Ducks Unlimited Card Review: It’s Bye-Bye to Those Big Gas Rewards
The Bottom Line
3.8
The card's ongoing rewards rate matches what you'll find on many good cash-back cards, but it lacks some of the upfront incentives that those other options offer.
Rates, fees and offers
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1.5%-3%
Bonus offer
Get a one-time $35 statement credit when you make your first purchase during the first 3 bill cycles after account opening, with the Ducks Unlimited Visa Card.
Intro APR
N/A
Ongoing APR
APR: 28.99% Variable
Cash Advance APR: 29.74%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
More details from First National Bank of Omaha
- With the Ducks Unlimited Visa Card, you earn points on every purchase you make. Plus, a portion of your purchases will go to funding wetlands and waterfowl conservation efforts.
- Get a one-time $35 statement credit to cover the cost of your Ducks Unlimited membership when you make your first purchase during the first 3 bill cycles after account opening, with the Ducks Unlimited Visa Card.
- Earn 3% back on Ducks Unlimited purchases for the first $10,000 during each 12 consecutive billing cycle after account opening.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% back on everyday purchases.
Pros and Cons
Pros
No annual fee
No reward caps
Cons
No bonus offer
No 0% intro APR
Detailed Review
The $0-annual-fee Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa® Card was once a rare bird. Issued by First Bankcard, a division of First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO), it offered an exceptional rewards rate — unlimited 5% cash back — on gas and at sporting goods stores.
Offered — past tense. In spring 2020, the card radically restructured its rewards. Out went the big, honking rate on gas that had originally made it NerdWallet's best gas card of 2020. In its place: a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases. That's not a terrible rate — it matches what's offered by plenty of good cards. But it's not unlimited 5% on gas.
Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa® Card: Basics
Card type: Cash back.
Annual fee: $0.
Sign-up bonus: None.
Rewards: 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Interest rate: The ongoing APR is 28.99% Variable.
Foreign transaction fee: 3%
Compare to Other Cards
Benefits and Perks
It supports the Ducks Unlimited organization
In terms of features, there's really nothing about this card to recommend it over other 1.5% cards, especially those that offer cash sign-up bonuses or introductory 0% interest periods. However, if you're a hunter or conservationist who believes in Ducks Unlimited's mission, it might find a place in your wallet.
A portion of every purchase made with the Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa® Card is donated to Ducks Unlimited’s efforts to preserve and maintain wetlands and other native habitats for ducks, geese and other wildlife. The organization says its conservation and management efforts have provided over 15 million acres of habitat for waterfowl, and that the number of ducks recorded in those areas has increased as a result.
Drawbacks and Considerations
You can find better flat-rate rewards cards
If you're seeking solid and consistent rewards every time you use your card, you'll find that with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. With this card, you'll earn a total of 2% cash back on every purchase.
You can also find better bonus rewards cards
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 1.5% cash back on purchases, like the Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa® Card. But it also gives you:
Bonus rewards: 5% on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining at restaurants and drugstores. New cardholder incentives: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!An introductory APR offer: 0% intro APR on purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months, and then the ongoing APR of 19.99%-28.74% Variable APR.
The Citi Double Cash® Card pays 2% cash back on purchases — 1% when you buy something and another 1% when you pay the bill. If your credit card spending covers a lot more ground than gas, this card makes it simple to earn elevated rewards on all purchases.
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Methodology
NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.
