Guaranteed Approval Credit Cards with $1,000 Limits
Credit Card | Best For | Credit Score | Annual Fee | Welcome Bonus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
300–669 | $39 ($0 for the first year if you set up autopay) | ||||
300–669 | $35 | ||||
300–669 | $0 | ||||
300–669 | $49 | ||||
300–669 | $0 | ||||
300–669 | $0 | ||||
300–669 | $75 for the first year ($48 after) | ||||
300–669 | $0 | Cashback Match | |||
Getting a credit card for bad credit is difficult, especially when you need something with a high credit limit. Luckily, there are cards out there that are so accessible, they’re as close to guaranteed-approval credit cards as you can get.
While credit card approval is never fully guaranteed, some cards are much easier to get than others, and among them are even cards with credit limits up to and over $1,000. We’ll show you the best ones available now.
Table of Contents
Are there credit cards for bad credit with $1,000 credit limits?
Yes, there are credit cards for bad credit with $1,000 credit limits. While many credit cards for poor credit have low credit limits—usually between $200–$500—there are some that offer limits of up to $1,000 and higher.
When you’re looking for a bad-credit credit card with a $1,000+ limit, the easiest ones to get are secured credit cards. Secured cards require a credit card security deposit that usually determines your credit limit. So if you’re willing to put down $1,000 in a deposit upfront, you can get a credit card with the same limit.
There are also unsecured credit cards for bad credit that offer $1,000 limits, but they’re harder to qualify for. Unlike with secured cards, your credit limit on an unsecured credit card will be determined by your lender. They usually base this decision on your credit history and financial situation.
How do I get a credit card with a $1,000 limit if I have bad credit?
There are three ways to get a credit card with a $1,000 limit if you have bad credit:
- Put down a security deposit of $1,000 or more on a secured credit card.
- Qualify for an unsecured credit card with a credit limit of $1,000 or more.
- Get a credit card, then request a credit limit increase up to $1,000 after 3–12 months of responsible borrowing.
Like with any credit card, the first step to getting a credit card with a $1,000 credit limit is to apply. Before you submit your application, research prospective cards and choose the best fit for your needs. To get started, check out our list of the best guaranteed approval credit cards with $1,000 limits for bad credit below.
8 best guaranteed approval credit cards with $1,000+ limits
In our research, we’ve found the following 8 cards to be easy to qualify for with bad credit despite offering limits of $1,000 or more.
Best unsecured guaranteed approval credit card with $1,000 limit
Rating Breakdown
Fees
4.8Compared to other unsecured cards for less-than-perfect credit, the Prosper® Card offers more bang for your buck, with a relatively low annual fee and no cash advance fees.
APR
1.8The Prosper® Card comes with a pretty broad APR range, and there’s a good chance you’ll end up with a high interest rate.
Rewards
1.0Because the Prosper® Card doesn’t offer any credit card rewards, it earns the lowest possible score in the rewards category.
Credit Reporting
5.0The Prosper® Card issuer reports activity to the three major credit bureaus.
Credit Limit
4.5Generous credit limits and a willingness to offer credit line increases very soon after account opening earn this card a high rating in this category.
Other
We adjusted the rating for additional factors like the lack of a security deposit and the short time period before cardholders are eligible for credit line increases.
Annual
Fee
$39 ($0 for the first year if you set up autopay) |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Purchase
APR
22.74%–33.74% (variable) |
Credit
Limit
$500–$3,000 |
At a Glance
The Prosper® Card is among the better unsecured credit cards for less-than-perfect credit. It doesn’t require a security deposit, has a low annual fee of $39, and offers relatively high credit limits between $500–$3,000 (with increases as early as 3 months into borrowing).
Best guaranteed approval credit card with $1,000 limit and no credit check
Rating Breakdown
Fees
4.6The OpenSky® Secured Visa® does well in the fees category thanks to the low annual fees.
APR
3.3The OpenSky® Secured Visa® has reasonable interest rates on purchases and cash advances, especially compared to other cards for this credit range.
Rewards
1.0Because this card doesn’t give you any returns for your spending, it gets the lowest possible score in the rewards category.
Credit Reporting
5.0The OpenSky® Secured Visa® reports to all three credit bureaus, so it gets top marks for credit reporting.
Security Deposit
4.0The OpenSky® Secured Visa® allows you to put down as little as $200 or as much as $3,000, so there’s a reasonable amount of flexibility about how much security deposit you pay (and credit limit you get in return).
Other
We bumped up the score a bit for this card because of its good accessibility, since it has high approval odds and is available to borrowers with no credit history.
Annual
Fee
$35 |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Deposit
$200–$3,000 |
Purchase
APR
21.14% (variable) |
At a Glance
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® is a less expensive option than many other credit cards for bad credit holders or new borrowers. However, it requires a security deposit and a $35 annual fee. On the plus side, it doesn't require a credit check to qualify.
Best guaranteed approval credit card with $1,000 and no annual fee
Annual
Fee
$0 |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Deposit
$200–$2,500 |
Purchase
APR
26.24% (variable) |
At a Glance
The Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a low-cost credit card option for building credit if you have limited or no credit history.
Best guaranteed approval credit card with $1,000 limit with low APR
Annual
Fee
$49 |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Deposit
$200–$2,000 |
Purchase
APR
13.74% (variable) |
At a Glance
The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® is a secured credit card for borrowers with bad or limited credit histories who are ready for a fresh financial start.
Best guaranteed approval credit card with $5,000 limit
Annual
Fee
$0 |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Deposit
$300–$5,000 |
Purchase
APR
27.74% (variable) |
At a Glance
The Horizon Secured credit card is a secured credit card for borrowers with poor or limited credit. It offers low fees, potentially high credit limits, and good flexibility.
Best guaranteed approval credit card with $1,000 limit and no SSN
Rating Breakdown
Fees
4.7The Petal 1 Visa® gets an excellent rating in this category, since it has very low fees overall, including no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
APR
1.8The Petal 1 Visa® might give you a very high purchase APR if your creditworthiness is lacking.
Rewards
1.0The Petal 1 Visa® gets a low score here, since it doesn’t have a comprehensive rewards program (although it has limited opportunities to earn cash back with specific vendors).
Credit Reporting
5.0This card reports to all three major credit bureaus, so it’s good for anyone building or rebuilding their credit.
Credit Limit
4.5The Petal 1 Visa® offers credit limits of $300–$5,000, so you may be able to get a very good credit limit even if your credit score leaves something to be desired.
Other
We bumped up the rating on this card to account for positive qualities, including free credit scores and the potential to apply without a credit score.
Annual
Fee
$0 |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Purchase
APR
22.99%–32.49% (variable) |
Credit
Limit
$300–$5,000 |
At a Glance
Thanks to its low fees and interesting benefits, the Petal 1 Visa® is a very appealing credit card for anyone trying to establish or rebuild their credit——even if you have a lower credit score or no credit history at all.
Best guaranteed instant approval credit card with $1,000 limit
Rating Breakdown
Fees
3.1This card comes with high fees, which makes it an expensive card to maintain. You also don’t get many benefits in exchange for your money.
APR
1.2This card comes with one of the highest APRs you’ll find on a standard credit card, putting cardholders at very high risk of accumulating credit card debt.
Rewards
1.0The Total Visa® Card doesn’t come with any credit card rewards, earning it the lowest rating in the rewards category.
Credit Reporting
5.0Total Visa® accounts are reported to all three major credit bureaus, making it suitable for building or rebuilding your credit.
Credit Limit
2.5The initial credit limit on this card is relatively low at just $300. However, credit limit increases are available.
Other
We made adjustments for factors like high approval odds, program fees, and the availability of credit limit increases.
Annual
Fee
$75 for the first year ($48 after) |
Purchase
APR
34.99% (fixed) |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Credit
Limit
$300 |
At a Glance
The Total Visa® Card is an unsecured credit card that’s quick and easy to get, even if your credit is poor or limited. But be warned: it’s loaded with fees and some of the highest interest rates out there.
Best guaranteed approval cashback credit card with $1,000 limit
Rating Breakdown
Fees
4.9No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees score this card a high rating in the fees department.
APR
2.7Carrying a balance could get costly on this card, given the high purchase APR.
Rewards
4.4Considering it’s a secured card, the Discover it® Secured offers impressive rewards and even a cashback welcome bonus.
Credit Reporting
5.0Discover reports to the major credit bureaus, which can help you build your credit.
Security Deposit
4.0The minimum and maximum security deposit allow a good range of flexibility for you to determine your credit limit.
Other
We adjusted for factors like free credit scores and a fully refundable security deposit.
Annual
Fee
$0 |
Credit
Score
300–669 |
Deposit
$200–$2,500 |
Purchase
APR
25.99% (variable) |
At a Glance
The Discover it® Secured is one of the best credit cards for borrowers with poor credit or no credit history. Unlike most credit cards in this range, it offers cashback rewards, a welcome bonus, and no annual fee.
Rewards
-
Welcome Bonus
Cashback Match earns you a dollar-for-dollar match on your first-year rewards
-
Gas & Restaurants
2% cash back up to $1,000 in combined spending each quarter
-
Everything Else
1% cash back on all eligible purchases
Card breakdown
Here’s why we chose these credit cards as the best options for guaranteed approval with $1,000+ limits for bad credit.
Prosper® Card
If you’re looking for an unsecured credit card with guaranteed approval and a very high potential credit limit, the Prosper® Card is a great choice. It’s an unsecured card, and offers initial credit limits of $500–$3,000. Better yet, you can double that credit limit in as little as 3 months, meaning you could have a credit limit of $6,000 on the Prosper® Card.
While you won’t need to pay a security deposit, the Prosper® Card does come with fees to consider. However, the annual fee is only $39 and you get it waived for the first year when you set up autopay.
The application for the Prosper® Card is quick and easy, so you could have thousands of dollars in spending power in no time with this card.
Pros
- No deposit required
- No cash advance fees
- Fast application
- Credit limit increases available after 3 months
- Foreign transactions are available
Cons
- High APR
- $39 annual fee
- No rewards
- No welcome bonus or intro offers
- Balance transfers not available
OpenSky® Secured Visa®
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® is the best secured credit card with guaranteed approval and a potential credit limit of $1,000. It requires a security deposit, but you can make that deposit as high as $3,000. You get back what you put in, so if you’re willing to pay $3,000 upfront, you can have a $3,000 line of credit in your wallet.
What really sets this card apart is that it’s a credit card that doesn’t require a credit check, a rarity in the borrowing world. This is great for two reasons:
- You won’t get a hard inquiry on your credit report. Hard inquiries happen when someone performs a hard pull or credit check into your credit history. They knock a few points off your credit score, so you want to avoid hard inquiries when possible.
- Anyone can qualify. Even if you have bad credit, no credit, bankruptcies, or other black marks on your credit report, the OpenSky® Secured Visa® lender won’t see them, so you can still qualify for the card.
In fact, the OpenSky® Secured Visa® doesn’t even require you to have a checking account. If you’re not financially established or if you’re going through a difficult financial period, you can still open an OpenSky® Secured credit card.
The OpenSky® Secured card is also a great credit card for building credit, as it reports to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—the three major credit bureaus that create your credit reports.
On the downside, the card charges an annual fee of $35. However, this is a relatively low cost considering how much value you can get from the OpenSky® Secured Visa®.
Pros
- Helps build credit
- Low APR
- No checking account required
- High approval odds
Cons
- Requires a security deposit
- Charges an annual fee
- Can’t upgrade to an unsecured card
- No rewards
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
The Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a secured credit card with incredibly high approval odds and a flexible credit limit of up to $2,500. Your credit limit will be equivalent to the security deposit you pay, meaning you can get a $200–$2,500 line of credit if you’re willing to put down a high deposit.
While you’ll need to pay money upfront for the card, the cost is otherwise low. It doesn’t charge an annual fee, a processing fee, or any monthly fees.
Furthermore, Citibank reports your borrowing activities to the three major credit bureaus, allowing you to build credit across the board. Comprehensive credit reporting is important if you’re trying to build or rebuild your credit, as the information provided to the bureaus updates your credit report.
Pros
- Available to limited credit borrowers
- $0 annual fee
- Reports to all three credit bureaus
Cons
- High APR
- Requires a security deposit
- No rewards
First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard® Secured
The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured credit card is one of three First Progress secured credit cards. The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® has a lot to brag about, including:
- Credit limits between $200–$2,000
- No credit check needed to qualify
- Low APR
- Credit reporting to the three major credit bureaus
Given that no credit check is needed to apply, the First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® is a near guaranteed approval card, even if you have negative marks on your borrowing history. As it’s a secured card, the credit limit you receive will be equivalent to your security deposit, so you can decide whether you’re willing to put down upwards of $2,000 for a high line of credit.
Most notably, the First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® boasts incredibly low APR, especially when compared to other guaranteed approval credit cards for bad credit. Its APR is only 12.99% (variable).
APR represents a credit card’s interest rate. While most credit cards available to borrowers with poor credit have extremely high APR, 12.99% (variable) is a remarkably low percentage. This means if you carry a credit card balance from month to month, you won’t get buried in interest charges.
Pros
- Low APR
- No credit inquiry required
- The security deposit is refundable
- A discharged bankruptcy in your credit report will not cause you to be declined
Cons
- $49 annual fee
- Requires a security deposit
- Requires a Synovus bank account
- The card can’t be upgraded to an unsecured card
Horizon Secured
The Horizon Secured credit card may be your first stop if you’re looking for a credit card for bad credit that has no deposit and up to a $5,000 credit limit. This card will give you an initial limit between $300–$5,000.
With such a high potential credit limit, there are many opportunities to score one over $1,000, or even as high as $5,000.
The Horizon Secured card also reports to all three major credit bureaus, making it a good card for credit-building. Last and certainly not least, the Horizon Secured credit card doesn’t charge an annual fee, making it a low-cost and potentially high-returns card.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Balance transfers available
- Foreign transactions available
- Cash advances available
- Reporting to all three credit bureaus
Cons
- Security deposit required
- High APR
- No rewards
- No welcome bonuses or intro offers
Petal 1® Visa®
The Petal® 1 Visa® credit card (as well as its sister card, the Petal® 2) is a rare credit card. Among its many positive traits, it:
- Doesn’t require a security deposit
- Doesn’t charge an annual fee
- Has high approval odds
- Is available to borrowers without a Social Security number (SSN)
- Offers cashback rewards
- Gives credit limits up to $5,000
These features make it an incredibly appealing and accessible borrowing option. With the potential for a credit limit as high as $5,000, the Petal® 1 Visa® should be near the top of your list for credit cards for bad credit with high limits. Non-citizens can especially benefit from this card, as it doesn’t require an SSN.
When applying for the Petal® 1 Visa®, you’ll first go through the Petal® credit card pre-approval process. The issuer will then let you know whether you’re eligible to submit an official application for:
- The Petal® 1 and Petal® 2 credit cards
- Only the Petal® 1
- Neither card
You should apply for the Petal® 2 if given the option, but it’s very likely you’ll be approved to apply for the Petal® 1 Visa® if you have bad credit.
Along with its many perks, the Petal® 1 Visa® even offers an Uber credits program, which earns you rewards towards Uber trips when you pay with your Petal® 1 credit card.
Pros
- No deposit required
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Up to 10% cashback rewards
- Available to people with no credit score
Cons
- Cashback rewards are limited to select merchants
- High APR
- No introductory offers
- Balance transfers and cash advances not available
Total Visa® Card
The Total Visa® Card is one of the closest credit cards to guaranteed approval out there, offering incredibly high approval odds and instant approval for the majority of applicants. Better yet, it’s an unsecured credit card, so it doesn’t require any security deposit.
The application process is easy, and only requires the following information:
- Name
- Email address
- Physical address (no P.O. boxes)
- Phone number
- Date of birth
- Social Security number
- Employment status
- Net monthly income
- Estimated monthly expenses
If the bank has trouble verifying any of the information above, it may take a few days to process your application. However, this is rare, and you’ll most likely be approved instantly for the card with an initial credit limit of $300.
While this is far from a $1,000 limit, the credit card offers credit limit increases after 12 months of borrowing. The lender will assess you automatically for an increase and send you an offer, or you can specifically ask for a credit limit increase up to $1,000. Beware that if you accept a credit limit increase offer, you’ll be charged an increase fee.
Although you’ll be able to access your line of credit quickly without needing to put down a security deposit, you’ll be charged an $89 program fee upon account opening. This will be the first of many fees the Total Visa® Card charges. So while it can give you immediate funds and instant approval, it may cost you a lot of money in the long run.
Pros
- No deposit required
- Reports to three credit bureaus
- Potential credit limit increase
- Easy application
- Instant approval
Cons
- High APR
- Program fee
- Annual fee
- Monthly servicing fee
Discover it® Secured
When it comes to guaranteed approval credit cards, you hardly expect one to offer both a $1,000 credit limit and cashback rewards. But the Discover it® Secured is a unique card. It has high approval odds, a deposit and corresponding credit limit between $200–$2,500, and a generous rewards program.
Here’s how the rewards work:
- 2% cash back on gas and restaurant purchases (up to $1,000 each quarter)
- 1% cash back on all other purchases (unlimited)
- 1-for-1 cashback match in your first 12 months (every dollar you earn in cash back will be doubled in your first year of card ownership)
Additionally, the Discover it® Secured credit card doesn’t charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees. It even reports your activity to the credit bureaus (great for building credit) and gives you free monthly FICO scores.
Pros
- No annual fee
- 2% cash back on gas station and restaurants
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- Dollar-for-dollar cashback match after 12 months
- Free monthly access to FICO score
Cons
- High annual percentage rate (APR)
- Maximum deposit of $2500
- Rewards rates cap out at $1000 per quarter
- High penalty fees
How we rate our credit cards
Finding the right credit card when you have bad credit is tough. That's why we heavily weighted the following factors when determining the best guaranteed approval credit cards with $1,000 limits for bad credit:
- Qualification requirements
- Fees
- Interest rates
- Credit limits
- Rewards and bonuses
- Borrowing terms
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.