If you find yourself at Target more often than you’d care to admit, then you should consider enrolling in Target Circle if you haven’t already. It’s the retailer’s loyalty and savings program that consists of discounts, expedited shipping and cash back.
Target gave the program a serious refresh in 2024, rolling out a three-tier system that ranges from fully free to a paid premium option. With another Circle Week event returning July 13 to 19 with seven days of huge deals both online and in-store, it’s a good excuse to sign up or upgrade and start cashing in on the perks.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what Target Circle is all about, how it works and which membership level might be the best fit for you. For more shopping tips, explore how to keep packages safe from porch pirates and eight tips to score the best deals at Amazon.
What is Target Circle?
Target Circle is Target’s free-to-join rewards program that lets you rack up savings and earn cash back from your shopping. Every time you buy something, you earn 1% back to use on a future purchase. (That is unless you’re using the Target Circle Card. More on that in a second.) You’ll also get access to exclusive deals and personalized offers that non-members don’t see.
A breakdown of the membership tiers
Target now offers three ways to be part of Circle. Here’s how they compare:
- Target Circle (free): This base-level membership still gets you plenty of love. This tier includes automatically applied discounts at checkout, custom deals based on your shopping habits and the ability to earn rewards with every dollar spent.
- Target Circle Card: Formerly known as the RedCard, this credit or debit card version offers 5% off every purchase on top of existing Circle deals. It also offers extra perks like extended return windows, free two-day shipping and discounted access to the paid membership tier.
- Target Circle 360 ($99 a year): If you’re a regular Target shopper or love having things delivered, Circle 360 could be worth it. It includes unlimited same-day delivery in as little as an hour, zero delivery fees or markups, and access to the Shipt Marketplace, which offers same-day delivery from over 100 retailers nationwide. And you enjoy all the benefits of the free Circle membership.
What you get with a free Target Circle membership
Even if you stick with the no-cost version, you’ll unlock a surprising number of perks:
- 1% back on all Target purchases
- Birthday reward of 5% off one purchase
- Automatically applied discounts during Circle Week
- Bonus offers such as «spend $60 twice and get $10 back»
- Category coupons like 20% off baby clothes or 10% off beauty products
You can use up to 75 offers at one time. Note all Target offers and earnings have an expiration date, so make sure you use them before the window lapses.
How to sign up for a free Target Circle membership
It takes just a few minutes to join Circle. Just head to target.com/circle, click «Create account» and then enter your email, name, phone number and a password. That’s it.
How to use all your Target Circle perks and rewards
Using your offers and rewards is simple. Just activate any deals you want in your Target Circle dashboard or app before you shop.
- In-store: Enter your phone number at checkout or scan your barcode from the app. (If you forget, you can enter your receipt details on the Target Circle dashboard or scan your receipt’s barcode using the app.)
- Online: Make sure you’re signed into your account and your offers will be applied automatically in your cart.
How to redeem Target Circle earnings on purchases
That 1% cash back? It’s yours to use however and whenever you want and there’s no minimum required. Just remember your earnings expire after a year.
- In-store: Go to the Wallet section in the Target app or your account online. Toggle the switch next to Target Circle earnings to check how many earnings you have to apply to your purchase. You can then apply your Target Circle earnings by selecting the amount you want to use and clicking «save.»
- Online: Just check the box to apply your balance during checkout.
Bonus tip: You can even use your rewards at the Starbucks inside Target. (Yes, that latte can basically be free.) For more shopping tips, check out these Amazon Prime perks beyond free shipping and how to return Amazon products without a fee.
