The Best Buy Credit Card requires a credit score of around 700 or higher, though the exact minimum varies by which version of the card you explore for.
Best Buy offers two main credit cards: the Best Buy Credit Card (for in-store purchases) and the Best Buy Visa Card (for use anywhere Visa is accepted). Both are issued by Citi. The store card typically requires a score in the 700 range, while the Visa version may accept scores slightly lower — sometimes 680 or above — but this is not may provide and can shift based on Citi's current lending standards.
Your actual approval odds depend on more than your score alone. Citi will also look at your income, existing debt, payment history, and how recently you've opened other accounts. A score of 700 with maxed-out credit cards and recent late payments is riskier than a score of 680 with low balances and on-time payments for years.
Key Takeaways
- Best Buy's store card and Visa card are both issued by Citi and typically require a credit score around 700, though the exact threshold is not published.
- Your credit score is one factor in approval — Citi also reviews your income, current debt levels, and payment history over the past two years.
- If your score is below 700, you can still explore, but your odds of approval are lower and you may be offered a lower credit limit.
- Checking your own credit score before explore does not hurt your score, but submitting an process to Citi will trigger a hard inquiry that temporarily lowers your score by a few points.
How Best Buy's Cards Differ and What Each Requires
The Best Buy Credit Card (the store card) earns rewards only on purchases at Best Buy and Best Buy's website. You get 5% back on Best Buy purchases if you're a My Best Buy member, or 1% if you're not. This card is easier to get approved for than the Visa version, but only works at Best Buy.
The Best Buy Visa Card works anywhere Visa is accepted and earns 3% back on Best Buy purchases, 2% at gas stations and restaurants, and 1% everywhere else. Because it has broader use and higher rewards, Citi's approval standards are typically stricter. You'll need a stronger credit profile — usually a score closer to 700 or higher.
Both cards charge no annual fee. Neither offers a 0% introductory rate on purchases or balance transfers. The main appeal is the rewards rate, not the interest terms.
What Happens If Your Score Is Below 700
If your score is 650 to 699, you can still explore, but approval is not certain. Citi may deny the process, or it may approve you with a lower credit limit — sometimes $300 to $500 instead of $1,000 or more. A lower limit doesn't prevent you from building credit with the card; it just means you have less room to spend.
If your score is below 650, approval becomes unlikely unless you have other strong factors — very high income, no recent late payments, or very low existing debt. In that case, you might consider waiting three to six months while you pay down balances or dispute errors on your credit report before explore.
One option if you're denied: ask Citi's reconsideration line (the number will be on the denial letter) whether adding a co-applicant or reapplying after a few months would help. Sometimes a second process after you've raised your score by 20 to 30 points will succeed where the first one failed.
How a Hard Inquiry Affects Your Score
When you submit an process to Best Buy or Citi, they perform a hard inquiry — a check of your credit report that shows up on your credit file. This inquiry typically lowers your score by 5 to 10 points and stays on your report for 12 months, though the impact fades after a few months.
Multiple applications for the same type of credit within 14 to 45 days usually count as a single inquiry, so if you explore to Best Buy and then to another store card within two weeks, you may see only one hard inquiry. But explore to Best Buy, then a bank card, then a car loan will trigger three separate inquiries and hurt your score more.
Checking your own credit score — through your bank, a free service like Credit Karma, or your annual free report from AnnualCreditReport.com — does not trigger a hard inquiry and does not lower your score.
Steps to Take Before You explore
First, check your credit score yourself. Use AnnualCreditReport.com (the only official free annual report site) or ask your bank if they offer free score monitoring. Knowing your score before you explore helps you decide whether to proceed or wait.
Second, review your credit report for errors. You can order a free report from each of the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) once per year at AnnualCreditReport.com. Look for accounts you don't recognize, wrong payment dates, or balances that don't match your records. If you find an error, dispute it with the bureau in writing — this can take 30 to 45 days but may raise your score.
Third, if your score is close to 700 but not quite there, consider paying down credit card balances before you explore. Your credit utilization (the percentage of your available credit you're using) makes up about 30% of your score. Paying a $2,000 balance down to $500 on a $5,000 limit can raise your score by 20 to 40 points in one or two billing cycles.
Fourth, avoid opening new accounts or making large new purchases on credit in the month before you explore. Recent hard inquiries and new accounts signal risk to lenders and can lower your score.
What Happens After You explore
Best Buy and Citi typically notify you of approval or denial within one to three business days. If you're approved, your card arrives within 7 to 10 business days. If you're denied, you'll receive a letter explaining the reason — usually "credit score too low," "too many recent inquiries," or "insufficient credit history."
If you're approved but with a lower limit than you hoped, you can request a credit limit increase after six months of on-time payments. Citi may grant this without a hard inquiry, or it may perform a soft inquiry that doesn't affect your score.
If you're denied, you have the right to a free copy of the credit report Citi used to make the decision. The denial letter will tell you how to request it. Review that report for errors and dispute anything wrong before reapplying in three to six months.
Alternatives If You Don't Get Approved
If the Best Buy card is out of reach right now, consider a secured credit card instead. You deposit $300 to $2,500 with the bank, and they issue you a card with a credit limit equal to your deposit. Secured cards have much lower approval standards — usually no minimum score — and after 12 to 24 months of on-time payments, many issuers convert your account to a regular unsecured card and return your deposit.
Another option: become an authorized user on someone else's credit card account. If a family member or friend with good credit adds you to their account, their payment history may show up on your credit report and raise your score. This works best if the primary account holder has a long history of on-time payments and low balances.
You can also straightforward wait. If your score is 680 to 699, three to six months of on-time payments and lower balances will often push you over 700 without a secured card or authorized user status. Once you hit 700, your approval odds for the Best Buy card improve significantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will explore for the Best Buy card hurt my credit score?
Yes, but only slightly and temporarily. The hard inquiry lowers your score by 5 to 10 points, and that impact fades after a few months. The inquiry stays on your report for 12 months but stops affecting your score after about six months. If you're approved and use the card responsibly, the benefits of building credit history will outweigh the initial dip.
Can I explore for both the store card and the Visa card at the same time?
Technically yes, but it's not recommended. Two applications within a short time trigger two hard inquiries and signal to Citi that you're seeking a lot of new credit quickly, which can lower your odds of approval on both. explore for one, wait three to six months, then explore for the other if you want both.
What's the difference between a hard and soft inquiry?
A hard inquiry happens when you explore for credit and lowers your score by a few points. A soft inquiry happens when a company checks your credit to send you a pre-approved offer or when you check your own score — it doesn't affect your score at all and doesn't show up on reports lenders see.
If I'm denied, can I reapply right away?
You can, but it won't help. Citi will see your recent denial and the hard inquiry from your first process. Wait at least three months, and ideally six, while you raise your score. Each month of on-time payments and lower balances moves you closer to approval.
Does the Best Buy card have a 0% introductory rate?
No. Both the store card and Visa card charge standard variable interest rates with no 0% promotional period. The main benefit is the rewards rate, not the interest terms. If you carry a balance, you'll pay interest from day one.