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The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card requires a security deposit of $100 or more, which is a relatively low minimum requirement for a credit card security deposit. Although you’ll have to pay money upfront for this card, it’s free from annual fees, monthly fees, and many of the other fees associated with credit cards that accept applicants with bad credit. Unusually, it also has fixed APR, so your interest rates won’t fluctuate based on the banks, as happens with most credit cards.
On the downside, the amount of credit you can get on the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card is limited by the deposit you pay, and you have to have a GO2bank account. This means application and approval will be slow if you’re not already an account holder. You’ll also have to pay a $5 monthly fee for your GO2bank account if you don’t use it to receive any salary or benefits payments.
Quick Review
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® is a secured credit card, which means you have to put down a security deposit to get it. It’s a no-credit-check credit card, so it’s accessible for people with poor credit or no credit.
The security deposit must be at least $100, and your credit limit will be equivalent to the deposit you pay. This means you’ll need to pay a lot of money upfront if you want a good credit line.
In addition, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card has a relatively high APR of 22.99% (fixed). However, the APR is fixed, so the rate isn’t likely to go up.
All in all, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card is a reasonable choice for credit building. However, you need a GO2bank account to be eligible, so if you don’t already have an account, you’ll have to open one. This requirement will slow down the application process, and there will also be some associated fees (albeit small ones).
Although we think the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® is a decent card, we’ve seen better deals on the market if you’re looking for rewards or certain capabilities, like balance transfers.
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® Credit Card Important Details
Basic Card Details
- Credit card issuer: GO2bank, Member FDIC
- Regular APR: 22.99% (fixed)
- Annual fee: $0
- Security deposit: $100+
- Credit limit: $100+
- Grace period: 23–25 days
Additional Information
- Cash advances are available.
- Foreign transactions are available.
- Balance transfers are not available.
- No authorized users or joint accounts.
- Credit reporting to all three major credit bureaus.
- Access to free Equifax VantageScore credit scores.
- Fraud and identity theft protection.
- Zero fraud liability.
- Roadside dispatch as a cardholder benefit (emergency roadside assistance with services like towing, fuel delivery, and more).
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® Credit Card Feature Breakdown
In this section, we’ll look at some of the most important features of the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card.
Fees
- Annual fee: $0
- Cash advance fee: $10 or 5% (whichever is greater)
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%
- Late fee: Up to $39
- Returned payment fee: Up to $20
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 22.99% (fixed)
- Cash advance APR: 26.99% (fixed)
- Minimum interest charge: $0
- Penalty APR: None
If you don’t pay your GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card balance in full each month, you’ll be charged interest. The interest you’ll pay each year depends on your APR (“annual percentage rate”).
Notably, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card has a fixed APR, and it doesn’t have a penalty APR (an increased APR that credit cards often charge if you miss payments).
Minimum Interest Charges
We contacted GO2bank to find out about their minimum interest charge on the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card. They explained that if your balance is less than $25, your minimum payment due will simply be your statement balance, which means you won’t be able to revolve your balance into the next month, but also means you won’t be charged any interest.
Grace Period
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card gives you a grace period of 25 days (beginning on the first day of the new billing cycle) except in February, when it gives you 23 days. The grace period gives you time to pay your bills in full without racking up any interest charges.
If you pay off your balance in full by the due date, your purchases during the grace period won’t accumulate interest. However, if you carry a balance from previous billing cycles, you may be charged interest on purchases made during the grace period.
Security Deposit
Secured credit cards require a security deposit that usually determines your credit limit.
To open a GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, you’ll have to get a GO2bank account and deposit at least $100 into it. The bank uses this money to make sure that you pay the balance on your secured card.
Getting your deposit back
Your GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card security deposit is completely refundable. To get a refund, you must pay the full balance on your card when you close your card account. The refund may then take up to 60 days.
Rewards
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card doesn’t offer any rewards.
Many credit cards for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit don’t offer rewards. However, there are exceptions, so if rewards are important to you, do some more research to find a card that offers cash back.
Benefits
In terms of benefits, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card includes the following:
- Free credit scores: You’ll get free access to your Equifax VantageScore credit scores.
- Roadside dispatch: This gives you access to a pay-per-use emergency roadside assistance program (e.g., for towing or fuel delivery).
- ID theft protection: This includes monitoring of the dark web for any fraudulent use of your personal information.
- $0 fraud liability: This means you get reimbursed for any fraud losses that result from unauthorized use of your account.
- Fraud protection: This service detects any abnormal spending patterns or other unusual activity on your credit card account and then alerts you.
- Visa Offers + Perks: This gives you discounts and savings on food and wine, shopping, sports, entertainment, and more.
Cash Advances
Cash advances are allowed on the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card. However, you can only withdraw up to $200 per day (subject to your credit limit and available balance).
There are also cash advance fees of $10 or 5% (whichever is greater). The cash advance APR is 26.99% and, like the purchase APR, is fixed.
Balance Transfers
A balance transfer is when you move debt from one credit card to another (which is a common form of debt consolidation). The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card doesn’t offer balance transfers.
Credit Limit
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card will give you a credit limit of $100 or more, according to how much you put down as a security deposit.
We asked GO2bank customer service about the maximum credit limit. They told us that, in theory, your credit limit could be as high as you like, but you’d need to provide an equivalent amount as a security deposit, and you’d also need to get approval from GO2bank.
Credit Limit Increases
You can ask for a credit limit increase on your GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card by logging into your GO2bank account and providing some information about your monthly income and expenses. This will determine the maximum allowable increase.
However, remember that you’ll need to increase the amount of your security deposit to set up the new credit limit. You may get a hard inquiry on your credit report (a visible record that a lender checked your credit) any time you ask for an increase.
Credit Reporting
Credit reporting is an important part of building credit, as your credit report is based on the information your lenders send to the credit bureaus.
Lenders aren’t legally required to report your credit history; many lenders report to only one or two of the major credit bureaus, if any. Fortunately, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card reports to all three credit bureaus.
Credit Building
Because the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card reports to all three credit bureaus, it’s great for building or rebuilding your credit. However, you must keep up with your monthly payments to benefit your credit score; your credit will suffer if your payments are late.
Credit Score Requirements
Like many secured credit cards, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card issuer claims that it doesn’t check your credit or take your credit score into account when you apply.
This means you may be able to get approved even if you have no credit score or prior credit history, a very low or bad credit score, or major black marks like bankruptcies or repossessions on your credit report.
However, GO2bank does say that it takes your annual or monthly income into account along with your monthly expenses to decide whether you’re a good candidate for the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card. So you’ll have a better chance of qualifying if you have a regular income from benefits or employment.
Application and Approval
Before you can get a GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, you’ll first need to open a GO2bank account. Note that, in theory, you have to pay $5 a month for a GO2bank account. However, the bank waives this fee if you use your account to receive your salary or government benefits.
Once you’ve got your GO2bank account sorted, you’ll have to set up a direct deposit—an electronic payment into your account from your employer or benefits provider. To qualify for a GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, you’ll need to have received direct deposits totaling at least $100 in the last 30 days.
Once you have enough money in your account from eligible direct deposits, you can apply for the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card in one of two ways: by using the GO2bank™ app or by going to GO2bank.com. After you log in to your account, click “Apply now” on your account dashboard (in the secured credit card section), and follow the instructions.
What Happens After You Apply
When you apply for the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, GO2bank doesn’t do a credit check, but it does take into account your income and your expenses to decide whether it’ll approve you.
After you’ve applied, the approval decision will usually be instant. However, additional checks may sometimes be required, and this can slow things down. In some cases, your application may be denied.
Managing Your Account
You can log in and manage your U.S. GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card online. Alternatively, you can download the iOS or Android apps.
You can pay your GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card bills online by transferring money from your GO2bank checking account. Alternatively, you can transfer money from another bank account (although this may take longer—up to 3 business days).
You can also make payments by check. Simply post your check, along with the payment coupon that should be included with your eStatement, to the following address:
P.O. Box 400
Provo, UT 84603-0400
Customer Service
If you need help with your GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, you have a few options for contacting them.
One is to go to their website and click the Chat icon located on the bottom right of your screen.
Another way is to call customer support at (855) 459-1334 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Alternatively, you can write to:
GO2bank
P.O. Box 5100
Pasadena, CA 91117
Lost or Stolen Cards
If your GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card is lost or stolen, you can report this by calling (855) 459‐1334 or by writing to:
Customer Care
P.O. Box 5100
Pasadena, CA 91117
Should You Get the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card?
FinanceJar Verdict
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card is similar to many cards geared toward credit building. However, the fixed-rate APR is an unusual bonus, and it’s good to know you’ll be protected from the interest rate hikes that banks frequently impose.
Another selling point is the lack of credit checks: if you have major black marks on your credit report, or you’re particularly worried about getting a hard inquiry, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card may be the card for you.
However, the requirement that you open a GO2bank account may slow down the credit card application process considerably. So if you’re looking to get a credit card ASAP, and you’re not already with GO2bank, this requirement may be a big drawback.
Who is this card for?
- Credit builders with major black marks on their credit reports: Because it doesn’t require a credit check, the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card is suitable for people who have negative marks on their credit reports, such as charge-offs, late payments, or bankruptcies. If that describes you, it may be worth applying for the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card so that you can start building better credit by making timely payments on a regular basis.
- GO2bank account holders: If you already have a savings account with GO2bank, opening a credit card should be easy. As long as you’re prepared to allocate some of your savings funds to your security deposit, you can likely qualify for the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card and increase your credit holdings.
Comparable Cards
To decide whether the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card is right for you, take a look at how it measures up against similar credit cards on the market.
GO2bank™ Secured Visa® vs. Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Like the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, the Discover it® Secured credit card is for people who want to improve their credit scores, and both cards require security deposits.
They also have the following features in common:
- No annual fees, monthly fees, or account-opening fees.
- Credit reporting to all three bureaus.
- Cash advances are available.
- Foreign transactions are available.
- Free access to your credit score.
However, the Discover it® Secured card also has several advantages over the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card:
- It allows balance transfers and even gives you a reduced intro APR (of 10.99%).
- It gives you cashback rewards.
- It waives fees for your first late payment.
- It has no foreign transaction fees.
Some advantages of the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card are that:
- It gives you a marginally lower APR than the Discover it® Secured card.
- It has a lower minimum deposit than the Discover it® Secured card ($100 vs. $200).
- The Visa network has better coverage outside the US than the Discover network does.
Overall, the Discover it® Secured credit card has more points in its favor. Unless you’re unable to pay more than $100 as a deposit or you’re likely to use your credit card extensively outside the US, we recommend the Discover it® Secured credit card rather than the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card.
GO2bank™ Secured Visa® vs. U.S. Bank Secured Visa®
The GO2bank™ Secured Visa® and the U.S. Bank Secured Visa® are both credit cards for people who want to improve their credit. Both require a deposit paid upfront.
In addition, they have the following features in common:
- No annual fees, monthly fees, or account-opening fees.
- No rewards.
- No intro offers or welcome bonuses.
- Credit reporting to all three bureaus.
- Foreign transactions are available.
- Free credit scores.
However, the U.S. Bank Secured Visa® is different from the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® in several ways:
- It has potentially cheaper foreign transactions with fees of 2%–3%.
- It allows balance transfers.
- It has flexible due dates.
- It has a variable APR rather than a fixed one, and the APR is slightly higher at 27.74% (variable).
- It has a higher minimum deposit ($300 vs. $100), so it requires more money upfront.
Neither card is radically better than the other. But if you want to pay less upfront, consider the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card. If you want more flexibility (including the ability to do balance transfers and change your due dates), go with The U.S. Bank Secured Visa®.
GO2bank™ Secured Visa® vs. Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa®
Like the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® is a card for borrowers looking to build or rebuild their credit. And, like the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, it requires you to have a checking account with the respective bank and to set up direct deposits to your account (e.g., payments from an employer).
For both the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® and the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, your credit limit will be determined by your deposit. However, the former has a slightly more flexible system than the latter.
With the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa®, you can use your security deposit for paying off the balance on your credit card, whereas with the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, you have to pay your balance with money from elsewhere (e.g., by doing a bank transfer), your security deposit remains in your account, and your credit limit doesn’t change. For the Chime card, whatever security deposit you have left at the end of the month becomes your new credit limit—meaning that your credit limit is flexible—and you can’t spend any more than this amount.
As well as taking funds away from your Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® security deposit, you can also add them. By contrast, with the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card, your security deposit is less flexible, as you need to get approval to increase your credit limit, and you can only get your deposit back after you close your credit card.
In addition to being flexible, the Chime card charges no fees and no interest (whereas the GO2bank™ card does). This makes it a very low-cost credit-building resource. The only fee that Chime charges is $2.50 for using an out-of-network ATM.
As such, the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® is a cheaper and more versatile credit card than the GO2bank™ Secured Visa® credit card. The most notable benefit of the GO2bank™ card is that it gives you the option of depositing only $100 to open your account, whereas you have to provide $200 to open your Chime account. However, if you can afford the $200 deposit, we strongly recommend the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa®.
