Guide to card-linked offer programs: Earn more rewards

If you’re looking for new ways to save, a card-linked offer program can be a straightforward, hassle-free opportunity. Hunting for deals is easier than ever, and discounts or rebates are automatically awarded when you use your card. Even better, you’ll still earn any credit card rewards on the purchase.

Card-linked offer programs bypass the need for paper coupons and give users deals on a variety of everyday purchases – from dining to travel. When you participate, you can automatically earn discounts or cash back rewards at participating businesses without having to find a promo code or coupon.

Several issuers offer these kinds of programs, making it easy to find a card to use for extra deals. For a more in-depth look at some of the top offerings, check out our guide below.

How do card-linked offer programs work?

Card-linked offer programs let users earn merchant discounts or cash back rewards when you use a qualifying card at a participating business. Depending on the program, you’ll either automatically receive a discount at the register or get a rebate in the form of cash back or a statement credit.

Card-linked offers are much easier to use than paper coupons or online promo codes since you’ll automatically receive rewards on qualifying purchases. Some programs require you to activate deals before using them, so you might still have to select offers to link to your card via your bank’s website or app.

It’s easy to find great savings with all these programs – often between 5% and 15% off – and card-linked offers benefit all the parties involved. Consumers receive great deals on everyday purchases, retailers attract new customers and card issuers see increased usage. Since everyone has something to gain from these programs, they continue to grow and add more deals every year.

Card-linked offer programs offer diverse coupons that are often tailored to the user based on their location and spending patterns. Maribel Ferrer, communications director for payments at Chase Offers says “Deals vary, and there is something for everyone. They range from offers at popular retailers, travel, restaurants, pet shops, hardware stores and some of the most loved brands in the country.”

It’s clear that almost every cardholder has something to gain from taking advantage of one of these programs.

The best card-linked offer programs

After all that, you must be exceedingly curious about which issuers provide which card-linked offer programs. There’s no need for further suspense – here are all the major programs listed.

Which card-linked offer program is right for you?

For the most part, card-linked offer programs require that any card you link is being used for only one program. To make sure you are getting the best value, you’ll want to look at eligible cards, the type of rewards you can receive and participating locations before deciding which program works best with your everyday spending.

The most popular card-linked offer programs are the ones presented by the card issuer itself, making it easy to know which program you fit into. But other programs can be used with any credit or debit card. Offers and how you earn discounts also vary widely between programs.

Card-linked offers for everyday spending

Card-linked offer programs directly from the issuer tend to have the widest variety of available offers, making it easy to earn cash back or points on the spending you already do every day.

All four of these programs (BankAmeriDeals, Amex Offers, Chase Offers and Citi Merchant Offers) require users to activate deals on each of their cards in order to redeem an offer. You’ll scroll through promotions available to you on your bank’s mobile app or website and link to the preferred card. Statement credits are automatically awarded after the qualifying purchase.

For another way to earn cash back, BankAmeriDeals offers a unique bonus system. You earn coins just for redeeming offers and work your way up through levels to earn extra cash bonuses.

While these bank-offered programs take a little more effort from the user, they offer the most potential value for general purchases.

Card-linked offers for business cardholders

The offers on both Mastercard Easy Savings and Visa Savings Edge are tailored specifically for business spending and are available only to business cardholders. You can earn cash back on purchases such as car rentals and business equipment.

Mastercard Easy Savings is a very straightforward program, not requiring any sort of activation to redeem deals. You just have to link your cards to the program and watch as statement credits roll in automatically. Visa Savings Edge also offers automatic deals – called Everyday Offers – but limited-time promotions require users to activate individual offers.

Savings on gas

Discounts earned using Shell Fuel Rewards have limited redemption options. All the savings you earn are applied as a discount at a Shell pump. If you frequent Shell gas stations and are looking for a program that can specifically help you save in this area, the variety of offers in the Shell Fuel Rewards program is pretty good. Otherwise, you might be better off sticking with a bank or dining program.

On top of dining rewards, members of the Shell Fuel Rewards program can earn gas discounts by shopping through the Fuel Rewards Network online mall or purchasing tickets to live events. While going through these portals might limit your merchandise or entertainment options, they are another great way to rack up savings.

Savings on dining

Mogl is a very flexible card-linked offer program, allowing users to link almost any credit or debit card. Deals are limited to dining purchases, however, making it a bit more difficult to rack up rewards. While the return rate on Mogl offers is typically pretty high (5% to 15%), the lack of variety can be a big drawback. On the plus side, you don’t have to activate deals. You also have the flexibility to choose from cash back, donations to a charity or travel points for how you earn your savings.

Earning airline and hotel rewards

Rewards Network is a service offering dining-focused, card-linked offer programs tied directly to airline loyalty programs such as American Airlines AAdvantage and Southwest Rapid Rewards. You can only have a card linked to one Rewards Network program at a time, so these offers are most valuable for users who are loyal to a particular airline brand.

The programs in the Rewards Network are designed to reward dining purchases, making it easy to earn up to 10% cash back for every $1 spent. Plus, regularly participating in these programs can keep your miles from expiring if you need to show regular account activity but don’t have a trip planned for the near future.

How to get the most out of a card-linked offer program

Card-linked offer programs are rewarding for every user but following a few simple tips can help you maximize your rewards.

Combine card-linked offer deals with paper coupons and promo codes

While it takes a little bit of extra time, finding paper coupons and promo codes for the same merchants advertising a card-linked offer can ensure you boost your overall savings. Since cash back or points from card-linked offers come just from using a particular credit or debit card, you can usually still apply any other coupons you can hunt down.

Shop using cash back portals to stack offers

By using cash back portals to do your online shopping, you can potentially stack multiple offers from the same site. By finding a deal at your favorite retailer on a site like Rakuten or Mr. Rebates and then paying with a card including a card-linked offer, you can multiply savings. Just be sure to read the terms and conditions of your card-linked offer program carefully, as some prohibit this practice.

Keep a close eye on terms and conditions

No matter which card-linked offer program you use, each individual deal typically comes with its own set of terms and conditions. Before attempting to redeem a promotion, read carefully to ensure you meet any purchase limits or expiration dates.

Doing more online shopping? Always check for offers first

Since COVID-19 changed nearly everything in life, cardholders are typically shopping online more and spending less in rewards categories like travel. That makes it a great time to employ earning-boosting tools like card-linked offer programs. Though you might be racking up less cash back or points than you are used to, you can recoup some of that loss by adding a boost from promotions like these.

Before you shop online, make it a habit to check card-linked offers for all your eligible programs. You might discover a deal that puts a little extra cash back in your pocket.

Bottom line

While choosing a card-linked offer program might be as simple as using your bank’s offering, there are plenty of other opportunities to maximize your savings. If you have cards from multiple issuers, you might even be able to use more than one. Be sure to read the guides to each program before deciding which is right for you.