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This would be a solid pick if it were open to people with bad creditor offered rewards.
Ashley Parks
Written by
Reena Thomas, Ph.D.
Edited by
Rebekah Hovey
Reviewed by
/ 10 min
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Snapshot
2.7
Bankrate rating
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Rating: 2.7 stars out of 5
Bottom line
The Avant card is a decent choice to build credit if you’re new to fair credit and struggle to qualify for unsecured cards with rewards and credit-building features. However, a decent choice to help you build credit. You’ll just want to note that a secured card with a refundable security deposit may be more cost-effective since this card could charge an annual fee.
Recommended credit score:(580 - 740)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
on
Avant
's secure site
Intro offer
Intro offer is not available for this Avant credit card.
N/A
Annual fee
$59
Regular APR
35.99% Variable
2.7
Bankrate Score
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Cost of membership
2.0 / 5
Ease of building credit
4.0 / 5
APR
2.0 / 5
Features
2.5 / 5
Why you'll like this: This card is light on fees and other detriments that can make it difficult to build credit, including no penalty APR.
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On This Page
On This Page
- Current offer details
- Avant Credit Card pros and cons
- Reasons to get this card
- Reasons to skip this card
- Avant Credit Card vs. other credit-building cards
- Is this card worth getting?
- How we rated this card
- Frequently asked questions
- What cardholders think
-Disclosure: If you are charged interest, the charge will be no less than $1.00. Cash Advance Fee 3 percent, Min: $10
-Avant branded credit products are issued by WebBank, member FDIC
Avant Credit Card Overview
The Avant Credit Card is an unsecured credit card for peoplewith a fair or average credit score or a limited credit history. While it requires no deposit and can help you build credit with responsible use, it doesn’t offer many other benefits.
On the plus side, the Avant card’s initial credit limit can be a bit higher than a few other unsecured cards for people with less-than-perfect credit. And if you use the card responsibly, you may be able to increase your credit limit over time, which can help your credit utilization. You can alsosee if you’re preapproved for the card without a hard credit inquiry, allowing you to know your approval odds without negatively impacting your score.
But the card does come with a potentially steep annual fee of $5 depending on your creditworthiness. There are cheaper alternatives alternatives if you’re willing to temporarily tie up money in a security deposit. A secured card could give you more control over your credit limit and help you fast-track your credit-building efforts.Some options even offer a rewards program.
The Avant Credit Card could make sense if you struggle to qualify for a cheaper, more rewarding credit-building alternative. After using the card responsibly and boosting your score, you can then apply for a more lucrative cash back or rewards card.
Rewards
- This card does not offer rewards.
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysisRates and fees
- Annual fee: $59
- No foreign transaction fees
- 35.99% Variable ongoing APR
- Late fees up to $39
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
See our expert analysisCredit-building features
- Chance to prequalify and see approval odds
- Reports to the three major credit bureaus
- Proactive credit limit increases
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysisOther cardholder perks
- Doesn’t require a security deposit
- Avant credit app
- Basic Mastercard benefits
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis
Avant Credit Card pros and cons
Pros
You can build your credit history with responsible use since it reports to all three major credit bureaus.
This card does not require a security deposit, saving you money upfront.
It offers pre-qualification with no risk to your credit score, setting it apart from other unsecured cards.
Cons
This card charges an annual fee that can be higher than alternative cards.
The potentially low starting credit limit of $300 can make it difficult to maintain a good credit utilization ratio.
Unlike rival cards with lower costs, this card offers no rewards program.
Why you might want the Avant Credit Card
If you don't qualify for one of the best credit cards for good credit, the Avant Credit Card could be a worthwhile alternative. Since it’s an unsecured credit card for people with fair credit scores, you could use this card to continue your credit-building journey while still saving on upfront costs.
Credit-building features: Checks the necessary boxes
When building your credit, it’s helpful to use a card that reports your progress every month. Avant reports to all three credit bureaus, so you can review your progress with each. Avant also offers applicants the chance to prequalify with a soft credit pull. A soft credit pull doesn’t affect your credit score, but you could get a better idea of your approval odds. The issuer also conducts proactive credit limit increases, meaning that it’ll grant you a higher credit line when you demonstrate consistent positive credit activity.
Cardholder perks: Curb costs and manage your credit online
Since the Avant Credit Card is unsecured, you don’t have to put down a security deposit, a worthwhile step up for someone graduating from a secured card. You also have access to basic Mastercard benefits like $0 fraud liability protection, and you can easily manage your credit through Avant’s credit app. These perks are important backbones to have on any credit card, and the Avant card delivers.
Why you might want a different credit-building card
While the Avant Credit Card is a good tool for credit building, so are many other cards. You could find similar cards without an annual fee, one of the chief downfalls of the Avant credit card, or ones that offer a rewards program or other incentives that might encourage you to use your credit card more responsibly.
Rewards: Not competitive
The Avant Credit Card lacks a rewards program, which isn’t great for credit builders hoping to earn on their spending. While not having a rewards program can help curb overspending, earning rewards is often a top perk on an unsecured credit card.
While you shouldn’t expect the best rewards rates with a card for fair credit, plenty of cards available for this credit range offer decent rewards. Often these programs come with incentives that can help motivate responsible credit habits, making them more well-rounded options overall.
Rates and fees: Uncertain annual fee could add unwelcome costs
While you’ll manage to skip some charges with the Avant Credit Card, including a security deposit and foreign transaction fees, you may still have to pay an annual fee. Depending on your creditworthiness, you could have an annual fee of $59. This combined with the sky-high ongoing APR for carrying a balance could quickly make the Avant card an expensive choice. Plenty of alternatives for people with fair credit don’t charge annual fees, including many secured cards. Most issuers of secured cards will also refund your deposit after using the card responsibly over time, making a secured card a potentially more cost-effective choice.
How the Avant Credit Card compares to other credit-building cards
Since the Avant card doesn’t offer rewards and charges potentially high fees, it may not be your first choice for a credit-builder card. Even though many unsecured cards could be a better fit, you may also want to consider secured cards before applying for the Avant card.
Bankrate Score
on Avant's secure site
Annual fee
$59
Intro offer
N/A
Rewards rate
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Fair to Good(580–740)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Bankrate Score
See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
Cashback Match™
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Rewards rate
1% - 2%
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
No Credit History
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
$0
Intro offer
$200
$200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Plus account and making 3 debit card transactions*
Rewards rate
1.5%
Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment.
Recommended Credit Score
Fair to Good(580–740)
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Who is the Avant Credit Card right for?
Credit builders may find their match with the Avant Credit Card, along with those who prefer no security deposit or a foreign transaction fee.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Avant Credit Card worth it?
The Avant Credit Card won’t be a great fit for everyone who still has to build their credit. It comes with a high APR a $59 annual fee. Plus, this card’s lack of a rewards program could also be a deterrent as multiple secured and unsecured alternatives offer rewards opportunities in addition to their credit-building features.
A secured card will almost certainly be a better deal if you can afford to tie up money in a security deposit, but the Avant Credit Card is a decent starter card if you need an unsecured card and struggle to qualify for better options.
How we rated this card
50+
cards rated
500+
data points analyzed
250+
fees tracked
40+
perks evaluated
Our proprietary card rating system takes into account a mix of factors when scoring credit cards for students and people building credit, including each card’s cost, APR, credit-building tools and more.
We analyzed over 50 of the most popular cards designed for students and people with no credit history, bad credit or a fair credit score and scored each based on where its key features stood in relation to others in its category.
Here are some of the key factors that gave this card its score:
Frequently asked questions
What cardholders think
Avant Credit Card
4.2
34 ratings
In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers.
88% of customers recommend this card
Score breakdown
5 stars
35%
4 stars
53%
3 stars
9%
2 stars
0%
1 star
3%
Score by category
Overall4.2 / 5
Extra perks3.4 / 5
Meets financial needs4.1 / 5
Privacy and security3.8 / 5
Customer service4.0 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4.3 / 5
In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are based on individual cardholder’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these cards.
Community Reviews
Explore Avant Credit Card reviews from certified cardholders.
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
it has good interest rates
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
its good so far the costumer service need little bit of improvement
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
From my experience though using the card had been stress free and it also has rewards
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
I like the benefits
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
availability of atm machines making it easy to withdraw cash anywhere
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
Because of the Cash back
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
No just on occasion
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
I was able to put a huge discount on a few things I had always wanted in store. It was a good feeling and plus the store was very welcoming
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
It is a good card to have with great customer service
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
I love the benefits from Avant I have a low interest rate and my account is always secured. I roll over my benefits so they add up.
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
I’m only use this on trips
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Why would you or would you not recommend this card to a friend?
Avant is a terrific credit card to use. The monthly payments are reasonable depending on how much you spent. APR percentage is not too bad.
Score by category
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
Yes this card is part of my everyday life as it is handy and excepted everywhere I shop.
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
I am not aware of any benefits earned.
Score by category
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
Well they were very helpful in debt management
Score by category
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
Low annual fee and the interst was vety low too
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
It’s a part of my everyday life because I usually shop and pay bills with it.
Score by category
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
Yes because I use it to shop online
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
Yes, I use a lot
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
I qualified for it and it had a great limit
Score by category
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service2 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
Sometimes- it has a low balance
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app3 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security3 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
Was looking for some extra credit but without high fees.
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
I had a really good experience and currently i’m satisfied with the service
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security2 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
I received an offer in the mail at about the same time I was looking to acquire a card.
Score by category
Extra perks3 / 5
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service3 / 5
Privacy and security3 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
Good experience and customer service
Score by category
Extra perks5 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
Offered higher credit limit
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs5 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
I use it many times a week
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
No yearly fee
Score by category
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
Easy to get
Score by category
Extra perks2 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app5 / 5
Customer service5 / 5
Privacy and security5 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
I was able to attend my favorite summer concert using these benefits.
Score by category
Extra perks4 / 5
Meets financial needs4 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
What made you choose this card?
It was a good APR in the beginning
Score by category
Extra perks3 / 5
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Online portal or mobile app3 / 5
Customer service3 / 5
Privacy and security3 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
It was just a regular experience. Just regular benefits I get with any other card.
Score by category
Extra perks2 / 5
Meets financial needs2 / 5
Online portal or mobile app4 / 5
Customer service4 / 5
Privacy and security3 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Tell us about an experience you had because of the benefits earned from the card
It didn’t really meet my standards
Score by category
Extra perks3 / 5
Meets financial needs3 / 5
Online portal or mobile app3 / 5
Customer service3 / 5
Privacy and security3 / 5
Anonymous Cardholder
May 31, 2024
Is this card a part of your everyday life, why or why not?
I keep it for emergencies but it charges me 36%
Score by category
Extra perks1 / 5
Meets financial needs1 / 5
Online portal or mobile app1 / 5
Customer service1 / 5
Privacy and security1 / 5
Score by category
Compare the best no credit history credit cards
As a Bankrate credit cards editor, Ashley Parks is fascinated by the ways people can make credit cards work for them when armed with the right knowledge.
Edited by Reena Thomas, Ph.D.
Reviewed by Rebekah Hovey
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
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