The MLB® Credit Card provides good rewards on everyday categories like gas, groceries and wholesale clubs. You can earn between 2% and 3% on these types of transactions up to a quarterly limit of $2,500. Anyone who tends to shop more in other categories, or those who prefer a simpler rewards structure, should consider getting a fixed rate cash back credit card.
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Review: Our Thoughts On the MLB® Credit Card
The MLB® Credit Card is a decent cash back credit card that is especially rewarding for individuals who spend a lot on gas, groceries and at wholesale clubs. If your spending tends to be more varied than that, you should instead opt for a flat-rate cash back card, like the Citi Double Cash Card. The BofA credit card will give you just 1% back in the non-bonus categories. While the other fixed-rate cash back cards won’t be able to match the 3% rate for gas, they will typically give you 1.5% - 2% back on all purchases, so you will walk away with higher returns on average.
The estimates above are based on spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
Those with a Bank of America account can walk away from this card with much better returns thanks to the generous relationship bonuses. Depending on how much money you have deposited with the bank, you can get anywhere between 10% and 75% more rewards when you redeem. If you fall on the larger end of the deposit spectrum, the MLB® Credit Card will give you more cash back than most other credit cards – even in non-bonus categories. You need to qualify for the 50%/75% bonus to begin outperforming the fixed-rate cash back cards.
The $100 welcome bonus on the MLB® Credit Card, while by no means bad, can be outdone by many other cash back cards today. If you’re looking to maximize your short-term value, you can get cards whose bonuses reach $150. People whose budgets allow them to get a credit card with a annual fee can also get bonuses worth over $500 – however those are typically harder to qualify for.
One other thing worth noting is that the card doesn’t come with any special discounts for baseball fans. Other credit cards affiliated with a major sports league tend to give fans extra rewards on merchandise or in-stadium purchases. It’s unfortunate that the MLB® Credit Card doesn’t come with any offer like that.
Bottom Line: The MLB® Credit Card is a solid offer, whether you’re a baseball fan or not. The card helps earn above-average cash back returns on gas, grocery and wholesale purchases with no annual fee.
MLB® Credit Card Benefits & Features
The MLB® Credit Card offers 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, plus 3% on gas. These are capped at $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/gas purchases each quarter. All other purchases earn cardholders just 1% back. Keep in mind that the $2.5k cap is cumulative across all categories. Therefore, if you make $1,500 in purchases at grocery stores within 3 months, you can only earn 3% on gas on up to $1,000 for the remainder of that period.
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| Annual Fee | No Annual Fee |
| Purchase APR | 13.24% - 23.24% Variable |
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Cardholders who bank with BofA can get a bonus of anywhere between 10% and 75% on their cash back redemption. The exact amount depends on your Preferred Rewards tier. Just having any Bank of America checking or savings account will get you the 10% bonus. The table below shows how the bonus differs across various deposit levels.
| Average Balance | Gas Rewards Rate | Grocery & Wholesale Clubs Rewards Rate | Rewards Rate on all other purchases |
|---|---|---|---|
| No BofA Account | 3.00% | 2.00% | 1.00% |
| < $20k | 3.30% | 2.20% | 1.10% |
| $20k - $50k | 3.75% | 2.50% | 1.25% |
| $50k - $100k | 4.50% | 3.00% | 1.50% |
| $100k+ | 5.25% | 3.50% | 1.75% |
The MLB® Credit Card currently comes with a $100 early spend bonus. Those who spend at least $500 on purchases within the first 90 days of account opening will receive the prize. Balance transfers, cash advances and other transactions that don’t constitute a purchase will not count.
How Does the MLB® Credit Card Compare to Other Credit Cards?
To suss out the value of the MLB® Credit Card we compared it against other available cash back offers. By reading through this section, you will better understand how the MLB® Credit Card fits into the larger picture.
MLB® Credit Card vs Citi Double Cash Card
The Citi Double Cash Card gives all cardholders 1% back whenever they make a purchase, and another 1% when that purchase is paid off. That effectively works out to a 2% rewards rate on all your purchases. Depending on how you balance your budget, the Citi Double Cash Card may be better than the MLB® Credit Card. If you have significant expenses outside of the gas/wholesale/grocery categories, you will do much better by paying for them with the Citi Double Cash Card. For example, the Citi Double Cash Card is much better at paying for MLB tickets than the MLB® Credit Card. You only get a 1% return by using the MLB card, versus a potential 2% cash back return with the Citi Double Cash Card.
You should note that both cards come with no annual fee. Therefore, getting both is a viable strategy. If you do this, however, you will need to keep track of when using one card is more advantageous than using the other.
MLB® Credit Card vs Chase Freedom®
The Chase Freedom® is a ValuePenguin favorite, due to its highly rewarding cash back structure. The card gives 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter, and 1% back after that. These 5% categories include things like gas stations, restaurants, and wholesale clubs. While the $1.5k cap is much smaller than the MLB® Credit Card’s $2.5k, the Chase Freedom® allows you to earn 5% in a far greater number of categories. Besides that, even if you use both card’s optimally, the 5% on $1,500 comes out to the same reward as 3% on $2,500 ($75).
The major downside of the Chase Freedom® is that it requires users to be on top of things. You have to make sure you activate your categories every 3 months, and pay attention to what they are. Ignoring these things will lead to sub-optimal results. If you rather get a credit card that let’s you skip those things, you might prefer something like the Chase Freedom®.
MLB® Credit Card vs Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express charges users a $95 annual fee, but in return it gives some of the highest cash back rates we've seen. Users can earn 6% at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%) and 3% at U.S. gas stations. All other purchases earn just 1% back. These rates are significantly better than what you’d get with the MLB® Credit Card, as long as you trade in grocery stores for supermarkets. The only caveat to worry about is the annual fee. You need to spend at least $2,375 annually at supermarkets for it to make up for the $95 you’re paying each year. Keep in mind this calculation is neglecting wholesale clubs. If you predominantly shop there for your groceries and gas, then the MLB® Credit Card is the clear winner.
mlb credit cardCiti Double CashChase FreedomAmex Blue Cash Preferred et9ctuoewlwtqx7jnotn We reviewed the MLB credit card to find out if it’s worthwhile to get, who it would be the best for, and how to get the most value out of it. Our analysis also discusses the MLB credit card's rewards rate and features versus other cards like the Chase Freedom credit card and the Citi Double Cash.