5 Things to Know About the Lane Bryant Credit Card - NerdWallet (2024)

The Lane Bryant clothing brand has featured a number of slogans over the years, including "Nobody fits you like Lane Bryant." Unfortunately, the Lane Bryant Credit Card doesn't really measure up.

It suffers from drawbacks that are all too common among store credit cards, including a sky-high APR (29.99% as of this writing), poor rewards value and limited redemption options.

Even most Lane Bryant loyalists will be better off looking into a general rewards credit card.

Here are five things to know about the Lane Bryant Credit Card.

1. Acceptance is confined to Lane Bryant stores

The Comenity-issued Lane Bryant Credit Card is a closed-loop product, meaning it can be used only within the brand. That includes Lane Bryant stores, LaneBryant.com and Cacique, which sells plus-size undergarments and swimwear.

If you're searching for an open-loop credit card that can be used at more than one store, consider a card like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express. It earns 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations and U.S. online retail purchases. (The 3% rate is capped at $6,000 in each of the three categories; after that, the card earns 1%.) Terms apply; see rates and fees.

Note that you'll typically need at least good credit (FICO scores of 690 or higher) to qualify for the best open-loop rewards credit cards. But even if you have fair credit (FICO scores of at least 630), you can still qualify for certain rewards cards that can be used essentially anywhere.

2. Your rewards rate hinges on how much you spend

The Lane Bryant Credit Card is tied to — and earns points in — the retailer's loyalty program, called "Lane Rewards." Even without a credit card, members at the baseline tier of Lane Rewards can earn 10 points for every $1 spent on qualifying purchases. However, if you pay with your Lane Bryant Credit Card, you’ll get at least 15 points for every $1 spent.

More points are possible depending on your status within the Lane Rewards Program. Here's how it breaks down:

Lane Rewards members will have their status downgraded if they don’t meet those above spending requirements in the calendar year after the status was earned.

3. Points aren't worth much ...

For every 3,000 points earned, you’ll get a $10 Reward, meaning that each point is worth about three-tenths of a penny. That’s pretty low compared with other general rewards cards.

And of course, just as the Lane Bryant Credit Card can only be used within the Lane Bryant brand, rewards earned with the card are only redeemable there, as well.

Compare that with a general rewards credit card like the Citi Double Cash® Card. It, too, earns points — but those points are worth a full 1 cent apiece when redeemed for a statement credit, direct deposit or a check (i.e., true cash back that you can use toward whatever you want).

4. ... And they expire quickly

Lane Bryant Credit Card holders can earn unlimited points, but they expire after 12 months.

And the rewards that those points are automatically converted into? Those have an even shorter shelf life of 60 days.

In contrast, plenty of credit cards accrue rewards that never expire as long as the account is open and in good standing.

5. The sign-up bonus is paltry

Opening up a Lane Bryant Credit Card comes with a sign-up bonus worth $20. You must use the credit card on the same day as when the account is opened to receive the bonus, and it's redeemable only at the location where you applied for the card, whether in-store or online. You must spend at least $20.01 to redeem the sign-up bonus online, but there is no minimum amount if the purchase is made in a Lane Bryant store.

While $20 off at checkout may sound like a decent deal, it pales in comparison with sign-up bonuses for other credit cards, many of which are worth hundreds of dollars. These cards also have higher rewards rates than the Lane Bryant Credit Card and no annual fee.