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

FinanceJar

FinanceJar

Take the next step on your journey

  • Credit Scores
    • Get Free Credit Score
    • Get Your Free FICO Score
    • 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 What Credit Score Do You Need to Get a Credit Card?

What Credit Score Do You Need to Get a Credit Card?

Credit score gauge next to a credit card

At a glance

There’s no minimum credit score you need for a credit card. However, your credit score will determine which type of credit card you can get.

Written by Kari Dearie and Jesslyn Firman

Reviewed by Robert Jellison

Aug 4, 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.

Credit cards are great for building credit, earning rewards, and financing everyday purchases. However, with hundreds of different credit cards available, it’s hard to determine which credit card is right for you or even which ones you can qualify for.

Learn more about what credit score you need to qualify for different cards and how you can improve your credit score to access the best offers.

Table of Contents

  1. What’s the minimum credit score you need to get a credit card?
  2. Credit cards for good credit scores (670–850)
  3. Credit cards for fair credit scores (580-669)
  4. Credit cards for bad credit scores (300–579)
  5. Can you get a credit card with limited or no credit history?
  6. How to improve your credit score to get better credit cards

What’s the minimum credit score you need to get a credit card?

There’s no minimum credit score needed to get a credit card. Anyone, even someone without any credit history whatsoever, can get a credit card.

However, credit card types and terms vary widely based on credit score. If you have a bad credit score or no score at all, the card you qualify for might not be your top choice.

Why do credit card issuers look at your credit score?

Credit card issuers use credit scores to assess the risk of lending to a given borrower. In other words, your credit score is a stand-in for how likely you are to pay your credit card bill on time each month.

While credit scores are the most common measure that card issuers use to determine potential borrowers’ creditworthiness, they also sometimes assess the following factors:

  • Employment
  • Income
  • Public records (e.g., bankruptcies)
  • Credit history / borrowing history
  • Debt-to-income ratio

As a rule of thumb, those with higher credit scores are more likely to be approved for credit cards, and those with lower credit scores are more likely to be denied.

As mentioned, there are credit cards out there for everyone, regardless of their credit history, credit score, or financial situation. It’s just a matter of finding the right card for your qualifications.

Credit cards for good credit scores (670–850)

If you have a good or excellent credit score (one between 670 and the maximum credit score of 850), you can qualify for the widest variety of credit cards and are less likely to have your credit card application denied.

Good or excellent credit score holders can qualify for credit cards that offer:

  • High rewards rates
  • Specialized perks (like airport lounge access)
  • High credit limits
  • Low APR
  • Generous welcome bonuses (like extra rewards points or miles)
  • 0% APR introductory offers
  • No fees*

*Because good credit scores qualify for a wide range of credit cards, there are more card options without annual, monthly, or foreign transaction fees available to creditworthy borrowers. However, top-shelf credit cards can also come with very high annual fees, especially if the card offers high rewards rates.

Credit cards for fair credit scores (580-669)

With a fair credit score (between 580 and 669), your options are more limited, but there are still plenty of cards available to you.

Fair-credit holders can qualify for:

  • Unsecured credit cards
  • No-fee cards
  • Credit cards for rebuilding credit
  • Store cards
  • Rewards cards

As a borrower’s risk is determined by their credit score, credit card issuers often attach fees and deposits to cards available to lower-credit applicants as a way of mitigating the cost of those borrowers failing to pay their bills.

This means that the worse your credit score is, the more likely your cards are to have added expenses, like security deposits and annual fees. If you have fair credit, not all of the cards available to you will have these added fees, but some will.

As for rewards, there are standard cashback rewards cards out there for fair credit borrowers. However, the majority of rewards cards available at this credit level are store cards. Store cards often offer rewards for shopping at a certain franchise, or even for everyday shopping if the card is co-branded with Visa or Mastercard.

The catch is that many store cards only allow rewards to be redeemed for store credit or certificates through credit card points rather than true cash back. So unlike standard rewards credit cards, rewards store cards have limited value.

However, store cards like the Amazon credit cards have a wide enough range of products that earning rewards toward Amazon purchases can still subsidize everyday costs for fair-credit borrowers.

Credit cards for bad credit scores (300–579)

Borrowers with bad credit may be the most skeptical about their credit card prospects. But don’t worry, even the worst credit score can get you a credit card.

The downside is that credit cards for people with bad credit scores tend to come at a steep cost and have less favorable terms, such as high APRs and annual fees. Borrowers with bad credit are also most likely to qualify for secured credit cards, which are credit cards that require a security deposit and often offer a matching credit limit. 1

Along with security deposits and annual fees, these credit cards tend to have lower credit limits and no rewards. However, this isn’t always the case. For example, the Discover it® Secured credit card offers 1–2% cash back and is available to applicants with poor credit.

Credit Card Best For Credit Score Annual Fee Welcome Bonus Apply Now
Discover It secured credit card Discover it® Secured Credit Card Bad Credit Overall 300–850 $0 Cashback Match Apply
Capital One Platinum credit card Capital One® Platinum Secured Credit Card Secured Card 300–850 $0 N/A Apply
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Rewards credit card Capital One Quicksilver Secured Rewards Card Rewards 300–850 $0 N/A Apply
Credit One Platinum Visa credit card Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit Unsecured (No Deposit) 300–850 $75 N/A Apply
OpenSky Secured Visa credit card OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card No Credit Check 300–850 $35 N/A Apply
Petal 1 Visa credit card Petal 1® Visa® Credit Card No Fees 300–850 $0 N/A Apply
Prosper Card Prosper® Card High Credit Limit 300–850 $0–$39 N/A Apply
View All Bad Credit Credit Cards

Can you get a credit card with limited or no credit history?

Yes, you can get a credit card even if you don’t have a credit history. In fact, there are multiple credit cards specifically designed for borrowers without credit.

Credit Card Best For Credit Score Annual Fee Welcome Bonus Apply Now
Discover It secured credit card Discover it® Secured Credit Card No Credit Overall 300–850 $0 Cashback Match Apply
First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard secured credit card First Progress Platinum Select MasterCard® Secured Credit Card Starters 350–850 $39 N/A Apply
Discover it student cash back credit card Discover it® Student Cash Back Students 580–850 $0 Cashback Match Apply
OpenSky Secured Visa credit card OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card No Credit Check 300–850 $35 N/A Apply
Petal 2 cash back no fees visa credit card Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card No Annual Fee 500–850 $0 N/A Apply
Total Visa credit card Total Visa® Credit Card Unsecured (No Deposit) 300–850 $48–$75 No cash advance fee for the first year Apply
View All No Credit Credit Cards

No-credit borrowers can also look into the following types of cards:

  • Credit cards for building credit
  • Starter credit cards
  • Student credit cards

Similar to borrowers with bad credit, no-credit applicants are most likely to qualify for secured cards.

One thing to keep in mind when searching for a card if you don’t have credit is to find a credit card issuer that reports to the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Credit reporting helps you establish a positive credit history, so look for a card that reports to all three. Additionally, consider finding a credit-building card that offers credit monitoring tools like free credit score updates to help you establish a history more easily.

finance jar gold coin

You can qualify for a credit card with no Social Security number

If you don’t have credit established in the US because you recently immigrated to the country or don’t have a Social Security number, there are still credit cards available to you. For example, the Petal® credit cards are available to borrowers with no credit history and no SSN.

How to improve your credit score to get better credit cards

If you want to qualify for better credit cards, you’ll need a high credit score. Whether you’re starting to establish your credit history for the first time or you’re repairing a previously damaged credit score, follow these credit hacks to improve your score quickly:

  1. Dispute credit reporting errors: Your credit score may be unfairly low because of errors on your report. Get your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and review the information. If you see anything amiss, dispute the credit report mistakes immediately and watch your score rise.
  2. Pay off debt: Your payment history is the single most important factor used to calculate your credit score, so if you’re struggling with debt, your score is probably struggling as well. To make paying debt easier, consider debt consolidation or using a budgeting app.
  3. Set up auto-pay: Strategically timing when you pay your credit card bill is one hack that can get you a higher credit score. To make sure you pay on time each month, set up automatic payments through your credit card online management platform, your credit card app, or through your bank.
  4. Ask for more credit: The second most important credit scoring factor after payment history is credit utilization rate. Your credit utilization is the amount of credit you’re currently using. You can find your rate by dividing your total balance across your credit cards by your total available credit. To lower your utilization rate (which can boost your credit score), either use less credit or request credit limit increases to give yourself more available credit.
  5. Become an authorized user: A great way to build credit and raise your score is by becoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit card. Make sure this person has good credit so you can piggyback off their borrowing history and improve your own score.

Takeaways: A higher credit score gets you better credit cards

  • There’s no minimum credit score required to get a credit card.
  • What your credit score is and whether you have one will determine what types of credit cards you qualify for and your credit card’s terms.
  • Lower credit scores and limited credit histories often get credit cards with security deposits, annual fees, high APR, and lack of rewards.
  • You can qualify for a wider range of cards with better borrowing terms by improving your credit score.

Article Sources

  1. Experian. "How Secured Credit Card Deposits Work" Retrieved April 27, 2022.

Kari Dearie

Editor

View Author

Kari Dearie is an editor for FinanceJar specializing in credit and personal finance. She previously managed a B2B website in the data privacy and digital compliance industry.

Jesslyn Firman

View Author

Jesslyn Firman is a credit analyst for FinanceJar. Her work covers credit repair and credit scores, and in the past she's extensively researched and written about the insurance industry. Jesslyn has a B.S. in Finance and Accounting and an MBA in Management.

Related Articles

Calendar with dates circled showing 15/3 credit hack
Credit Cards

June 29, 2022

The 15/3 Credit Hack Explained: What Is It and Does It Really Work?

The 15/3 credit hack is a method of paying your credit card 2–3...

Kari Dearie
Person using a credit card to build a credit score gauge
Credit Cards

May 26, 2022

4 Tips for Using a Credit Card to Build Credit

Credit cards don’t just increase your spending power—they’re also a...

Yi-Jane Lee
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
Credit card with a Closed sign with a credit score gauge
Credit Cards

March 30, 2022

Does Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit?

Closing a credit card can have a negative impact on your credit...

Kari Dearie
Hand putting money in slot machine that symbolizes paying off credit cards in full
Credit Scores

February 15, 2022

If I Pay Off My Credit Card in Full, Will My Credit Score Go Up?

Paying off your credit cards is always good for your credit score....

Samuel Osbourne
Mostly empty jar representing a small credit card balance
Credit Cards

February 11, 2022

Should I Leave a Small Balance on My Credit Card?

Carrying a small balance on your credit card from month to month...

Yi-Jane Lee
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 TikTok YouTube LinkedIn Pinterest

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

  • Credit Scores
    • Get Free Credit Score
    • Get Your Free FICO Score
    • 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.