AACS Visa® Card

AACS Visa® Card Review

Although the AACS Visa® Card is a fairly simple credit card offer – there are no bells and whistles like a rewards program or signup bonus – it is nevertheless a powerful financial tool. It’s designed for individuals who wish to show their support for Christian education and the AACS while saving money thanks to competitive interest rates and few fees. 

Support Christian Education with the AACS Visa® Card

If you’re looking for a credit card that gives back to the community and helps to promote the morals you hold dear, the AACS Visa® card is an option to consider. Help the AACS “educate for eternity” as they work to provide legislative oversight and promote high quality Christian education programs. Commerce Bank makes a donation to Christian education every time you make a purchase. After every $100 in net merchandise purchases made with the card, Commerce contributes $0.50 to AACS. 

Net merchandise purchases include the purchase of merchandise or services that are posted to the cardholder’s account and can cover a slew of items you might buy regularly – including groceries and gas. However, transactions like cash advances, balance transfers, money transfers, insurance premiums and gaming chips do not qualify as a net merchandise purchase. These transactions will not contribute to the donation to the AACS. 

Competitive Rates and Fees from the AACS Visa® Card

There are several cost-saving features that accompany the AACS Visa Card. There is no annual fee, for example. This helps cardholders avoid extra charges that are otherwise not directly associated with their spending.  

The card also has a special introductory APR period, with an interest fee of 1.99% for the first six billing cycles that the card account is open. This introductory APR applies to both purchases and balance transfers and is particularly significant for cardholders who plan to transfer an existing balance to this card. It’s an opportunity to make a significant dent in existing debt from another card without paying the full interest rate. An introductory APR period is also useful for cardholders who wish to make a large purchase using their card and plan to pay it down in increments. 

Once the introductory APR period has ended, your interest rates will transition into a competitive standard APR. The regular APR for the AACS Visa is average. The interest rates cardholders will see if they carry a balance from month to month are not overly high, nor are they low when compared to most other credit cards. Although this interest rate does not stand out, it will also help cardholders save money when compared to the interest rate for some other cards. 

Manage Your AACS Visa® Card

Create a free online account and monitor your spending with your AACS Visa quickly and easily. Cardholders can take advantage of the following benefits that make using this card easier: 

• Receive alerts regarding suspicious activity on your card 
• Special Connections™ – Use your credit card to access cash from your other accounts at the ATM, or in store 
• Add an authorized user 
• Sign up for E-Statements 
• Set up autopay – Never miss a payment again by creating recurring payments 

Should You Apply for the AACS Visa® Card?

The AACS Visa® Card is a great fit for members of the American Association of Christian Schools and anyone who wants to promote, and support, Christian education as a whole. Not only does the card proudly display the AACS logo; it also donates a portion of every $100 spent to the organization. It’s a great opportunity to save money thanks to a competitive interest rate when compared with other cards, too.  

However, there are caveats with the AACS Visa. Its simplicity may be a turn-off for consumers who are in the market for a credit card that offers rewards in addition to savings. There are plenty of simple, everyday-use rewards cards that give cash back rewards for every eligible purchase, like the Blue Cash Everyday® Card.  

Additionally, there are credit cards that feature a lower regular APR.  Some credit card offers, like the Union Bank Visa® Credit Card, make saving money easy by offering an interest rate that’s more than 6% lower than the national average.  

The Union Bank Visa also offers an introductory APR of 0% for fifteen months – and this brings to mind another potential weak point of the AACS Visa. There are many credit card offers that have an introductory APR of 0%, often for a significantly longer time than the AACS Visa offering. Although the difference between an intro APR of 2% and 0% may be negligible, over time those savings can really add up.  

All in all, the AACS Visa Card will primarily hold value for people who want to advocate for Christian education by contributing to the American Association of Christian Schools with each purchase. Although it does feature a competitive APR and other ways to save, there are plenty of credit card offers on the market that could be a better fit.