Writer: Eric Bank
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Ashley Fricker
Disclosure: When you apply through links on our site, we may earn a referral fee from our partners. For more, see our ad disclosure and review policy.
In this review of pre-approved credit cards by issuer, we describe how to get a credit card with a minimum of fuss. We look at the pre-approval processes of five major card issuers: Capital One, Chase, Discover, American Express, and Citi.
While pre-approval does not guarantee final approval, it’s a pretty good indication that your credit card application will ultimately sail through, barring unexpected problems.
Credit card preapproval is a nice feature for all consumers but especially important to folks with bad, thin, or no credit. For this reason, we’ve included credit cards for those with less-than-excellent credit. In all cases, credit card pre-approval will not harm your credit score nor obligate you to complete the application process.
Pre-Approved Capital One Credit Cards
About 10.5% of the cardmember population have a Capital One credit card in their wallets. That’s approximately 62 million cards held by consumers who choose Capital One for its wide range of acceptable credit scores, around-the-clock customer service, and free services like Credit One and Eno (where you can get a virtual card number upon request).
Here are our top-ranked Capital One credit cards — you can click the See Details links to learn more about each offer.
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
- Earn a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months; 18.49% – 28.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
- Top rated mobile app
- Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
- Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
- Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
- Enjoy access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Top rated mobile app
Capital One has will allow you to prequalify for some of its most popular cards. You’ll receive a credit card pre-approval decision in seconds and can complete the application process without reentering any information.
Capital One allows you to own up to two of its credit cards at any one time, and it is the fourth-largest card issuer in terms of outstanding balances.
Pre-Approved Chase Credit Cards
JPMorgan Chase is the largest credit card issuer, with a market share of 16.6% and about 92 million cards in circulation. But Chase no longer offers a page on its site that allows users to see which cards they qualify for.
The only way to find Chase preapproval is to log in to your Chase account, go to “Open an account,” and select “Just for you” to see which Chase credit card offers you may be prequalified to apply for.
Chase caters to cardholders with good to excellent credit, choosing not to compete for consumers with bad credit. It does not offer a secured card. Our favorite Chase cards are as follows:
- Intro Offer: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.99% – 28.49%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Chase Freedom Unlimited® was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
- 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. Enjoy new 5% categories each quarter!
- 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more
- 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.24% – 27.99%.
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Flex℠ card
- Keep tabs on your credit health – Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, real-time alerts, and more.
Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Chase Freedom Flex℠ was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.
- Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
- Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
- 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
- Member FDIC
Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.
- Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- Get more than $2,700 in annual value with Sapphire Reserve.
- Earn 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠, including The Edit℠ and 4x points on flights and hotels booked direct. Plus, earn 3x points on dining worldwide & 1x points on all other purchases
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Access over 1,300 airport lounges worldwide with a complimentary Priority Pass™ Select membership, plus every Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club with two guests. Plus, up to $120 towards Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck® every 4 years
- Get up to $150 in statement credits every six months for a maximum of $300 annually for dining at restaurants that are part of Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and more.
- Get complimentary Apple TV+, the exclusive streaming home of Apple Originals. Plus Apple Music — all the music you love, across all your devices. Subscriptions run through 6/22/27 — a value of $250 annually
- Member FDIC
Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Chase Sapphire Reserve® was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.
- Earn 200,000 bonus points after you spend $30,000 on purchases in your first 6 months from account opening and with more than $2,500 in annual value, there’s no competition.
- Earn 8x points on Chase Travel℠ for airline tickets, hotels, including The Edit℠, car rentals, cruises, activities and tours.
- Earn 5x total points on Lyft rides through 9/30/27.
- Earn 4x points on flights & hotels booked direct.
- Earn 3x points on social media & search engine advertising.
- Get the most flexible travel credit compared to any other card, with up to $300 in statement credits each anniversary year on travel purchases.
- Enjoy complimentary access to the Chase Sapphire Lounge® by The Club network and Priority Pass Select membership. Two guests may accompany the Primary Cardmember to the lounges free of charge.
- Member FDIC
Additional Disclosure: Non-Monetized. The information related to Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ was collected by CardRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see issuer website for current information. CardRates does not receive commission for this product.
This issuer stresses the synergies between its credit card and banking operations to attract and keep customers. In addition, the issuer has one of the most impressive loyalty programs, Chase Ultimate Rewards, where you can use reward points for travel and shopping.
Be careful not to get tripped up by the Chase 5/24 rule limiting you to no more than five credit or charge cards (from any issuer) opened within the last 24 months. This will shut down your preapproved offer in its tracks.
Pre-Approved Discover Credit Cards
Discover is both a credit card issuer and payments network, with an outstanding balance market share of 8.2%. Its cards are accepted at 99% of all locations that accept any credit card according to the February 2025 issue of the Nilson Report. You can obtain pre-approval for any of its cards by completing a short online questionnaire.
Our top-ranked Discover cards include offers for cash back, miles, and lengthy 0% APR promotions.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem cash back for any amount. No annual fee.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles into 70,000 Miles.
- Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
- No annual fee.
- Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants, and more.
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You’ll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Redeem cash back for any amount
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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. You could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
- Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You’ll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem cash back for any amount
- No credit score required to apply.
- No annual fee and build credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 16.49% – 25.49% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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. You could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem cash back for any amount
- No credit score required to apply.
- No annual fee and build credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 16.49% – 25.49% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Discover cards are popular because they never charge an annual fee and offer a first-year Cashback Match™ or Mile-for-Mile match to a new cardmember. They also attract thousands of students each year with two different credit card offerings just for them.
You are allowed to own up to two Discover credit cards at the same time.
Pre-Approved American Express Credit Cards
American Express has the fifth-largest market share — 10.4% of outstanding balances — and is the third-largest credit card payments network, behind Visa and Mastercard. Originally an issuer of charge cards, it now also offers a full roster of credit cards — including the infamous Amex Platinum Card — for consumers and businesses.
Its best offerings include a mix of no-, modest-, and high-annual-fee cards, as well as its legendary, invitation-only Centurion Card.
- Earn 175,000 Membership Rewards® points after you use your new card to make $8,000 in purchases in your first 6 months of Card Membership
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points for flights booked directly through airlines or American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Also earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
- $600 annual hotel credit, $200 annual airline fee credit, $200 per year Uber cash credit, $300 per year digital entertainment credit, and more.
- Platinum Card Members have unlimited complimentary access to all locations of The Global Lounge Collection®, including 1,550 airport lounges.
- Apply with Confidence: Know if you’re approved for this Card with no credit score impact
- Fee Credit for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck®, CLEAR® Plus Membership
- Earn as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months of card membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- Earn 4X Points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases. Also earn 4X Points at restaurants on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, 5X points on prepaid hotels booked through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App™, 3X points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App™ or directly through airlines, and 2X points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App™ and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- No foreign transaction fees
- $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at participating partners. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide every time you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or Amex Travel App™
- $325 Annual Fee
- Earn 200,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $20,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of card membership
- Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, 1.5X points on business categories and purchases of $5,000 or more on up to $2 million per calendar year, and 1X point for each dollar you spend on other purchases.
- Get up to $400 back per year toward U.S. purchases with Dell Technologies, up to $360 back per year for purchases with Indeed, and $120 back per year for wireless telephone service purchases on the Business Platinum Card, plus additional credits. Enrollment is required for all.
- Access to more than 1,400 lounges across 140 countries and counting with the American Express Global Lounge Collection®
- Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees, such as checked bags and in-flight refreshments, are charged by the airline to your Business Platinum Card® Account.
- $695 Annual Fee
- Earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year on purchases (then 1%). Also earn 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
- Earn 3% cash back on transit, including U.S. gas stations, taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and more. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.
- Card Members have access to purchase tickets® through Amex Presale Tickets® and Amex Reserved Tickets® to select can’t-miss events and moments across sports, music, and more (while supplies last).
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable APR applies
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95
- Earn $200 back in the form of a statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership
- 3% cash back on groceries from U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%)
- 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations, 1% back on other purchases
- Introductory 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable rate applies
- Find out if you Pre-Qualify for the Blue Cash Everyday® Card or other offers in as little as 30 seconds
- $0 Annual Fee
You can fill in this pre-qualification form to see which American Express cards you may be eligible for. You may be offered personalized deals, such as a higher signup bonus or lower APR.
At one time, you could own five Amex credit cards and charge cards, but reports indicate Amex tightened up to just four lending products per customer in 2020.
Pre-Approved Citi Credit Cards
Citibank is the second-largest U.S. credit card issuer based on its $101 billion in outstanding balances and its 11.8% market share. Citi credit cards appeal to consumers who care more about low APRs and fees than fancy rewards.
Nonetheless, its roster of cards includes those offering 0% introductory APRs for eligible purchases, balance transfer transactions (including a 0% introductory APR balance transfer promotion), cash advances, and/or cash rewards on each qualifying purchase. Our top-ranked Citi cards are as follows:
- Earn 75,000 bonus Points after spending $6,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn 12 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on cititravel.com and 6 Points per $1 spent on Air Travel booked on cititravel.com
- Earn 6 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants including Restaurant Delivery Services on CitiNights℠ purchases, every Friday and Saturday from 6 PM to 6 AM ET. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent any other time
- Earn 1.5 Points per $1 spent on All Other Purchases
- Up to $300 Annual Hotel Benefit: Each calendar year, enjoy up to $300 off a hotel stay of two nights or more when booked through cititravel.com.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees
Additional Disclosure: (The information related to Citi Strata Elite℠ Card has been collected by CardRates.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.)
- Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked with Citi Travel.
- Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 17.49% – 27.49%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
- Earn 20,000 bonus Points after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
- 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months; after that, the variable APR will be 18.49% – 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
- Earn 3 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent in an eligible Self-Select Category of your choice (Fitness Clubs, Select Streaming Services, Live Entertainment, Cosmetic Stores/Barber Shops/Hair Salons, or Pet Supply Stores). Choose your eligible Self-Select Category on Citi Online or by calling customer service. The default Self-Select Category is Select Streaming Services.
- Earn 5 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals and Attractions booked on Citi Travel® via cititravel.com; earn 3 ThankYou Points for each $1 spent at Supermarkets, on Select Transit purchases, and at Gas & EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 2 ThankYou® Points for each $1 spent at Restaurants; earn 1 ThankYou® Point for each $1 spent on All Other Purchases.
- No Annual Fee
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
- Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.
- Earn 10 Points per $1 spent on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Attractions booked on CitiTravel.com.
- Earn 3 Points per $1 on Air Travel and Other Hotel Purchases, at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas and EV Charging Stations.
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- $100 Annual Hotel Benefit: Once per calendar year, enjoy $100 off a single hotel stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) when booked through CitiTravel.com. Benefit applied instantly at time of booking.
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
- Discover one of Citi’s best cash back rewards cards designed exclusively for Costco members
- Earn 5% cash back rewards on gas at Costco and earn 4% cash back on other eligible gas and electric vehicle (EV) charging purchases for the first $7,000 combined spend per year, and then 1% thereafter.
- 3% cash back on restaurants and eligible travel purchases and eligible travel, including Costco Travel.
- 2% cash back on all other purchases from Costco and Costco.com
- 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No annual fee with your paid Costco membership and enjoy no foreign transaction fees on purchases
- Receive an annual credit card reward certificate, which is redeemable for cash or merchandise at U.S. Costco warehouses, including Puerto Rico
Additional Disclosure: Citi is a CardRates advertiser.
You can pre-apply for any Citi credit card without a hard credit inquiry that could hurt your credit profile directly through their website.
How Do I Get Pre-Approved For a Credit Card?
Pre-approval is an initial step you can take to see whether it’s feasible to own a particular credit card. Unlike a formal application, credit card preapproval does not require a hard pull of your credit and, therefore, won’t drive down your credit profile.
Most of the major credit card issuers have at least one pre-approved offer, and the procedure is pretty much standard across the industry. You can kick off the process by supplying some basic data — name, address, Social Security number, email address — on a card’s prequalification page.
The card issuer will give you an instant approval decision after you submit your data. If you are pre-approved, you’ll be asked to enter more extensive information and submit to a hard credit check. On the other hand, if you are turned down, you may be offered an alternative card, although this is not standard practice.
It is only after you apply for a card that you’ll know the final decision. At that time, you’ll be offered a customized APR and credit limit. If all seems good, you can e-sign the credit card agreement and receive your new card in seven to 10 days.
Is Credit Card Pre-Approval Guaranteed?
A pre-approval decision is guaranteed, but the decision can go either way. Normally, the decision is instantly rendered, so you won’t be left waiting for an answer.
A positive response to your pre-approval request is clearly a step toward getting you your credit card, but it is not a guarantee of final approval. The difference is the amount of checking a card issuer performs when you fill out a formal application, or more precisely, the additional information gathered by the credit card company.
If the application is successful, it means that you meet the issuer’s standards for a particular card. But if a hard credit check uncovers disturbing details, it can result in a decline notice.
The list of problems that can derail your card application include:
- A credit score below the card’s minimum.
- A large amount of existing debt relative to your income.
- Information that cannot be verified.
- Indications of irresponsible behavior, including missed payments, collections, repossessions, and bankruptcies.
- Previous debt settlements.
- Previous felonies or civil judgments.
- Previous negative experience with the issuer.
- Already owning the maximum number of credit cards permitted by the issuer.
- Failure to meet residency and/or age requirements.
- Current military status.
Pre-qualification will not necessarily turn up any of these derogatory items, but even so, neither you nor the issuer is obligated to reach a final agreement.
Which Credit Card Companies Offer Pre-Approval?
Almost all issuers offer at least one pre-qualified credit card. This is especially true for cards designed to meet the needs of consumers with bad credit.
Remember, a preapproved offer is an option that can be terminated at any time, as we saw during the COVID pandemic. Indeed, many issuers stopped accepting any new card applications during parts of the pandemic.
What Is the Easiest Credit Card to Get Approved
For?
There is no doubt that it’s easiest to get a secured credit card. The reason is simple: You must post a security deposit to guarantee that the credit card will be paid.
This removes the risk that the card issuer will have to take a loss on your credit account, making instant approval virtually automatic.
In almost all cases, the size of your security deposit will match your credit limit. After a period of on-time payments, the issuer may choose to increase your limit without requiring a further deposit, thereby converting your account to partially secured. Eventually, the issuer may refund your deposit and present you with an unsecured credit card.
If you have average credit or above, you should have no problem qualifying for most unsecured credit cards. But even if you have bad credit, certain unsecured cards are specifically designed for you. They usually include features like:
- High APRs: Expect an APR above 25% if your credit is bad. APRs as high as 36% are possible.
- Fees galore: Beyond the usual annual fee, these cards may charge a monthly maintenance fee, a signup fee, and fees for foreign transactions, extra cards, and even credit line increases.
- Tight credit lines: An unsecured credit card offer with credit lines as small as $200 is possible. Eventually, you can expect your credit line to increase, though probably not dramatically.
- Shorter grace periods: The grace period is an interval in which you do not have to pay interest on your card if your opening balance was zero. It extends from the last day of the billing cycle to the payment due date. Many credit cards routinely give you a 25-day grace period, but some cards for bad credit may cut the period to 21 days or eliminate it entirely.
- Few amenities: Expect the card to offer no cash back or other rewards and few benefits. About the only common perk is $0 fraud protection coverage.
Student credit cards are also easy to get if you qualify as at least a half-time student at an eligible institution. These cards do not require you to have good credit or even any credit at all. In addition, many offer rewards and benefits that you wouldn’t necessarily expect.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, it may be hardest to get a business credit card. You usually have to personally guarantee a business credit card or recruit a cosigner.
Do Pre-Approved Credit Cards Hurt Your Credit?
Fortunately, the pre-approval process does not affect your credit profile in any way. At most, the issuer may do a soft pull of your credit history, which does not count against you on your credit report.
However, even when a preapproved credit card skates through the process harmlessly, don’t expect the same treatment if you formally apply for a card. At that point, the issuer is likely to perform a hard credit check (except if you are applying for a secured or student card).
Here’s the rub: Your FICO score is composed of several factors, of which one, new credit, accounts for 10% of your overall score.
A credit bureau using FICO considers new credit, measured by hard pulls of your credit, to be a potential negative, especially when the credit bureau sees you making multiple attempts to get new credit within a relatively short period (i.e., six to 12 months).
The reason FICO dislikes new credit is that it may indicate financial distress. Your credit score may drop five to 10 points when a hard credit check occurs, and the damage can be worse if many hard checks occur within the same month or two.
Another negative occurs if your new credit card application is accepted. Fifteen percent of your FICO score stems from your credit history age — FICO rewards you for managing your credit accounts successfully over an extended period (i.e., seven years or more).
By adding new credit accounts, you reduce your average credit history age, putting downward pressure on your credit score.
On the other hand, a new credit account can also help your score by decreasing your credit utilization ratio (your credit used divided by total available credit). FICO counts your amounts owed as 30% of your score, and it wants to see your CUR below 30%.
A new credit card increases your available credit and lowers your CUR, but only if you don’t use the new credit line. If you deplete your new credit and increase your debt, your CUR will increase and do further damage.
Here’s an example: Suppose you have available credit of $10,000 and have used $5,000 of it, giving you a CUR of 50%. You then get a new card with a $2,000 credit limit that you immediately exhaust. Your new CUR is now ($7,000 divided by $12,000), or 58.33%.
Had you kept the preapproved credit card on the shelf, your new CUR would have been ($5,000 divided by $12,000), or 41.67%. In support of your credit score, this would be the wiser choice.
The most important factor to your credit score is your payment history — always make your credit card bill payment on time to maintain healthy credit scores. Most card issuers offer you a free credit score, usually updated monthly, to help you track your credit history.
Compare Pre-Approved Credit Cards By Issuer
Our review of pre-approved credit cards by issuer strongly indicates the card issuers’ desire to recruit new cardholders. By offering a pre-approval option with no negative consequences, issuers can start you on a journey that they hope will end in you getting a new card, making many eligible purchases, and financing those eligible purchases over multiple billing periods.
A pre-approved credit card is good for you too. It won’t hurt your credit score and keeps you from wasting time applying for a card that is beyond your reach.
You can use this review to identify the cards with pre-approval that interest you the most. Then, simply click on the APPLY NOW link to begin the pre-approval process that will, hopefully, get you the credit card you want.
Advertiser Disclosure
CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.
Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.
About the Author
![5 Easiest Credit Cards to Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2020/02/Easiest-Credit-Cards-to-Get-Approved-For.jpg?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "5 Easiest Credit Cards to Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=\" (\" after=\")\"]")
![9 Easy Credit Cards to Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2021/08/Easy-Credit-Cards-to-Get-Approved-For.jpg?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "9 Easy Credit Cards to Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=\" (\" after=\")\"]")
![[updated_month_year after=" "]Cash Advance Limits by Issuer[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2020/12/shutterstock_2980733.jpg?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "[updated_month_year after=\" \"]Cash Advance Limits by Issuer[updated_month_year before=\" (\" after=\")\"]")
![15 Easiest Credit Cards to Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=" in "] (Bad Credit OK)](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2018/12/easytoget.png?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "15 Easiest Credit Cards to Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=\" in \"] (Bad Credit OK)")
![11 Easiest Loans To Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2021/07/Easiest-Loans-To-Get-Approved-For.jpg?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "11 Easiest Loans To Get Approved For[updated_month_year before=\" (\" after=\")\"]")
![How to Get Approved For a Loan[updated_month_year before=" in "]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2021/09/How-to-Get-Approved-For-a-Loan.jpg?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "How to Get Approved For a Loan[updated_month_year before=\" in \"]")
![18 Best Pre-Approval Credit Cards: 100% Online[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2017/09/preapprove-23.png?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "18 Best Pre-Approval Credit Cards: 100% Online[updated_month_year before=\" (\" after=\")\"]")
![5 Pre-Qualified Credit Cards For Bad Credit[updated_month_year before=" (" after=")"]](https://www.cardrates.com/images/uploads/2020/03/Pre-Qualified-Credit-Cards-for-Bad-Credit.jpg?width=158&height=120&fit=crop "5 Pre-Qualified Credit Cards For Bad Credit[updated_month_year before=\" (\" after=\")\"]")