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Has anyone used the Target Mastercard internationally?

tag
cws-21
Established Contributor

Has anyone used the Target Mastercard internationally?

Does anyone have any experience using the PayPal Cashback Mastercard or Target Mastercard internationally, given, I believe both have no foreign transaction fees? I am wondering, in particular, if there were any issues using either card. Also, am I correct in assuming the PayPal would earn 2% outside the U.S., but the Target Mastercard would not because it provides a discount at Target rather than any cashback? Thanks for the help!

Message 1 of 16
15 REPLIES 15
K-in-Boston
Credit Mentor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally

The Target MasterCard earns 2% on dining, travel, and gas, and 1% on everything else if the 5% Target discount is not being utilized.  I have never used mine for anything but Target, however.

Message 2 of 16
cws-21
Established Contributor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally

Thanks for the response and information. I wonder if the 2% and 1% apply to international purchases.

Message 3 of 16
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally

Yeah, my Paypal MC is my non-category international card, never had any currency/foreign transaction fee and always get the 2% on every transaction. They redeem rewards instantly and have no minimums. I would use this card way more if the user experience wasn't so bad.

 

Cons:

- No Apple Pay

- Can't Get Transaction Notifications

- Website requires login to paypal first (not a big deal just a little annoying)

-- Due to the above point, none of the financial aggregation tools work so you have to manually reconcile (mint, personal capital, ynab, fidelity full view, etc.)

Message 4 of 16
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally


@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah, my Paypal MC is my non-category international card, never had any currency/foreign transaction fee and always get the 2% on every transaction. They redeem rewards instantly and have no minimums. I would use this card way more if the user experience wasn't so bad.

 

Cons:

- No Apple Pay

- Can't Get Transaction Notifications

- Website requires login to paypal first (not a big deal just a little annoying)

-- Due to the above point, none of the financial aggregation tools work so you have to manually reconcile (mint, personal capital, ynab, fidelity full view, etc.)


Yes, I have used paypal card for many international transactions, no fees, 2% rewards without any problem.    Just  the bolded points above: 

 

1) I do get transaction notifications (at least through email), this is fairly new and has been mentioned on the forum before. 

2) Also mentioned on this forum, you can set it up so it goes directly to the credit card site.   That probably doesn't help with financial aggregation though.

Message 5 of 16
Credit12Fico
Established Contributor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally


@Anonymous wrote:

Yeah, my Paypal MC is my non-category international card, never had any currency/foreign transaction fee and always get the 2% on every transaction. They redeem rewards instantly and have no minimums. I would use this card way more if the user experience wasn't so bad.

 

Cons:

- No Apple Pay

- Can't Get Transaction Notifications

- Website requires login to paypal first (not a big deal just a little annoying)

-- Due to the above point, none of the financial aggregation tools work so you have to manually reconcile (mint, personal capital, ynab, fidelity full view, etc.)


The cons you listed are mostly resolved in my opinion.

 

1)  The card now has tap-to-pay. Synchrony sent out new cards to most all cardholders late last year with new look and tap-to-pay which works anywhere that apple pay does.

2) Paypal Mastercard works in both Mint and Personal Capital. I use both. I have never had a problem with balances and transactions updating. I'm not sure what you are referring to there. All you do is add your paypal account, and once the paypal account is added, Mint/PC pull the credit card details automatically. Quite nice actually.

 

3) I have a trick I use now to get text message purchase alerts. Synchrony lets you set up email alerts for purchases as of late 2020. So simply have those emails forwarded to your cell phone number. I describe the method I use below:

 

In order to get text message alerts, you simply create a "rule" in your email service that forwards any messages from the synchrony service email address to an the email address associated with your cellular phone. What is that email address you ask? I have Verizon so I simply have gmail forward any Syncrhony messages to  [my phone number][at] vztext.com.

 

You can google the appropriate email domain for your cellular provider. All emails forwarded to that address show up as text messages in my phone.  Which means you now can have text message alerts for the Paypal card.

 

 

 

The only cons I see remaining are the following:

 

1) Synchrony Smiley Happy

2) No "quick lock" feature to block transactions when you know you won't be using the card for a while. But the text message alerts will keep you aware of any fraudulent transactions so you don't have to keep a close eye on the statements. If you get a text from them for a purchase, you know right away whether it's fraud or not.

Message 6 of 16
creditfan
Established Contributor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally

yes  to paypal MC is better than target MC in terms of rewards 2% vs 1%. However, target MC is a true chip & pin that works better in europe countries and of course security concerns as well 

Message 7 of 16
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally

You are right on both counts. Card now syncs fine and notifications started working sometime last year. (I just never saw them because they were filtered with my other synchrony notifcations but my little workflow that picks them up and pushes to my phone never looked for PayPal because it never worked - I added it in and all is working well now.)

 

No apple pay is still annoying but this card just moved up on a few spots in my wallet.

Message 8 of 16
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally


@creditfan wrote:

yes  to paypal MC is better than target MC in terms of rewards 2% vs 1%. However, target MC is a true chip & pin that works better in europe countries and of course security concerns as well 


I used to find my lack of a true chip&pin card a pain in the UK, but now using mobile wallet (Samsung Pay) for everything in person, "standard" US cards work fine.    Now if PPCB MC doesn't work with Apple Pay and that is your wallet, yes, still an issue!

Message 9 of 16
Credit12Fico
Established Contributor

Re: PayPal Cashback Mastercard and Target Mastercard used internationally


@Anonymous wrote:

You are right on both counts. Card now syncs fine and notifications started working sometime last year. (I just never saw them because they were filtered with my other synchrony notifcations but my little workflow that picks them up and pushes to my phone never looked for PayPal because it never worked - I added it in and all is working well now.)

 


Great!

Message 10 of 16
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