Synchrony Premier World Mastercard^® Review [2025]: Simple, Elevated Cash Back

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard basics

Who should get the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®?

The Synchrony Premier World Mastercard makes sense if you want a single credit card in your wallet that works for all types of purchases. The Synchrony Premier provides an elevated rate of 2% cash back on every purchase, which is an above-average rewards rate compared with many other credit cards.

And if you like to keep things simple, you can just use the Synchrony Premier Mastercard for all your purchases rather than juggling multiple credit cards.

But this isn't the card to use if you want to earn a welcome bonus or take advantage of an intro APR offer. The Synchrony Premier doesn't provide many benefits, and the most glaring omissions are no welcome offer and no intro APR on purchases or balance transfers. The card also recommends that you have at least excellent credit to qualify, while many cards like it would also consider applicants with at least good credit. This is a steep requirement for such a thinly featured card.

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard® benefits and perks

• Elevated rewards rate: Earn 2% cash back on every purchase. This beats out the base rewards rate on many popular rewards credit cards, which often earn a base rate of 1% or 1.5% cash back on all purchases that don't fit into higher-earning categories.
• $0 annual fee: Don't worry about an annual cost with this $0-annual-fee credit card.
• Mastercard benefits: The Synchrony Premier doesn't have amazing benefits, but you might find value with Lyft and Hello Fresh credits, as well as DoorDash perks. Cardholders could earn up to $5 in Lyft credits per month and get $5 off per month on DoorDash orders.

Drawbacks to the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®

• No welcome bonus: Credit card welcome bonuses are excellent ways to earn loads of points, miles, or cash back soon after account opening. But the Synchrony Premier doesn't have a welcome bonus, which could make other cashback credit cards more valuable.
• No intro APR offers: You won't find any intro APR offers for purchases or balance transfers on the Synchrony Premier. For cards with these types of offers, check out our list of the best 0% intro APR credit cards.
• Excellent credit recommended: As mentioned, we'd expect to see a card like this recommend credit scores in the good to excellent range. But this card asks for excellent credit, which is a tall order for a no-annual-fee cash back card, especially one with its lower first-year earning potential.
• Foreign transaction fees: You're charged 3% in foreign transaction fees for making foreign purchases, which makes this a less-than-ideal travel credit card if you're heading abroad. For better options, check out our list of the best travel credit cards.

Earning & redeeming cash back

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your cash back can add up with the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard®.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend.

Year one earnings: $670

Year two earnings: $670

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which looks at points earned via spending, the sign-up bonus, and the annual fee.

Keep in mind that you could get more value from this card by using its benefits, including its Lyft, Hello Fresh, and DoorDash perks.

Best ways to earn

It's easy to maximize your earnings with the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard, as you simply have to use your card for as many purchases as possible. Dining, groceries, travel, and any other qualifying purchase all earn the same 2% rate, so you don't necessarily need more than one card in your wallet. This could make things simpler if you don't like sorting between multiple credit cards.

Maximizing your redemptions

The Synchrony Premier World Mastercard doesn't provide multiple redemption options for your cash back. Rather, your cash back is applied as a statement credit within two billing periods after an eligible purchase.

So if you make $1,000 in eligible purchases, you'll receive $20 in cash back as a statement credit within two billing cycles. It's not the most flexible rewards program, but it's a simple and effective way to use your cash back.

Other cards to consider

If the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard doesn't seem like the right fit for you, compare credit cards to research credit card reviews and find a better credit card offer. Here are a few of our recommendations.

Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card

The Wells Fargo Active Cash^® Card has a $0 annual fee and you can earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases, which is virtually the same as the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard. But the Wells Fargo Active Cash also provides intro APR offers, a generous welcome bonus, and cell phone protection. Plus, you may be able to qualify with good credit.

Learn more in our Wells Fargo Active Cash review.

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® has a $0 annual fee and provides 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. This card might make more sense than the Synchrony Premier World Mastercard if you spend a lot on dining and travel. It has more categories to keep track of, but they're comparatively simple. Plus, this card has longer intro APR periods for both balance transfers and new purchases than many cash back cards not dedicated solely to this type of promo.

Check out our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

FAQs

Unlimited 2% Cash Back on All Purchases

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard^®

4.4

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Synchrony Premier World Mastercard^®

Learn How to Apply

Current Offer

Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

2% cash back on every purchase

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Very straightforward and competitive base cash back rate
• No spending categories or caveats to keep track of

Drawbacks

• Lower potential annual earnings than similar cards, especially in first year
• No intro APR offers for balance transfers or new purchases
• Excellent credit is generally recommended
• 3% foreign transaction fee

Card Details

• Unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase
• 2% cash back on every purchase