CARDHOLDER REVIEWS

Recent Credit Card Reviews by Consumers Like You

Following is a sampling of the latest consumer reviews that can be found by clicking the "Cardholder Reviews" link above. We take pride in the quantity (our site offers approximately 17,250 reviews of 928 different credit cards) and quality of the consumer reviews that can be find on our site. New reviews are added on a daily basis. The cards are rated on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest recommended. Credit Card: Discover® Platinum Card Provided by: Morgan Stanley Total Posts: 265 Average Rating: 3.54 Category: Reward - Cash Date posted: 01/07/2006 Review: This card offers cash back every billing cycle. Some other cards make you wait an entire year. The grace period is a little too short. Another great thing is the wide variety of card designs the customer can choose from rather than being forced to carry the manufacturer's style. This feature alone should be enough for many. Best Feature: cash back Worst Feature: not accepted as much as mastercard or visa Overall Rating: 5 Benefit Rating: 5 Service Rating: 5 Recommend: Yes Credit Card: Orchard Bank Mastercard Provided by: Household Bank Total Posts: 2 Average Rating: 3.75 Category: Regular Date posted: 01/07/2006 Review: My husband and I both applied for the Orchard bank card. I was immediately approved with a credit scores of 613-630 for $750 (no application fee, $59 yearly fee). My husband has a credit score of 667-680 and only got a limit of $500 ($19 app. fee and $79 yearly fee). When we questioned this, we were told that because I had made one payment on a new student loan and he hadn't made his first payment yet...I was in better shape even though his credit score is higher. If you have new loans, you might be better off making a few payments on those before applying for a new card with Orchard. Less fees and a higher limit are worth waiting a few months. So far, customer service has been extremely friendly and willing to be helpful. My card is delayed due to the holiday rush in ordering so they waived the "pay by phone" fee to allow me to make the first payment of the annual fee early. They report to all three credit bureaus monthly, so making on time payments is really important. Yes there are high fees, lower balances, and more restrictions, but we wouldn't need this type of card if we were responsible borrowers in the first place...I guess we should just be glad someone will give us a chance to rebuild! Best Feature: Easy to get Worst Feature: fees Overall Rating: 3.5 Benefit Rating: 3.5 Service Rating: 4.5 Recommend: Yes MBNA Travel Max Card Provided by: MBNA Total Posts: 4 Average Rating: 3.5 Category: Reward - Airline Date posted: 01/01/2005 Review: Cash Back Program: I have had this card for quite a while, I didn't use it much at first so I didn't notice minor fluctuations in point totals. I accumulated about 16,000 points over a two year period and was just about ready to decide to use them. My statement came and 6,000 points had been deleated. I called and they informed me that points only last two years - "that's tough luck", they said, "Read your card agreement". I've cancelled this card. Best Feature: None Worst Feature: Travel Max points expiration after two years Overall Rating: 2 Benefit Rating: 1 Service Rating: 2.5 Recommend: No Credit Card: US Airways Signature Card Provided by: Bank of America Total Posts: 1 Average Rating: 3.50 Category: Reward - Airline Date posted: 12/31/2005 Review: Get this card: Unfortunately, I would have had a good review for this card, but everytime I try to use the miles in any way, it is always blocked, black-out days, or just all the seats for using are taken. If you book three years in advance, then you should be able to use your mileage. They say you get $50 updgrades to first class, but have never seen it, anytime I try to upgrade it is always no. Just like in the David Spade commercials. Best Feature: Luggage check-in and boarding priviledges Worst Feature: Using Miles is next to impossible. Three Year lead time needed. Overall Rating: 3.5 Benefit Rating: 3 Service Rating: 2 Recommend: No Credit Card: Macy's Credit Card Provided by: FDS Bank Total Posts: 41 Average Rating: 1.70 Category: Retail Date posted: 12/29/2005 Review: Some interesting points about Macy's Cards [Upside] -No Annual Fee. -Discounts off of many purchases. -Earns reward bonuses depending on annual spending. -Higher card classes (depending on annual spending) recieve a certain number of free gift wrapping, basic alterations of clothing, free delivery (up to a certain amount), priority customer service numbers, and reward certificates to spend in store. -Don't need card present in store to shop, as long as you have valid state ID. -Macy's in store account can be reviewed for general increases every 3 months, provided on time payments have been made. [Downside] -High APR's on Macy's store account & Visa Account. -Credit line does not appear on statment, and is not revealed on instant approval, unless you call customer service. -Credit Customer Service is only open to 9pm in the time zone you first opened your account. -Additional account types for furniture, jewelry, etc. show on credit reports as seperate lines of credit. Once added, their status cannot be changed to closed on the credit report unless all the accounts are closed. -Macy's Visa cards have two accounts, a store account, and Visa account. They are billed seperately, on different cycles, with different due dates. The store account's credit line is very low compared to the Visa, of which purchases inside a macy's store cannot be charged to the Visa, to take advantage of the higher credit line. Best Feature: Fraud Protection Worst Feature: Have to call customer service to learn Credit Line. Overall Rating: 3.5 Benefit Rating: 2.5 Service Rating: 5 Recommend: Yes Credit Card: Toys R Us VISA Provided by: Chase Total Posts: 1 Average Rating: 5.00 Category: Reward - Retail Date posted: 12/29/2005 Review: A couple months ago the rebate coupons became gift cards, issued in $10 increments. You can also now use them online. This is great because you can give the gift cards as gifts, as opposed to the original coupons that were issued. The only sad thing...my kids (& friends) are getting older and are outgrowing almost everything (except electronics) at Toys R Us. Best Feature: Easy to earn rebates for use at Toys R Us Worst Feature: If you carry a balance, it takes two full cycles to make it up Overall Rating: 5 Benefit Rating: 4.5 Service Rating: 5 Recommend: Yes Credit Card: Verizon Visa® Card Provided by: Citibank Total Posts: 100 Average Rating: 1.86 Category: Student Date posted: 12/22/2005 Review: I don't know everyone's situations, but I've been a cardholder since it was Associates, about 8 years now...I've never been late, always paid more than the minimum, and have rarely been able to get them to lower the APR. Every so often they'll raise it due to the prime rate going up, but they'll never lower it due to 'time served,' or 'paying on time.' You'd think since they're so generous in raising college students' limits (knowing we'll most likely use them) and so good at collecting interest from us that they'd lower our interest once in a while. It's not like they'd be losing money! I do have to give them credit in that this is a good starter card for any college student, and I'm only keeping it because the longer you keep an account, and keep it in good standing, the better your credit looks. So all these people telling you to close your account and run must not be in good standing, or must be paying 25% interest! If you are paying 15% or less, keeping the card wouldn't be a bad idea. I know because I've worked a few years in the credit card industry and I've also fought with credit card companies and reporting agencies in the past to fix mistakes on my own credit report - in which I was successful, but it took A LOT of patience and writing letters. Best Feature: Good starter card Worst Feature: APR Overall Rating: 3 Benefit Rating: 2 Service Rating: 3 Recommend: Yes Credit Card: Blue Cash® from American Express® Provided by: American Express Total Posts: 27 Average Rating: 3.52 Category: Reward - Cash Date posted: 12/26/2005 Review: This is THE AMEX card to get if you spend alot of money. If you don't, then don't bother. This card is not meant nor designed for low income households. If your one of them, get a citi dividend card which caps you at $300!!!! What a ripoff. This AMEX BLUE CASH, there is NO CASH BACK CAP!. The only limit is only the first $50,000 in a year is counted, now you see the attraction for high earner individuals. With Citi, once you get $300, you have to apply for another card??? What a joke! My limit is an insane $25,000. Ha! Here is an unknown perk that BLUE DOES NOT HAVE, but Blue Cash does. I reserved a room at the Bellagio in vegas. My flight was delayed and I did not get there until after midnight. I was terrified that they gave my room to someone else since I was a perceived "no show". WRONG!!!! with BLUE CASH, your room is RESERVED until checkout the next day!. I was impressed. I called AMEX and they said this is an additional benefit and had I used Blue, it would not have worked out that way. I was smiling ear to ear. What a great card. I love it and I use it for everything. I can choose not to pay in full, but I treat it as a charge card and AMEX has NEVER DECLINED A CHARGE for me, no matter how much I spent. If you can afford it, I highly recommend this card! Best Feature: cash reward Worst Feature: skyhigh APR rate Overall Rating: 5 Benefit Rating: 5 Service Rating: 5 Recommend: Yes Credit Card: Marriott Rewards Visa® Signature Card Provided by: Bank One Total Posts: 14 Average Rating: 4.14 Category: Reward - Hotel Date posted: 12/21/2005 Review: Chase has taken over BankOne and the Marriott Rewards Visa card. Chase sent out a new guide to benefits that cuts the $1,000,000 Travel Accident Insurance down to $100,000 on 1/1/06. A 90% drop in coverage. I tried to find out why and verify that the change is for the Platinum Marriott Rewards card. No information is included with the letter from Chase. They refer you to the phone number on the back of the Credit Card. Marriott Rewards does not know what the benefits are for their card. Chase Visa can only tell you the current benefits not what they are changing to in January (11 days from this writing.) Visa Enhancement Services said there is currently NO coverage on this card and they are ADDing the $100,000 coverage. Chase Corporate has no clue what Chase Visa is doing and refer you back to Chase Visa. Marriott Corporate is "looking into it" and "will get back to me." I should have given up on this days ago, but you know how sometimes you just want know if the situation is as bad as it seems. Well...if you call to apply for a new Marriott Rewards card (12/21/05), you guessed it, they still quote a $1M Travel and Accident Insurance policy. The right hand does not even know the left hand exists. Marriott Rewards 800-399-4229 Chase Visa 800-346-5538 Visa Enhancement Services 800-356-8955 JPMorgan Chase 212-270-6000 Marriott Corporate 301-380-3000 Best Feature: Points and $1M Travel Accident Insurance Worst Feature: Customer Service Overall Rating: 4 Benefit Rating: 4.5 Service Rating: 2 Recommend: No The Cardholder Review section is a unique feature of our site and, to the best of our knowledge, there is no other organization or company that offers more consumer reviews of credit cards. It's all about consumers helping other consumers. As your might expect, this section of our site has been one of the most popular sections of our site since it was introduced in the summer of 2000. New reviews are posted on a daily basis. 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