For the Starbucks fans out there, a big update is coming to their rewards program.
On March 10, 2026, Starbucks Rewards will introduce status levels: Green, Gold, and Reserve. Gold and Reserve tiers will provide you with more perks.
On March 10, your tier will be revealed, based on your 2025 Starbucks purchases.
But slipped in with this exciting news are some downgrades when it comes to actually earning Stars and redeeming them for rewards.
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New Starbucks Rewards tiers
How do you get access to Green, Gold, and Reserve Starbucks tiers? It's all based on the number of Stars you earn per year.
Green is the entry level tier. Here are the basic benefits of this tier:
- Free treat on your birthday
- Earn 1 star per $1 spent
- Stars stay active for 6 months with qualifying activity
Next up is Gold, which increases the perks. To access it you need to earn 500 stars in a year.
- 7 days to redeem your birthday treat
- Earn 1.5 stars per $1 spent
- Stars never expire
- 4 more double star days per year
Then we get to Reserve, where you'll need to earn 2,500 stars in a year.
- 30 days to redeem your birthday treat
- Earn 1.7 stars per $1 spent
- Stars never expire
- 6 more double star days per year
- A personalized Reserve card
- Access to global coffee experiences
Starbucks published a summary and FAQ for the changes.
Updates to redemption tiers and bonus stars for pre-loads
Seems terrific right? Fancy new status levels in Starbucks Rewards! Unfortunately, this announcement also sugarcoats some downgrades.
Redemption caps will limit how much you can save by redeeming Stars for free items.
Currently, only the lowest and highest tiers limit how much your Stars save. But with the March 10 update, a cap is coming to all but 1 tier.
Here are the tiers and their caps, including a new 60-Star tier.
| Redemption Tier | Free Item | Redemption Cap | Max Value of 1 Star |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Stars | Drink Customization | $1 | 4 cents |
| 60 Stars | $2 off any item | $2 | 3.3 cents |
| 100 Stars | Brewed coffee, tea, bakery items | $6 | 6 cents |
| 200 Stars | Handcrafted drinks, hot breakfast | $10 | 5 cents |
| 300 Stars | Lunch sandwich or take-home coffee | None | Varies |
| 400 Stars | Select Starbucks merchandise | $20 | 5 cents |
What you'll actually save per Star will vary based on what you order.
Right now, the best way to earn more Stars is to reload your digital Starbucks card, which doubles your earn rate from 1 Star to 2 Stars per $1 spent.
That's also going away. Instead, you'll simply earn some bonus Stars with a reload:
- Reload $30 or more, and get 10 bonus stars.
- Reload $50 or more, and get 25 bonus stars.
You can get these bonuses an unlimited number of times, and they still work if you set up auto-reload.
Best credit cards for Starbucks
For the frequent Starbucks customer, a credit card that offers extra rewards at restaurants is a must.
Every year, we do the math on rewards to determine the best credit cards for restaurants. Here are some top options:
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Keep track of all rewards program updates
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