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Bellwether Smart Rewards Card review

A no-annual-fee card with an underwhelming rewards rate.

  • Get this card if you want to earn flat rewards on all purchases and make balance transfers.
  • Pick something else if you want to earn higher rewards rates.
  • Apply with a good credit score of 670 or higher for best chances of approval.
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Kliment Dukovski
Last Updated

5,000

Points as welcome offer

Up to 1.5x

Points

$0

Annual fee

2.99%

Intro purchase APR

for the first 12 months (then 10.99% to 20.99% variable)

Details

Annual fee$0
Welcome Offer5,000 points after spending $1,000 in your first 90 days
Rewards1.5x points on all purchases
Purchase APR2.99% intro for the first 12 months (then 10.99% to 20.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR0% intro for the first 12 billing cycles (then 10.99% to 20.99% variable)
Recommended minimum credit score670
IssuerVisa
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Review by

Kliment Dukovski is a credit cards and investments writer. He's written over 600 articles to help readers find and compare the best credit cards. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies.

Expert review

The Bellwether Smart Rewards Card is a no-annual-fee card with a flat 1.5x points on all purchases. This rewards rate isn’t necessarily bad — after all, you do earn rewards on your purchases — but it fails to keep up with the competition. For example, with the revamped Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card, you can earn 3x and 5x points on select categories and 1.5x points on all other purchases.

The only valuable feature the Bellwether Smart Rewards Card offers is the long 0% intro APR on balance transfers. But unless you intend to move a balance on to this card, there’s not much value you can get rewards-wise.

With a good credit score or higher, you’re likely to score better rewards with other credit cards.

How to apply for the Bellwether Smart Rewards Card

Applying for the card is simple. Here’s how:

  1. Visit the BCCU website.
  2. Click Borrow at the top menu and select Bellwether VISA Cards.
  3. Find the Smart Rewards Card and click Apply now.
  4. Fill out the application form.
  5. Review the application and submit.

What credit score do I need?

For best chances of approval, apply with a good credit score of 670 or higher.

Bellwether Smart Rewards Card benefits

  • Rewards. Earn 1.5x points on all purchases. Redeem points for travel, merchandise, and gifts.
  • Signup bonus. Earn 5,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in your first 90 days of account opening.
  • Intro APR period on purchases. Get a 2.99% intro APR period on purchases during your first 12 months of card membership. A variable APR of 10.99% to 20.99% applies thereafter.
  • Intro APR period on balance transfers. Get 12 billing cycles of 0% intro APR period on balance transfers. A variable 10.99% to 20.99% applies after that.
  • No annual fee. You won’t pay an annual fee for the card.

What to watch out for

  • Balance transfer fees. Even though Bellwether advertises a $0 balance transfer fee for this card, the small print says there’s only no balance transfer fee after the 0% intro APR period has ended. During the 0% intro APR promotional period, you’ll pay a 4% balance transfer fee.
  • Foreign transaction fees. There’s a 2% foreign transaction fee for purchases made abroad or online with foreign merchants.

Compare rewards credit cards

Name Product Welcome offer Rewards Annual fee Filter values
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Up to $350: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $200 back, plus $150 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in the first 6 months
6% on select US streaming services, 3% on transit and US gas stations, 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 annually, then 1% after that and on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)
$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Earn up to $350. In your first 6 months, you can earn a $150 statement credit when you spend $3,000, and earn 20% back on Amazon purchases made with your card, up to $200 total. Having 6 months to earn a welcome offer is a rare benefit as most cards give you only 3. Terms apply, see rates & fees
Apply now
View details
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
Up to $250: 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first 6 months for up to $150 back, plus $100 statement credit after spending $2,000 within the first 6 months
3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year (then 1%), 2% at US gas stations and select US department stores and 1% on all other purchases (redeem as statement credit)
$0
Earn up to $250. You'll get 20% back on Amazon.com purchases in the first six months for up to $150 back, and $100 after you spend $2,000 in the first six months. This is a higher-than-average welcome offer for a card with no annual fee. Terms apply, see rates & fees
Apply now
View details
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
100,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. That's $1,250 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
5x points on Lyft, 2x points on travel and dining and 1x points on all other purchases
$95

Up to $1,250 signup bonus

 Earn a massive signup bonus of 100,000 points with this popular travel card. That's worth up to $1,250!
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Bottom line

The Bellwether Smart Rewards Card offers a flat rewards rate of 1.5x points on all purchases and it can help you consolidate your debt with a 0% balance transfer offer. However, the rewards rate and the balance transfer intro APR period length aren’t that impressive.

For example, with the Citi® Double Cash Card, you can earn 2% cash back on all purchases — 1% back when you make the purchase and 1% back when you pay your balance — plus you get a longer balance transfer intro APR period.

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