This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
With close to 30,000 locations, over $24 billion in annual net revenue and over 15 million rewards members, Starbucks is, without question, a worldwide phenomenon. Believe it or not, even here at The Points Guy, some of our most popular articles are related to Starbucks. So, it is (past) time to combine the world of points and rewards credit cards with the immense popularity of Starbucks and release a list of the best credit cards to use at Starbucks.
Now — just like airline award charts aren’t all straightforward and simple, neither are all the nuances of the Starbucks Rewards program. To keep things apples to apples here, we’re going to assume you are already a Starbucks Gold member who can cash in 125 Starbucks Stars for basically any item on the menu. If you aren’t yet a Gold member, I recommend just using the credit card in your wallet that is the most rewarding on dining for your occasional Starbucks purchase. Come back to this article once your coffee addition hits peak levels (like after a kid is born or you get a second or third job).
Earning and Using Starbucks Stars
No matter what credit card (or gift card) you use to pay for Starbucks, if you load that money into your Starbucks app, you earn 2 Starbucks Stars per dollar when pay for Starbucks menu items. Since that is a constant at participating Starbucks, we’re going to largely ignore those earnings here, but be sure and earn those Stars as they are worth about 4 cents each.
Speaking of which, a Starbucks Reward costs 125 Stars and can be used for anything from a basic cup of coffee that costs a little over $2 to a $8 turkey sandwich box to one of those insane large made-up drinks with 8 million espresso shots, whip cream, sprinkles and rainbow pixie dust. But, with most drinks and breakfast items ringing in at $5 or less, we’ll say that $5 is the target value for 125 Stars, making Stars worth 4 cents each by our calculations.
There’s also the quirk that Starbucks Stars expire six months after they are earned on the first day of the month, so they aren’t valuable at all if you don’t use them up.
Lots of Ways to Earn a Bonus at Starbucks
Your first thought when deciding which credit card to use at Starbucks might have been the one that gives the best bonus on dining, and that’s not a bad approach. However, it is not the only path to a bonus at Starbucks. Since you can reload your Starbucks balance from the mobile app (or even use a mobile wallet payment option like Apple Pay or Chase Pay to pay in-store), credit cards that give a mobile wallet bonus are in the hunt.
Starbucks gift cards are also sold everywhere from office supply stores, to grocery stores, gas stations, warehouse stores, drugstores, home improvement stores and more. This means that the options to earn a credit card category bonus on a Starbucks gift card are almost endless.
No, the Starbucks Visa Isn’t the Best
I’m not saying you shouldn’t get the Starbucks Visa. I mean, if you really want 4,500 bonus Stars, worth a staggering 36 food and drink items after hitting the spending requirement and eight annual barista-curated bonus reward drinks, then go for it (just factor in Chase’s 5/24 rule). But, for everyday spending, and even spending at Starbucks you will soon see it is simply not the best option.
Best Credit Cards to Use at Starbucks
Accurately narrowing down the best way to pay for your Starbucks latte is complicated since there are so many options, but we’ll highlight the best of the best to get you on the right track.
| Category Bonus | Value of the Points | Total Earned per Dollar | Annual Fee | Welcome Bonus | Notes | |
| Starbucks Rewards Visa Card | 1x when reloading Starbucks (marketing often says 3x, but 2 of the Stars aren’t directly tied to using the card) | 4 cents | 4 cents | $49 | 4,500 Starbucks Stars after spending $500 in the first three months. | To earn 1 Star, must load amount to your Starbucks account, not use it to pay in-store |
| Citi Prestige Card | 5x | 1.7 cents | 8.5 cents | $495 | 50,000 points after $4,000 in spending in the first three months | |
| American Express® Gold Card | 4x on dining | 2 cents | 8 cents | $250 (See Rates & Fees) | 35,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months. Terms Apply. | |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 3x on dining | 2 cents | 6 cents | $450 | 50,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months | |
| Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express | 7x at US restaurants | 0.6 cents | 4.2 cents | $450 (See Rates & Fees) | 150,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months | At US restaurants only |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred Card | 2x on dining | 2 cents | 4 cents | $95 | 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months | |
| Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card | 4x on dining | 1 cent | 4 cents | $95 (waived 1st year) | $300 cash bonus after you spend $3,000 within the first three months | |
| Uber Visa Card | 4x on dining | 1 cent | 4 cents | $0 | $100 after you spend $500 in the first 90 days | |
| U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card | 3x on mobile wallet | 1.5 cents | 4.5 cents | $400 | 50,000 after spending $4,500 in the first 90 days | Must pay using mobile wallet option such as Apple Pay |
| Ink Business Cash Credit Card | 5x at office supply stores – purchase Starbucks gift cards there | 2 cent (this assumes you also have a premium Ultimate Rewards product) | 10 cents | $0 | $500 bonus cash back (50,000 points) after you spend $3,000 in the first three months. | 5x on first $25k in combined purchases at office supply stores, cellular phone, landline, internet and cable TV services each account year. |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | 6% back at US supermarkets – purchase Starbucks gift cards there | 1 cent | 6 cents | $95 (See Rates & Fees) | $250 cash back after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months | 6% cash back at US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year; then 1%. Terms Apply |
As you can see, the American Express Gold Card and Citi Prestige Card lead the way if you want to directly load up your Starbucks account in the app or pay in a Starbucks store, though note that the 4x on Amex Gold is only valid in US stores. Meanwhile, the 3x bonus on the Chase Sapphire Reserve, is valid for dining both in the US and abroad.
If you want to get fancy, purchasing Starbucks gift cards at retailers where you can earn a bonus with a rewards credit card is likely your best play. We especially like earning 5x at office supply stores courtesy of the Ink Business Cash Credit Card or legacy Ink Plus Business Card (now closed to applicants). Those who have the Ink Business Cash and a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card can transfer those 5 points per dollar earned to hotel and airline partners and turn pup-a-chinos and frappuccinos into award flights.
You may also want to factor in Amex Offers, gas rewards at supermarkets and a whole host of other stacking opportunities if you go down the Starbucks gift card pathway.
The Best Card for Starbucks May Rotate
If that wasn’t already information overload, let me offer a final wrinkle to this coffee foam. The best card in your wallet for Starbucks purchase may rotate. Periodically, Starbucks offers bonuses for reloading your account via Chase Pay or similar, altering the equation. Additionally, if you have a card such as the Chase Freedom where the bonus categories rotate, that card may sometimes take the top slot. For example, right now the 2018 4th Quarter 5% cash-back bonus category on the Chase Freedom (also known as 5 Ultimate Reward points per dollar if you have a premium Ultimate Rewards card) is wholesale clubs (up to $1,500).
This means I can use a Chase Freedom, purchase discounted Starbucks gift cards on the Sam’s Club website, load them to my Starbucks app and not only earn the equivalent of 10 cents in value from the 5 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar I earn, but also save money on my Starbucks gift cards at the same time.
Bottom Line
Are you on your second cup of coffee yet? We know, this was a long answer to a simple question.
In short, there isn’t a quick answer to the best credit card to use at Starbucks, but that is because there are lots of opportunities to earn credit card rewards, save money and pick up Starbucks Stars at the same time. The Starbucks Visa isn’t bad, but you can do better. Within the US, earning 4x on the Amex Gold Card is a good answer. Otherwise, try the 3x on the Chase Sapphire Reserve or 5x on the Citi Prestige Card. If you want to get fancy with Starbucks gift cards, be our guest and enjoy the extra points and savings that can be created with a little extra effort and the right rewards credit card.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred Card, please click here.
Know before you go.
News and deals straight to your inbox every day.
With some great bonus categories, the American Express Gold Card has a lot going for it. The card offers 4x points at restaurants worldwide, at US supermarkets (up to $25,000; then 1x), and 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through amextravel.com. It is currently offering a welcome bonus of 35,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 in the first three months.
- Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 3 months.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points when you dine at restaurants worldwide. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
- Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Airline Fee Credit: up to $100 in statement credits per calendar year for incidental fees at one selected qualifying airline.
- Choose to carry a balance with interest on eligible charges of $100 or more.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $250.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
