Between big box stores like Amazon and Walmart, and warehouse clubs like Costco, there are lots of paid memberships you can join at retailers to access their specific perks. Target, however, offers a free loyalty program: Target Circle. And while it doesn’t come with as many benefits compared to competitors like Amazon Prime or Walmart Plus, Target Circle opens the door to perks without having to pay a fee.
Target Circle Week — a savings event exclusive to Target Circle members — is from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 this year. Since it’s coming up, you may interested in joining Target Circle and learning about benefits offered year round. Below, we broke down everything you need to know about the loyalty program. We also rounded up a few of our favorite products from Target-owned brands to give you an idea of what unique items you can find online and in stores.
SKIP AHEAD Our favorite products from Target brands
Frequently asked questions
Target Circle is the retailer’s free loyalty program. Once you sign up, you can earn 1% in Target Circle rewards every time you make eligible purchases (purchases made with a RedCard do not receive these earnings. Read more about RedCards below ). Over time, your Target Circle rewards build up in your account’s wallet and you can use them toward future purchases. For example, I joined Target Circle in 2019 since I frequently shop for groceries, pet supplies and clothing at the retailer. I earn rewards on these purchases and eventually put them toward pricier items like furniture.
If you’re shopping at Target online or through the retailer’s app, you can sign into your Target Circle account to ensure you’re seeing all the deals available to you and earn rewards on purchases. If you’re shopping in stores, you can either enter your phone number at checkout or scan your Target Circle barcode, which you’ll find in the Target app. And if you forget to shop through your Target Circle account in stores, you can go online afterward and enter your receipt number within seven days of making a purchase to collect earnings.
In addition to earning rewards while shopping, the benefits of a Target Circle membership include:
Access to exclusive deals: As a Target Circle member, you get access to deals on products in stores and online. You can browse through Target’s website or app before you shop and save them to your account’s wallet. Then, when you check out, the discounts you saved are automatically applied. When I shop at Target, I make a list of everything I need to buy, search the app to see if there are any deals on the products I’m interested in and save them to my wallet. This helps me know what I’m saving on before I add items to my cart. I find the deals especially helpful for saving money on groceries and household essentials, such as cleaning supplies and toiletries.
Annual birthday gifts : For your birthday, Target gives you 5% off a single purchase. The offer is valid for 30 days after your birthday.
Community support votes : Target Circle members can cast votes for select local and national nonprofits, which impacts how much the retailer donates to different charities. You earn votes per qualifying transitions in store and online.
Target Circle partnerships : Target partners with a variety of brands to offer Target Members exclusive deals and other opportunities. Currently, Target Circle partners include Apple and Ulta Beauty, both of which are Target shop-in-shops, meaning the companies have their own branded shops within Target stores. Target Circle members can get free trials of the following Apple services for varying lengths of time: Apple Fitness+ (four months), Apple TV+ (three months), Apple Music (three months), Apple News+ (three months), Apple Arcade (three months) and Apple iCloud+ (three months). With Ulta Beauty, members can earn Ulta Ultimate Rewards in addition to Target Circle benefits when they buy Ulta Beauty items from Target.
The Target RedCard is a store card that can only be used at Target. The Target Debit Card, Target Credit Card and Target Mastercard are each considered a RedCard (though you can use the Target Mastercard at any merchant that accepts Mastercard). These cards give you access to benefits like a 5% discount on eligible Target purchases in stores and online, including during sales events. You can also get free standard shipping on most items, free two-day shipping on eligible items and an additional 30 days to return purchases beyond the standard 90-day return policy.
If you have a Target RedCard, you can still become a Target Circle member and link your RedCard to your account. But since RedCard holders save 5% on Target purchases, they’re unable to earn 1% in Target Circle rewards while shopping. RedCard holders who are Target Circle members get access to the exclusive deals and community support votes the loyalty program offers, however. If you’re thinking about becoming a RedCard holder, CNBC Select can help you learn more about your options and other credit cards that are beneficial to use while shopping at Target.
Target Circle Week is a sale that Target Circle members have exclusive access to. It takes place from Oct. 1 to Oct. 7 this year and members can shop online, through Target’s app or in stores.
During the sale, members can shop discounts from brands like Beats, Native, Dyson and more, plus get access to offers from Shipt, Ulta Beauty and Tripadvisor. Now through Sept. 30, Target Circle members can pre-save select deals they’re interested in shopping once the sale is live.
Our favorite products from Target brands
I ultimately became a Target Circle member when I realized how often I was turning to Target to shop products from its brands, like Up & Up, Threshold, All in Motion and more. To give you an idea of what you can find exclusively at the retailer, below are a few of my favorite items to buy at Target.
This 100% cotton terry towel is a Select Bed & Bath Award winner. It has a plush yet lightweight feel and medium thickness, according to our reviewers. The towel doesn’t lint or shed while you’re drying yourself off, and it’s benzoyl peroxide-resistant, so getting small amounts of skin care products on it won’t cause discoloration, according to Target. You can purchase the towel in four sizes: bath towel (56 inches by 30 inches), bath sheet (65 inches by 33 inches), hand towel (30 inches by 16 inches) and washcloth (13 inches by 13 inches).
I own these sheets in multiple patterns and have found that they don’t lose their soft, smooth feel after multiple rounds in the washing machine. The set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet and pillowcases. The fitted sheet has “top/bottom” labels on it so you know how to orient it on your mattress. You can purchase the set in twin/twin XL, full, queen, king and California king sizes.
Target Brightroom makes some of my favorite home organization products, including this Two Tiered Slide Out Organizer. I use it under my kitchen sink to store sponges, extra dish soap and rolls of trash bags, and it’s also useful in bathrooms or pantries. The organizer is made from steel mesh and the top basket is removable.
I keep these multi-surface wipes all over my apartment in case I need to quickly wipe something down, and I also added packs to my car and desk at the office. They’re available in scents like Lavender & Bergamot, Lemon & Mint and more. Each container has 35 wipes.
Universal Thread is my go-to brand for jeans. It offers a variety of affordable, high quality styles in standard and plus sizes. You can also find Universal Thread jeans in multiple washes, as well as fabrics like denim and corduroy.
I see the All in Motion sports bra as a more affordable alternative to the Lululemon Align Tank Top. It’s designed with a built-in shelf bra and removable cups. The v-neck bra is made from moisture-wicking fabric that has a UPF 50+ rating, according to Target (UPF is the fabric equivalent of SPF, indicating sun protection). You can purchase the sports bra in multiple colors and sizes XS to XXL.
Why trust Select?
Zoe Malin is an associate updates editor at Select who has reported about retailer loyalty programs since 2020. For this piece, Malin researched Target Circle and referenced Select’s other Target coverage. She also shared her own experience as a Target Circle member since 2019.
