Banks are cautious these days, and if you have limited or poor credit history, they may require a deposit to act as collateral on your credit card account. Think of it like a security deposit you'd put down on apartment. The bank protects itself, while still letting you build up your credit history. It's a win-win situation.
The advantage of secured credit cards is that they may be able to help build, rebuild, or reestablish your credit history if you make on-time minimum payments with all your creditors and maintain your account balances below the credit limits. Let the Credit-Land.com experts steer you toward the card with the lowest fees and best terms for your needs.
Limited / Bad Credit
You can apply if: you have defaulted on a loan more than once or have been declined for a credit card in the last 3 months.
| Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Regular APR | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $29 | See terms | 22.9% (V) | Yes | No |
Any Credit
Required FICO score for this card: Any
You can apply if: you don’t know your credit score. You can be approved for this card regardless your credit history.
| Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Regular APR | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
| Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Regular APR | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $29 | $0 | 19.99% (Variable) | Yes | Yes |
Bad / No Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 0 to 619
You can apply if: you have never had a credit card or haven’t established a credit history yet; your credit has seen bankruptcies or foreclosures.
| Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Regular APR | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $35 | See website | 9.9% | Yes | No |
Bad / No Credit
Required FICO score for this card: 0 to 619
You can apply if: you have never had a credit card or haven’t established a credit history yet; your credit has seen bankruptcies or foreclosures.
| Annual Fee | Activation Fee | Regular APR | Reporting Credit Bureaus | Inst. Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | see site | 14.25% | Yes | No |
Secured credit cards require a small deposit of collateral and are subject to interest rates. Your security deposit may be refunded eventually if you pay off your entire balance each month. This also helps avoid high interest and improves your credit score.
If you can't get approved for an unsecured credit card, you can still apply for a secured credit card. Secured cards require a deposit and give you a better chance of being approved.
Unlike prepaid cards, secured cards do report payments to the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), so using one can help rebuild a damaged credit history by making on-time payments with all your creditors and keeping balances below the credit limits. If you make payments successfully for a period of time, some issuers will convert your secured credit card account to a conventional, unsecured one.
Secured cards are recommended for people with past financial challenges and bad credit history. Banks are wary to approve people with bad credit and might deny their applications, even with a security deposit.
latest news:
Wells Fargo Debuts Secured Business Credit Card and Line of Credit
May 14, 2013
Wells Fargo is introducing a secured business credit card as well as a secured line of credit for small business owners with poor or limited credit.Continue reading
related research:
December 11, 2011
Since 2008, many consumers have found themselves in a bind when it comes to getting credit, and then once they get the credit, they find it hard to pay off their balances. In 2010 alone, credit card issuers had to charge off 11 percent of bank ...Continue reading
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