Does Aldi accept credit cards? (card types + other FAQs)
Using credit cards for everyday purchases wasn’t always the norm, but retailers were quick to adopt the program after realizing the sales potential.
Credit cards are now accepted almost everywhere, and fewer people than ever carry cash.
This might make you wonder: does Aldi accept credit cards? Maybe you’ve heard that they can’t or that you can only pay in cash. It’s time to dig deeper into this question.
Does Aldi accept credit cards?
Aldi does accept credit cards, including all the big four: Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. While Aldi didn’t always accept credit cards, they started accepting them in 2016 and have continued to expand their accepted payment methods to include tap and contactless payments.
Let’s delve a little deeper into this topic, including a breakdown of card types, whether Aldi charges fees for using the card, and whether it offers cashback. read more!
What kind of credit cards does Aldi accept?
According to Aldi’s website, “We accept a variety of payment methods including cash, most debit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), Link Card, SNAP and contactless payments such as Apple Pay and Google Pay.”
As you can see, Aldi accepts four main types of credit cards, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
If you read on, you’ll find out about the many perks and extras associated with using these cards in conjunction with shopping at Aldi.
Does Aldi charge a fee for using a credit card?
According to my research, Aldi does not charge a fee to use a credit card in its stores.
It’s true that some retailers pass the cost of the fee on to the customer, but that goes against everything Aldi’s business model stands for (i.e. pass on all savings!).
If you see a charge on your credit card statement, you should call your credit card company to find out.
Can you use the Tap-and-Go credit card at Aldi?
Fortunately, Aldi’s point-of-sale (POS) terminals are equipped with near-field communication (NFC) technology, which means the terminals are able to accept Apple and Google Pay via mobile devices and contactless credit cards.
It’s a super easy process; after the cashier gives you your total, pull out your tap-and-go credit card (or better yet, have it ready) and hold it up near the NFC symbol—it Looks like a series of brackets all facing the same direction :)))).
The card reader will automatically detect the presence of a card equipped with NFC technology. If it’s approved, you’re good to go!
Can you use your credit card with Apple or Google Pay at Aldi?
Apple and Google Pay let you leave your wallet at home without having to double-check to retrieve it.
If you’ve loaded your credit card information into your Apple or Google Wallet, you can use your mobile device to pay with that card at the checkout in-store.
Just like with a tap and tap credit card, you hold your phone up to the NFC symbol and wait for the transaction to complete until it’s approved.
Can you use your credit card to get cash at Aldi?
Users of Discover’s cash-back credit cards often wonder whether individual stores actually give them cash back at the checkout line.
Aldi does participate in the Discover card cashback program, and the same rules apply to their debit card cashback: no more than $100 per transaction, and shoppers can only receive $10, $20, $40 or $100 (cannot be a multiple of five).
Is AMEX Blue Cash Preferred valid at Aldi?
The Amex Blue Cash Preferred program does apply to Aldi purchases. The scheme reimburses users based on 6% of their total purchases at the supermarket, acknowledging that Aldi is a supermarket (as it should be).
Multiple Redditors confirmed on the r/CreditCards subreddit that their BCP cards gave them 6% of their total Aldi purchases.
Can you use a credit card to shop at Aldi Instacart?
You can absolutely use your credit card to shop at Aldi through Instacart. You simply load your credit card information into the app or desktop site, then select the card at checkout.
When did Aldi start accepting credit cards?
It seems unbelievable, but Aldi only started accepting credit cards in March 2016!
Before then, Aldi’s U.S. stores only accepted cash or debit cards, never cheques.
While Aldi didn’t officially state why the chain only accepted certain forms of payment until 2016, some bloggers speculated that it had something to do with the prevalence of cash transactions in Germany, home to Aldi’s international headquarters.
Commenting on the payment upgrade, Aldi US CEO Jason Hart said: “We care about making the shopping experience easier and better for our customers… Giving them the convenience of using a credit card will help us do that.”
A slightly more cynical reason could be that the company realizes they’re missing out on revenue by shying away from credit cards, and that it may be closing off one of its most important target markets: middle-class and wealthier shoppers.
If you want to find out more, you can check out our related posts on whether Aldi accepts Apple Pay, whether Aldi accepts cashback, whether Aldi accepts EBT, and whether Aldi accepts cheques.
in conclusion
Aldi accepts all four major credit cards on the market, including Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express, and what’s even better is that many of the credit card perks associated with grocery shopping can be applied to Aldi purchases.
If you want to maximize returns on your purchases, which you have to do anyway, it makes sense to use your credit card at checkout at Aldi!
