5 Things to Know About the Charity Charge World Mastercard

The Charity Charge World Mastercard automatically donates your rewards earnings to up to three charities of your choosing.

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Updated Feb 4, 2026 11:31 a.m. PST · 1 min read Written by + more + more Edited by Managing Editor + more + more Co-written by Senior Writer + more + more SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED

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» Editor's note

» The Charity Charge World Mastercard was closed to new applicants in 2021. Existing cardholders may continue to use their cards. However, nonprofits may apply for the Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card, issued by Commerce Bank. Read more about the Charity Charge Business card here. The Charity Charge World Mastercard was closed to new applicants in 2021. Existing cardholders may continue to use their cards. However, nonprofits may apply for the Charity Charge Nonprofit Business Card, issued by Commerce Bank. Read more about the Charity Charge Business card here. If your philosophy is that it's better to give than to receive, you may want to use credit card rewards to make a donation to a charity. The Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card makes giving easy, but its low rewards rate means you won't give very much. Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card

NerdWallet rating NerdWallet rating The $0-annual-fee card, issued by Commerce Bank, has a set-it-and-forget-it way of easily and automatically donating credit card rewards to the charity of your choosing — no separate checks to write. $0 But it passes along too little to the charities, compared with what you could donate if you contributed rewards earned on other cash-back cards. For that reason, it’s a poor choice for most people. Here are five things to know about the Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card. Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card » MORE: Donating airline, hotel and credit card rewards: A roundup of your options » MORE:

1. Giving is easy...

The Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card specializes in convenience, not value. Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card Unlike some charity credit cards, this one isn't locked into a specific charity. The card lets you choose your donation recipients from among 501(c)(3) organizations, K-12 schools, colleges or religious organizations. You can fund up to three different nonprofits at the same time and change your designated recipients whenever you like. » MORE: Reward donations: How they work » MORE:

2. But it pays a lousy 1% cash back

While the Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card automatically donates rewards you earn to the causes you select, it earns only 1% cash back on all purchases. That's a terrible rewards rate. Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card

NerdWallet rating Apply now Apply now Read Review Many flat-rate cash-back credit cards earn 1.5% or even 2% cash back or more. Those percentages might not sound like much, but using a different card could double your donation if you used rewards cash to make a separate donation to the same charity. If you spend $15,000 annually on the card, that’s the difference between donating $150 or $300 per year. An added insult: This card has no sign-up bonus. By comparison, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card earns an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases and has this welcome offer: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. » MORE: When to donate rewards to charity and when to give cash » MORE:

3. You get a short introductory APR

After opening the card, you'll get a slight reprieve on interest. The issuer phrases it this way: 1.99% intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 6 monthly billing cycles, and then the ongoing APR of 20.49%-30.49% Variable APR. 1.99% intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 6 monthly billing cycles, and then the ongoing APR of 20.49%-30.49% Variable APR

4. Donations are tax-deductible, but that won't matter for most

Rewards donated through the Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card are deductible as a charitable donation, which isn't typically the case for donated credit card rewards. But all in all, tax-deductibility is a minor potential benefit. Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card It only matters if you itemize your tax return and don’t take the standard deduction. Instead, if you used a cash-back credit card for rewards and made a separate cash donation, that would also be deductible. » MORE: What to know before donating points and miles to charity » MORE:

5. It comes with solid benefits

Although the Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card doesn't offer much in the way of core value, it comes with good ancillary benefits. Because it's a World Mastercard, it comes with valuable benefits like cell phone protection and extended warranties on qualifying items purchased with the card. You'll also get travel and lifestyle extras including special discounts and access to travel and concierge services, among other benefits. Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card

Should you get the Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card?

Charity Charge World Mastercard® Credit Card Probably not. Its terrible rewards rate just isn’t worth the convenience for most people. Literally any decent cash-back card will earn far more money, which can be used to make a larger, separate charitable donation. Article sources NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines. About the authors Robin Saks Frankel Robin is a former credit cards writer for NerdWallet. Her work has been featured by The New York Times, USA Today, Business Insider and other media outlets. See full bio. Gregory Karp Greg Karp is a former NerdWallet writer and an expert in personal finance and credit cards. He previously worked at the Chicago Tribune and wrote two money books. See full bio. Helpful resources Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Travel Credit Cards Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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