SoFi Launches Two Invite Only Credit Cards (Everyday Cash Rewards and Essential Card)

SoFi has launched two invite only credit cards. Card details are as follows:

  • Everyday Cash Rewards
    • 3% cash back rewards on dining
    • 2% on grocery stores
    • 1% on everything else
  • Essential Card, credit builder card

Neither card has any redeeming features from what I can tell.

Hat tip to DDG

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35 Comments
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Chris
Chris (@guest_1890785)
August 9, 2024 20:36

It takes real balls to introduce a sh**y product in a competitive environment

John
John (@guest_1890822)
August 9, 2024 22:53

You only say that because you were not invited.

Arthur Shelby
Arthur Shelby (@guest_1890959)
August 10, 2024 08:42

😄🤣

Arthur Shelby
Arthur Shelby (@guest_1890780)
August 9, 2024 20:05

Invite only 🤣🤪🤣

Jjohn8219
Jjohn8219 (@guest_1890777)
August 9, 2024 20:00

Glad they are expanding, but this is a highly unattractive offering. Much less competitive than their current card, which is one of my favorite especially abroad (2.2% flat cash back, no FTFs, and an excellent conversion rate Euro/USD given by the Mastercard circuit).

marauder
marauder (@guest_1890677)
August 9, 2024 16:00

All the surveys they sent out and even individually reached out to me in 2020 to ask what credit card perks would be competitive…then they drop this?

G
G (@guest_1890610)
August 9, 2024 13:27

Not only are 3/2/1 cards terrible and outdated, but SoFi already has a card that gets 2% on everything (making the new card appear even worse than it is). The only thing that might redeem the new card is a $500+ SUB (which is unlikely at best)

Mike
Mike (@guest_1890597)
August 9, 2024 13:12

How does invite look like? Email? Regular mail? App banner?

randomguy
randomguy (@guest_1890843)
August 10, 2024 00:27

I am guessing snail-mail. Given the perks, it is probably targeted toward boomers with Diners Club cards.

Joe D
Joe D (@guest_1890554)
August 9, 2024 12:16

3/2/1 is dead on arrival. We need 5/2/1.

John
John (@guest_1890649)
August 9, 2024 14:54

We already have those.
AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature Credit Card – 5/3/1 with 5% category grocery.AAA Travel Advantage Visa Signature Credit Card – 5/3/1 with 5% category gas/EV.
I wouldn’t open a new one but my BofA AAA card was converted to the second card and it’s ok for that 5% category.

Lrdx
Lrdx (@guest_1890766)
August 9, 2024 19:18

Those are not available in all areas.

007
007 (@guest_1890816)
August 9, 2024 22:18

I think you can use a zip code where it is available to pull up application then apply with your real address and zip code

Lrdx
Lrdx (@guest_1890851)
August 10, 2024 00:56

And care to share those zip codes?

007
007 (@guest_1890967)
August 10, 2024 09:14

Actually this page seems to work for me as is

https://www.aaa.com/AAA/common/bread/breadfinancial.html

Joe D
Joe D (@guest_1890965)
August 10, 2024 09:11

AAA Daily Advantage – 5% Groceries and 3% at Costco
Citi Custom – 5% Dining
US Bank Cash+ – 5% utilities and Internet
Elan Cash+ – 5% cellphone and department store
Citi Costco – 4% gas at Costco
AMEX Blue Cash Everyday, BofA Customize or Paypal – 3% online shopping
Wellsfargo Autograph – 3% parking at Los Angeles Metro station parking

Ryan
Ryan (@guest_1891140)
August 10, 2024 18:07

The Citi Costco is 4% at all gas stations which is great. I buy gas at Costco but also use this card for my slushie addiction

Jimmy
Jimmy (@guest_1890543)
August 9, 2024 12:06

No reason to get this over USB altitude GO

Midnight
Midnight (@guest_1890534)
August 9, 2024 11:44

Not sure why every card issuer in existence always chooses Dining or Gas over Grocery on the higher category on a “321” style card.

D S
D S (@guest_1890546)
August 9, 2024 12:08

People think they spend a lot on gas (think of all the public discourse about gas prices) but don’t, so people are incentivized to get the card and use it (preferably on unbonused spend) despite the actual benefit being quite low. Dining probably has a similar story, and it’s discretionary spend that may convince people to go into debt.

barrytuneup
barrytuneup (@guest_1890666)
August 9, 2024 15:46

just buy the
VGC or MCGC at Staples when they are fee free. Use Ink card to purchase them. Then use them for dining and gas. 5% back . Better yet, buy 25.00 gas gift cards at grocery stores with Amex BCP for 6% back (with a fee on this card) OR stock up when Discover or Chase has the grocery cat. Stations in my area give same price as cash when using the branded gas gift card. (Mobil, Shell, Gulf have the same price for cash or their gift cards.)

Jared
Jared (@guest_1890703)
August 9, 2024 17:02

Then have a card get hacked even once and lose every single bit of “profit” you had built up for the past year (and possibly plus some). You don’t think it’ll ever happen to you…until it does.

q
q (@guest_1891147)
August 10, 2024 18:34

The stories for dining and gas are actually very different! Gas is as you imagine: it’s actually a really small fraction of people’s spend, but one of the most salient prices what with the giant signs people see every day probably multiple times along their commute.

Dining is just one of the highest-interchange categories. (Supermarkets are on the lower end.)

DWhite
DWhite (@guest_1890582)
August 9, 2024 12:50

My guess: Dining and Gas are closer to the edges of how consumers feel when they’re spending? (…but common enough that people will feel they’re getting a benefit).

If you pull out a card for for things like dinner dates or use the card to get something back for dealing with those painful run-ups in gas prices, maybe that positive association lingers on the product? Grocery probably is a bigger spending category for lots of people, but maybe doesn’t register/feel the same way?

Between the sentiment and the financial models, maybe that’s why so many products have come to similar conclusions?

Swastik Agrawal
Swastik Agrawal (@guest_1890622)
August 9, 2024 13:52

Dining is simple: Dining is one of the highest interchange fee categories on a CC.

Gas is probably because people think they spend a lot more on Gas as a % of budget than they actually do.

GZG
GZG (@guest_1890533)
August 9, 2024 11:44

doesn’t surprise me as sofi is quick to CLD just like synchrony is, won’t ever get a sofi credit card