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GM Credit Cards Review: A Great Fit for General Motors Fans

Review Updated
Matt Frankel, CFP®
Matt Frankel, CFP®
| 1 other [ + ]
Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Fact checker

Nathan Alderman has been a full-time Motley Fool employee since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As Motley Fool Money's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation.

General Motors credit cards can be great financial tools for fans of GM automobiles. The GM Rewards® Mastercard® offers a fantastic rewards rate and some other unique perks, as well as no annual fee. Read our full expert review to find out if it's a great fit for you.

Before we dive in, it's important to mention that there are technically three GM Credit Cards. There's the GM Rewards® Mastercard®, which is the version that is available to most consumers, and is the one we'll spend most of our time discussing in this review. There is also the GM Extended Family™ Mastercard®, which is designed for GM employees, suppliers, or dealership employees, as well as the GM Business™ Mastercard®, which is designed for small business owners.

Ratings Methodology

GM Credit Card

Rates & Fees External Link Icon
GM Credit Card
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good (670-850)
Rates & Fees External Link Icon
Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good (670-850)

Intro APR Circle with letter I in it. 0% introductory APR for 9 months from the date of account opening

Purchases: 0%, 9 months

Regular APR

20.24% to 29.99%, variable

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn 7x points for every $1 spent with GM Earn 4x points for every $1 spent everywhere else, and points don't expire $0 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, or cash advance fees. Late fees may apply

4x-7x

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. 15,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in your first 3 months

15,000 bonus points

  • The General Motors credit cards are strong products, especially the personal version of the card, which offers an exceptional rewards earning rate.

    • Excellent rewards rate
    • No annual fee
    • Strong welcome bonus
    • Cards for employees and business owners
    • No foreign transaction or cash advance fees
    • Unique statement credits
    • Can apply with soft inquiry
    • Limited redemption options
    • Employee and business owner cards earn less rewards

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5-3 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Full GM Credit Cards review

This credit card is a good fit for: Fans of GM brands, especially those who eventually want to buy a new or pre-owned GM vehicle.

Top perks

As you can see from the bulleted list above, there are quite a few perks of the GM Credit Card. Unless otherwise noted, these perks apply to the GM Rewards® Mastercard®. We'll discuss the other two cards later within this section.

Excellent rewards rate

The GM Rewards® Mastercard® offers one of the best everyday reward rates on our radar, in terms of the percentage you get back. The card earns 4x points per $1 spent on purchases, with no limitations on earnings and no point expiration dates. Points can be redeemed at a value of $0.01 each, so this is effectively a 4% reward rate.

What's more, the card earns 7x points per $1 on purchases with GM itself, such as GM Certified Service or parts and accessories purchased from a GM dealer or online.

No annual fee and more

The GM Rewards® Mastercard®, as well as the other GM Credit Cards, have no annual fees whatsoever. Cardholders also pay no foreign transaction fees, and there are other unique fee situations, such as no fee for cash advances.

Welcome bonus

The GM Rewards® Mastercard® offers a competitive welcome bonus of 15,000 bonus points (with a $150 redemption value) after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, there's a 0% intro APR on purchases (but not balance transfers) for the first 9 months.

Statement credits

One of the most unique benefits of the GM Rewards® Mastercard® is the choice of a $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 on fuel in a calendar year, or a $100 statement credit when you use the card to pay six months' worth of electric bills in a year. There's also a $50 annual vehicle detailing benefit that can be used toward services at a participating GM dealership.

Cards for employees and business owners

As mentioned, there are two other versions of GM Credit Cards, designed for employees and small business owners.

  • The GM Extended Family™ Mastercard® is designed for employees, suppliers, or dealership employees and offers some similar benefits of the GM Rewards® Mastercard®. It has a welcome bonus of $100 on $1,000 of spending in the first three months, as well as a 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases. It earns 1% back on purchases, and is designed to be combined with GM employee discounts to save even more on a vehicle.
  • Next, the GM Business™ Mastercard® is the small business version of the GM Credit Card. It has a higher welcome offer of $750 in bonus earnings after $5,000 in spending in the first five months, as well as the 12-month 0% intro APR on purchases. It earns 5% back on GM purchases, 3% back on gas stations, restaurants, and office supply stores, and 1% back on everything else.

What could be improved

There's no credit card that is a perfect fit for everyone, and the GM Credit Cards certainly are not exceptions to this rule.

Inflexible rewards redemption

To be perfectly clear, a 4% rewards rate on everyday purchases is one of the best that we've found. But you can't exactly redeem your points for cash or a statement credit.

GM Credit Card points can be redeemed toward new and Certified Pre-Owned GM vehicles, dealership services, parts, and accessories, protection plans, and SiriusXM subscriptions. Up to $250 per year can be redeemed for gift cards, but at a much lower $0.0025 per point value.

The point is that unless you own (or plan to buy) a GM vehicle, the redemption options aren't great.

Lower rewards rates on employee and business cards

The small business and employee versions of the GM Credit Card discussed earlier offer some interesting benefits, but have generally lower rewards earning rates than the GM Rewards® Mastercard®. To be fair, the GM Rewards® Mastercard® points cannot be used in combination with the company's employee or supplier discounts, but even so, a 1% rewards rate on most purchases isn't too exciting.

Suggested credit score

The GM Rewards® Mastercard® is designed for consumers who have a good credit history or better, which you can think of as a FICO® Score of 670 or above. However, there's a lot more that determines credit approval, such as your income, other debts, and employment situation.

It's also worth reiterating that the GM Rewards® Mastercard® allows you to apply without a hard credit inquiry, meaning that it won't impact your credit score to see if you're approved.

A GM Credit Card is right for you if:

The GM Rewards® Mastercard® is a particularly competitive credit card product with an excellent rewards rate and some unique money-saving bonuses, all with no annual fee. It makes the most sense for people who drive (or plan to buy) a General Motors vehicle.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • The GM Rewards® Mastercard® is a credit card product issued as a partnership between General Motors and Goldman Sachs bank. It offers the ability to earn at least 4x points per $1 on spending, and has some unique benefits, such as a $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 in gas in a year.

  • The GM Rewards® Mastercard® has a rewards program that allows cardholders to earn 4x points per $1 spent on most purchases and an even higher 7x points per $1 rate on GM purchases. It has statement credits toward gas or electric bills, an annual discount on vehicle detailing, and more.

  • There's no specific credit score requirement published by Goldman Sachs, the bank that issues the GM Credit Cards, but you should expect to need at least a good credit score (typically, a 670 FICO® Score is considered good). However, you can apply for a GM Credit Card without a hard credit pull, so you can see if you'd be approved with no impact to your credit score.