Best Credit Card for Staples in 2026
Staples is classified under MCC 5943 (Stationery Stores, Office and School Supply Stores). The best card for Staples purchases is the Ink Business Cash (no annual fee), earning 5x on stationery stores, office and school supply stores — an effective return of 10.25%.
If you spend a lot on office supplies, the Staples MCC is crucial for maximizing rewards. Business cards like the Ink Business Cash cover this category well.
Use Staples' business account to track your spending and maximize rewards by combining it with a credit card that offers high cashback in the stationery stores category.
Spending Math
Spending $200 a month at Staples with the Ink Business Cash card earns you $10 a month or $120 annually, while a typical 1% cash back card would only earn $2 per month and $24 yearly.
Staples purchases are classified under MCC 5943 (Stationery Stores, Office and School Supply Stores).
MCC Details for Staples
Best Credit Cards for Staples (2026)
How Staples Codes on Your Statement
When you pay at Staples at their locations, your card issuer sees MCC 5943 in the transaction data. This code tells your bank that the purchase was made at a stationery stores, office and school supply stores merchant. Bonus reward rates on your card apply based on this MCC — not the merchant name itself.
If your card earns bonus points on "stationery stores, office and school supply stores" purchases, Staples transactions will qualify — even if your card terms only mention a category name and not Staples specifically. The key is that the MCC matches your card's bonus category definition.
You can verify the MCC on any Staples transaction by checking your card's mobile app or statement. Some issuers display the merchant category alongside the transaction details. For the most accurate information, contact your card issuer's customer service and ask whether MCC 5943 qualifies for bonus rewards.
Bonus Category Match — Staples
About MCC 5943: Stationery Stores, Office and School Supply Stores
Merchant Category Code 5943 is assigned by card networks (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) to classify businesses in the Stationery Stores, Office and School Supply Stores industry. Issuers use MCCs to determine which transactions qualify for bonus reward rates. When a merchant is assigned MCC 5943, all qualifying card programs that include stationery stores, office and school supply stores as a bonus category will apply the elevated earn rate.
The Office Supply industry group encompasses several related MCCs. Not all merchants in a similar business will share the same MCC — for example, a grocery store inside a warehouse club may code as wholesale ({"5300"}) rather than grocery ({"5411"}). Always verify with your issuer if you're unsure whether a specific merchant qualifies for bonus rewards on your card.
Other Stationery Stores, Office and School Supply Stores merchants: Global Industrial, Office Depot, OfficeMax.
What You Could Earn at Staples
Spending $200/month at Staples with the Ink Business Cash (5x on stationery stores, office and school supply stores) earns approximately $120/year in rewards. A basic 1% card earns $24 on the same spending. That is $96 more per year with no annual fee.
Prefer no annual fee? The Cash Rewards Visa Signature Business earns 3x at Staples merchants, earning $72/year with no annual fee.