Study: Average interest rates of retail credit cards remain above 30%
The average annual percentage rate of retail credit cards remains near a record high.
Retail credit cards charge an average 30.14% APR this year, according to Bankrate’s annual Retail Cards Study. That’s down from 30.45% in 2024 but still the second-highest since Bankrate started tracking retail credit card interest rates in 2008.
Among store-only cards (those that can only be used at a specific store or chain of stores), the average APR is 31.64%. The average APR among co-branded cards is slightly lower at 28.65%. (Co-branded cards have a retailer’s name and a card network logo such as Visa or Mastercard, and can be used anywhere that network is accepted.)
In total, 63 out of the 110 retail credit cards included in the study have an APR over 30%. The highest retail credit card APR is 35.99% and is a tie between 13 retail credit cards, including 12 store-only cards and one cobranded card.
Lowest APRs
The two cards with the lowest APRs are the Amazon secured card at 10%, and the Military Star Card (14.49% on most purchases, 0% for eligible military clothing purchases). Other cards with relatively low APRs include the Circle K Holiday Smart Savings Credit Card (16.20%), the Bass Pro Shops CLUB Card (20.62%), the IKEA Projekt Credit Card (21.99%), and the IKEA Visa (21.99%).
The Federal Reserve has cut interest rates by 1 percentage point since the 2024 study, noted Bankrate, but 23 retail cards have actually increased their APRs over the past 12 months. The card with the biggest increase in APR compared to last year is the Saks Credit Card, which rose from 29.24% in 2024 to 35.99% in 2025.
“Card issuers say they charge higher interest rates on retail cards because these cards are easier to get and delinquencies have increased in recent years,” said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst, Bankrate. "But these are really high rates and they often apply to all consumers who carry balances."
Methodology
Bankrate surveyed 110 retail credit cards on July 21, 2025, using publicly available terms and conditions disclosures.The company included each of the 100 largest retailers, as defined by the National Retail Federation based on 2024 sales, that offer credit card programs.
The sample included 55 co-branded cards and 55 store-only cards. When a card offered an APR range, we included the midpoint of the range in the overall averages.
