My GM Rewards® Mastercard®: Earn your way to a new car?

The new My GM Rewards® Mastercard® enters the marketplace as Goldman Sachs’ charged-up replacement for the now-discontinued GM Buypower card. The card debuts with no annual fee and a better-than-average rewards rate with 7 points for every $1 spent on GM-related purchases, including new and certified pre-owned vehicles and vehicle service. You’ll also earn a whopping 4X points back on all other purchases.

Besides the solid rewards rate, My GM Rewards comes with a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first nine months (20.49% to 29.24% variable APR thereafter), which is not as long as many cards on the market. If you want to finance a large purchase over time without racking up interest, you may be better off with a card that provides a longer interest-free period. For example, the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card offers a 0% introductory rate for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers (17.49%, 23.99%, or 29.24% Variable APR thereafter); qualifying balance transfers transfers must be made within the first 120 days to qualify for the introductory APR, (balance transfer fee of 5%, min $5). The card also comes with no annual fee.

But, if you’re looking for a rewards card that may help lower some of your GM-related expenses, the My GM Rewards card could fit the bill.

Why you might want the My GM Rewards Mastercard

My GM Rewards card offers a generous welcome bonus, a variety of perks and one of the highest rewards rates among cash back cards, as cardholders can earn 4 points per dollar spent on everyday purchases. Additionally, cardholders are able to receive maximum rewards on qualified GM purchases and can use points toward the purchase of a pre-owned Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac or Buick vehicle.

Easy-to-earn bonus

As part of its welcome offer, GM Rewards cardholders can earn 15,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 within the first three months. These points equate to $150, which is relatively low when compared to other rewards cards such as the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express. But, you only have to spend $1,000 to earn the bonus, which is an appropriately low threshold that most cardholders should be able to comfortably meet.

Super-charged rewards rate

You’ll earn 7X points per dollar on qualified GM purchases, which is a valuable way to save money if you do a lot of business with GM. But beyond GM’s spending, you still get 4 points per dollar on everyday spending — an extremely generous rate for a card with no annual fee.

That means, for every $1,000 you spend on the card for everyday purchases, you’ll earn $40 in points. Combine this rate with the 7X rate you spend on GM purchases, and you can rack up points quickly.

Points redeemable toward a vehicle

Once you become a My GM Rewards cardholder, you’re immediately granted Gold Tier status. That means, If you’re looking to buy or lease a new vehicle, you can redeem unlimited points toward a GM brand car, truck or SUV. The GM card also allows you to redeem up to $1,000 in points toward the purchase of a Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac certified pre-owned vehicle per calendar year.

More card perks

As a co-branded card, the My GM Rewards Mastercard also comes with Mastercard World Elite benefits. You’ll get access to standard and world level benefits, including zero fraud liability, ID theft protection, luxury hotel benefits, airport concierge and discounts to DoorDash and Lyft.

The My GM Rewards card also offers several ways to earn credits and allowances that merit attention. For starters, not only can you redeem awards towards buying or leasing a purchase or lease of a vehicle — a unique redemption option for sure — you can also redeem points for car servicing, GM ecommerce purchases, certain OnStar and Connected Services plans and SiriusXM subscriptions. Plus, you can earn a $100 statement credit when you spend $1,500 on fuel or when you use your My GM Rewards card to pay your electric bill for 6 months within a calendar year.

Cardholders can also receive an annual $50 credit towards vehicle detailing at select GM dealerships. The allowance is applied when you use the service and you don’t need to activate the benefit to receive it.

Strong customer satisfaction marks

In the 2021 credit card satisfaction survey, Goldman Sachs scored an 864 –tops midsize card issuers and is well above the average score of 796. The launch of the all-new My GM Rewards card marks the beginning of a partnership between  Marcus by Goldman Sachs and Mastercard, so  Goldman Sachs’ customer satisfaction marks could indicate strong customer service performance for cardholders in the future.

Why you might want a different card

With the $0-annual-fee My GM Rewards card, you can earn high rewards on both General Motors Co. purchases and everyday purchases. However, maximum rewards can only be applied to GM-specific expenses. Consequently, if you don’t currently own a GM vehicle or aren’t in the market for one, you might want to consider a general cash-back credit card.

Also, you won’t be able to benefit from this card if you’re looking to have a lengthy 0% intro APR period. Its 0% intro APR period on purchases lasts for only nine months (20.24% to 29.99% variable APR thereafter), which is a bit shorter than that of the average 0% intro APR credit card. Not only that, you don’t have many redemption options either, so looking into a rewards card with more redemption value may be the better choice.

Maximum rewards only go toward GM-related purchases

If you don’t have a GM brand vehicle, and you aren’t planning to buy one anytime soon, the My GM Rewards card isn’t likely to be a good fit for you. That’s because one of the biggest strengths of the card is the 7X points earning rate on GM-related purchases. Not to mention, the redemption program is heavily focused on GM discounts, credits and allowances.

That’s not going to do you much good if you don’t do business with GM. In that case, you might prefer a card that aligns better with your spending habits and lifestyle, such as a travel rewards card or a card with higher rewards payouts for spending on groceries, restaurants or gas.

Brief 0% introductory APR period

My GM Reward Card’s 0% introductory APR period on purchases is only good for the first nine months, before switching to an annual variable interest rate between 20.24% and 29.99%. You’ll find that most introductory 0% APR credit cards, such as the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card (0% intro APR on purchases and qualifying balance transfers for 12 months from account opening then 19.49%, 24.49%, or 29.49% Variable APR) or the Chase Freedom Unlimited® (0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers then an APR of 19.74% - 28.49% Variable) offer introductory periods that are longer, so if you’re planning on making a large purchase and could use the extra time to pay for it, you may want to look elsewhere.

Cash back redemption options aren’t flexible

While statement credits and credits toward GM products and services carry the same value as cash, you can’t redeem rewards for the actual green stuff. If you’re looking for more flexible cash back redemption options, you’ll have to look elsewhere, such as the Discover it® Cash Back card. When redeeming with your Discover it® Cash Back card, you have the option of receiving a statement credit or having the amount deposited into your bank account, donated to charity, or used for purchases at Amazon.com. You can also redeem for gift cards (ranging from $5 to $200 in $5 increments after you’ve reached the $5 minimum requirement).

How does the My GM Rewards Mastercard compare to other cash back cards?

The My GM Rewards card offers an impressive rewards rate, but because the redemption program is so heavily focused on GM-related rewards, you could miss out on opportunities to earn rewards on categories that better fit your lifestyle.

Here are a few alternative rewards credit cards that offer cash back or rewards in other categories that may be more useful to you.

Citi Premier® Card (The Citi Premier Card is no longer available)	Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Rewards rate Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases	Rewards rate 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back on transit including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations 1% Cash Back on other purchases	Rewards rate Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Sign-up bonus Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening	Welcome offer Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.	Welcome offer Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Annual fee $95	Annual fee $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95	Annual fee $0
Other things to know  No foreign transaction fee. Earn a $100 Annual Hotel Savings Benefit when you book through thankyou.com or 1-800-THANKYOU.	Other things to know Earning rates are among the highest for cash back cards. 24/7 emergency assistance and coordination services are available whenever you are 100 miles away from home.	Other things to know Intro APR is good for qualifying balance transfers and new purchases. Includes Visa Signature® concierge service and benefits through Visa Signature® Hotel collection.

My GM Rewards Mastercard vs. Citi Premier Card – (The Citi Premier Card is no longer available)

At first glance, Citi Premier Card’s $95 annual fee may be a significant downgrade from the GM rewards card’s no annual fee offer. But the Citi Premier Card offers 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points if you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first three months. Even though the spending threshold for the sign-up bonus is higher than the GM Rewards card, you can earn more than three times as many points, making the annual fee more than justified.

While Citi Premier Card offers 3X points earnings on supermarket purchases, restaurants, gas, air travel and hotels, it falls short of My GM Rewards 4X points earnings rates on day-to-day purchases. However, Citi’s ThankYou rewards program is much more flexible when it comes to redeeming your points, whether you are using points for travel benefits or simply for cash back. Citi’s travel portal allows you to use points for airfare, hotels and rental cars, and you can redeem points for statement credits, cash back, charitable contributions or even toward student loan or mortgage payments.

My GM Rewards Mastercard vs. Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Preferred Card delivers one of the highest rewards rates on groceries and gas available, with a generous 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and on select streaming services (up to $6,000 in annual purchases, then 1%) as well as  3% back at U.S. gas stations. Since the GM credit card rewards program delivers a slightly higher rate on gas purchases (4% on all non-GM expenses), you could potentially earn 2% more on supermarket and streaming purchases — two fairly common expenses for most consumers.

The Blue Cash Preferred Card charges an annual fee of $95 per year ($0 intro annual fee for the first year). But, if your groceries, gas and streaming eat up a sizable portion of your budget, you can likely offset the ongoing $95 fee.

My GM Rewards Mastercard vs. Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

With its 2% flat-rate cash rewards rate on purchases, Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is one of the best cash rewards cards available. But even though you might get more value from a card that earns more than 2% in specific categories like travel, groceries and dining, you’ll earn more on everyday spending (4X points) through My GM Rewards.

The main attraction of the Active Cash card is the simplicity and cash rewards options. There are no activation requirements and no rotating categories to keep track of and you can cash out rewards as a statement credit, direct deposit or even withdraw from a Wells Fargo ATM in $20 increments. You can also redeem your points for gift cards, shopping rewards and travel via the Wells Fargo Rewards program — which contrasts sharply with the redemption program of the My GM Rewards Mastercard as it doesn’t have many redemption options.

How to use the My GM Rewards Mastercard:

• Use the card for all eligible GM expenses you would already pay for.
• Spend at least $1,000 within the first three months to earn the 15,000 point introductory bonus.
• Use the GM Reward card whenever its 4X points rate on non-GM purchases exceeds the payout of another card in your wallet.
• Spend at least $1,500 on fuel in a calendar year to receive a $100 statement credit.
• Cash in your $50 annual allowance for vehicle detailing services at any participating dealership.

Is the My GM Rewards Mastercard right for you?

The My GM Rewards card has a lot going in its favor, especially its 7X points earnings rate when you use your card on eligible GM products and services. The 4X points rate for purchases made everywhere else is another attention-getter.

As its name suggests, this is a General Motors credit card. If you’re a proud owner of a GM branded vehicle, the card is definitely worth your consideration, as it could save you money on parts and accessories, SiriusXM subscriptions, certified service plans and more.

But on the other hand, if you don’t do business with GM, the My GM Rewards card may not be your best option. No matter how many points you earn, they won’t do you any good if you can’t take advantage of the GM-specific discounts, credits, and allowances.