What Credit Card is Easy to Get With Bad Credit
Compare credit cards for bad credit
Our best cards for bad credit may not always suit your financial situation. Compare other cards for building credit until you find the right pick for your situation.
This article was reviewed by Marguerita Cheng, a member of the Finder Editorial Review Board and award-winning advocate for ethical financial planning for over 20 years.
The best credit card for bad credit is often the one you can get approval for and can help you in rebuilding credit. To help you navigate to the right card, our credit card experts spend hundreds of hours each week comparing and reviewing credit cards, including those that aren't partnered with our site. This ensures you're receiving an unbiased assessment of which cards for bad credit can best serve your needs.
The seven cards we ranked as our top 2022 picks offer the most-needed benefits for bad credit including, low credit score requirements, reporting to major credit bureaus and low fees.
What are the best cards for bad credit?
- Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card: Best for no annual fee
- OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card: Best for low APR
- Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card: Best prequalication card
- Sable ONE Secured Credit Card: Best for no credit check required
- Harley-Davidson® Visa® Secured Card: Best for motorheads
- Discover it® Secured: Best for rewards
- Amazon Prime Store Card Credit Builder: Best card for Amazon purchases
Best for no annual fee
The new Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card is a premier credit-building choice for those with poor credit for two big reasons: It's not a secured card and it requires no annual fee. This means you can apply and start rebuilding your credit without worrying about a security deposit or yearly fee. Other secured cards on the market may charge anywhere from $35 to $200 to use each year, which can cut into your credit-building goals.
Best for low APR
If your credit score is especially weak, you might consider the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. It doesn't require a credit check for qualification — a rarity among credit-building cards — and you don't even need a bank account to use it. The $35 annual fee is a rather small tradeoff for the card's generous application requirements.
Best prequalification card
The Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card is a solid unsecured card for bad credit, though recently usurped by the Petal 1 when it comes to ideal unsecured credit-building. However, the Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card does allow you to see your approval chances before you apply. This can help you determine if the card is right for you without the burden of a hard credit pull on your score.
Best for no credit check required
Sable ONE Secured Credit Card
The Sable ONE Secured Credit Card makes it easy for those just entering the US to apply, as it requires no Social Security Number or prior credit history during application. Of course, US citizens can apply as well and can enjoy the card's solid rewards, strong welcome offer and unique path to graduating to an unsecured card.
Best for motorheads
Harley-Davidson® Visa® Secured Card
The Harley-Davidson® Visa® Secured Card is, curiously, a solid secured card for bad credit thanks to it's no annual fee and the ability to earn rewards on purchases. Granted, these rewards aren't as diverse as the Petal's offerings, but a majority of secured cards don't offer any sort of rewards at all — especially for no annual fee.
Best for rewards
The Discover it® Secured is one of the most rewarding credit cards for bad credit. This secured card not only earns 2% back on dining and fuel on up to $1,000 each quarter, but Discover will match all the cash back you earned during your first year. This makes it one of the rare secured cards with a signup bonus, and a powerful one at that. To sweeten the deal, you won't pay an annual fee for the card.
Best card for Amazon purchases
Amazon Prime Store Card Credit Builder
The Amazon Prime Store Card Credit Builder is a credit-building option offered to those who apply for the Amazon Prime Store Card but may not qualify based on credit. Even as a secured card, if offers some great value plays for Amazon fans, as you get to choose to either earn 5% cash back on your Amazon purchases or get between six and 24 months of deferred interest if paid in full. The only tradeoff is this card doesn't earn rewards elsewhere.
The application process for cards for bad credit is usually the same as with any other card:
- Visit the card's website and select the card you want to apply for.
- Select Apply Now and fill out the application form.
- Review the form and submit.
What if my credit card application is rejected?
Try calling your card provider and ask for reconsideration. Another alternative is to apply for credit cards with no credit check. This way your credit score won't take a hit and your card application will most likely be approved.
There are a few ways to maximize your chances of approval for a credit card for bad credit.
- Pick based on your score. Knowing your credit score before you apply can prevent you from choosing cards that are out of your range. Remember, applying for a credit card often results in a credit check, which can put a small, temporary dent in your score.
- Pay off existing debts. If you have any small debts hanging overhead, try paying those off first. This can help boost your credit score, which will improve your chances of getting approved for a card.
- Search among reputable credit card issuers. If you can help it, find a credit card for bad credit from a trusted major provider, such as Capital One or Discover. "Bad credit" cards from lesser-known credit card issuers may have especially harsh or unusual fees attached to them, such as activation fees or monthly fees you won't find on most cards.
- Look at secured and unsecured cards. Unsecured cards aren't your only option for bad credit. Secured cards are a great tool for building credit when you have a poor credit history. But mind the secured and unsecured card differences.
Having a bad credit score limits your financial tool options, meaning you can only get subprime credit cards. In this case, getting the right credit card is paramount to building your credit. Here's what to consider when comparing credit cards for bad credit:
- Annual fee. Look for a secured card with an annual fee below the average unsecured fee range of $89 and $200. Secured cards usually have an annual fee between $29 and $49, while some have no fee at all.
- Credit limit. Get a credit limit as high as $5,000 using a secured card as that credit line is your deposit. Unsecured cards often come with a credit limit between $200 and $300.
- Interest rates. Keep an eye on this because some unsecured cards come with no grace period. This means you start to accrue interest from the moment you make the purchase. This can quickly spiral out of control and pull you deeper in debt.
- Security deposits. If you're interested in a secured credit card to help you build your credit score, you'll want to review each card's required security deposit. A card with a large security deposit could put too much strain on your finances to be worth it. On the other hand a small security deposit might not give you the spending power you desire from your secured card. Compare your options to find the right balance for your finances.
- Rewards program. This is rare with credit cards for bad credit, but some secured cards let you earn rewards on your purchases, such as gas or groceries. Many kinds of store credit cards made for bad credit are also frequently available.
Here are the two main options available to you if you have poor credit.
- Secured credit cards. Secured credit cards for bad credit operate like regular credit cards but require a security deposit to determine the limit of your card. Say you make a $500 security deposit, then you have a $500 card limit. This tells the issuer you have enough money to pay off the card. This is a great way to rebuild your credit history provided the issuer reports to the three major bureaus — and most secured cards do — and provided you pay off your card on time.
- Unsecured cards for building credit. These are standard credit cards specifically designed for those with poor credit. While you can build your credit with unsecured cards for bad credit, they often have low credit limits, punishing rates and fees. This could make them an expensive credit-building option. But if you can't afford to make an upfront deposit for a secured card, an unsecured card for bad credit is your next option.
If none of these credit card types are right for you, Sam Greenspan, head of content for Demand.io, suggests an alternative. He tells Finder:
"If you have subpar credit, look into the rising number of buy now, pay later services. Often they are more generous with approvals than credit cards and their loans are interest-free. Plus, they will only do a soft credit check — or no credit check — during the approval process, helping you avoid a ding on your credit report or a potential rejection. Some of the buy now, pay later services, like Klarna and Afterpay, offer perks and rewards that are comparable to cash back or points on a credit card. And other services, including Sezzle and Perpay, even specialize in working with people who have a lower credit score or no credit: They'll make positive reports to credit bureaus as you make your payments which can help boost up your credit score."
Although you can build your credit with this type of card, there are some card features to watch, as they may hinder your credit-building efforts. For example:
- Doesn't report to credit bureaus. You may find the perfect card for your current financial situation. But if it doesn't report to the three main credit bureaus, it's useless for building credit. Whichever card you choose, make sure it reports to all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
- Hidden or unusual fees. Keep an eye for fees that aren't openly advertised. This is often the case with unsecured credit cards for bad credit where you may be charged program fees of up to $25 each month for services you may likely never need. Other fees include monthly maintenance fees, additional card fees and higher-than-average late-payment fees.
- Interest rates. Credit cards for bad credit aren't known for their low-interest rates, although there are some cards that'll surprise you. Either way, if you're looking to build your credit, you should try to pay your full balance on time and avoid paying any interest altogether.
Ultimately, a bad credit rating can significantly impact your lifestyle, making it difficult to get a car, a home loan or other forms of credit. If you find yourself in such a position, don't despair. With responsible use, a secured card can help you rebuild your credit score. Compare secured credit cards for one that best fits your current financial situation.
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Source: https://www.finder.com/bad-credit-rating-credit-cards
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