Best Home Improvement Store Rewards Programs — and the Home Depot Gap
Home improvement is the category where the biggest player has no consumer loyalty program at all. Home Depot rewards pros only; Lowe's launched a genuine points program for DIYers in 2024; Ace runs the most generous-looking rate that is really 2% back; and Menards pays its famous 11% only if you mail a form. Here is what each one actually gives you.
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The Home Depot gap: no consumer program
As of August 2026, Home Depot's only loyalty program is Pro Xtra, and the company's own page defines it as a program for contractors and professionals. Regular DIY shoppers have no points, no punch card, nothing — the consumer-side options are the store credit card and the email list. Pro Xtra itself is free and worth joining if you plausibly qualify as a pro: it earns toward perks once qualifying purchases pass $2,500, takes up to 20% off paints and stains, and in July 2026 added quarterly partner offers (fuel discounts, work boots, and similar). But if you are a homeowner repainting a bedroom, the honest answer is that Home Depot is not competing for your loyalty — which is exactly why the Lowe's program below exists.
Every program compared
Figures come from each retailer's own pages and announcements as of early August 2026 (sources at the end). Where a number is only reported by third parties, the text says so.
| Program | Cost | What you get | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyLowe's Rewards | Free | 1 to 1.5 points per $1 by tier; 500 points = $5 MyLowe's Money; free shipping perks; member gifts | Points lapse 12 months after your last earning activity; the $5 credits themselves are short-lived |
| Home Depot Pro Xtra | Free (pros only) | Perks after $2,500 qualifying spend; up to 20% off paint; quarterly partner offers | Not open to ordinary consumers; perk values not published in detail |
| Ace Rewards | Free | 10 pts/$1; 2,500 pts = $5 (2% back); 1,000-point signup bonus; free store delivery on $50+ online orders | The 10x headline rate is really 2% back; Premier perks require $750/year spend |
| Menards 11% rebate | Free (mail-in) | 11% back on nearly everything during near-weekly promo periods, paid as in-store credit | Mail-in only, ~6–8 week wait, credit usable in-store only |
| Harbor Freight Inside Track Club | $29.99/yr or $44.99/2yr | Member-only prices on thousands of items, early sale access, free gifts | A discount club, not a rewards program — worth it only if you shop there regularly |
MyLowe's Rewards, the only true DIY points program
Launched nationally in March 2024, MyLowe's Rewards is the only genuine points program a homeowner can join in this category. Earning runs by tier — 1 point per $1 at Bronze, 1.25 at Silver, 1.5 at Gold, with tier status set by your previous year's spend (thresholds of $500 and $2,000 are widely reported by program guides, though Lowe's does not print them on the main page). Every 500 points auto-converts to $5 of MyLowe's Money, making the effective return roughly 1–1.5% — modest, but stacked on free shipping, member gifts and early sale access. Military members get an automatic 10% discount and Silver status. Two clocks to respect: points lapse 12 months after your last earning activity, and the $5 credits are reported to expire about 60 days after they are issued, so spend them with your next project rather than saving them up.
In 2025 Lowe's folded its pro program into the same brand as MyLowe's Pro Rewards, so pros and DIYers now earn in one system — a direct shot at the Pro Xtra-only strategy across the street.
The Menards 11%: real money, real homework
Menards' recurring "11% off everything" promotion is the single largest percentage in this comparison, and it is genuinely storewide — but it is a mail-in rebate, not a discount. You buy at full price, mail the rebate receipt to the processor in Elk Mound, Wisconsin, and roughly six to eight weeks later a merchandise credit check arrives by post, spendable in-store only. Miss the postmark deadline printed on the receipt and the rebate is gone. Two mechanics worth knowing, both widely documented by rebate-tracking guides: purchases made up to 14 days before a sale window can qualify through a price-adjustment form at the service desk, and gift cards, propane and delivery fees never qualify. The 11% is real money for anyone disciplined about paperwork — and effectively a discount Menards keeps from everyone who is not.
Paying to join: Harbor Freight's Inside Track Club
Harbor Freight's Inside Track Club inverts the whole model: $29.99 a year (or $44.99 for two) buys membership in a discount club with member-only prices, early access to sales, and periodic free-gift events. There are no points and nothing to track — the discounts apply automatically at checkout by phone number. Harbor Freight offers a full refund within 90 days if you change your mind. The evaluation is simple: pull up your last year of Harbor Freight spending, and if member pricing would have saved more than $30, it pays for itself; for an occasional shopper it will not.
Their receipt surveys pay too
Separately from loyalty, both big-box chains print survey invitations on receipts with sweepstakes prizes — a $5,000 gift card draw at Home Depot (confirmed in its official rules) and a $500 draw at Lowe's. For a consumer at Home Depot, the survey is literally the only reward mechanism the chain offers. Step-by-step walkthroughs are in our Home Depot survey guide and Lowe's survey guide, and both programs appear in our full US receipt survey comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Home Depot have a rewards program for regular customers?
No. As of August 2026, Home Depot's only loyalty program is Pro Xtra, which its own site describes as being for contractors and professionals. Ordinary shoppers' options are the consumer credit card, the email list, and the receipt survey sweepstakes.
Is Ace Rewards actually 10% back?
No — you earn 10 points per dollar, but 2,500 points converts to a $5 reward, which is 2% back. It is still one of the better free programs here, with a 1,000-point signup bonus and free delivery from the store on $50+ online orders.
How does the Menards 11% rebate actually pay out?
As an in-store merchandise credit check that arrives by mail roughly 6–8 weeks after you post the rebate form and receipt. It is not cash, cannot be used online, and requires meeting the postmark deadline printed on your receipt.
Do MyLowe's Rewards points expire?
Yes — Lowe's terms have points lapsing 12 months after your last points-earning activity, and program guides report the $5 MyLowe's Money credits expire around 60 days after issue. Buying anything eligible resets the 12-month points clock.
Sources
- Lowe's — MyLowe's Rewards official page
- Lowe's — MyLowe's Rewards launch announcement (tiers and earn rates)
- Lowe's — pro program relaunch under MyLowe's (2025)
- Home Depot — Pro Xtra official page
- Home Depot — Pro Xtra partner offers expansion (July 2026)
- Ace Hardware — Ace Rewards official page (rates and Premier)
- Menards — official rebate center
- Krazy Coupon Lady — Menards 11% rebate mechanics guide
- Harbor Freight — Inside Track Club official page (pricing and benefits)