Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit in September 2024 | LendingTree (2024)

Written by

Written by

Edited by

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $90.64*
Credit-building features rating: 3/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

Along with being our top overall pick for the best credit card for bad credit, the Discover it^® Secured Credit Card is our top pick for the best secured credit card. That’s because it offers cash back on every purchase and accepts applicants with limited/poor credit and provides features to help build your credit.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (after seven months Discover will conduct monthly account reviews to see if you’re eligible to graduate and get your deposit back)
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion)
• Complimentary credit score access
• Free Social Security number alerts

• No credit score required to apply.
• No Annual Fee, earn cash back, and build your credit history.
• Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
• Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
• Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0 (To earn rewards you’ll need an Amazon Prime membership that starts at $14.99 a month or $139 a year)
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $6.31*
Credit-building features rating: 4/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Amazon Secured Card has an extremely low 10.00% non-variable APR. That’s by far the lowest APR among the credit cards featured in this post. This card also lets you earn 2% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh and more, with an eligible Prime membership.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (after 12 months of responsible use, you may be eligible to get your deposit back and upgrade to the Amazon Store Card)
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Below-average APR for building credit
• Free credit score access

• No annual fee
• Minimum $100 security deposit up to $1,000
• Join Prime to get 2% back on Amazon.com

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.

on Navy Federal Credit Union's secure site

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $36*
Credit-building features rating: 3.5/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

If you have a military connection, the Navy Federal nRewards® Secured Credit Card is an affordable secured card option. The $0-annual-fee card has an 18.00% variable APR. Plus, there are no balance transfer fees, foreign transaction fees or cash advance fees. You’ll also earn 1X points per dollar spent.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (at three months you could be eligible for an automatic credit line increase and at six months you could be eligible to upgrade to the cashRewards credit card)
• Reporting your credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Below-average APR for building credit
• Free credit score access

• Earn 1 point per dollar spent
• Redeem points for cash back, gift cards and merchandise
• No cash advance fees
• No foreign transaction fees
• No balance transfer fees
• No annual fees
• Rewards expire four years from the month earned

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $72.12*
Credit-building features rating: 3/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Secured Card offers one of the highest credit limits among secured cards for bad credit. You can deposit anywhere from $300 to $5,000, making your maximum credit limit available $5,000. Plus, there’s a high rewards rate on dining purchases.

Credit building features

• Reporting to the three major credit bureaus
• Regular account reviews
• Free credit score access

• 4X points on ddining, takeout and restaurant delivery.
• 2X points at grocery stores, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations and EV charging stations.
• 1 point per $1 spent on other purchases.
• No annual fee.

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $54*
Credit-building features rating: 3/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card offers an excellent cash back rate on travel purchases — a rarity with cards for bad credit. You’ll also earn a high cash back rate on all other purchases. There’s a $0 annual fee and no fee for foreign transactions, which makes this card a good choice for international travel.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (automatic credit line reviews starting at six months to determine if you qualify for a higher credit line)
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Free credit score access

• No annual or hidden fees, and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. See if you're approved in seconds
• Put down a refundable $200 security deposit to get a $200 initial credit line
• Building your credit? Using a card like this responsibly could help
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
• Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
• For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
  

on The Bancorp Bank's secure site

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $0*
Credit-building features rating: 4/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Credit Card is the most affordable card we can find with no credit check, since it doesn’t charge an annual fee or monthly maintenance fees. You’ll just need to deposit any amount from an existing Chime checking account to your Chime credit builder account — this will serve as your line of credit.

Credit building features

• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Below-average APR for building credit
• Free credit score access

• No annual fees or interest,* no credit check to apply, and no minimum security deposit required³
• Help increase credit score by an average of 30 points¹
• View and track your FICO® Score right in the Chime app. FICO Scores are used by 90% of top lenders
• Use everywhere VISA is accepted on everyday purchases, such as gas and groceries, and have these purchases count towards building credit via on-time payments
• Build credit history with your own money - your direct deposit sets how much you could spend, spend up to that amount, and have your monthly balance automatically paid with your direct deposit.
• Instant disable card in-app and real-time transaction alerts to prevent fraudulent activities, 24/7 support to assist you around the clock.
• Interest and fee-free˜ cash withdrawals at 60K+ ATMs at retailers like Walgreens, CVS, and more.
• Apply for a Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card once you sign up for a Chime Checking Account and receive a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more². See www.chime.com to learn more.
• Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. The secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.
• *No interest: Out of network ATM withdrawal fees may apply. See here for details.

  ¹ Based on a representative study conducted by Experian®, members who made their first purchase with Credit Builder between June 2020 and October 2020 observed an average FICO® Score 8 increase of 30 points after approximately 8 months. On-time payment history can have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score.

  ² To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime®Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.

  ³ Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.

  ATM Disclosure: Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $0*
Credit-building features rating: 3/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card offers the lowest deposit possible for a secured credit card. You can get a $200 starting credit limit with a $49, $99 or $200 deposit (just know that you aren’t guaranteed to get the lower deposit amounts).

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (after six months of demonstrating responsible card usage, Capital One will review your eligibility for an increased credit limit)
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Free credit score access

• No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
• Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
• Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
• You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
• Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking to access your account from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
• For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?

Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $54.00*
Credit-building features rating: 3/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

Out of the few secured credit cards for business, the Business Advantage Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit card offers one of the best values. There’s no annual fee or maintenance fees. You’ll also get a flat rewards rate on all purchases.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (Bank of America will automatically review your account to see if you can transition to an unsecured credit card)
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Free credit score access

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no annual caps
• $0 annual fee
• Open an account with a $1,000 minimum deposit
• Cash flow management tools, including automatic payments, transfers and download into QuickBooks

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $0*
Credit-building features rating: 4/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Petal^® 1 No Annual Fee Visa^® Credit Card is the best alternative to a secured credit card for those who are struggling to get approved for a traditional credit card. That’s because there’s no annual fee or other maintenance fees. Plus, there’s no credit check to get approved.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews (after six months of on-time payments you’ll also be eligible to earn a credit line increase)
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Free credit score access

• $0 Annual Fee
• Variable APRs range from 25.24% - 34.74%
• $300 - $5,000 credit limits
• Earn a credit limit increase in as little as 6 months. Terms and conditions apply.
• No credit score? No problem. If eligible, we'll create your Cash Score instead.
• 2% - 10% cash back at select merchants
• See if you're pre-approved within minutes without impacting your credit score.
• No annual or foreign transaction fees.
• Build credit alongside hundreds of thousands of Petal card members.
• Petal's mobile app makes it easy to manage your money, track your spending, and automate payments.
• Petal reports to all 3 major credit bureaus
• No deposits required
• Card issued by WebBank

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $35.88 ($2.99 per month)
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $0*
Credit-building features rating: 4/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Tomo Credit Card offers the highest potential credit limit you’ll find with a credit card for bad credit — $100 to $30,000. Tomo will look at your bank accounts and other factors to determine what your spending limit will be.

Credit building features

• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Requires you to pay your balance in full each billing cycle, preventing you from getting into debt

• No credit check or security deposit required for approval
• No APR
• Up to $10,000 credit limit
• Reports to all three major credit bureaus
• Offers several World Elite Mastercard benefits, including cellphone protection and membership discounts

Annual/monthly maintenance fees: $0-$49
Estimate of rewards earned in the first year: $0*
Credit-building features rating: 4/5*
*Based on LendingTree’s value methodology

The Oportun^® Visa^® Credit Card comes with a low annual fee for an unsecured card ranging from $0–$49. There’s no credit check, and you don’t need a credit score, bank information or a Social Security number to get approved. Plus, you’ll get a credit line up to $1,000.

Credit building features

• Regular account reviews
• Reports credit history to the three major credit bureaus
• Free credit score access

• Credit line up to $1,000 – get a response in minutes
• No security deposit or credit history required to apply
• Zero Fraud Liability – you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Automatic reviews for credit line increase
• Worldwide acceptance in stores or online
• Start establishing credit history – monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus
• 24/7 online account management – friendly support in English and Spanish
• If you are assessed a finance charge, it will be no less than $1.00
• Card issued by WebBank, Member FDIC

• You must respond directly to this offer to receive these terms. Applications in response to other offers may result in different terms. See the online provider's credit cardCardholder Agreementfor details about terms and conditions. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. When you click on the "Apply Now" button, you can review the credit card terms and conditions on the provider's website.