Capital One® Credit Steps Program (3 Things to Know)
Learn how automatic credit-limit increases work, why the program caps at $1,500 to $3,000, and how late payments can affect you.
Writer: Linsey Knerl
Linsey Knerl, Contributing Expert
Linsey Knerl is a finance author and public speaker with a passion for helping everyday families earn more and live better. Her work can be seen in Investopedia, PC Mag, The Christian Science Monitor, TIME, Wise Bread, Next Avenue, MSN Money, and numerous other leading outlets. Her expertise lies in business economics, credit scores and reports, and saving and budgeting. Linsey has shared her financial knowledge with audiences at SXSW, FinCon, and the ASJA annual NYC convention.
Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has worked at The Atlanta Journal and Constitution, Gwinnett Daily News, Gainesville Sun, and The New York Times, where she covered demographics, consumer issues, and the business and financial sectors. Lillian has a degree in journalism and communications from Georgia State University and brings her fact-checking expertise to ensure Digital Brands content is accurate and engaging.
Ashley Fricker has more than a decade of experience as a finance contributor and editor, and has specialized in the credit card industry since 2015. Her credit card commentary is featured on national media outlets that include CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, and Reader's Digest, among many others. She has worked closely with the world’s largest banks and financial institutions, up-and-coming fintech companies, and press and news outlets to curate comprehensive content and media. Ashley holds a bachelor's degree in multimedia journalism from Florida Atlantic University.
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Getting approved for a credit card is a great first step toward building credit and opening up more opportunities for financing. Credit card companies like Capital One make it easier than ever for those with bad or average credit to start down the road to recovery.
The Capital One® Credit Steps Program is a little-known perk designed specifically for those wanting to prove their creditworthiness. Below are three things you should know if you own, or are considering applying for, a Credit Steps card from Capital One.
1. Many Capital One Cards Offer Automatic Enrollment
Nearly all of the Capital One cards designed for poor-to-average credit come with automatic enrollment in the Credit Steps program.
For example, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card sign-up page says that customers can “get access to a higher credit line with Credit Steps after making your first five monthly payments on time.”
Here is a breakdown of the top cards eligible for Credit Steps enrollment:
Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.
No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
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 from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
4.5/5.0
About this rating
Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.
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 at least 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
You’ll know you were automatically enrolled in the program when your welcome packet arrives from the card company.
2. Your Credit Limit Starts Low, Then Increases
With cards in the Credit Steps program, your starting limit may be as low as $200 or $300, but it can automatically increase to $500 or more after you make payments consistently. That bump usually comes after five payments, or at least three months of positive account activity.
Whether you use a significant portion of your existing credit line
Regular use of your card
If you’re eligible for an additional increase beyond the automatic first one, you’ll see a link to request one in your online credit account dashboard. Capital One does not usually approve requests for a limit increase if your card has had an increase or decrease in the previous six months, and they reserve the right to decline requests based on their own internal guidelines.
3. You May Become Eligible for a Better Card
Most cards in the program cap credit limits between $1,500 and $3,000. If you’ve already hit the top end and need more spending room, you may have built enough credit to qualify for a different card with more flexibility.
Here is a breakdown of the top cards Capital One customers often upgrade to. You’ll notice that these cards offer much more favorable terms than those in the Credit Steps program:
Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.
Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.
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; 18.74% - 28.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.
LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $300 to use on hotel and vacation rental bookings through Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening – that’s more than $1,000 in travel value
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
You generally shouldn’t close your first card account. Even if you rarely use it, keeping it open can increase your total available credit and help keep your utilization ratio lower.
Taking the Next Step
The Credit Steps program from Capital One proves that the credit card industry is looking to give even those with bad credit a second chance at proving themselves. The program may also prove valuable to those who are just beginning their journey in the credit world and are looking to build their credit for the very first time.
While making even one late payment could cause you to be dropped from the program (and your account to be put in jeopardy), just six months of responsible credit use can have a significantly positive effect on the future of your finances.
If you’d like to give the Credit Steps program a try, choose one of the fair credit or limited credit options from our Capital One reviews page to apply online.
