• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

FinanceJar

FinanceJar

Take the next step on your journey

  • Credit Scores
    • Credit Score Range
  • Credit Repair
  • Credit Reports
    • Credit Inquiries
  • Credit Cards
    • Credit Card Reviews
  • Debt
    • Debt Collection
    • List of Collection Agencies
  • Loans

Home Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

Credit Cards for Bad Credit: Best Options for 2022

Hand grabbing the best credit card of many credit cards for bad credit

At a glance

If you're looking for a credit card but you have poor or damaged credit, don't worry. We've compiled a list of the best credit cards for people with bad credit. Take a look at our top picks to find the best cards with the lowest fees.

Written by Zachary Vickers

Reviewed by Robert Jellison and Mark Slack

Jan 18, 2022

Fresh advice you can trust

We promise to always deliver the best financial advice that we can. That's our first priority, and we take it seriously. Our writers and editors follow strict editorial standards and operate independently from our advertisers and affiliates. Learn more about how we make money.

Table of Contents

  1. What are the best credit cards for people with bad credit?
  2. Can I get a credit card with bad credit?
  3. How to get a credit card with bad credit
  4. What to look for in a credit card for bad credit
  5. FinanceJar credit card rating methodology

What are the best credit cards for people with bad credit?

We’ve selected the top credit cards for people with bad credit scores. These cards are ideal for anyone looking to make a change in their financial journey. Whether you’re looking to establish credit for the first time or repair a low credit score, your application for the following credit cards will be approved even if you have bad credit.

Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

  • Discover it® Secured Credit Card  – Best for Bad Credit Overall
  • Surge Mastercard® Unsecured Credit Card  – Best for No Deposit
  • First Progress Platinum Elite MasterCard® Secured Credit Card  – Best for No Hard Inquiry
  • First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard® Secured Credit Card  – Best for Low APR (Low Interest)
  • First Progress Platinum Select MasterCard® Secured Credit Card  – Best for Establishing Credit
  • OpenSky® Secured Credit Visa® Card  – Best for No Credit Check
  • Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit  – Best for Unsecured

Overall Best Credit Card for Bad Credit

Discover It secured credit card Apply Now

on Discover's secure site
or call (800) 347-2683

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

4.8

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$200
Annual Fee
$0
Regular APR
23.24% (Variable)
Rewards Rate
1% - 2%
Recommended Credit Score
300–850
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

With no annual fee and the ability to earn cash back while building up your credit, the Discover it Secured Credit Card is our overall best pick for people with bad credit. You don’t often see secured cards that offer reward options since their main purpose is to help people rebuild or repair their bad credit. Discover’s Cashback Match will match all qualified cash back purchases you earn dollar-for-dollar and add them to your rewards account for the first year after opening your account. This makes the Discover it Secured Credit Card an attractive option for anyone with a low credit score.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Earn cash back
  • Refundable deposit

Cons

  • High APR
  • Restrictive qualifying purchases

Card Details

  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Intro Offer: 2% cash back on gas and restaurants up to $1,000 combined each quarter, and 1% unlimited cash back on all other qualified purchases.
  • Regular APR: 23.24% (Variable)
  • APR for Balance Transfers: 10.99% intro APR for 6 months from date of first transfer, for transfers that post to your account by November 10, 2021. After the intro APR expires, your APR will be 22.99% This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
  • APR for Cash Advances: 24.99%
  • Deposit: $200

Best for No Deposit

Surge Mastercard credit card Apply Now

on Continental Finance's secure website
or call (866) 449-4514

Surge Mastercard® Unsecured Credit Card

3.5

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$0
Annual Fee
$75–$99
Regular APR
24.99%–29.99% (Variable)
Recommended Credit Score
300–850
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

A Surge Mastercard Credit Card is unique among most of the other cards on this list because it doesn’t require a minimum deposit to sign up. Unlike a secured credit card, which uses your deposit as your credit limit, a Surge Mastercard will allow you to access a set line of credit based on your individual credit history. The downside is that you’ll be facing a higher than average APR, so you’ll want to avoid rolling your balance over. Additionally, Surge charges a high annual fee for the first year ($75-$99) and then $99 for each year after that—which is much higher than most. Still, if you’re looking for a credit card without having to pay anything upfront and be approved for a relatively high credit limit, this is the card for you.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No money down
  • Free monthly credit score check
  • Major credit bureau reporting monthly

Cons

  • Monthly maintenance fee
  • High annual fee

Card Details

  • Deposit: $0
  • Credit limit: $300 to $1,000 with a potential credit limit increase after 6 months
  • Annual Fee: Between $75 - $99 for the first year, $99 each year afterward
  • Regular APR: 24.99% - 29.99% Variable APR (depending on creditworthiness)
  • APR for Balance Transfers: N/A
  • APR for Cash Advances: N/A
  • Maintenance Fee: $0 - $120 annually (billed at $0–$10 per month). Monthly fee isn't billed for the first year of your account.

Best for No Hard Inquiry

First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard Secured credit card Apply Now

on First Progress' secure site
or call (866) 706-5543

First Progress Platinum Elite MasterCard® Secured Credit Card

4.0

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$200
Annual Fee
$29
Regular APR
19.99% (Variable)
Rewards Rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
300–850
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

Applying for a First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard Secured can be done quickly and easily online and doesn't require a hard inquiry credit check. That’s because no prior credit history is necessary, making this card our top pick for a "no hard inquiry" secured credit card. Simply fill out the application and secure your line of credit with a fully refundable deposit of at least $200.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No hard inquiry
  • Quick and simple online application process
  • Pay off your balance, cancel anytime

Cons

  • Nationwide Program not yet available in NY, IA, AR, or WI. See card terms*

Card Details

  • Annual Fee: $29
  • Intro Offer: N/A
  • Regular APR: 19.99% Variable
  • APR for Balance Transfers: N/A
  • APR for Cash Advances: 24.99% Variable
  • Deposit: $200 – $2000
  • No minimum credit score or previous credit history required for approval.
  • Includes free real-time access to your credit score and ongoing credit monitoring powered by Experian.
  • Monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus to establish credit history.
  • $200 - $2,000 credit line secured by a fully-refundable deposit submitted with your application.
  • Receive your deposit back at any time; just pay off your balance.
  • 24/7 online access to your account.
  • Nationwide Program not yet available in NY, IA, AR, or WI <a href="https://www.timeforprogress.com/Apply/07365876-15ce-47e0-8935-67903f8f7cbe">See card terms*</a>.
  • A discharged bankruptcy will not cause you to be declined. Offer not guaranteed.

Best for Low APR (Low Interest)

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard secured credit card Apply Now

on First Progress' secure site
or call (866) 706-5543

First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard® Secured Credit Card

4.1

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$200
Annual Fee
$49
Regular APR
9.99% (Variable)
Rewards Rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
300–850
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

If you plan to carry over your credit card balance each month, a First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard Secured Credit Card is your best option if you also have bad credit. With a variable interest rate of only 9.99%, this card features the lowest APR of any card on our Best for Bad Credit list. The trade-off comes in the form of a high annual fee of $49, which is quite steep for a secured credit card. At any rate, this card is a great choice for balance carriers with bad credit.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Monthly reporting to all three credit bureaus
  • Fully refundable deposit
  • Lowest annual percentage rate (APR) on our list

Cons

  • Certain restrictions for residents in NY, IA, AR, or WI. See card terms*
  • Offer not guaranteed

Card Details

  • Annual Fee: $49
  • Intro Offer: N/A
  • Regular APR: 9.99% Variable
  • APR for Balance Transfers: N/A
  • APR for Cash Advances: 18.99% Variable
  • Deposit: $200 - $2000
  • No minimum credit score or previous credit history required for approval.
  • Includes free real-time access to your credit score and ongoing credit monitoring powered by Experian.
  • Monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus to establish credit history.
  • $200 - $2,000 credit line secured by a fully-refundable deposit submitted with your application.
  • Receive your deposit back at any time; just pay off your balance.
  • 24/7 online access to your account.
  • Nationwide Program not yet available in NY, IA, AR, or WI <a href="https://www.timeforprogress.com/Apply/07365876-15ce-47e0-8935-67903f8f7cbe">See card terms*</a>
  • A discharged bankruptcy will not cause you to be declined. Offer not guaranteed.

Best for Establishing Credit

First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard secured credit card Apply Now

on First Progress' secure site
or call (866) 706-5543

First Progress Platinum Select MasterCard® Secured Credit Card

3.9

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$200
Annual Fee
$39
Regular APR
13.99% (Variable)
Rewards Rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
350–850
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

Easily begin building your credit history when you sign-up for a First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard Secured Credit Card. This Platinum Mastercard by First Progress doesn’t require a minimum credit score, so it’s perfect for young adults or anyone looking to establish their credit. Also, this card reports your account to each of the three major credit bureaus every month, so you can easily build a complete credit history.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Use anywhere credit cards are accepted and build or establish your credit
  • Monthly reporting to all three credit bureaus

Cons

  • Certain restrictions for residents in NY, IA, AR, or WI. See card terms*
  • Offer not guaranteed

Card Details

  • Annual Fee: $39
  • Intro Offer: N/A
  • Regular APR: 13.99% Variable
  • APR for Balance Transfers: N/A
  • APR for Cash Advances: 19.99% Variable
  • Deposit: $200 – $2000
  • No minimum credit score or previous credit history required for approval.
  • Includes free real-time access to your credit score and ongoing credit monitoring powered by Experian.
  • Monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus to establish credit history.
  • $200 - $2,000 credit line secured by a fully-refundable deposit submitted with your application.
  • Receive your deposit back at any time; just pay off your balance.
  • 24/7 online access to your account.
  • Nationwide Program not yet available in NY, IA, AR, or WI <a href="https://www.timeforprogress.com/Apply/07365876-15ce-47e0-8935-67903f8f7cbe">See card terms*</a>
  • A discharged bankruptcy will not cause you to be declined. Offer not guaranteed.

Best for No Credit Check

OpenSky Secured Visa credit card Apply Now

on OpenSky's secure site
or call (800) 859-6412

OpenSky® Secured Credit Visa® Card

4.5

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$200
Annual Fee
$35
Regular APR
17.39% (Variable)
Rewards Rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
300–850
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

There’s only a $200 down payment required and no need to run your credit, so you’re guaranteed approval with an OpenSky Secured Visa from Capital Bank. However, you may qualify for the same credit line with a deposit amount starting at $49 if your credit score isn’t too bad. This is a perfect choice for people looking to improve their credit, and the flexible deposit means you can easily match your credit limit to your budget.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • No credit history required for approval
  • Earn a credit score record within 6 months

Cons

  • Initial credit limit is based on the amount of funds deposited

Card Details

  • Annual Fee: $35
  • Intro Offer: N/A
  • Regular APR: 17.39% Variable
  • APR for Balance Transfers: N/A
  • APR for Cash Advances: 17.39%
  • Deposit: $200 - $3000

Best Unsecured Credit Card for Bad Credit

Credit One Platinum Visa credit card Apply Now

on Credit One Bank's secure site
or call (800) 752-5493

Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit

3.8

Rates & Fees

Minimum Deposit
$0
Annual Fee
$75
Regular APR
23.99% (Variable)
Rewards Rate
1%
Recommended Credit Score
450–680
Poor Fair Good Excellent
300 850

Why It's Great

A Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit is an intriguing unsecured credit card for bad credit thanks to its generous cash back rewards. Earn 1% cash back on nearly all your monthly utilities and expenses like gas and groceries (plus your cell phone), internet, cable, or satellite TV bills. Lastly, because this card is unsecured, there’s no minimum deposit required.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Earn cash back on everyday purchases
  • No money down

Cons

  • High APR
  • High Annual Fee billed each month
  • Offer not guaranteed

Card Details

  • Annual Fee: $75 first year, then $99 annually (billed at $8.25 per month)
  • Intro Offer: N/A
  • Regular APR: 23.99% Variable
  • APR for Balance Transfers: N/A
  • APR for Cash Advances: 23.99%
  • Deposit: $0

Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

Credit Card Best For Credit Score Annual Fee Welcome Bonus
Discover It secured credit card Discover it® Secured Credit Card Bad Credit Overall 300–850 $0 Discover’s Cashback Match
Surge Mastercard credit card Surge Mastercard® Unsecured Credit Card No Deposit 300–850 $75–$99
First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard Secured credit card First Progress Platinum Elite MasterCard® Secured Credit Card No Hard Inquiry 300–850 $29 See terms*
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard secured credit card First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard® Secured Credit Card Low APR (Low Interest) 300–850 $49 See terms*
First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard secured credit card First Progress Platinum Select MasterCard® Secured Credit Card Establishing Credit 350–850 $39 See terms*
OpenSky Secured Visa credit card OpenSky® Secured Credit Visa® Card No Credit Check 300–850 $35 See terms*
Credit One Platinum Visa credit card Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit Unsecured 450–680 $75 See terms*

Can I get a credit card with bad credit?

Yes, you can get a credit card with bad credit. However, a person with a poor credit history is often seen as a high-risk lending prospect, so your credit card options will be more restricted than someone with a good credit score.

Bad credit typically limits you to cards with higher-than-average interest rates and few (or no) rewards. You’re also more likely to get a secured credit card than an unsecured card if your credit is bad. A secured card requires you to put down a security deposit when you apply. This deposit becomes your credit limit—the amount of money you’re allowed to charge to your credit card each month—and your lender will keep it if you ever default on your credit card debt.

Is a secured credit card my only option with bad credit?

No, a secured credit card isn’t your only option if you have bad credit, but you’re more likely to be approved for a secured credit card over other types of cards. Secured credit cards require an upfront deposit as collateral in case you stop paying your monthly bill. The deposit is also your line of credit, so you can’t ever charge more to your credit card than the amount you put down. This helps both you and the issuer by reducing your risk of overspending.

Sometimes, lenders will give you the option of upgrading or “graduating” your secured card to an unsecured one after you’ve used it for a while and shown that you’re a reliable borrower. 1 You can look for this option if you plan on using your card even after your credit improves.

How to get a credit card with bad credit

To get a new credit card if you have bad credit, follow these three steps:

Step 1: Determine your credit score

Before you start applying for a credit card, you’ll first want to know exactly what kind of credit score you’re working with, as well as what your credit score means.

Each year, you can get your free credit score from each of three major credit bureaus by getting your credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com. Check out the Federal Trade Commission’s webpage on free credit reports for more information.

Note that most credit card issuers are going to run your credit during the application process. If they conduct a hard inquiry (which they probably will), it could lower your score by up to 5 to 10 points, leaving you with a slightly worse score than you started with. 2 3 This means you should be careful not to apply for new credit too frequently.

Step 2: Select your card

Your next step is to decide on a card that’s right for you.

Figure out exactly what goals you want to accomplish with your new card:

  • Are you trying to build credit by using your first credit card?
  • Are you trying to improve your credit score by making on-time monthly payments?
  • Do you want to earn cash back when you buy certain things, like gas or food?
  • Do you see yourself using this card for a long time and want to avoid high annual fees?

Whatever the case may be, it’s important to understand what to look for in a credit card for bad credit before applying, so you land on the right choice for your circumstances.

Step 3: Put in your application

Once you’ve selected the best credit card for you, it’s time to apply. Many of the cards on this list have simple online applications. You can easily access each card’s application portal directly from this page. Once you’re there, you’ll just need to enter a few pieces of information and let the credit card issuer handle the rest.

You’ll often receive an approval response instantly, but you may have to wait a few days if the issuer decides to review your credit manually. After you’ve been approved, you can expect your new credit card to arrive in the mail within two weeks.

What to look for in a credit card for bad credit

When looking for a credit card with bad credit, you need to be aware of a few key details—in particular, fees, interest rates, and minimum deposits.

  • Fees: Be on the lookout for credit cards with cheap annual fees. High annual fees can be an added financial burden while you’re building your credit. Since improving your credit score won’t happen overnight, you’ll want to keep your new revolving account open for as long as possible, so keep the yearly cost of having your credit card to a minimum.
  • Interest: Interest on credit cards can seem complicated at first. Credit card interest rates are frequently calculated as an annual percentage rate (APR), which also takes into account any added fees your lender charges you. Essentially, the higher the APR, the more you’ll end up paying for your card. With bad credit, it can be hard to find a credit card with a reasonable APR, so your best option is to pay your balance in full each and every month.
  • Deposit: Most credit cards for people with bad credit are going to be secured rather than unsecured. As mentioned, a secured credit card requires you to put down a minimum security deposit to protect against default, like a deposit on an apartment rental. If you stop paying your credit card bill, your issuer will close the account and use your deposit to cover the loss. If you pay your credit card bill each month, then your deposit acts as your credit limit. This means that you can only ever charge purchases to your secured credit card up to the amount of your deposit. Consider the types of purchases you’ll be making with your credit card, and select a card with a minimum deposit that will match that budget.

When shopping around, you also want to avoid most credit cards with attractive sign-on bonuses or “too-good-to-be-true” rewards offers. When you have bad credit, your main purpose for getting a credit card should be to improve your overall credit score—not to earn airline miles.

FinanceJar credit card rating methodology

How we rate our credit cards for bad credit

FinanceJar's card experts analyzed the following factors when rating our credit cards for bad credit:

  • Interest Rates and Fees
  • Credit Score Required
  • Deposit Amount (if applicable)
  • Customer Satisfaction

These factors, among many others, are part of our 5-star credit card rating methodology for all card categories. Our star ratings are unbiased and independent of our affiliates and advertisers.

Article Sources

  1. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Building credit from scratch" Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  2. myFICO. "Credit Checks: What are credit inquiries and how do they affect your FICO® Score?" Retrieved December 20, 2021.
  3. VantageScore. "How Much Does Applying for Credit Really Hurt Your Credit Score?" Retrieved December 20, 2021.

Zachary Vickers

Assignment Editor

View Author

Zachary Vickers worked previously as an editor for a team of journalists and reporters. He's covered a range of topics including personal finance, estate planning, small business operations, career advice, and more.

Related Articles

Hand holding a stack of cash from a credit card cash advance
Credit Cards

May 25, 2022

What Is a Credit Card Cash Advance and How Does It Work?

A cash advance is a short-term loan on your credit card that allows...

Kari Dearie
Piggy bank with credit score gauge on top of another piggy bank
Credit Cards

May 25, 2022

What Is Piggybacking Credit and Is It a Good Idea?

Piggybacking credit is when you improve your credit score by...

FinanceJar Team
Computer monitor displaying current balance next to available credit
Credit Cards

May 24, 2022

Current Balance vs. Available Credit: What’s the Difference?

If you need to know how much money you can spend, look at your...

Kari Dearie
U.S. Bank Secured Visa Credit Card Review
Credit Card Reviews

May 24, 2022

U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Credit Card 2022 Review: Build Credit with No Annual Fee

The U.S. Bank Secured Visa® is a low-cost credit card for people...

Kari Dearie
Hand using a credit card to get cash from an ATM
Credit Cards

May 24, 2022

How to Get Cash from Your Credit Card

You can get cash from your credit card in a variety of ways, the...

Kari Dearie
Credit card with cobwebs indicating it hasn't been used in a long time
Credit Cards

May 20, 2022

What Happens If You Don’t Use Your Credit Card?

Not using your credit card for a while may help you manage your...

Kari Dearie
FinanceJar

Footer

Credit

  • Credit Scores
  • Credit Repair
  • Credit Reports
  • Credit Cards
  • Debt

Company

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Legal

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

How We Make Money

We make money from advertising. We place links on our website to our affiliates, and when you click those links, our affiliates compensate us for it. Our relationships with our affiliates may affect which products we feature on our site and where these products appear in our articles.

Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn Pinterest

© 2022 – ONR Financial Networks LLC – All Rights Reserved.

  • Credit Scores
    • Credit Score Range
  • Credit Repair
  • Credit Reports
    • Credit Inquiries
  • Credit Cards
    • Credit Card Reviews
  • Debt
    • Debt Collection
    • List of Collection Agencies
  • Loans

What you’ll get

  • Assess

    Fill in your information and we will securely pull your TransUnion credit report.

  • Address

    We challenge inaccurate negative items with the bureaus and your creditors.

  • Advise

    We will give you advice for how you can improve your credit. Don’t want to wait? Call us now.

Don’t want to wait? Call us!

(888) 859-0871

Monday to Friday, 10AM - 7PM EST

FinanceJar

Get a FREE 5-minute credit consultation.

Get a credit improvement plan that works for you with 1 phone call.

What you’ll get

1
Assess

Fill in your information and we will securely pull your TransUnion credit report.

2
Address

We challenge inaccurate negative items with the bureaus and your creditors.

3
Advise

We will give you advice for how you can improve your credit. Don’t want to wait? Call us now.

This is completely secure and won’t hurt your credit score.

By clicking "Submit" I agree by electronic signature to: (1) be contacted about credit repair or credit repair marketing by a live agent, artificial or prerecorded voice and SMS text at my residential or cellular number, dialed manually or by autodialer, and by email (consent to be contacted is not a condition to purchase services); and (2) the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Don’t want to wait? Call (888) 859-0871 now

We hope this template helps you achieve your goals.

Would you please review us?

A review would mean a lot to us — and takes less than 20 seconds. Let us know what you think. Thanks!

Leave My Review
FinanceJar

Advertising Disclosure

Some of our articles feature links to our partners, who compensate us when you click them. This may affect the products and services that we showcase in our articles and how we place and order them. It does not affect our evaluations of them, which our writers and editors create independently, without considering our relationships with our partners.

FinanceJar

Editorial Standards

We promise to always deliver the best financial advice that we can. That’s our first priority, and we take it seriously.

To ensure that our articles and reviews are objective and unbiased, our writers and editors operate independently from our advertisers and affiliates. Our writers do not take FinanceJar’s relationship with its affiliates into consideration when writing their reviews and articles.

Everything we publish is as accurate and as complete as we can make it. All of our articles undergo several rounds of fact-checking before we publish them, and we do our best to keep them as no-nonsense and jargon-free as possible while still delivering the information that you need.

We know that taking financial advice from us requires a lot of trust on your part. We’re grateful for that trust, and we won’t abuse it.

FinanceJar

How We Make Money

FinanceJar partners with other companies in the credit and finance industry, such as credit card issuers and credit repair companies.

We make money through advertising. Our pages feature links to our partners’ websites. If you click on one of those links, we get paid.

The links to our partners are always clearly marked. You’ll always be able to tell what you’re clicking. We’ll never try to trick you into clicking anything you’re not genuinely interested in.

That’s the only way that we make money. We don’t accept compensation in exchange for reviews or articles, and we don’t directly sell any products or services ourselves. Our editorial team operates independently (with no influence from our affiliates or our advertising team) so as to avoid compromising the objectivity of our reviews.