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If you navigate your life at warp speed, a credit card that offers instant approval and instant use probably sounds right up your alley. Just to be clear, instant approval actually means the issuer will make an instant decision, which is common but that doesn’t guarantee approval.
However, not all credit card companies allow you to use your card instantly. That’s a shame because when we need a card, we need it now! Am I right, people?
The cards reviewed here, for the most part, can provide you with your actual card number instantly. This is separate from any temporary virtual account number issuers give you for added security.
What follows are some of the top credit card offerings and each major credit card issuer‘s policy on instant-use cards.
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Chase Cards You Can Use Instantly
Chase allows approved cardholders to use their new card right away. All you have to do is add their card to a supported digital wallet, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
You can use the Chase mobile app to connect the card to a digital wallet by following these steps. Below are our top-rated Chase cards that can be used instantly:
- 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.
Intro (Purchases)
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Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 15 months
|
0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months
|
18.99% – 28.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
- Earn 100,000 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, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
- Member FDIC
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
19.99% – 28.24% Variable
|
$95
|
Good/Excellent
|
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
20.24% – 28.74% Variable
|
$550
|
Good/Excellent
|
- Earn $750 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase made for your business
- No Annual Fee
- Redeem rewards for cash back, gift cards, travel and more through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
- Earn rewards faster with employee cards at no additional cost. Set individual spending limits for greater control.
- Round-the-clock monitoring for unusual credit card purchases
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR on Purchases 12 months
|
N/A
|
17.49% – 23.49% Variable
|
$0
|
Good/Excellent
|
Not all Chase cards qualify for instant use. According to Chase, “Please note, at this time Mastercard, Amazon, and Business credit cards can’t be added to a digital wallet upon card approval. However, once you receive your physical card you can add it to a digital wallet.”
Capital One Cards You Can Use Instantly
You can use your Capital One card before it’s in your wallet, but there are strings attached. First, you must already be a cardmember with another Capital One Card. Second, you must download the Capital One mobile app.
Otherwise, you’ll have to wait about a week for your card to arrive in the mail.
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- 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 and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- 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 and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- 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; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Enjoy 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, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- 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
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
19.99% – 29.24% (Variable)
|
$95
|
Excellent, Good
|
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- 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 and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- 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; 19.24% – 29.24% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months
|
0% for 15 months
|
19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
|
$0
|
Excellent, Good
|
If you qualify for instant use, you can open the mobile app to retrieve your new card number, security code, and expiration number. Now you are ready to make card-not-present purchases online, over the phone, and in-app.
Discover Cards You Can Use Instantly
Discover allows most new cardholders to access their credit card number immediately through its mobile app. Applicants who request a balance transfer and those applying for a second Discover card or a Discover it® Secured Credit Card are not eligible.
- 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 $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% Cashback Bonus® at Grocery Stores and Wholesale Clubs, April 1 through June 30, 2025, on up to $1,500 in purchases, when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
- Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with your digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
- 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. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
18.24% – 27.24% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. 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 to 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 18.24% – 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
- 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. Activate by mobile app for free.
- Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
0% Intro APR for 15 months
|
18.24% – 27.24% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- 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.
- 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.
- Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- 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. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
|
0% Intro APR for 18 months
|
18.24% – 27.24% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Excellent/Good
|
- 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. So 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. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
- No credit score required to apply.
- 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. Activate by mobile app for free.
- No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 17.24% – 26.24% applies.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
0% Intro APR for 6 months
|
10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
|
17.24% – 26.24% Variable APR
|
$0
|
Fair/New to Credit
|
If you are eligible, the number you receive will be the same as the number on your new Discover card. The issuer dispatches credit cards through priority mail.
Instant Approval Credit Cards for Bad Credit
Instant approval isn’t reserved solely for those who have prime credit scores. Many subprime borrowers also desire a quick approval process that can give them an answer immediately.
Not many cards in this category offer instant use. But if you’re looking for a solid credit card to help rebuild credit — and can wait 5 to 7 days to use it — we’ve got an option for you.
- See if you’re pre-approved with no impact to your credit score.
- Qualify for rewards like a credit limit increase (subject to credit approval) or APR decrease in as little as six months.
- Earn unlimited 1% cash back on purchases.
- Building your credit? We report to the major credit bureaus and good payment habits can pay off.
- Easily manage your account and make payments using BrightWay App.
- BrightWay cards are issued by WebBank.
Intro (Purchases)
|
Intro (Transfers)
|
Regular APR
|
Annual Fee
|
Credit Needed
|
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A
|
N/A
|
35.99%
|
$0 – $89
|
N/A
|
The OneMain Financial BrightWay® Card lets you find out if you’re preapproved without any impact to your credit score, and its approval process is quick, too. The card reports to all three major credit bureaus and it even gives cardholders a chance to qualify for credit limit increases or lower APRs in as little as six months.
While you’re using the card to build credit, you can take advantage of 1% cash back on all of your purchases.
Bank of America’s Instant-Use Policy

Bank of America offers instant card approval and use to existing customers who open a new card via the Bank of America mobile app. Upon approval, you will be able to upload your credit card number to your digital wallet.
Instant use isn’t available for Bank of America cards you apply for online.
Citi’s Instant-Use Policy

Some Citi credit cards offer instant use. According to the issuer, many cardholders who are approved can receive their card details right away and access part of their full credit line immediately. Citi also issues virtual credit card numbers (on selected cards) that you can use for card-not-present transactions.
By issuing temporary account numbers, Citi makes card theft incredibly difficult.
Wells Fargo’s Instant-Use Policy

Wells Fargo does not currently allow instant use on any of its credit cards. You have to activate the card to use it, and you can’t activate it until it arrives in the mail. Once received, you can load any Wells Fargo card number into a digital wallet to generate virtual card numbers.
What Is an Instant Approval Credit Card?
As we discussed earlier, instant approval means you’ll likely get an immediate decision, because no credit card issuer can guarantee that every credit card application will be approved. Issuers make their best efforts to render a decision immediately based on the information at hand.
Most modern credit card issuers provide instant decisions. Occasionally, an issuer may notify you that it needs additional information before approving your credit card application. There can be several reasons for a delay, including:
- Inability to verify information: One of the first things an issuer does is verify the data on your application. Red flags will go up if it can’t verify your address or Social Security number. This kind of problem is easy to clear up if it is due to a typo.
- Inability to verify income: Income is an important factor, as card providers want some assurance that you’ll be able to pay your bills on time. Often, the best an issuer can do is see whether the income you entered is reasonable, given the information in your personal credit file concerning your job. In some cases, you may have to provide documentation, usually in the form of a pay stub or tax return.
- Borderline credit: Many credit cards have a minimum credit score requirement, but there is usually a little wiggle room for borderline cases. If you have a low credit score, the issuer may need to assign a human to evaluate your application. Most card decisions are automated, so assigning people to the task is bound to take more time.
- Frozen credit reports: You can freeze your credit reports at each credit bureau to protect your personal credit history against identity theft and fraud. That’s a prudent thing to do, but it will prohibit an issuer from pulling your credit report. You will have to thaw your credit history at the credit bureau, at least temporarily, before the issuer can approve your application.
- Restrictions on the number of cards you own: Many issuers limit how many of their credit cards you can own at one time. For example, Discover won’t let you own more than two of its cards. Chase has its 5/24 Rule that limits you to five new cards (from any issuer) within a 24-month period. You may be turned down for simply having too many recent hard pulls of your credit because applying for a lot of credit all at once can indicate financial distress.
- Overflowing demand: Card issuers occasionally find themselves with runaway hits. It could be due to the introduction of a new card or a new promotion on an existing card, such as a special signup bonus or 0% introductory APR. When this happens, card providers may temporarily halt new approvals or at least slow down approvals to a trickle as they process new applications.
A hard credit inquiry can lower your score by five to 10 points and is usually postponed until you submit your full application.
Of course, you know (or can easily find out) your credit score, and it should inform your choice of which credit cards to apply for. If your score is average or better, you can probably be approved for most credit cards.
Fair credit or worse limits your choices to second-and-third-tier credit cards for folks with low scores. Cards for fair or bad credit may suffer from several shortcomings, including sparse benefits, high interest rates, and multiple fees.
Can I Use an Instant Approval Credit Card Immediately?
Do not assume that instant approval means you can use the credit card immediately. Certain issuers have a blanket rule against instant use, and other credit card companies may only offer it for select cards.
If your new card doesn’t offer instant use, you’ll have to wait for it in your mailbox, usually in seven to 10 days. Some issuers expedite card shipments, which can cut the wait time in half.
If your card does offer an instant credit card number, you’ll receive an account number you can use to make card-not-present purchases — online or over the phone. Sometimes the account number will be the same one that will appear on your card, whereas some issuers may provide a temporary virtual credit card number (VCC) you can use only until the card arrives — I’ll discuss these more later.
Just because you get approved for a credit card doesn’t mean you can use it instantly. You need to check the issuer’s fine print to find out if you can access your card number immediately.
In some cases — often for co-branded cards — immediate use is limited to the issuing brand, be it a merchant, airline, gas station, or hotel chain. Other cards give you free rein to instantly use your card anywhere it’s accepted.
You may be able to make in-store purchases before you receive your credit card if the card works with one or more digital wallets. Many retailers accept digital wallets at the check-out line, though smaller ones might be lagging behind.
If you are allowed instant use of your new card, make sure you understand any restrictions on where you can use it or how much of your credit you can access. Sometimes, the issuer will provide you only a limited amount of your overall credit limit until you register the physical card, and many will not permit cash advances or balance transfer transactions until then.
How Do I Get an Instant Virtual Credit Card?
You can use an instant credit card number before you receive the physical card, but that number may not be a VCC number. Some cards provide you with your actual credit card number to use until your credit card (with the same number) arrives.
Other issuers provide a VCC (sometimes they call it a virtual account number) that you can only use temporarily. Once the card arrives, the VCC will no longer work.
Once you receive your card, though, you can still request VCCs to use for other purposes. They can be helpful if you are shopping online and want to add an extra layer of security to your transactions. VCCs significantly decrease the risk of fraud simply because they are not your real account number.
You can set a VCC to work for a period of time, for a certain purchase, or up to a specific limit. They are useless outside the parameters you set.

Digital wallets allow you to do something similar, but they use digital tokens instead of card numbers. Google, Apple, and Samsung store a token on your device instead of your credit card account number. The token is a virtual account number that replaces your real card number at the time of purchase.
The four payment networks (American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa networks) also developed the Click to Pay program that allows any credit card to be added to any digital wallet. Look for the Click to Pay logo when checking out in-store or online — you can complete your purchase using a random token generated by the digital wallet.
The advent of digital wallets has made virtual account numbers commonplace. Still, a VCC is only considered instant use if the credit card company is willing to provide you with your account information before you physically receive your card.
How Long Does It Take to Receive a Card Once Approved?
Most cards will arrive in seven to 10 days after your application is approved. It’s in the card issuer’s interest to get the instant approval card into your hands as soon as possible, but the benefit must be weighed against the cost of expedited shipping.
The following chart summarizes shipping times by issuer:
Issuer | New Card | Replacement Card |
---|---|---|
American Express | 7 to 10 business days | Free next-day shipping |
Bank of America | Within 10 business days | 4 to 6 business days |
Capital One | 7 to 10 business days | 4 to 6 business days |
Chase | 7 to 10 business days | 3 to 5 business days |
Citi | 7 to 10 days | 4 to 7 business days |
Discover | 7 to 10 business days | 3 to 7 business days |
Wells Fargo | 7 to 10 business days | 5 to 7 calendar days |
The standard industry shipping timeframe is between seven and 10 business to receive a new credit card. Issuers typically get replacement cards out faster, and American Express even offers free next-day shipping in those cases.
If you secure an instant-use credit card, though, the initial wait for your new card may not feel as long.
Do Any Business Credit Cards Offer Instant Use?
When entrepreneurs need funds quickly to keep their operations moving smoothly, they may consider applying for a business credit card that offers instant use. While individuals may be able to wait 10 days for a new card, a small business applying for credit could be on a much tighter timeline.
We have identified two business credit cards that offer instant approval and use: the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card and the The Business Platinum Card®. These are all excellent credit card choices for business owners who need a decision — and a business credit card — right away.
You can use the Amex card immediately after approval anywhere Amex is accepted, and the Southwest® Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card can be used after adding it to a digital wallet.
Check for Instant Approval and Use Before You Apply
Our roundup of instant approval credit cards that offer immediate use reveals a surprisingly rich landscape of choices for consumers with the need for speed. You can also quickly apply for these cards, but don’t go too fast and get yourself into a bad situation.
The rules for creditworthy behavior are the same, whether you can start using your card within minutes of approval or you have to cool your heels for a week or longer. If you pay your bills on time, keep your debt under control, and refrain from opening too many credit cards at the same time, you’ll be well on your way to maintaining an excellent credit score and securing a bright financial future.
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