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USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card review
Last updated:
A low-APR credit card for military personnel and their families.
- Get this card if you’re affiliated with the military and you want to pay low APR on your balances.
- Pick something else if you want cash back or an intro APR period.
- Apply with a good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
$0
Annual fee
6.9% to 23.9%
Purchase APR (variable)
670
Recommended credit score
Expert review
Review by
Megan Horner
megan.horner@finder.comMegan Horner is the credit cards publisher at Finder. She's passionate about helping you find the best credit cards to meet your financial needs — whether that's earning great rewards or improving your credit score. Megan's expertise has been spotlighted on Lifehacker, CreditCards.com, American Banker and featured on news broadcasts across the country.
Expert review
Military service members and their family can enjoy this low-APR credit card. Military members can get even lower APR on all balances for a certain period of time during deployment or permanent change of station.
In addition, all cardholders can take advantage of shopping, insurance and identity-protection benefits.
How to apply for the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card
- Go to the USAA website and find theUSAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card.
- Click Log on or Get started.
- Sign in to your USAA account and fill out the application form.
- Review your application and submit.
The perks
- Special benefits for military service members. Military service members enjoy a fixed 4% interest rate for up to 12 months on all balances during deployment or permanent change of station. Also, if you have a balance when you enter active duty, your rate drops to 4% fixed on that balance until one year after your active duty ends.
- Relatively low APR. Depending on your creditworthiness, you’ll get an APR of 6.9% to 23.9% variable. This rate applies to purchases, balance transfers and cash advances.
- No annual fee. There’s no annual fee to keep this card.
- No foreign transaction fee. You can use your card outside of the US without accruing any additional fees.
You’ll also like …
- No penalty APR. Your APR won’t increase because a payment fails or you’re late.
- Mobile wallet. Add your card to your smartphone and simplify your payments using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay.
- Rental car insurance. If you rent a vehicle with your card for 15 or fewer consecutive days you can receive rental vehicle insurance covering physical damage and theft.
- Shopping benefits with your card. This card includes price protection and extended warranties on products you purchase. You also get Satisfaction Guarantee Coverage, which allows you to refund payment for products up to $250.
What to watch out for
- No grace period for balance transfers and cash advances. You’ll accrue interest immediately if you take out a cash advance or initiate a balance transfer.
- No intro APR period. The card doesn’t come with an intro APR period on purchases or balance transfers. But some card members report they received offers for an intro APR period that lasts up to 18 months.
- Only for members of the military and their family members.
To qualify for the card, you need to be an active military member, a veteran who was honorably discharged or an eligible military family member.
Compare credit cards for military members
Some credit card providers offer perks for military service members and their families. The best cards with military benefits often have reduced APRs and waived fees. Low APR cards can also be a good choice for military families that carry a balance.
What should I know before I apply?
To apply for the card, you must be a member of the military, a veteran who was honorably discharged or an eligible family member of military personnel.
You must also be:
- A US citizen or permanent resident.
- At least 18 years old.
In your application form, you must provide your:
- Full name and residential address.
- Marital status and birthdate.
- Contact information.
- Proof of employment and income.
What credit score do I need?
Your chances of approval increase if you apply with good to excellent credit score of 670 or higher.
USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card reviews and complaints
USAA is not accredited with the Better Business Bureau, but it earns an A- rating from the agency as of October 2020. As of this writing, 92% of its reviews are negative and it has over 1,422 customer complaints.
The company earns a Trustpilot score of 1.4 out of 5 as of October 2020. Many negative reviews cite unsympathetic customer service and difficulty getting fraud claims resolved. Positive reviews say customer service is responsive and the bank’s products have strong features.
I got the card. Now what?
- Download the USAA Mobile app. Use the app to pay your bills, send money with Zelle, get real-time stock quotes and more.
- Avoid interest. Your due date is 250 days after the close of each billing cycle. Try to pay your balance when it’s due to avoid paying interest.
- Customer service. If you have any questions, call 800-531-8722 and a customer service representative will assist you.
Bottom line
If you or your family are affiliated with the military and you’re looking for a low-APR credit card without an annual fee, the USAA® Rate Advantage Visa Platinum® Card could be a good choice.
But if you think there could be a better card for you, check out other low interest rate credit cards and compare your options.