Ace Hardware Cashback: Every Portal's Rate, Compared

Does Ace Hardware have its own cashback or rewards program?

Yes, and it's built for the person buying a can of paint and a bag of bird seed, not for contractors. Ace Rewards is free, pays points on most of what you buy, turns those points into $5 Rewards, and gets you free next-day delivery from your local store on a $50 order. There's no Ace-branded consumer credit card; the payments page lists the usual cards and wallets, the trade credit account is for businesses, and the card perk Ace does advertise belongs to Apple. Military and senior discounts exist, but store by store, because most Ace stores are independently owned. Here's what's real, from Ace's own pages.

• Ace Rewards: 10 points a dollar, $5 for every 2,500. "There is no charge to enroll and participate in the Program." source. The earn rate: "Ten (10) Points will accrue for every $1.00 spent on qualifying purchases, less any discount, coupon, Instant Savings, Red Hot Buy, Reward redemption, in-store promotion and/or any other price adjustment made at time of purchase." source. The payout: "For every 2,500 Points accrued, you will receive a Reward redeemable for $5.00 off the purchase price of eligible merchandise." source, which Ace's own sign-up page sums up as "That's 2% back on most purchases" source. Joining pays: "Earn 1,000 New Member Points just for signing up!" source. Points sit as long as they need to, "Points do not expire and unused Points will remain in your Program Account until you reach the minimum number of Points needed to receive a Reward." source, and Rewards go out weekly: "Program Accounts with more than 2,500 Points on Sunday will have a digital Reward ("Digital Reward") issued and available for redemption on or about Monday." source. The Reward itself has a clock: "Rewards expire on the last day of the fourth month following the month in which they are issued and available for redemption on the Site or via the App." source. Online, you have to be signed in to earn: "To earn Points for qualifying purchases on the Site or in the App, at the time of purchase you must have and be logged into an Ace Hardware Account linked to your Program Account ("Linked Ace Hardware Account")." source. Points take a while to land, "Points will typically appear in your account within thirty (30) business days of the date of your qualifying purchase for in-store purchases or, for qualifying purchases made online, within thirty (30) days of date of order fulfillment." source.
• What earns points, and what a Reward can't buy. Points skip the usual things: "qualifying purchases exclude: (i) taxes; (ii) gift cards; (iii) charitable donations; (iv) service fees;" and "(viii) online shipping charges;" source, and "Purchases made on marketplace platforms, e.g., DoorDash, are not considered qualifying purchases and do not earn Points." source. Spending a Reward has its own list: "Eligible merchandise excludes: (i) services sold by Ace stores, including rentals, in-store services, and extended warranties; (ii) gift cards; (iii) subscriptions (iv) city stickers, trash bags, and other licenses and permits; (v) lumber and building materials; (vi) liquor, tobacco, firearms, and fuel; (vii) payments on account, including house accounts; (viii) previously purchased merchandise; and (ix) taxes." source. Rewards do combine with sales and coupons: "Rewards may be used in conjunction with other offers unless prohibited by the terms of such other offers." source, with one online ceiling, "There is a maximum of $99.99 per ship to home (or other designated address) orders that can be paid solely with redeemed Rewards." source. Because stores are independent, the list bends by location: "Participating Retailers may alter the Program and the Program Benefits at their discretion." source.
• Free delivery for members, from the store, at $50. "Program members are eligible to receive free next day delivery on in-stock orders of merchandise with a subtotal (before Reward redemption and taxes) of $50 or more." source. The limits are in the next lines: "Free delivery is for the next business day and excludes same day delivery and ship to home." and "Not all Participating Retailers offer free delivery and delivery areas and delivery merchandise may be limited." source. The checkout rules: "To be eligible for Free Ace Rewards Delivery, you must: (1) be signed into your Ace Rewards account on acehardware.com or the Ace mobile app at the time of purchase (2) place an order for qualifying in-stock merchandise with a Subtotal of $50 or more (after item level discounts; before taxes, fees, cart level discounts and Rewards)." source, and what it skips: "Free Ace Rewards Delivery excludes: Same Day Delivery, delivery outside of the store's Standard Delivery Area, orders with Custom Delivery Fees - which may include bagged goods, bulky items, fragile items, or other items the retailer may designate - and Shipped Orders." source. So a bag of mulch or a ladder can carry its own fee even on a $50 order, and a parcel shipped from the warehouse is never free on this benefit.
• Where Ace's own pages disagree with each other. The coupons page promises members "free shipping on orders over $50" source; the program terms say the benefit "excludes same day delivery and ship to home" source. The sale page's banner reads "Same Day Delivery" for members "on qualifying orders of $50+." source; the same terms exclude it. The app bonus is instant on the sign-up page's headline, "Grab your $10 Bonus to use INSTANTLY" source, while a footnote lower on that page still says "Bonus Coupon will be available the day after the Rewards member downloads the mobile app for the first time." source. The terms document, "Last updated September 11th, 2025", says of itself "These Ace Rewards Program Terms and Conditions ("Program Terms") govern the Ace Rewards Program (the "Program") and your participation in the Program." source, so when a marketing page and the terms differ, plan on the terms.
• Premier, the $750 tier. "Program members with a qualifying spend of $750 or more (excluding taxes and applied Rewards and discounts) on the Site, in the App, or at Participating Retailers in a rolling twelve (12) month period while an Ace Rewards Program member and for whom we have a valid mailing address are automatically eligible for Ace Rewards Premier status" source. What it adds, in Ace's benefits grid: "$10 Birthday" and "10% Off and 3X Points Welcome Offers" against the base member's "$5 birthday offer" source. TopCashback's write-up reads it the same way: "If you spend a minimum of $750 within a 12-month period, you'll move up to Premier status, which includes extra perks like a $10 birthday offer, 10% off a single purchase and triple points on a single purchase." source. It lapses: "Ace Rewards Premier status expires one (1) year from the end of the calendar month in which you qualify for Ace Rewards Premier status." source.
• The app bonus. Ace's rule for it: "Limit one bonus coupon per Ace Rewards member. Bonus coupon will be available after a member downloads the Ace mobile app for the first time and links to Ace Rewards member account. Coupon exclusions apply." source. It's a coupon that lives in the app, which matters for the stacking table below, because a portal click never reaches an app checkout.
• No Ace credit card; Apple's card and a business account instead. Ace's payments page lists "Credit/Debit cards accepted:" as Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, then "Other forms of payment:" as Ace Gift Card, Apple Pay, GPay, PayPal and PayPal Pay Later, and "We do not accept:" CODs and a layaway plan source. No store card appears on it. The card offer Ace does promote is Apple's: "3% Daily Cash is available in the United States when using Apple Card with Apple Pay online, in the mobile app, and at participating stores listed at acehardware.com/applecard." with the carve-out "Excludes online and mobile app gift card purchases and purchases from 3rd party merchants using independent point-of-sale systems within a participating Ace Hardware store." source. For businesses there's Ace Trade Credit, "The Ace for Business Trade Credit Account card is issued and managed by TreviPay and is subject to the account holder terms and conditions." source, a 30-day invoice line, "There are no fees for your account. Your business will not incur any interest or late fees if your invoices are paid by the invoice due date." source, and nothing on its page mentions rewards or cashback.
• Military and senior discounts, one store at a time. Rakuten's FAQ puts it plainly: "There are no company-wide military discounts available at Ace Hardware. Stores are individually owned and operated, however, so your local retailer may offer a discount for military members and veterans." source, and on seniors, "You can find a senior discount at many Ace Hardware locations, but the discount varies depending on the store. The age requirement may be 55, 60 or 65 years old, depending on where you are." source. Ace's corporate pages we read say nothing about either; individual store pages do. The Wichita, Kansas store's page, for one: "Both Active and Retired Military receive 10% off everyday. Senior citizens receive 10% off on Thursdays." source. Those are register discounts at that store, and yours may offer something else or nothing; the store's own page on acehardware.com or a phone call is the only way to know.
• Coupons: one code per order, and long exclusion lists. Ace's promotional conditions: "Only one Promotional Discount code per order will be accepted." and "Codes are case sensitive." source. The general rule: "Coupons may not be sold or transferred, have no cash value, cannot be applied to previously purchased merchandise, cannot be used on sale or clearance merchandise, and cannot be replaced if merchandise is returned." source. The excluded categories run from "Air Compressors" through "Cordless Drills", "Generators", "Push Mowers", "Riding Mowers", "Snow Blowers" and "Building Materials" source, and the excluded brands include "Benjamin Moore", "Big Green Egg", "EGO", "STIHL®", "TORO®", "Traeger®", "Weber" and "YETI®" source, which is most of what people drive to Ace for. Rakuten's FAQ agrees on frequency: "Ace Hardware coupon codes are fairly rare, but they happen from time to time." source, and on combining, "You cannot use more than one coupon or promo code on your Ace Hardware order, but you can redeem rewards and use a coupon on the same order if you’re an Ace Hardware rewards member." source.

Put together: Ace pays its members back in $5 Rewards and free delivery, and none of that depends on a code, which is why it sits comfortably alongside a portal click. The things that don't stack here are the same two the portals name at every hardware store, gift cards and paid Delivery & Assembly, and Ace's own coupon rules are stricter than any portal's.

What Ace Hardware cashback stacks with

The short version: of the three portals whose Ace Hardware terms this page quotes, all three carry Ace with a rate, and all three exclude the same two things, gift cards and Delivery & Assembly. Rakuten and TopCashback want only their own coupon codes; Price.com's Ace terms don't mention codes at all. Ace Rewards points, $5 Rewards, sale prices and Red Hot Buys all stack, because none of them is a code. The Fluz card and a portal click are either/or at Rakuten and TopCashback, which exclude paying with a gift card as well as buying one; Price.com's line names only the purchase, and we don't turn that silence into a yes.

Ace Hardware cashback exclusions and what breaks tracking

The portals' Ace Hardware exclusions are short and identical: gift cards and Delivery & Assembly, plus outside coupon codes at Rakuten and TopCashback. No brand list, no category table at Rakuten or Price.com, and TopCashback's rate card has one carve-out tier, "Heaters", under its "Online Purchase" line source; the live table above shows the current numbers. The long exclusion lists at this store are Ace's own, and they govern coupons and Rewards, not cashback: a cordless drill or a Weber grill can't take an Ace coupon, but a portal click pays on it like anything else.

• Rakuten's exclusions and terms. Exclusions: "Cash Back is not available on delivery & assembly, or purchase/redemption of gift cards." source. Special terms: "Using coupon codes that are not listed on Rakuten may void Cash Back. To be safe, stick to codes provided by Rakuten." source. Posting: "Cash Back will be automatically added to your Rakuten account in a few days." source, and payment on Rakuten's usual schedule, "Get paid via PayPal or check as soon as 15 days of your first purchase. Then get paid quarterly." source. Its shipping line is "Ace Hardware offers free shipping to stores for every order." source. The page carries no last-edited date.
• Where Rakuten's editorial disagrees with Ace. Rakuten's shopping tips say members get "free delivery on online orders of $50 or more" source, with no mention that it's next-day only and from the store; Ace's terms say it "excludes same day delivery and ship to home" source. Rakuten's "You’ll also get a rewards bonus instantly when you download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and link your Ace Rewards account." source matches the headline on Ace's page and not the footnote that says "the day after" source. On the points math the two agree: "you’ll get a voucher for $5 off your purchase." at 2,500 points source.
• TopCashback's gate and terms. Exclusions: "Purchase or redemption of a Ace Hardware gift card." "Purchase of Delivery & Assembly." "Use of a coupon code not displayed on TopCashback." source. Terms: "Cash Back is calculated only on the item(s) price and does not include taxes, shipping or other fees." "Cash Back earned cannot exceed the total purchase amount." "To be eligible for Cash Back on all products, you must begin your purchase with an empty shopping cart." "Should your Cash Back fail to track automatically, please submit a Missing Cash Back Claim within 100 days of your order." source. Its rate card lists "Online Purchase" and, below it, "Heaters" source; a space heater in the cart earns at the lower line. The page opens with a browser warning: "With this Safari browser, we cannot guarantee that your Cash Back will track for this retailer. Please use an alternative browser on your device (e.g. Chrome) to get Cash Back." source. On timing: "Your Cash Back appears in your account within 7 days of your purchase" source. Its editorial closes with "All information, deals and offers mentioned within this content are correct at the time of writing." source and carries no date.
• Price.com. One exclusion line: "Cash Back is not eligible on gift card purchases or charges related to Delivery and Assembly services." source. No per-order cap is listed. Timing: "Purchases will typically show in your wallet as pending in 51 minutes." and "Cash Back will be added to your wallet in approximately 90 days." source. Its steps: "Click “Activate Cash Back” to start tracking." then "Complete your purchase in the Ace Hardware tab." source. On codes, its FAQ says "Price.com currently lists active Ace Hardware deals and sales offers rather than coupon codes." source, and its return note lines up with Ace's policy: "Most unused items in original packaging with a receipt can be returned within 30 days of purchase." source.
• Fluz's card limits. Cards run "from $10–$250" and are "redeemable in-store and online" source. The spec block: card issuer Ace Hardware, "Non-refundable", "Does not expire", "Non-reloadable", origin "United States" source. The terms Fluz prints are Ace's, and after the opening line about where the card is redeemable (quoted from Ace's own card terms in the next bullet) they read: "It cannot be used to purchase gift cards or pay Ace Hardware accounts. Except as required by law, this card is non-refundable and cannot be returned or redeemed for cash. No value until purchased and activated. Each time this card is used, the purchase amount will be debited against the available balance. This card does not expire and has no fees. Lost or stolen cards will be replaced for the remaining value only with the card number and satisfactory proof of purchase." and "This card is issued by Ace Incentives, Inc." source. A return goes back to a card: "When you make a return, the funds will be refunded to a gift card with that merchant." source. "No. Fluz does not charge any fees to purchase a gift card." source. Online: "During checkout, under payment select Redeem a gift card." then "To redeem a gift card, enter gift card number. To redeem an eGift card, enter gift card number and PIN then select Apply." source. In a store: "Show your gift card to the cashier and allow them to scan it." and "If scanner issues arise, instruct them to enter the digits manually." source. Remember: this route and a Rakuten or TopCashback click don't combine.
• Ace's gift card rules, which the Fluz route inherits. Ace's card terms, "Last Updated: 1/6/25" source: "Cards are redeemable only for purchases at participating Ace Hardware locations in the United States or online at www.acehardware.com." and "Cards cannot be used to purchase gift cards or pay Ace Hardware accounts." source. Online, "a maximum of three (3) Cards may be redeemed per order" and "the total value of Cards redeemed cannot exceed $750 per order." source. Fluz's "Non-reloadable" spec source is right for a digital card: "Other Cards, including tangible gift Cards purchased online or from third-party retailers, Cards with fixed face values, eGift Cards, merchandise return Cards, and promotional Cards, cannot be reloaded." source. "Except as otherwise provided in these Card Terms, Cards do not expire." and "Ace Incentives does not charge activation, inactivity fees or service fees in connection with Cards." source. Two places a card won't work: "Not available to redeem Ace Hardware Gift Card for services provided by Ace Hardware Home Services." source, and coupons, "Gift cards purchases are not eligible for promotions or other coupon offers." source. Buying one earns no points, since "(ii) gift cards" sits on the points exclusion list source, and "Gift Cards cannot be returned for any reason." source.
• What Ace's own discounts don't cover. A coupon can't touch "sale or clearance merchandise" source, the excluded categories, or the excluded brands listed in the program section. A Reward can't buy "(v) lumber and building materials; (vi) liquor, tobacco, firearms, and fuel;" source. Free member delivery skips "Same Day Delivery, delivery outside of the store's Standard Delivery Area, orders with Custom Delivery Fees" and "Shipped Orders." source. Ship-to-home is always charged: "There are shipping charges associated with Ship-to-Home orders. Shipping costs for orders placed on acehardware.com are based on the weight of the total order." source.
• Returns and timing. Ace's online window: "You may return most items within 30 days from the original purchase date with original receipt, provided that it is unused, uninstalled, and in its original packaging." source, and it's the website's policy only, "Each Ace Hardware store has its own customer service and return policies." source. Take it to a store: "We recommend that you make returns of online purchases to an Ace retail store near you that can issue you a refund (less applicable shipping, handling and other charges)." source; mail it and "the cost of shipping the item back to Ace will be paid by you, unless you received the incorrect item, or the item you received was damaged or defective." source. The exceptions bite on hardware-store purchases: "Clearance items are final sale." "Hazardous materials and products that use hazardous materials, such as flammable liquids or gasses cannot be returned." "Outdoor power equipment cannot be returned once fuel or oil has been put in it, even if the equipment has been drained of these materials." and "Tinted paint orders placed on acehardware.com are final and cannot be returned, refunded, or exchanged for a new color." source. An assembled item returned undamaged can cost you: "Your local Ace store may charge a re-stocking fee of 15%, minimum of $20, for an item that has been assembled and returned but is not damaged or defective." source. A Reward spent on a returned item is gone: "If Ace Rewards were used to pay for your purchase, the Reward value or coupon amount is forfeited upon return of the product." source. Some items ship from the maker with their own rules, "Some products on acehardware.com are shipped directly from the vendor and have a separate return policy" source. The portals wait out the window: TopCashback's page says "any items that are returned will disqualify your Cash Back" source, and Price.com's "approximately 90 days" source runs well past Ace's 30. A Fluz-paid return comes back "to a gift card with that merchant" source, and Ace says the same for any refund it can't send to the original card: "If the original form of payment is not available, we will credit via gift card." source.

What breaks tracking at any store, Ace Hardware included (the pillar guide has the portals' own wording on each):

• A second coupon or cashback extension that fires after the one you're earning with, so its click is the last one Ace sees.
• Starting on one device and finishing on another, including clicking through on a laptop and buying in the Ace app. The click has to happen where the checkout happens.
• Ad blockers, cookie blocking, and on TopCashback's own warning, Safari.
• Items already in the cart before the click. TopCashback states the empty-cart rule outright on its Ace Hardware page.
• Paying with a gift card, at Rakuten and TopCashback; buying one, at all three.
• A promo code from somewhere other than the portal's own page, at Rakuten and TopCashback.
• A return, an exchange or a cancellation, which reverses the commission the cashback was going to be paid from.