LA Times' Recommended Credit Cards for Rebuilding Credit

Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card

Our rating:4.2

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Recommended credit

(No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

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Rewards rate

Card without rewards: This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points

Annual fee: None

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: N/A

Recommended credit: (No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.2

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 5.0
Ease of Building Credit: 5.0
APR: 1.0
Features: 2.5

Highlights

To apply for a Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card, you must first open a Chime Checking Account and receive a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more.
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).
The Chime Credit Builder Card is a secured credit card that can help consumers build credit history. It has no interest*, no annual fees, no credit check to apply, and no minimum security deposit required**
Help build your credit history with your own money. The money you move into the Credit Builder secured account is the amount you can spend on your card (no minimum deposit required**). Turn on Safer Credit Building** and have your monthly balance automatically paid on time. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®. Experian®. and Equifax®.
Use your secured Credit Builder card everywhere VISA is accepted, including on everyday purchases, such as gas and groceries.
*No Interest: Out of network ATM withdrawal fees and over the counter advance fees may apply. See here for details.
**No Minimum Security Deposit: 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.
The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, 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.
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 loads or 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.
**Safer Credit Building - On-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®, Experian®, and Equifax®. Impact on your credit may vary, as Credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: None
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: N/A
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card

Our rating:3.5

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Recommended credit

(No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

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Rewards rate

5%: 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
1.5%: Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere

Annual fee: $0

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 29.99% variable

Recommended credit: (No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:3.5

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 5.0
Ease of Building Credit: 1.5
APR: 2.0
Features: 5.0

Highlights

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

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 29.99% (Variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Our rating:4.1

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Recommended credit

(No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

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Rewards rate

2%: Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.
1%: Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Annual fee: $0

Balance transfer intro APR: 10.99% for 6 months

Regular APR: 28.24% variable

Recommended credit: (No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:4.1

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 5.0
Ease of Building Credit: 3.3
APR: 1.3
Features: 2.5

Highlights

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.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $0
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 28.24% Variable APR
Intro Balance Transfers APR: 10.99% for 6 months

Destiny Mastercard® - $700 Credit Limit

Our rating:2.1

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Rewards rate

Card without rewards: This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points

Annual fee: See terms*

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: See terms*

Recommended credit: 300-670 (Bad to Fair) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:2.1

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership:: 1.0
Ease of Building Credit:: 4.0
APR:: 1.0
Features:: 1.3

Highlights

Greater access to credit than before - $700 credit limit
Unsecured credit card, no security deposit required
Worry-free Fraud Protection* if your card is lost or stolen
Nationwide acceptance – use anywhere Mastercard is accepted in app, in store, and online
Quick and easy application process with a typical decision in 60 seconds or less
24/7 access to your account, even on mobile!
Reports to all three major credit bureaus

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: See terms*
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: See terms*
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

Our rating:3.0

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Rewards rate

Up to 10%: Up to 10% cash back rewards on purchases at over 40,000 retailers

Annual fee: $35

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 25.64% variable

Recommended credit: (No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:3.0

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 2.5
Ease of Building Credit: 2.9
APR: 4.5
Features: 0.0

Highlights

New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
No credit check to apply. Zero credit risk to apply!
Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
Get free monthly access to your FICO score in our mobile application
Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
Fund your card with a low $200 refundable security deposit to get a $200 credit line
Apply in less than 5 minutes with our mobile first application
Choose the due date that fits your schedule with flexible payment dates
Fund your security deposit over 60 days with the option to make partial payments
Over 1.4 Million Cardholders Have Used OpenSky Secured Credit Card To Improve Their Credit

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $35
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 25.64% (variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Milestone Mastercard® - $700 Credit Limit

Our rating:1.7

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Rewards rate

Card without rewards: This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points

Annual fee: See terms*

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: See terms*

Recommended credit: 300-670 (Bad to Fair) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:1.7

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 1.0
Ease of Building Credit: 2.9
APR: 2.4
Features: 1.0

Highlights

Greater access to credit than before - $700 credit limit
No security deposit required, even with less than perfect credit
Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S
Get a Mastercard accepted online, in store and in app
24/7 access to your account information, even on mobile
Applying is quick and easy with our fast decision process

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: See terms*
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: See terms*
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

FIT™ Platinum Mastercard®

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Rewards rate

Card without rewards: This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points

Annual fee: $99 introductory fee for the first year, then $125 thereafter

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 35.90% Fixed

Recommended credit: 300-670 (Bad to Fair) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

$400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
All credit types welcome to apply
Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
Initial Credit Limit of $400.00 (Subject to available credit)
Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
Checking Account Required

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $99 introductory fee for the first year, then $125 thereafter
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 35.90% Fixed
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

Our rating:1.5

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Rewards rate

Card without rewards: This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points

Annual fee: $75 - $125

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 35.90% Fixed

Recommended credit: 300-670 (Bad to Fair) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:1.5

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 0.4
Ease of Building Credit: 3.9
APR: 0.4
Features: 2.3

Highlights

Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
All credit types welcome to apply!
Monthly Credit Score – Sign up for electronic statements, and get your Vantage 3.0 Score Credit Score From Experian
Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
See if you’re Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
Online account access 24/7
Checking Account Required

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $75 - $125
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 35.90% Fixed
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card

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Rewards rate

1% Cash Back: 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments

Annual fee: $49

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 15.24% variable

Recommended credit: (No Credit History) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Highlights

1% Cash Back Rewards on payments
Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 – based on your security deposit
Build your credit score. Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
No minimum credit score required for approval!
Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $49
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 15.24% (Variable)
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®

Our rating:1.8

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Rewards rate

Card without rewards: This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points

Annual fee: $75 - $125

Balance transfer intro APR: N/A

Regular APR: 35.90% variable

Recommended credit: 300-670 (Bad to Fair) CreditCards.com credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Overall rating

Our rating:1.8

Rating methodology

Cost of Membership: 1.0
Ease of Building Credit: 4.0
APR: 0.5
Features: 2.4

Highlights

Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
See if you’re Pre-Qualified with no impact to your credit score
All credit types welcome to apply
Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
Checking Account Required

Rates & Fees

Annual Fee: $75 - $125
Intro Purchase APR: N/A
Regular APR: 35.90% Fixed
Intro Balance Transfers APR: N/A

Rewards rate

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