Basic Information

Program ID: sweetwater-card

Issuer: Synchrony

Card Type: Credit

Network: Private Label

Card Tier: Standard

Data Complete: Yes

Created: 01/15/2026 11:52

Last Scraped: 01/15/2026 11:54

Fee Structure
Annual Fee: $0.00
Year 1 Waived: No
Effective Annual Fee: $0.00
Authorized User Fee: $0.00
Penalty APR: 30.00%
Additional Fees
Late Fee: $41.00
Returned Payment: $41.00
Balance Transfer: N/A
Cash Advance: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
Foreign Transaction: 0.00%
Interest Rates

Purchase APR Range: 2,999.00% - 2,999.00%

Intro Purchase APR: 0.00%

Intro APR Duration: 0 months

Balance Transfer APR: 0.00%

Intro BT APR: 0.00%

Intro BT Duration: 0 months

Cash Advance APR: 2,999.00%

Sign-Up Bonus

Bonus Amount: $50.00

Spending Requirement: $250.00

Time Period: 90 days

Bonus Timing: Typically within 1-2 billing cycles after the spending requirement is met.

Rewards Program

Reward Type: Sweetwater Rewards Points

Base Reward Rate: 1.00%

Bonus Reward Rate: 5.00%

Bonus Categories: 5x Sweetwater Purchases

Point Value Estimate: 0.0100 cents/point

Expiration Policy: Points do not expire as long as account is active

Transfer Partners: N/A

Card Benefits
Protection Benefits
Travel Benefits
Premium Benefits
Approval Criteria

Recommended FICO Range: 670 - 740

Approval Odds Category: Good

Pre-qualification Available

Soft Pull Supported

Hard Pull Bureau: Experian, TransUnion, Equifax

Issuer Rules

Rules: The Sweetwater Card, issued by Synchrony, primarily offers promotional financing options for purchases made at Sweetwater.com or Sweetwater retail locations. For 2026, typical bonus rules are expected to continue focusing on deferred interest financing (e.g., 6, 12, 24, 36, or 48 months on qualifying purchases) rather than traditional spend-based bonuses. Eligibility requirements for new applicants are anticipated to remain consistent with Synchrony's general underwriting standards: **Eligibility Requirements (2026):** * Must be a U.S. resident, 18 years of age or older. * Possess a valid Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). * Demonstrate sufficient verifiable income to support new credit. * Maintain a good to excellent credit history (FICO scores typically 670+ for optimal approval odds, though store cards may sometimes approve lower). * No recent bankruptcies or severe delinquencies on credit reports. * Applicants must adhere to Synchrony's internal velocity rules, which may limit the number of new Synchrony accounts opened within a short period (e.g., 1-2 new accounts within 6 months). * Overall credit exposure with Synchrony across all existing accounts will be a significant factor in approval decisions. * The card is subject to store-specific restrictions, meaning it is primarily for Sweetwater purchases and cannot be used elsewhere.

Maximum Cards Per Issuer: 5

Minimum Spend Interval: Not applicable for traditional spend-based bonuses; promotional financing periods vary (e.g., 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 months). If a traditional spend bonus were introduced, it would typically be 3 months.

Shutdown Risk Triggers: Common triggers for account review or shutdown by Synchrony include: high cumulative credit limit across multiple Synchrony accounts, missed or late payments on any Synchrony account, high utilization across Synchrony accounts, suspected fraudulent activity, rapid accumulation of multiple Synchrony accounts, abuse of promotional financing terms (e.g., repeated failure to pay off deferred interest balances), and sudden, uncharacteristic large purchases inconsistent with past spending patterns.

International Friendly

User Analytics & Insights
User Ratings

Average Rating: 3.8 / 5.0

Top Positive Feedback:
Easy approval process, excellent 0% financing options for large purchases, helps manage cash flow for music gear, convenient for frequent Sweetwater shoppers.

Top Negative Feedback:
High deferred interest APR if promotional terms are not met, customer service can be challenging, limited utility outside Sweetwater, potential for credit limit issues.

Approval Experience Score: 80.0 / 100

Recommended Alternatives
  • Chase Freedom Unlimited
  • Citi Double Cash Card
  • Discover it Cash Back

Card Value Score: 70.0 / 100

Est. Annual Rewards: $0.00


User Portfolio Metrics

Avg Portfolio Size: 4 cards

Avg Portfolio Age: 60 months

Store vs Co-brand: 0% General / 100% Store

Risk Assessment

Default Risk Group: Medium

Predicted Approval Probability: 75.0%

Terms Version Control

Version ID: v2023-10