How does SwipeCaddy pick the best card at Petco?

We rank each card by its reward rate times a conservative cash value of its points or miles — no inflated transfer valuations — and apply Petco's card-acceptance rules, so the "best" card is one you can actually use at the register.

Is the Petco Pay Mastercard worth getting just for Petco runs?

It has no annual fee and earns 6x at Petco, about 4.8% in cash terms by our valuation, which more than doubles what any general card on this list returns. The one catch is that enrollment is required, so the rate is not automatic. If you shop Petco regularly and will actually enroll, it is the clear leader; occasional shoppers can stay with a 2% card.

Do I need a different card for Petco.com than in the store?

No. Our rankings for Petco are identical in store and online: the Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card leads both channels at 6x, and the same no-annual-fee 2% cards follow it in the same order. Petco also does not restrict any major card network in either channel. Pick one card for Petco and use it everywhere you shop there.

Best cards at Petco

Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card earns the most at Petco right now at 6x.

Rankings use issuer rates verified as of August 16, 2026.

In store

1
#16x
Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card
Bread Financial · Mastercard · No annual fee · Enrollment required
6x
2
#23x
myWalgreens Mastercard
Synchrony · Mastercard · No annual fee
3x
3
#33x
Robinhood Gold Card
Coastal Community Bank · Visa · No annual fee
3x
4
#42%
Apple Card
Goldman Sachs · Mastercard · No annual fee · Pay with the mobile wallet
2%
5
#52%
Blue Business Cash Card from American Express
American Express · Amex · Business · No annual fee · up to $50,000/yr
2%
6
#62x
The Blue Business Plus Credit Card from American Express
American Express · Amex · Business · No annual fee · up to $50,000/yr
2x
7
#72%
Citi Double Cash Card
Citi · Mastercard · No annual fee
2%
8
#82%
Coinbase One Card
Cardless · Amex · No annual fee
2%
9
#92%
Fidelity Rewards Visa Signature Card
Elan Financial Services · Visa · No annual fee
2%
10
#102%
Navy Federal cashRewards Plus
Navy Federal · Mastercard · No annual fee
2%

Online

Good to know at Petco

Petco takes every major card network, in store and online, so the question is rate, not acceptance. The store card leads: the Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card from Bread Financial earns 6x with no annual fee, roughly 4.8% back in cash terms under our valuation. Every general card behind it works out to 2%, so the gap between first place and the rest of the field is unusually wide here.

The fine print is mild but real. The Petco Pay Mastercard requires enrollment before the 6x kicks in, so set it up before you check out rather than after. The 2% pack has its own asterisks: both American Express business cards cap earning at $50,000 per year, and Apple Card's 2% depends on paying through the mobile wallet. None of these are dealbreakers, just conditions worth knowing before you swipe.

No Petco Pay Mastercard in your wallet? A no-annual-fee flat-rate card is a respectable fallback: the two American Express business cards and Apple Card all work out to 2% back here without costing you anything. What you should not do is pay for the privilege — the Capital One cards ranked below them return the same 2% while charging $95 to $395 a year, and Petco spending alone will never justify those fees.

The math

Spend $80 a month at Petco and Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card returns about $46 a year at our valuations — a flat 2% card returns $19.

Common questions

What is the best credit card at Petco?: Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card earns the most at Petco right now at 6x.
How does SwipeCaddy pick the best card at Petco?: We rank each card by its reward rate times a conservative cash value of its points or miles — no inflated transfer valuations — and apply Petco's card-acceptance rules, so the "best" card is one you can actually use at the register.
Is the Petco Pay Mastercard worth getting just for Petco runs?: It has no annual fee and earns 6x at Petco, about 4.8% in cash terms by our valuation, which more than doubles what any general card on this list returns. The one catch is that enrollment is required, so the rate is not automatic. If you shop Petco regularly and will actually enroll, it is the clear leader; occasional shoppers can stay with a 2% card.
Do I need a different card for Petco.com than in the store?: No. Our rankings for Petco are identical in store and online: the Petco Pay Mastercard Credit Card leads both channels at 6x, and the same no-annual-fee 2% cards follow it in the same order. Petco also does not restrict any major card network in either channel. Pick one card for Petco and use it everywhere you shop there.

Rates reflect each card's best case at this merchant and can change; check the issuer's terms before applying.