Writer: Eric Bank
Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewer: Ashley Fricker
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If you have bad credit and don’t want to tie up cash in a security deposit, an unsecured credit card may be your best option. Unlike secured cards, unsecured cards don’t require collateral — you get a credit line based on your credit profile, no deposit needed.
The tradeoff is real: these cards typically come with high APRs, low credit limits, and more fees than cards for good credit. But used responsibly, they can be a genuine stepping stone to better credit. Most report to all three major credit bureaus, meaning on-time payments will count toward rebuilding your score.
A FICO score of 580 or below is generally considered bad credit. The cards below are specifically designed for borrowers in that range, and many let you check if you’re approved without any impact to your credit score.
The Best Unsecured Cards For Poor Credit
The cards below are our top picks for borrowers with bad or limited credit who want access to a credit line without putting down a deposit.
Many let you prequalify in minutes without any impact to your credit score, so you can check your odds before committing to a hard inquiry.
- Guaranteed $700 credit limit if approved.
- Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.
- Don’t Have Perfect Credit? No Problem!
- Join over a million consumers who are working on building their access to credit.
- Zero Fraud Liability – Peace of mind that comes with having a Mastercard.
- Get the credit you deserve, even with less-than-perfect history.
- No security deposit, and a path to better credit.
The Milestone® Mastercard® from the Bank of Missouri will consider your application despite your less-than-perfect credit. You can apply for this card in a few steps, and the issuer may direct you toward another bank’s card if it can’t match you to one of its own cards.
The card includes an annual fee and a foreign transaction fee, but it waives the monthly maintenance fee for the first year. It also charges for cash advances, over-limit transactions, and late or returned payments.
You can access your account via a mobile app, and the card provides automatic protection if it gets lost or stolen.
- Get the credit limit you deserve—$700 guaranteed if approved
- Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.
- Get the credit you deserve, even with less-than-perfect history.
- Trusted by more than a million customers with reporting to all three major credit bureaus so you get credit for all of your hard work.
- Zero Fraud Liability – Peace of mind that comes with having a Mastercard.
- Don’t Have Perfect Credit? No Problem!
- No security deposit, just purchasing power.
The Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit offers credit access to those who have bad or poor credit and doesn’t require a deposit. The issuer also reports your payments to all three credit bureaus.
You can prequalify without affecting your credit score and usually get a quick decision. Still, only apply for this card if you’re comfortable with the high APR and added fees.
- Earn Cash Back Rewards* – 3% on Eligible Gas, Groceries, and Utilities, and 1% on All Other Eligible Purchases
- Up to $1,000 credit limit subject to credit approval
- Prequalify** without affecting your credit score
- No security deposit
- Free Access to your Credit Score†
*See Program Terms for important information about the cash back rewards program.
** Prequalify means that you authorize us to make a soft inquiry into your credit history (that will not affect your credit) to create an offer. If you accept an offer a hard inquiry will be made. Final approval is not guaranteed if you do not meet all applicable criteria (including adequate proof of ability to repay). Income verification through access to your bank account information may be required.
† Your credit score will be available in your online account starting 60 days after your account is opened. (Registration required.) The free VantageScore 4.0 credit score provided by TransUnion® is for educational purposes only. This score may not be used by The Bank of Missouri (the issuer of this card) or other creditors to make credit decisions.
The Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard will let you prequalify before you apply, so you don’t have to worry about an unnecessary credit score ding. And, you can earn cash back with this card, a nice perk not often found on unsecured cards for bad credit.
Once you’re approved for the card, you can sign up to get your free VantageScore 4.0 credit score from TransUnion. This way, you’ll see where your credit stands and how this new card is impacting it. By making on-time payments regularly, you can gradually build a strong credit history.
- Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
- See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
- Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
- Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
- Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
- Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
- Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.
The Surge® Platinum Mastercard® offers you $0 fraud liability and other basic benefits that come with all Mastercards. You can manage the card online and via a mobile app to view balances and make timely payments, among other things.
For a fee, you can purchase credit protection for this card that will waive your outstanding credit card debt if you die. You also get protection in the event of job loss, hospitalization, or disability. The card assists in building credit and tracking your credit score for free.
- Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
- See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
- Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Reflex Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
- Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
- Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
- Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
- Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.
The Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® lets you prequalify in less than a minute without affecting your low credit score. This card offers a credit limit range that’s wider than those offered by some competitors. It comes with an annual fee but provides $0 fraud liability.
A monthly maintenance fee will kick in after your first year. Other fees include a foreign transaction fee and fees for additional cards, cash advances, late payments, and returned payments.
- Earn Cash Back Rewards* – 3% on Eligible Gas, Groceries, and Utilities, and 1% on All Other Eligible Purchases
- Use Anywhere Mastercard is Accepted
- No Security Deposit
- $0 fraud liability**
- Free access to your Credit Score†
*See Program Terms for important information about the cash back rewards program.
**Fraud liability subject to Mastercard rules.
† Your credit score will be available in your online account starting 60 days after your account is opened. (Registration required.) The free VantageScore 4.0 credit score provided by TransUnion® is for educational purposes only. This score may not be used by The Bank of Missouri (the issuer of this card) or other creditors to make credit decisions.
The Fortiva® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard can be a good option if you’re working to improve your credit score. That’s because it reports to all three credit bureaus every month, so you can build a solid on-time payment history.
But what makes this card really unique is that it offers elevated cash back on certain eligible purchases, including gas, groceries, and utilities. For all other eligible purchases, the cash back rate is 1%. But earning rewards while you build credit can be, well, rewarding.
- Double the Rewards: Earn Up To 10% Cash Back on Purchases at select merchants & 1% Back on Payments!^^
- An initial credit limit Up To $500! (See terms*)
- Checking account required.
- Free credit monitoring powered by TransUnion®
- Fast and easy application process.
- All credit types welcome to apply.
- *See Rates, Fees, Costs & Limitations for complete offer details
- ^^1% Cash Back is earned on payments to your Credit Card. Up To 10% Cash Back is earned on qualifying purchases at select participating merchants. Offer percentages vary by merchant and are subject to change. See Total Card Visa Rewards Programs Terms & Conditions for details
The Total Visa® Card is designed specifically for people who have faced financial challenges in the past. It offers a fast application process, and a decision usually takes just a few seconds.
It does charge a one-time program fee before you can access your credit, along with an annual fee, but those are pretty standard for this type of card. But the Total Visa® Card can be a solid credit-building option if you keep your balances low and make your monthly payments on time.
What Is an Unsecured Credit Card?
An unsecured card is what most folks think of as a normal credit card. You can use it to make purchases at stores and online and stretch out payments over multiple months. An unsecured card does not require a cash deposit to qualify.
For consumers with FICO scores below 580 (also called poor credit), unsecured credit cards offer a way to rebuild credit without tying up funds in a security deposit. But they often carry higher interest rates and fees and have lower credit limits than cards for those with fair or good credit.
An unsecured credit card allows you to charge purchases at retail locations or online stores. Unsecured credit cards operate as follows:
- The Application Process: You apply for the card by supplying personal information about your income and expenses. Many subprime card issuers offer an online pre-qualification tool that uses a soft credit check, letting you see your approval odds without damaging your credit score. If you proceed with the formal application, a hard inquiry will be show up on your credit report. If you are approved, you will be mailed the credit card right away and should receive it within a week or two.
- Fees and Credit Limits: Your unsecured credit card comes with a credit limit, an interest rate (called the annual percentage rate or APR), and a schedule of fees. Different cards have different fees and APRs. Because subprime unsecured credit cards often have initial setup and annual fees, those will come straight out of your starting credit line. That means a card with a $300 limit and a $75 annual fee plus a $50 processing fee will leave you with an available credit line of only $175 on day one.
- Billing Cycles and Interest: Credit cards divide the year into billing cycles, usually one per month. The period between the end of the billing cycle and the payment due date is the grace period, which is usually in the 21- to 25-day range. You charge purchases on your credit card up to the credit limit. You can pay off your balance in full by the next payment due date and avoid paying any interest. Any unpaid balance from the previous billing cycle that remains unpaid after the grace period expires will incur interest every day until you fully repay your balance.
- Cash Advances: Your card may also offer cash advances, which are like instant loans. There is no grace period for a cash advance — you accrue interest every day until you repay the advance, [and cash advances usually carry an upfront cash advance fee (typically 3% to 5%) and a higher cash advance APR].
- Credit Bureau Reporting: Most credit cards report your activity to one or more of the three major credit bureaus. The bureaus compile your credit history and calculate a credit score that depicts your creditworthiness in a single number. Your credit score helps determine which credit cards you can obtain and how much interest you’ll pay for credit and loans.
While rewards aren’t common with unsecured credit cards for bad credit, some do offer cash back on certain purchases.
When evaluating unsecured cards for bad credit, prioritize lower fees, reliable bureau reporting, and low APR over reward programs. That’s because subprime reward cards often charge inflated fees that outweigh any cash-back earnings.
What Is Considered a Bad Credit Score?
Your credit score defines your credit profile. 90% of top U.S. lenders use the FICO credit score system, which has a range from 300 (worst credit) to 850 (perfect credit).
A score below 580 is generally considered bad credit, whereas fair credit scores range from 580 to 669.
Some credit cards, including the ones reviewed here, are a better fit for people with bad to fair credit. Secured cards are often easier to qualify for, but you may still be able to get an unsecured card even with a low score. These cards tend to have a few things in common:
- They offer low credit limits, as low as $200.
- APRs are usually as high as 36%, the highest legal APR allowable on a card.
- Fees are plentiful and can include signup fees, annual fees, and fees for cash advances, foreign transactions, and late payments.
- Rewards, if available, are typically limited to 1% cash back.
- Typically, these cards report your card activity to all three credit bureaus. This allows you to rebuild your credit score if you pay your bills on time and maintain a credit utilization ratio below 30%.
- Derogatory items such as missed payments, delinquencies, defaults, collections, foreclosures, and bankruptcies remain on your credit history for up to 10 years. These items can devastate your credit score, but the impact will begin to wear off after a couple of years.
The cards in this review can help you raise your credit score if you maintain good financial habits. The higher your score, the bigger the credit limit, the lower the APR, and the greater the rewards and benefits.
What Is the Minimum Credit Score Needed For an Unsecured Card?
We’ve found that credit cards aimed at consumers with bad credit generally consider FICO scores as low as 550. They can do so by requiring you to show proof of income and own a checking account in your name.
While there are no guarantees, these cards offer you your best chance of obtaining an unsecured card.
Some credit cards do not require a credit check, meaning they may approve applications from consumers with scores as low as 300 or with no score at all. A student credit card may fall into this category, as does a secured card.
Here is a closer look at all of the categories of FICO Scores:
| FICO Score Categories | Score Range |
|---|---|
| Exceptional | 800-850 |
| Very Good | 740-799 |
| Good | 670-739 |
| Fair | 580-669 |
| Poor | Below 580 |
We have seen reviews on credit cards that perform credit checks and yet are willing to accept any credit score, but we cannot confirm these claims.
Unsecured cards that accept low credit scores are not to be confused with the high-quality rewards cards you see advertised on TV. Cards for low credit scores seldom offer rewards and usually come with high APRs, high (and plenty of) fees, and low credit limits.
These cards are truly aimed at consumers with credit so bad that their only other alternatives are secured or prepaid credit cards.
Can I Get a Credit Card With a 500 Credit Score?
While it may be possible to get an unsecured credit card with a 500 credit score (because, hey, anything is possible), your best bet may be to apply for a secured credit card. Your cash deposit serves as collateral for a secured card, making your credit score irrelevant.
If you are philosophically opposed to annual fees, check out the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card.
Cards like the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card may even allow you to semi-secure the account by putting down a deposit that’s smaller than your credit line.
- 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
- Top rated mobile app
You may also be rewarded with a higher credit limit after six months of on-time payments without the need to increase your deposit.
For those who want to avoid credit altogether while they rebuild, a debit card or bank account with overdraft protection can cover everyday purchases without the risk of accumulating debt. Unlike prepaid cards, a checking account with a debit card won’t help your credit score — but it also won’t hurt it, and it keeps your spending tied to money you actually have.
As we mentioned before, student credit cards typically overlook credit scores as long as you can prove enrollment and meet other requirements.
Do Unsecured Credit Cards Build Credit?
You can use most unsecured cards to build credit, but only if you use your cards responsibly.
Your credit journey begins with the payment details collected by the three major credit bureaus. Almost all credit cards report your payment activity to at least one bureau, but cards specifically for bad credit often report to all three.
The bureaus keep track of your payment activity and credit history, including:
- Your credit card payments, including dates and amounts
- Late payments
- Card balances
- Approved credit limits
- Start and end dates for credit accounts
- Credit inquiries
- Collections
- Written-off accounts
- Foreclosures
- Bankruptcies
The credit bureaus compile all this information into the consumer’s credit history and generate an updated credit report each month. The bureaus also use this information to calculate your FICO credit score as well as their own proprietary scores.
Because the credit bureaus may not collect the same information about a consumer, they each may calculate slightly different credit scores for the same person. FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850 and are based on five different factors. Credit cards can impact all five factors, as follows:
1. Payment history (35% of your FICO score)
Credit card companies expect you to make at least the minimum payment on time each monthly billing cycle. If you miss the payment due date or if you pay less than the minimum, you’re subject to a late fee and perhaps a penalty APR.
If your payment is 30 or more days delinquent, the credit card company will probably report you to a credit bureau, causing your credit score to suffer. The damage gets worse the later the payment, and those over 90 days late are marked as defaulted. Your credit history will also note any accounts turned over to a collection agency.
These setbacks can stay on your credit report for seven years. The biggest hit to your score usually happens right away, though, and the impact often begins to ease after a few years.
On the other hand, always paying on time will help your credit score. If you realize you uncharacteristically forgot a payment for 30+ days, send the payment in right away and then contact the card issuer, asking them to remove the item from your credit report. If you have a good payment record, the issuer may oblige and remove the derogatory item.
Many credit cards let you set up autopay, so you don’t have to stress about missing a due date. You can also have your checking account automatically send a payment to your card issuer every month.
2. Amounts Owed (30%)
Revolving credit accounts, such as credit cards and home equity lines of credit, give you a credit limit. That’s how much you can spend on the account, but certainly not how much you should spend on the account.
Your credit utilization ratio (CUR) is the amount of revolving credit used divided by the amount available.
To help improve your credit score, you want to keep your CUR under 30%.
If your CUR gets too high, it signals financial stress to credit bureaus, which could hurt your score.
The trick is to pay down your balances and keep your CUR under 30%. This tactic can quickly lift your score.
3. Length of Credit History (15%)
The FICO scoring system rewards consumers for having long-standing accounts. The system looks at the average age of your accounts, as well as the age of the oldest and newest accounts.
It also takes into consideration the age of each specific account and how long an account has been dormant.
When you get a new credit card, it reduces the age of your average and newest accounts, which is generally bad for your credit scores. Closing an old account is not helpful either because it may lower the average account age.
The general rule is to not close your credit card accounts and to use each card at least once a year.
The thinking behind this is that creditors want to know whether you have experience managing your credit accounts and loans. If you have old, active accounts, creditors infer that you’ve learned how to manage your finances responsibly. You lose this advantage if your old accounts are riddled with late payments and other derogatory information.
4. Credit Mix (10%)
Many lenders actually like it when you show that you can responsibly manage a variety of credit accounts and loans.
Having experience with a diverse mix of revolving accounts, installment loans, mortgages, student loans, and more is seen as a positive by creditors.
It shows you have a good handle on managing your finances.
This is a minor factor. It may be important if you have a scant credit history, with few accounts on your credit reports.
Generally, it’s not worthwhile to open an account simply to enhance your credit score.
5. New Credit (10%)
Your credit file tracks whenever a creditor performs a hard inquiry in response to an account application. Hard inquiries are visible to viewers of your credit reports and remain on your reports for two years (although they lose impact after one year).
Too many hard inquiries within a short period will hurt your score, as it may indicate that you are in financial need.
A hard inquiry can drop your score by five to 10 points, but very frequent ones may be even more costly. However, there is an exception for comparison shopping. For example, if you are shopping for a mortgage, multiple hard inquiries from local banks and mortgage providers occurring within the same 45 to 60 days will count as only one hard pull.
The first two factors significantly affect your credit score. You can leverage them to boost your credit by consistently paying your bills on time and keeping your credit balances under 30% of your available credit.
Another effective way to boost your credit score is by carefully reviewing each of your three credit reports for any errors. Disputing and correcting these mistakes is vital to ensure your scores aren’t unfairly impacted.
You can get free copies of your credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com, the sole source authorized by Federal law for free credit reports.
You can dispute credit report errors on your own, but many consumers with bad credit choose to hire a credit repair company. These companies know all the tricks of the trade and can help you identify potential mistakes you may otherwise miss.
Considering their modest cost, it may be well worth having a credit repair company help you get your reports as clean as possible.
How Do I Choose the Right Card For Me?
If you have bad credit, your options for unsecured credit cards might be limited. Picking the right card involves comparing them to find the ones that are the least problematic.
This review is a good starting place for making your choice. Some of the cards we’ve reviewed allow you to prequalify without hurting your credit score.
We also designed this handy tool that can help you find an ideal card for your credit situation:
This gives you the opportunity to pre-apply for multiple cards and eliminate the issuers that turn you down while pursuing the cards for which you successfully prequalify.
While most of these cards share a lot of similarities, there are a few factors for you to evaluate when choosing a card:
- Annual fee: Most cards here charge one, ranging from $0 to $229, depending on the card and year. Compare carefully before applying, and avoid cards with both a high annual fee and a processing fee.
- Processing fee: This is a one-time fee charged when you open the account. It is typically $89 more or less. This fee exists because the issuer is willing to approve the riskiest applicants. Avoid it if you can.
- Maintenance fee: This is another nuisance fee, charged monthly starting in the second year after opening the account. It’s one more fee you should try to avoid.
- Credit limit increase fee: On the one hand, it’s nice when the issuer is willing to increase your credit limit after you demonstrate your ability to pay on time. But then some issuers ruin the party by charging a fee for the increase.
- Rewards: Some of the cards rated above provide rewards, but you may find better rewards with a secured card, such as the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card. Rewards don’t matter if you don’t pay off your balance to avoid hefty interest charges, though.
Any of the cards above can help you get the credit you need and will approve applicants with bad credit. It doesn’t hurt to try and prequalify for a card, so give it a go.
Finding the Right Unsecured Credit Card For Bad Credit
An unsecured credit card won’t fix bad credit overnight, but it can be a meaningful first step. The cards reviewed here are designed for borrowers who need access to credit without a deposit, and most give you a path to better terms over time through responsible use.
Think of your credit card as a tool, not a fallback. Try to pay your balance in full each month, aim to keep your utilization rate under 30%, and let the credit bureaus do their work. After a year or two of consistent, timely payments, you could qualify for cards with better APRs, higher limits, and genuine rewards.
If none of the cards above feel like the right fit, consider starting with a secured card to build your score first, then revisit unsecured options once you’ve crossed the 580 threshold.
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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.
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