I know the Visa and M/C cards are. But wondering about the Citi issued store cards. Two for one post: Also: Are the Barclay cards (Visa or M/C) considered prime cards?
BUSINESS 
Good question I would also like to know this.
Discover IT $2,600- First Premier MasterCard $1,000- Dillards Store Card $300- Fingerhut Advantage $200
Prime is in the eye of the beholder: for every single definition I've ever heard (outside of FICO score, which is the traditional use of the term which is a borrower classification, the term has since been bastardized) I've been able to find a counter-example. Capital One's new Quicksilver is the one that really breaks the model people tend to espouse.
End of the day the important thing is whether the card is good for you or not, and someone else's opinion on the matter means very, very little.
My own $0.02 opinion: any national bank card > any store card regardless of lender. That said, if a Citi backed store card reports identically to say one of the regular Citi cards to where an underwriter can't tell the difference, it's equilvalent. If it doesn't report the same, it's not: I admittedly have a pretty simplistic view of the credit universe on that point 
.
@Revelate wrote:Prime is in the eye of the beholder: for every single definition I've ever heard (outside of FICO score, which is the traditional use of the term which is a borrower classification, the term has since been bastardized) I've been able to find a counter-example. Capital One's new Quicksilver is the one that really breaks the model people tend to espouse.
End of the day the important thing is whether the card is good for you or not, and someone else's opinion on the matter means very, very little.
My own $0.02 opinion: any national bank card > any store card regardless of lender. That said, if a Citi backed store card reports identically to say one of the regular Citi cards to where an underwriter can't tell the difference, it's equilvalent. If it doesn't report the same, it's not: I admittedly have a pretty simplistic view of the credit universe on that point
+1.
There's really no definition of prime vs. subprime.
My opinion is pretty much the same as Revelate's.
National bank cards are generally harder to get vs. CU credit cards and store cards, but that doesn't really mean CUs and store cards are that bad either. If those cards are more suitable for you, go with it.
@BMW_M-Series wrote:ive never understood the definition of a 'prime' cards. is it how banks look at the cards? what if you have a low credit score and you get a first premier credit card with 750$ limit and 15% apr. and then discover approves you for the card but only gives you a 500$ limit and gives you a 27% apr. will banks look at discover differently than the first premier? ive never really understood it. if anyone knows the answer i would like to konw what is considered prime and why its considered prime. and if there are 'prime' cards will amex look at someone with chase or discover better than someone with barclays? or vice versa
As mentioned above, it's not really accurate to talk about prime credit cards. The borrower's market is divided into subprime and prime markets, and there's no precise thresshold for the dividing line. In any event, there are cards that are marketed more to subprime borrowers, and so you could call those subprime cards, and similarly, there are cards that are marketed more toward the prime market. But credit cards aren't really prime/subprime.
All that said, yes, some lenders will frown on seeing first premier on your report because they are known as a lender that specializes in serving the subprime market, and a rather poor example of one at that. That is true even though you may have a card from Discover or Chase with worse terms (though I doubt either Chase or Discover has a card with worse terms if you consider all the fees involved, not just the CL and APR). Even so, this isn't a major factor, and it isn't something that is considered in your credit score.
Starting Score: ~500 (12/01/2008)
I wonder if Barclay's considers Barclay's prime? I'll have to ask them on my next recon call 
Seriously though, it's really in the eye of the beholder. Do I feel better about handing a cashier an Amex BCE over Sportsman's Guide Visa? Maybe a little, but my ego isn't all that fragile. In the end I'm interested in the best rewards and I know exactly where I stand - and that's all that matters to me.