You can’t apply for a Target credit card online but you can at their store. Before you fill out an application read this review.

From bad to good?
Before the Great Recession, Target offered two different cards; a store-only version and a Target visa credit card. Due to their poor rewards and rampant customer service complaints, they were two of the worst credit cards on the market.

But in 2010 Target totally re-vamped their program. They dropped the Visa card and bolstered the rewards on their Target Red Card to offer a 5% discount on purchases at Target. Is this too good to be true? Let’s look closer…

Acceptance?
Since the Target Visa credit card has been discontinued, the only version available is the Red Card for store purchases. It can’t be used outside of Target.

Fine print on the rewards?
The Target credit card is touted as a way to save 5% every time you shop at Target. This is much better than their old Target Red Card which only gave 10% off for one day after your application was approved.

So 5% sounds great, right? Is there any fine print behind it? I read the fine print on the Target 5% discount program and here are the exclusions:
  • Gift and prepaid cards
  • Prescriptions, optical, and clinic services
  • “Target Mobile” purchases
  • “Target Commercial Interiors” purchases
  • Shipping and gift wrapping
Conclusion? The Target Red Card’s 5% discount exclusions seem to be pretty reasonable. I don’t see any tricks buried in the fine print.

Fees and interest rate?
This credit card has no annual fee and as I write this review, the interest rate listed on the application is 13.25%, 17.25%, or 22.90% (depending on the applicant’s credit).

Credit score requirements?
Target National Bank (the issuer of their credit cards) got burned pretty badly during the economic downturn, which is rumored to be the main reason they discontinued the Target Visa credit card.

Although they don’t publicly disclose the credit score qualifications needed to be approved, according to customer reviews it sounds like they are fairly strict. Therefore if you have a history of recent bankruptcy or charge-offs it might not be possible to get it right now.

Has the customer service been improved?
The verdict is still out on this one. There are a ton of Target credit card complaints from the past but the new card seems to have less, probably because they cut lose many of their cardholders during the recession which they deemed high risk.

Verdict?
So should you apply for a Target credit card now that the rewards have been improved? Well, I would say for the first time in years, this card is actually a good idea now if you frequently shop at their stores.

There is NOT a Target credit card application online but you can apply at their store.

Review written or updated April 9, 2011