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Aspiration Zero Card review
Use this card to offset your carbon footprint and earn 1% back on all purchases.
- Get this card if you want to reduce your carbon footprint.
- Pick something else if you want to earn more rewards.
- Early access, no application requirements listed.
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$300
Welcome offer
Up to 1%
Cash back
$60
Annual fee
14.65% to 26.25%
Purchase APR (variable)
Details
| Annual fee | $60 |
|---|---|
| Welcome offer | $300 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. This can be redeemed as cash or trees (300 additional trees planted) |
| Rewards | 0.5% cash back on all purchases or 1% cash back on purchases (updated retroactively) for every month carbon zero is reached |
| Purchase APR | 14.65% to 26.25% variable |
| Balance transfer APR | 14.65% to 26.25% variable |
| Minimum credit score | 670 |
| Issuer | Mastercard |
Review by
Steven Dashiell
steven.dashiell@finder.comSteven Dashiell is a senior personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in all things banking and credit cards. With more than 300 articles under his belt, he aims to help readers embrace credit cards and maximize their banking rewards. Steve is studying to become a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, and is a frequent face on Finder’s YouTube channel, offering the latest in credit card hacks and advice. His expertise has been featured in U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, Fox Business, Lifehacker, Martha Stewart Living, among other top publications.
Expert review
The Aspiration Zero Card is a unicorn in the credit card space because it rewards your purchases as long as you offset your carbon footprint each month. Issued by Beneficial State Bank, which is a member of FDIC, it baseline earns 0.5% back on all purchases. With every purchase, Aspiration will plant a tree through its plantation partners. Planting 60 trees per month is enough to offset the carbon emissions of an average US home. Reach carbon-neutral status each month, you will earn 1% back on all your purchases retroactive for that billing period. The card also comes with a $300 welcome offer after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months and a $60 annual fee.
This is, frankly, quite a few purchases you’d have to make each month to earn what is essentially less than a “standard” cashback card can make. Certainly, the real goal of the card is to plant trees and generally do good for the planet. However, I find this goal at odds with the terribly short 25 day grace period, which is a length of time you’d find on the more predatory cards out there. Very strange for a card that expects a 670 credit score from applicants.
If you look at Aspiration Zero Card as a method of planting trees and doing good for the earth, then it’s a fine addition to your wallet so long as you pay off your purchases immediately. For everyone else, there are safer, stronger reward cards out there.
How to apply for the Aspiration Zero Card
To apply for the Aspiration Zero Card, you’ll need to create an account on the Aspiration site.
- Go to the provider's site to Learn more about how to apply for Aspiration Zero Card.
- Click Register to start the registration process.
- Fill out the requested information, including your name, date of birth and SSN.
- Once registered, you can apply for the Aspiration Zero at your main account screen.
What credit score do I need?
To qualify for the card, you’ll need at least a credit score of 670 or higher.
Aspiration Zero Card benefits
- Cash back. The Aspiration Zero Card earns 0.5% cash back on all purchases, with each transaction racking up one tree planted by Aspiration Zero. Plant 60 trees each month to earn 1% cash back on all your purchases. This bonus is retroactively applied to your spending for that month. You can redeem your rewards as cash back or toward planting trees at a rate of one tree per dollar.
- Welcome offer. Earn $300 cash back after you spend $3,000 on your card in your first 3 months. You can redeem this reward as cash back or opt to instead plant trees with the amount.
- Plant Your Change program. Aspiration Zero allows you to opt in to the Plant Your Change program, which rounds your purchases to the nearest dollar. If you choose to enroll, your card will plant two trees for each purchase, cutting down the number of transactions you need to make each month to earn 1% back to 30 transactions.
- Help save the planet. With every transaction you make, Aspiration will plant a tree. With 60 trees planted, you’ll be eliminating your carbon footprint each month.
What to watch out for
- Annual fee. You’ll pay $60 annually to use this card. This is somewhat expensive compared to your typical cashback card, particularly one that can only earn 1% back on purchases.
- A lot of work for a small payout. While this card isn’t aimed at maximizing rewards, you still have to make quite a few transactions with your card to earn just 1% back on purchases. This means the card isn’t efficient in value when you make larger purchases.
Compare cashback credit cards
For a look at how other cashback cards square up against the Aspiration Zero Card, select up to 4 cards and hit Compare to see them side by side.
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Bottom line
The Aspiration Zero Card is designed to help you reduce your carbon footprint and reward you for it. However, the card asks for a lot from the cardholder — and includes a dangerously short grace period — making it a generally poor choice as a cashback card compared to the competition. Proceed only out of the kindness of your own heart.