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Credit Cards for Bad Credit

Our recommended credit cards for bad credit - unsecured credit cards, secured credit cards, and prepaid debit cards are specifically designed for people with less-than-perfect credit. If you have bad credit, a limited credit history or no credit history at all, read our expert reviews below and choose the best bad credit credit card to help you begin establishing your credit history and building healthy credit scores.

If you're having a difficult time deciding which type of bad credit credit card is right for you, or if want to know how credit cards can help you rebuild your credit, read our recent credit tip in order to get brought up to speed on these very topics.

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Unsecured Credit Cards

Unsecured cards provide the opportunity to rebuild your credit with no security deposit required.

Ongoing APR
17.99% to 23.99% Variable
Setup Fee
N/A*
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes

Credit One Bank® Unsecured Visa® for Rebuilding Credit Highlights

  • Rates & Fees
  • See if you Pre-Qualify without harming your credit score. Find the card that's right for you in less than 60 seconds.
  • CreditOneBank.com and the Credit One Bank mobile app makes it easy to access and manage all your account information and make payments whether you're at home or on-the-go.
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Ongoing APR
23.99% Variable
Setup Fee
N/A*
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes

Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit Highlights

  • Rates & Fees
  • Looking to rebuild credit? We report to the major credit bureaus monthly
  • With $0 Fraud Liability, you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
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Ongoing APR
See Terms
Setup Fee
See Terms
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes

Bad credit credit cards are for consumers with FICO credit scores below 650. If your credit scores are above 650 but below 700, try comparing credit card offers in our Credit Cards for Fair Credit section instead.

Ongoing APR
N/A
Setup Fee
$5.00
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes
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Secured Credit Cards

Secured credit cards require a deposit with the credit issuer, but they have higher approval rates and will report your payment history to the credit bureaus so you can begin rebuilding your credit scores.

Ongoing APR
9.99%
Setup Fee
N/A*
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card Highlights

  • Receive Your Card More Quickly with New Expedited Processing Option
  • No Credit History or Minimum Credit Score Required for Approval
  • Quick and Complete Online Application
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Ongoing APR
19.99% Variable
Setup Fee
N/A*
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes
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Ongoing APR
13.99%
Setup Fee
N/A*
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes

Bad credit credit cards may carry higher fees than a prime credit card, including monthly or annual fees. Consider this the cost of rebuilding your credit. Make sure you always stay current on your credit cards and in time, your responsible use will help to improve your credit score.

Ongoing APR
17.99% Fixed
Setup Fee
N/A*
Reports to Major Credit Bureaus?
Yes

Rebuild Your Credit With a Bad Credit Credit Card

Here’s some more information on how secured credit cards and prepaid debit cards can help you improve your personal finances moving forward...

 

Secured Credit Cards

 

What are secured credit cards? These work the same as regular credit cards, only you guarantee (or secure) your line of credit with a security deposit. Generally, you can secure as much as 100% of your credit line when you sign up. (For example, if you provide a $1,000 in credit, your credit line might be 70% of that to start.)

 

However, once you show the credit card company that you can make on-time payments and pay back your balance each month, your credit line may increase without an additional security deposit. Plus, in many cases your new, responsible banking will be reported to the three major credit bureaus and you’ll have full access to your credit score and reports.

 

Find credit cards for bad credit with low interest to get the ball rolling on rebuilding your credit score today.

 

How do secured credit cards improve my bad credit?

 

Secured cards offer your best chance to get approved for a credit card because of the security deposit they require. Essentially, secured credit cards are not only one of the best options when it comes to bad credit credit cards - quite often they’re the only option for improving your credit via a new card. We would absolutely recommend considering a secured credit card if you’re hoping to improve your fair or bad credit.

 

Prepaid Debit Cards

 

Prepaid debit cards are another kind of card for bad credit. While they don’t improve your credit score in any significant way, they are a great way to teach your teens about credit. Prepaid cards are pretty straightforward: once you’re approved (and their 100% approval rate ensure that you will be), simply load money to your card (generally performed online) and begin swiping responsibly - that’s it!

 

Prepaid debit cards work the same way as your banking debit card. As long as you’re keeping track of your balance, you’ll have no issue using a prepaid debit card. There’s no credit line on these cards, which is what makes them a good training tool for young adults new to credit; essentially, they can become accustomed to tracking their limit without the danger of falling into debt.