s tiers reward loyalty over time, Victoria’s Secret pays a strong rate at VS/PINK with real bonus categories, Dillard’s trades reward rate for an easier approval bar, and Old Navy’s welcome offer is one of the best on this page even with a reward rate set to step down after 2026.

If you’re deciding specifically between Kohl’s and Macy’s, or between Ross and TJX Rewards, read Kohl’s Card vs Macy’s Credit Card and Ross Mastercard vs TJX Rewards Credit Card for the exact head-to-head math before applying for either one.