Barclays AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays vs Wyndham Rewards Earner Card
Both are Barclays cards. Here is every spend category, ranked by what each card actually returns.
Everything else
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays 1.0% 1% base rate
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card 0.6% 1x base rate
Dining
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card 1.7% 3x
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays 1.0% 1% base rate
Groceries
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card 1.7% 3x
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays 1.0% 1% base rate
Gas
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays 3.0% 3%
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card 1.7% 3x
Drugstores
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays 3.0% 3%
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card 0.6% 1x base rate
Hotels
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card 2.8% 5x
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays 1.0% 1% base rate
What the numbers are doing
Abroad the answer flips: AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays charges a 3% foreign transaction fee, so once that comes off the rate Wyndham Rewards Earner Card is the better card for everyday spend.
Where they differ: AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays takes everything else, gas and drugstores; Wyndham Rewards Earner Card takes dining, groceries and hotels.
| Category | Best card |
|---|---|
| Everything else | AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays1.0% |
| Dining | Wyndham Rewards Earner Card1.7% |
| Groceries | Wyndham Rewards Earner Card1.7% |
| Gas | AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays3.0% |
| Drugstores | AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays3.0% |
| Hotels | Wyndham Rewards Earner Card2.8% |
Content preview. Apple Wallet controls the layout; visible categories vary by device. Categories that rank the same as Everything else are left off; every other category is in pass details.
Every category, every card
Everything else
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays — 1.0%
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card — 0.6%
Dining
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card — 1.7%
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays — 1.0%
Groceries
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card — 1.7%
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays — 1.0%
Gas
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays — 3.0%
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card — 1.7%
Drugstores
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays — 3.0%
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card — 0.6%
Hotels
- Wyndham Rewards Earner Card — 2.8%
- AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays — 1.0%
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