Your credit isn't great, but it isn't terrible either. You've had your ups and downs and missed a payment here and there. Can you still be eligible for a card that offers perks like good interest and rewards? The answer is - “Yes! You can still be eligible for cards with advantageous terms.” Some cards offer cash back rewards, even for people without the very best credit history. You can get 1% cash back on purchases and watch your savings climb. Look for a card that offers a reasonable annual fee and interest rate for people with fair credit history. Let Credit-Land.com show you the options out there for people with fair credit.
Average / Limited
You can apply if: you own credit card or other credit for less than 3 years or you have defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% (until March 2014) | 19.8% (V) | $39 | See terms | Yes | No |
Average / Limited
You can apply if: you own credit card or other credit for less than 3 years or you have defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% (until March 2014) | 19.8% (V) | $39 | See terms | Yes | No |
Fair / Poor Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 620 to 659
You can apply if: you have black spots on your credit history - missed payments, bankruptcy, foreclosure, maxed-out cards, or defaults.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | See website* | See website* | See website* | Yes | Yes |
Fair / Poor Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 620 to 659
You can apply if: you have black spots on your credit history - missed payments, bankruptcy, foreclosure, maxed-out cards, or defaults.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | See website* | See website* | See website* | Yes | Yes |
Average / Limited
You can apply if: you own credit card or other credit for less than 3 years or you have defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | 24.9% (V) | $0 intro for first year; $19 after that | See terms | Yes | No |
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| See terms | Various Rates | See terms | See terms | Yes | Yes |
Fair / Poor Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 620 to 659
You can apply if: you have black spots on your credit history - missed payments, bankruptcy, foreclosure, maxed-out cards, or defaults.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | See website* | See website* | See website* | Yes | Yes |
Fair / Poor Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 620 to 659
You can apply if: you have black spots on your credit history - missed payments, bankruptcy, foreclosure, maxed-out cards, or defaults.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | See website* | See website* | See website* | Yes | Yes |
Bad Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 350 to 619
You can apply if: you regularly miss or skip payments and max out your credit balance; you have more than one foreclosure, repossession, or a bankruptcy declared.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | 24.90% | $0 | See website | Yes | Yes |
Average / Limited
You can apply if: you own credit card or other credit for less than 3 years or you have defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years.
| Intro APR on Purch. | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n/a | 24.9% (V) | $0 | See terms | Yes | No |
When used wisely, by making on time payments and keeping account balances below their credit limits, cards for fair credit may help you boost your FICO score. Knowing what to expect from these cards and using their terms to your advantage may help you graduate from a fair credit rating to an excellent one, but you must be diligent and patient because previous mistakes take time to correct. It may take several years of prompt payments to restore your good credit.
Here is a rundown of what you need to know about using and applying for credit cards for fair credit:
Credit cards designed for people with fair credit may carry high interest rates. Your best bet is to avoid carrying a balance on the card for any extended amount of time.
Credit cards for fair credit sometimes come with higher fees than other cards. These fees can include one-time processing fees, so keep an eye out for those charges when evaluating an offer.
Some credit cards in this category offer rewards that include cash back on travel and other purchases. Since rewards cards for fair credit tend to have higher-than-average interest rates, it pays to be careful.
Pay on Time: 35% of your credit score is based on your payment history. Never miss a payment deadline.
Keep Low Balances: 30% of your score is your "credit utilization ratio", which compares your total available credit to the amount of credit you have used. The lower your ratio, the higher your score will be.
Keep Cards Open: 15% of your credit score is the average duration of your accounts, with emphasis on length. The amount of new credit, and the number of types of credit make for 10% each.
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** FICO scores/credit scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any credit product.
* See the online credit card application for details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. However, all credit card information is presented without warranty. When you click on the "Apply" button, you can review the credit card terms & conditions on the credit card issuer´s website.
68 The Fingerhut Credit Account is offered to US residents by WebBank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank, located in Salt Lake City, UT. Member FDIC, who determines eligibility and qualifications for the terms of credit.
69 If you apply and are accepted for a Fingerhut Credit Account issued by WebBank, who determines eligibility and qualifications for the terms of credit.