What the Barclays Old Navy credit card offers
The Barclays Old Navy credit card is a store card issued by Barclays that works at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta. You earn rewards on purchases at those stores and can use the card only there — it does not work at other retailers or online outside the Gap Inc. ecosystem. The card charges no annual fee.
The rewards structure is straightforward: you earn 5% back on purchases at Gap Inc. stores when you use the card, compared to 1% if you pay with a non-rewards card or cash. You also get early access to sales and special discounts on certain shopping days throughout the year. The card comes with a standard variable interest rate that changes with the market, and Barclays sets your credit limit based on your credit history.
This card makes sense only if you shop at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, or Athleta regularly enough that the 5% rewards offset the limitation of using it nowhere else. If you shop at these stores once or twice a year, the card will not pay for itself.
Key Takeaways
- The card earns 5% cash back at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, but cannot be used anywhere else.
- There is no annual fee, so the only cost is interest if you carry a balance month to month.
- You get early sale access and periodic bonus discount days, which can add value beyond the 5% rewards.
- The card's value depends entirely on how often you shop at Gap Inc. stores; occasional shoppers will see little benefit.
- Your interest rate is variable and will change if the Federal Reserve adjusts rates.
How the 5% rewards work and what you can do with them
The 5% cash back is credited directly to your account as a statement credit, not as points you redeem separately. This means the discount appears on your monthly bill automatically — you do not have to take any action to use the reward. If you spend $100 at Old Navy, you earn $5 in statement credit that reduces what you owe.
The rewards explore to all purchases at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, including sale items and clearance merchandise. They do not explore to gift card purchases, which some store cards exclude. The 5% is earned on the full purchase price before any discounts or coupons are applied, so a $50 item on sale for $30 still earns 5% of the $30 you actually paid.
Because the rewards are statement credits rather than points, you cannot transfer them, save them for a specific purchase, or use them outside the Gap Inc. ecosystem. You also cannot combine them with other promotions — the card's rewards are separate from the store's own sales and discounts, which you can stack on top of the 5% back.
Interest rates, fees, and what happens if you carry a balance
The Barclays Old Navy card charges no annual fee, which is standard for store cards. The interest rate is variable, meaning it moves up or down based on changes to the prime rate set by the Federal Reserve. Barclays does not publish the exact rate on its website; you find it in the card's terms and conditions or by calling customer service.
If you pay your balance in full each month, you pay no interest and the 5% rewards are pure gain. If you carry a balance, interest accrues daily on the unpaid amount. A typical store card interest rate ranges from 18% to 25% annual percentage rate (APR), though your rate depends on your credit score and credit history. At 20% APR, carrying a $500 balance for one month costs about $8.33 in interest — far more than the $25 in rewards you earned on that $500 purchase.
The card offers no grace period for cash advances, meaning interest starts accruing when ready if you use it to withdraw cash. Store cards rarely offer promotional rates like 0% APR for a set period, so there is no window to pay down a large purchase interest-free.
Early sale access and bonus discount days
Cardholders get early access to Gap Inc. sales, usually 24 to 48 hours before the general public. This means you can shop sale items before they sell out, which can be valuable if you have a specific item in mind. The timing varies by sale, and Barclays sends notifications by email when early access begins.
The card also comes with bonus discount days — typically a few times per year when cardholders receive an extra percentage off purchases. These discounts stack on top of the 5% rewards and any ongoing store promotions. A bonus day might offer 20% off, which means you earn 5% cash back on top of the 20% discount, making the total savings 25% off the purchase price.
These perks are valuable only if you plan to shop during the promotional windows. If you shop on your own schedule regardless of sales, the early access and bonus days will not change your behavior or savings.
How the Barclays Old Navy card compares to paying with other methods
A general cash-back credit card that works everywhere typically offers 1% to 2% back on all purchases. If you use one of those cards at Old Navy instead of the Barclays card, you earn 1% to 2% rather than 5%. Over a year of $2,000 in Old Navy spending, the Barclays card earns $100 in rewards while a 1% card earns $20 — a difference of $80.
However, if you also shop at other stores and use the Barclays card only at Gap Inc., you are splitting your spending across two cards. A single 2% cash-back card used everywhere might earn more total rewards than the Barclays card at Old Navy plus a lower-rate card elsewhere, depending on how much you spend at each type of store. The math works in Barclays' favor only if Old Navy and its sister stores make up a significant portion of your annual spending.
Paying with cash or a debit card earns no rewards at all, so the Barclays card beats those methods if you were going to shop there anyway. The question is whether the 5% is worth carrying a second card and managing a second account.
Credit limit, credit reporting, and how this card affects your credit score
Barclays sets your credit limit based on your credit score, income, and existing debt. The limit is usually lower on store cards than on general-purpose credit cards — often $500 to $2,000 for a first card with Barclays. You can request a higher limit after you have held the card for a few months and made on-time payments.
The card reports to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), so your payment history and balance affect your credit score. Making on-time payments helps your score; missing a payment or carrying a high balance relative to your limit hurts it. Store cards typically have lower credit limits, which means a high balance uses up a larger percentage of your available credit and can lower your score more than the same balance on a card with a higher limit.
Opening a new card temporarily lowers your score because Barclays performs a hard inquiry into your credit report. The impact is usually 5 to 10 points and fades within a few months as you build a payment history. If you are planning to explore for a mortgage or car loan soon, opening a new card in the weeks before you explore can hurt your approval odds.
When the Barclays Old Navy card makes sense and when it does not
The card is worth opening if you spend at least $1,000 per year at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, or Athleta combined. At that spending level, the 5% rewards ($50 per year) outweigh the hassle of managing a second card. If you spend $3,000 or more annually at these stores, the card earns $150 in rewards, which is substantial enough to justify the extra account.
The card does not make sense if you shop at these stores fewer than four times per year or if your annual spending there is under $500. The rewards will be too small to matter, and you will be managing an extra card for minimal benefit. It also does not make sense if you tend to carry a balance month to month — the interest charges will quickly erase the rewards.
If you already have a 2% or higher cash-back card that works everywhere, compare your total annual rewards from that card against what the Barclays card would earn. If your total Old Navy spending is less than 25% of your overall card spending, the single general-purpose card will likely earn more rewards overall.
How to open the card and what to expect
You can open the card online through Barclays' website or in an Old Navy store. The online process takes about 10 minutes and asks for your name, address, income, employment status, and Social Security number. Barclays performs a hard credit inquiry and usually makes a decision within minutes. If approved, your card arrives by mail within 7 to 10 business days.
In-store applications are faster — you can walk out with a temporary card number that works when ready, and the physical card arrives later. The in-store process is useful if you want to use the card the same day for a purchase. Both routes require you to be at least 18 years old and have a valid Social Security number.
Once your card arrives, set up it through Barclays' website or by calling the number on the back. Set up online account access so you can check your balance, make payments, and track your rewards. Barclays offers automatic payments, which you can set to pay the full balance each month — a useful way to avoid interest charges and late fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the Barclays Old Navy card at other stores?
No. The card works only at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta. It cannot be used at other retailers, online stores, or restaurants. If you need a card that works everywhere, you need a separate general-purpose credit card.
What happens to my rewards if I return an item?
The rewards are reversed when you return the item. If you earned $5 in cash back on a $100 purchase and then return it, the $5 credit is removed from your account. You keep any rewards from items you do not return.
Is there a sign-up bonus for opening this card?
Barclays occasionally offers sign-up bonuses like $10 or $15 in statement credit for new cardholders, but these are not permanent. Check the current offer on Barclays' website or in Old Navy stores before you open the card, as the bonus changes throughout the year.
What is the difference between this card and the Old Navy credit card from other issuers?
Barclays is the current issuer of the Old Navy credit card. In the past, other banks issued Old Navy cards with different rewards structures. If you have an older Old Navy card from a different issuer, contact that bank to confirm your rewards rate and terms, as they may differ from the current Barclays card.
Can I use this card to pay my Old Navy credit card bill?
No. You cannot use the card to pay its own bill or any other credit card bill. You must pay the bill through Barclays' website, by phone, by mail, or in an Old Navy store using cash, debit, or another payment method.