Eric Bank has been covering business and financial topics since 1985, specializing in taking complex subject matters and explaining them in simple terms for consumer audiences. In addition to his work on CardRates.com, Eric has appeared regularly on Credible.com, eHow, WiseBread, The Nest, Get.com, Zacks, Chron and dozens of other outlets. Eric holds an M.B.A. from New York University and an M.S. in finance from DePaul University.
Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.
Ashley has more than a decade of experience as a finance contributor and editor, and has specialized in the credit card industry since 2015. 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. Her credit card commentary is often featured on national media outlets that include CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, and Reader's Digest, among many others.
Below are our ratings of 2023's top PREMIER Bankcard® credit cards. As a leading subprime credit card provider, the card offerings are tailored to those with a less-than-perfect credit history.
Disclosure: When you apply through links on our site, we often earn referral fees from partners. For more information, see our ad disclosure and review policy.
Don’t let a low FICO score stop you from applying – we approve applications others may not.
You don’t need good credit to apply.
Just complete the short application and receive a response in 60 seconds.
When you need assistance our award-winning US-based Customer Service agents are there to help.
FICO scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any PREMIER Bankcard® product.
Just complete the short application and receive a response in 60 seconds.
You can build or rebuild your credit: apply for a PREMIER Bankcard credit card, keep your balance low, and pay all your monthly bills on time.
Don’t let a low FICO score stop you from applying – we approve applications others may not.
FICO scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any PREMIER Bankcard® product.
When you need assistance, our award-winning, U.S.-based Customer Service representatives are there to help.
After six months of responsible secured card use you may be eligible* to apply for an unsecured PREMIER Bankcard Mastercard®.
*PREMIER Bankcard Mastercard® available upon invitation after you've been with PREMIER for six months and have kept your account in good standing (on-time payments and staying within credit limit).
If approved, make your first six monthly minimum payments on time and we may send you an offer to apply for an unsecured credit card. Some restrictions apply. ‡
‡ If you apply for the second account, which is unsecured, you will be approved if you can demonstrate the ability to pay your bills, meet our minimum income requirements, do not reside in New York or Wisconsin and are not covered under the Military Lending Act.
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.
8 FAQs About PREMIER Bankcard® Credit Cards
By: Eric Bank
Finance Expert
Updated:
Issuer Guide: PREMIER Bankcard®
PREMIER Bankcard® credit cards are for consumers with bad, limited, or no credit. These cards can help you establish your credit history, build* credit, or rebuild your credit when used responsibly.
You may be able to graduate to a card for fair credit before too long.
*Build credit by keeping your balance low and paying all your bills on time every month.
1. Who Is PREMIER Bankcard®?
PREMIER Bankcard® offers credit cards designed for consumers with less-than-perfect credit histories. PREMIER Bankcard® is a four-time recipient of Mastercard’s coveted Performance Excellence Award and has served millions of customers across the nation.
Their cards help you transition to better financial habits by letting you track your FICO credit score online. If you pay your bills on time and stay within your credit limits, you’ll benefit from positive reports to the three major consumer reporting agencies.
You can use the opportunity to enhance your credit profile so you can graduate to a card for fair credit or better.
PREMIER Bankcard® has two credit cards. The PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card is unsecured, meaning you can get it without posting collateral. The PREMIER Bankcard® Secured Credit Card is best for people who are new to credit and has different terms and conditions. Both operate as regular credit cards that you can use to purchase items at stores, over the phone, online, and in-app.
The cards provide a generous grace period following the close of each billing cycle. You don’t accrue interest on purchases if you pay for them in full during the grace period.
If you prefer, you can carry an outstanding balance to the next billing cycle by paying less than the amount due, as long as it satisfies the minimum payment requirement. Once you begin carrying a balance, the grace period is suspended until you repay the entire balance.
You can use a PREMIER Bankcard® credit card for purchases up to your assigned credit limit. You can also take a cash advance of up to 50% of your available credit limit, as long as your total doesn’t exceed the overall credit limit.
The PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card configures setup, annual, and monthly fee schedule according to your credit limit, which can range from $300 to $700 based on credit worthiness.
In contrast, the PREMIER Bankcard® Secured Credit Card has a flat annual fee and no setup or monthly maintenance fees. Both cards have the typical charges, including a cash advance fee, foreign transaction fee, late payment fee, and a charge for returned payments.
However, the secured card generally has lower fees than PREMIER’s unsecured credit cards.
3. Can I Get a PREMIER Bankcard® Credit Card With Poor Credit?
PREMIER Bankcard® Credit Cards are for consumers with no, limited, or poor credit. Your credit history is not the sole, or even the chief, determinant of your eligibility for one of these cards. Instead, PREMIER Bankcard® uses a variety of criteria to evaluate applicants, including:
You must be a legal resident of the United States. Residents of New York and Wisconsin are not eligible for these credit cards.
You must have a valid Social Security number.
You must be 18 years or older.
You earn a minimum gross annual income of $10,000, with enough income or assets to pay your obligations.
You do not have a charged-off PREMIER Bankcard® credit card account or a bankruptcy within the last 36 months.
You cannot be on active military duty.
The bank must be able to verify your identity.
If you meet these criteria, your acceptance chances are good.
The PREMIER Bankcard® Secured Credit Card is more conventional than the unsecured card. We think it’s also the best credit card in the bunch. Its lower fees and interest rate are reasonable, and you may qualify for an unsecured PREMIER Bankcard® credit card through timely payments (See Provider Website for full Terms & Conditions).
5. What Kind of Benefits Do PREMIER Bankcard® Credit Cards Offer?
The most significant benefit that PREMIER Bankcard® credit cards offer is a willingness to accept applicants with poor, limited, or no credit. Although the cards do not offer rewards or a statement credit, they consider credit limit increases after 12 months of on-time payments.
The cards provide support through domestic customer service agents, 24/7 online account access, and mobile app. In addition, you get all the benefits of a genuine Mastercard, including worldwide acceptance and credit protection.
The cards report your activity to the major consumer reporting agencies. This reporting allows you to improve your credit by paying at least the minimum required amounts when due and maintaining low outstanding balances.
You also get free access to your FICO credit score, automatic payment reminders, paperless statements, and alerts for purchase limits, and PIN changes, among others. Applicants can choose one of several available card designs at no extra cost.
None of the PREMIER Bankcard® credit cards offer balance transfer transactions. A balance transfer program allows you to consolidate your credit card debt into a single account.
6. Which PREMIER Bankcard® Credit Card Is the Easiest to Get?
The PREMIER Bankcard® Secured Credit Card is the easiest to acquire, but you must be able to post at least $200 in refundable security deposit*. The card is also the most efficient because it doesn’t charge setup or maintenance fees, leaving you more money to buy things rather than pay fees (See Provider Website for full Terms & Conditions).
If you can’t qualify for any credit cards from PREMIER Bankcard®, you may want to consider getting a prepaid debit card. You can get a prepaid debit card without a credit check.
*A refundable security deposit means you get your money back if you have a zero balance and the account is closed.
7. How Can I Increase My PREMIER Bankcard® Credit Limit?
If you maintain your account in good standing for 12 months, you may be eligible for a credit limit increase. The criteria to obtain a higher limit include on-time payments and not exceeding your credit limit.
These actions will help you build* credit if you are new to credit. The card also assists subprime consumers who are interested in rebuilding credit. Indeed, building credit is one of the predominant reasons to own a PREMIER Bankcard® credit card.
There is a charge for a credit limit increase fee on its unsecured credit card (See Provider Website for full Terms & Conditions).
*Build credit by keeping your balance low and paying all your bills on time every month.
8. Does PREMIER Bankcard® Give Instant Approval?
Though not “instant”, applications will certainly receive a quick and timely response. It can take less than 60 seconds to provide a response when you apply for one of its cards. If you receive approval for an unsecured credit card, you must pay the one-time program fee before this credit card company opens the account. The annual and maintenance monthly fee will appear as bills on your statements.
To open the PREMIER Bankcard® Secured Credit Card, you must first send in the security deposit. Your initial available credit limit will be the amount of your security deposit minus the card’s annual fee. You restore your full credit line by paying the annual fee, which will appear on your first statement (See Provider Website for full Terms & Conditions).
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.
The information on this page was reviewed for accuracy on .
About the Author
Eric Bank
Finance Expert
Eric Bank has been covering business and financial topics since 1985, specializing in taking complex subject matters and explaining them in simple terms for consumer audiences. In addition to his work on CardRates.com, Eric has appeared regularly on Credible.com, eHow, WiseBread, The Nest, Get.com, Zacks, Chron and dozens of other outlets. Eric holds an M.B.A. from New York University and an M.S. in finance from DePaul University.
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