Surge Credit Card: Review & 5 Alternatives (April 2024)

Our Surge credit card review will fill you in on who the card was made for, card details, how to apply for the card, and how to use it to build or rebuild credit. Additionally, we offer some fine alternatives to the Surge card.

Some things in life are absolute; that carton of milk is either good, or it’s really bad. Other things are less binary — like your credit. The FICO credit score can range anywhere from 300 to 850, and everyone seems to have a different definition of “bad credit.”

In general, though, if you have bad credit you tend to know it — particularly when applications for financing get rejected. Being turned down for credit can be a blow, but there are options for obtaining credit and rebuilding your score.

One such option is the Surge Mastercard® credit card. A subprime card with flexible credit requirements, the Surge credit card is an unsecured card available to consumers with bad credit, no matter how you define it.

Review | Application | Check Status | How to Use | More Options (5)

For most people, the best thing about the Surge card is that it will report to all three major credit bureaus. This means that you can use the Surge card to improve damaged credit, provided you maintain your card in good standing.

The Surge card is also unsecured, meaning you won’t need to put down a deposit or pre-load the card to use it. Those at the very low end of the FICO score spectrum who have trouble getting approved for other unsecured cards may have better luck with a Surge card.

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

at Continental Finance'ssecure website

BEST OVERALL RATING

★★★★★

4.1

OVERALL RATING

4.1/5.0

Our Review »

• 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

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
See website for Details	See website for Details	29.99% APR (Variable)	$75 - $125	See website for Details*

Additionally, the credit line should be manageable for most people; the maximum spending limit on the card is $500, and what portion of that maximum you are approved for will depend on your credit score.

You’ll want to be sure to completely pay off your Surge card every month. This is good advice for any credit card, but it’s especially important when you consider the super high APR that comes with the Surge card.

You can also expect to see a hefty annual fee show up shortly after you open the card. While the annual fee drops slightly after the first year, you’ll start to see an additional monthly maintenance fee after the first 12 months that more than makes up for the decreased annual fee.

Applying for the Surge credit card is quick and easy, and can be completed entirely online through the link below.

• Apply for the Surge Mastercard®

If you can’t apply online for any reason, you can call the Surge Customer Service team at: 1-866-449-4514. Customer Care Specialists are available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

When applying for a Surge credit card online, most users can expect a decision almost immediately right through the website, with a letter to follow within a few days. If you have an issue with your application, or need to check the status of it for some reason, you can call customer service at:

1-866-449-4514

To check the status of your account at any time, you can use the Continental Finance sign-in portal. The portal is also where you can make online payments on your account as well as choose to receive electronic statements.

To get the most out of your Surge card, you should use it to make a small purchase during the month, then pay your balance in full when your statement arrives. Over time, as you make on-time payments and never miss payments, your credit report should start to reflect your good financial behavior.

Never carry a balance on your Surge card. The sky-high APR on the card means carrying a balance will be very expensive, and should always be avoided. Use your Surge credit card solely to improve your poor credit, not as a way to make purchases you cannot pay off right away.

If it turns out the Surge card is not for you, or you just want to see other options, check out our picks for the top five credit cards for bad credit. Comparison shopping is the best way to ensure you get the best rates — and the lowest fees — for which you can qualify.

Milestone® Mastercard®

at Milestone Mastercard®'ssecure website

BAD CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

3.8/5.0

Our Review »

• Greater access to credit than before - $700 credit limit
• Get a Mastercard accepted online, in store and in app
• Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S.
• $0 liability* for unauthorized use
• Access your account online or from your mobile device 24/7
• *Fraud protection provided by Mastercard Zero Liability Protection. If approved, you'll receive the Mastercard Guide to Benefits that details the complete terms with your card.

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	See terms	See terms	Fair/Good

PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card

at PREMIER Bankcard®'ssecure website

BAD CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

3.0/5.0

Our Review »

• PREMIER Bankcard credit cards are for building credit.
• Start building credit by keeping your balance low and paying all your bills on time each month.
• When you need assistance our award-winning US-based Customer Service agents are there to help.
• Credit Limit Increase Eligible after 12 months of consistent responsible account management.
• We report monthly to the Consumer Reporting Agencies to help you build your credit.

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	See Provider Website	See Provider Website	Fair/Poor

Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

at the issuer'ssecure website

BAD CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.5/5.0

• No credit check to apply
• Adjustable credit limit based on what you transfer from your Chime Checking account to the secured deposit account
• No interest* or annual fees
• Chime Checking Account and qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more required to apply. See official application, terms, and details link below.
• The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Card is issued by The Bankcorp 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.
• *Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View The Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	N/A	$0	None

Brink’s Armored™ Account

at Netspend'ssecure website

BAD CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

4.1/5.0

Our Review »

• Brink’s knows Security! 24/7 access to a suite of security benefits to help keep your account armored.
• Get access to over 100,000 Brink’s Money ATMs.
• Get paid faster than a paper check with direct deposit.
• Add funds to your Brink’s Armored Account and use Brinks Armored debit card anywhere Debit Mastercard is accepted.
• Account opening is subject to registration and ID verification. Terms & fees Apply. Deposit Account is established by Pathward®, N.A., Member FDIC.

• See application, terms and details.

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	N/A	Variable Monthly Fees	Not applicable

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

at Discover Card'ssecure website

BAD CREDIT RATING

★★★★★

4.7

OVERALL RATING

4.0/5.0

Our Review »

• 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.

• See application, terms and details.

See Rates & Fees

Intro (Purchases)	Intro (Transfers)	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Credit Needed
N/A	10.99% Intro APR for 6 months	28.24% Variable APR	$0	New/Rebuilding

+See All Credit Card Reviews for Bad Credit

When your milk goes sour, your breakfast options often sour with it; few people really enjoy dry cereal. The same thing can be said of your credit; when your score sours, so too do your credit options. That said, there are options, including the Surge Mastercard®, which can be used to build your credit and improve your score.

Just remember that rebuilding your credit is a journey; it can’t be accomplished overnight. It takes months, or even years, of dedicated work to rebuild a bad credit score — but it is possible. Be diligent, and your score will grow.