Nordstrom Visa® credit card review

Quick highlights

• Rewards rate: 3X points per dollar spent at Nordstrom and its brands, including Nordstrom Rack, and 1X points on all other purchases
• Welcome offer: $40 Bonus Note (when you make any purchase at Nordstrom, Nordstrom.com or Nordstrom Rack the day you’re approved)
• Annual fee: None
• Purchase intro APR: None
• Balance transfer intro APR: None
• Regular APR: 18.90 percent to 25.90 percent variable

Before you apply, let’s take a closer look at the Nordstrom Visa credit card benefits and see if this card is worthy of a spot in your wallet.

Welcome offer

You’ll unlock a $40 Bonus Note when you apply for this credit card, get approved and shop at Nordstrom or one of its brands on the same day. The Bonus Note will be available for future purchases. Current Nordstrom credit cardmembers are not eligible for this offer.

Rewards rate

Earning rewards is easy if you shop frequently at Nordstrom and its brands, whether you prefer to shop online or in person.

Earning rewards

For every dollar you spend at Nordstrom or its brands (Nordstrom.com, Nordstrom Rack, HauteLook and the Nordstrom Trunk Club), you earn 3 points, regardless of whether you prefer to shop online or in person. For all other purchases, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar spent.

Redeeming rewards

The points you accumulate become Nordstrom Notes you can redeem redeemed in stores or online at Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, HauteLook and Nordstrom Trunk Club.

Points can be cashed in as Notes at $5, $10 and $15 with the Nordstrom app—or, when you earn 2,000 points, you’ll automatically receive a $20 Nordstrom Note automatically. Notes do expire one year after the date they’re issued, however, so you must shop with some frequency at Nordstrom and its brands.

How much are points worth?

Every time you accumulate 2,000 points, you’ll be sent a Nordstrom spending certificate worth $20—a 1 percent return.

There are a few Nordstrom Visa credit card benefits that can make the card tempting for shoppers loyal to Nordstrom and its family of brands. In addition to accumulating points that can help you save on future purchases, Nordstrom offers cardholders a few other benefits and perks.

Insider status

Typically earned after spending $500, Insider status in the Nordy Club (Nordstrom’s loyalty club) gets you a personal double points day, early access to sales (such as the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale) and more.

No foreign transaction fees

Shop abroad without being hit by foreign transaction fees.

Alterations credit

In addition to free basic alterations (available to all basic Nordy Club members), you’ll get a $100 alterations credit

Nordstrom Trunk Club

The fee for Nordstrom Trunk Club styling will be waived as a Nordy Club Insider.

All-day customer service

Cardholders also have access to 24/7 customer service line in case you have questions about your card, such as, “why was my Nordstrom credit card denied?” or, “what should I do if Nordstrom closed my credit card?”.

Visa cardholder benefits

If you have the Nordstrom Visa Signature Credit Card, you’ll also have a host of additional benefits from Visa. Perks include travel and roadside services, travel accident insurance, damage and theft insurance for rental cars and access to the Visa Concierge service for assistance with travel plans.

You won’t find an introductory APR offer with the Nordstrom credit card. The APR range (used for both Nordstrom and non-Nordstrom purchases) is dependent on your creditworthiness. The APR range is 18.90 percent to 25.90 percent variable. Balance transfers are not an option with this card, but you can get a cash advance if you need one for a 5 percent fee or 10$ whichever is greater.

The Visa Signature card does not have an annual fee or charge foreign transaction fees, which is helpful for people who like to travel and shop abroad.

Store cards are available almost everywhere you shop, and each one has its own set of requirements and benefits. Even when comparing the Nordstrom Visa Signature to the Platinum version of the card, you’ll find variances. Like other store cards, the credit score needed for the Nordstrom Visa card tends to be lower.

Nordstrom Visa credit card vs. U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

For instance, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card gives you 5 percent cash back for your first $2,000 in eligible spending each quarter on two categories of the 12 available, including at select department stores. 2 percent cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations, grocery stores or restaurants. Then, you earn 1 percent cash back for everything else. There’s no annual fee for this card, either.

Nordstrom Visa credit card vs. Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is another strong contender for people who want to be rewarded for purchases in a broader range of categories—including shopping. As a welcome offer, earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months.

The flexible rewards program includes 3 percent cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 in purchases annually in each category, then 1 percent). You’ll earn 1 percent cash back on everything else.

Best cards to pair with the Nordstrom Visa Credit Card

Since a shopping rewards card doesn’t always offer a ton of benefits, you could pair it with a cash-back card to maximize your purchases.

One popular card to consider is the Chase Freedom Unlimited. This card offers an impressive 0 percent introductory APR on purchases for the first 15 months, then a variable rate of 20.49 percent to 29.24 percent variable. You also have the opportunity to earn at least 1.5 percent in cash back on all purchases, rather than just store credit.

The Nordstrom Visa Signature card is best for shoppers who are loyal to the Nordstrom brand and can take advantage of all the shopping perks (such as alterations and sales).

While there may not be an annual fee, if you don’t purchase enough from Nordstrom (or its other brands) on a regular basis, then this credit card really won’t be working for you, since it only earns bonus points on Nordstrom purchases and those points cannot be redeemed in any other way. Store credit cards are designed to keep you loyal to one brand, and the Nordstrom Visa Credit Card is no exception.

*All information about the Nordstrom Visa Credit Card has been collected independently by Bankrate and has not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express, please click here.