Look at the highest-APR ranking and you’ll see the same names at the top: store and retail-card issuers like Synchrony, Comenity and Bread Financial. In the CFPB survey their maximum purchase APRs frequently sit between 30% and 36% — well above the roughly 21% national average.
How high, exactly
| Issuer | Type | Surveyed purchase APR (max) |
|---|---|---|
| Comenity Bank | Store / retail-card | up to ~35.99% |
| Synchrony Financial | Store / retail-card | up to ~34.99% |
| Comenity Capital Bank | Store / retail-card | up to ~34.99% |
(See the live figures on each issuer page.)
Why they’re so expensive
- Looser approval. Store cards are designed to approve more applicants, including thinner or rebuilding credit — so the issuer prices in higher default risk.
- Not your main card. They’re typically used occasionally at one retailer, so issuers can’t rely on broad, low-risk spend.
- Deferred interest. Many run “0% if paid in full by [date]” promos. Miss the deadline by a dollar and interest is charged retroactively on the whole purchase at that 30%+ rate.
When a store card makes sense
Only if you’ll pay the balance in full every month and the rewards or financing clearly beat your everyday card. The moment you carry a balance, a 30%+ APR usually erases any discount. If you need to revolve a balance, a credit-union card capped at 18% is far cheaper — see the big banks vs credit unions breakdown.
Run the numbers yourself: a $1,000 store-card balance at 32% versus a credit-union card at 16% in the payoff calculator.
Sources
CFPB Terms of Credit Card Plans survey. Surveyed terms, not offers - verify with the issuer.