Article updated on Sep 30, 2024
Knowing how to use credit-building cards responsibly is just as important as choosing the right one.
Why You Can Trust CNET Money
Our Experts
Written by Raina He is a contributor to CNET Money. She previously worked as an editor at CNET, focusing on credit cards, banking and loans. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Media and Journalism. Before coming to CNET Money, she was an editor at NextAdvisor, a personal finance news site that shared a parent company with CNET Money. Cynthia Paez Bowman is a finance, real estate and international business journalist. Besides Bankrate.com, her work has been featured in Business Jet Traveler, MSN, CheatSheet.com, Freshome.com and SimpleDollar.com. She owns and operates a small digital marketing and public relations firm that works with select startups and women-owned businesses to provide growth and visibility. Cynthia splits her time between Los Angeles, CA and San Sebastian, Spain. She travels to Africa and the Middle East regularly to consult with women's NGOs about small business development. Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.
Edited by Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Reviewed by Shonda Martin Expert Reviewer Shonda Martin is the founder of Road To 750, a credit repair and wealth program. Martin is also an expert in minority homeownership and FICO score enhancement. As "The Credit Queen" on social media, Martin works to simplify complex financial topics, making her a go-to authority. Her mastery of FICO scoring models and knack for uncovering credit opportunities set her apart.
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
Reviews ethics statement
Written by
Raina He is a contributor to CNET Money. She previously worked as an editor at CNET, focusing on credit cards, banking and loans. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Media and Journalism. Before coming to CNET Money, she was an editor at NextAdvisor, a personal finance news site that shared a parent company with CNET Money.
Cynthia Paez Bowman is a finance, real estate and international business journalist. Besides Bankrate.com, her work has been featured in Business Jet Traveler, MSN, CheatSheet.com, Freshome.com and SimpleDollar.com. She owns and operates a small digital marketing and public relations firm that works with select startups and women-owned businesses to provide growth and visibility. Cynthia splits her time between Los Angeles, CA and San Sebastian, Spain. She travels to Africa and the Middle East regularly to consult with women's NGOs about small business development.
Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.
Edited by
Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Reviewed by:
Shonda Martin Expert Reviewer Shonda Martin is the founder of Road To 750, a credit repair and wealth program. Martin is also an expert in minority homeownership and FICO score enhancement. As "The Credit Queen" on social media, Martin works to simplify complex financial topics, making her a go-to authority. Her mastery of FICO scoring models and knack for uncovering credit opportunities set her apart.
Article updated on Sep 30, 2024
Best overall secured credit card
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
4.0/5
Rating Breakdown 4.0
Accessibility 4.0
Effectiveness 4.0
Cost 4.0
Other Perks 5.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1% - 2% Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically.; Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Best secured card with no credit check
Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card
3.7/5
Rating Breakdown 3.7
Accessibility 3.0
Effectiveness 5.0
Cost 4.0
Other Perks 2.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
Earn rewards while building credit
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
4.5/5
Rating Breakdown 4.5
Accessibility 4.0
Effectiveness 5.0
Cost 5.0
Other Perks 3.0
Fees and APR 3.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1.5% - 5% 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; Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, everywhere
Best secured card for travel
First Tech Platinum Secured Mastercard®
3.0/5
Rating Breakdown 3.0
Accessibility 2.5
Effectiveness 3.0
Cost 3.0
Other Perks 3.5
Fees and APR 4.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
1x Earn 1 rewards point for every dollar spent on your everyday purchases. There’s no maximum and your points never expire.
Best traditional credit card for bad credit
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit
2.9/5
Rating Breakdown 2.9
Accessibility 4.0
Effectiveness 3.0
Cost 2.0
Other Perks 2.0
Fees and APR 2.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $75 for the first year. After that, $99 annually ($8.25 per month)
Rewards Rate
1% Earn 1% cash back rewards on eligible gas, grocery purchases and mobile phone, internet, cable and satellite TV services. Terms apply.
Best no-frills secured card
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
3.3/5
Rating Breakdown 3.3
Accessibility 4.0
Effectiveness 3.0
Cost 4.0
Other Perks 2.0
Fees and APR 2.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $0
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
A low annual fee with no credit check
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
3.3/5
Rating Breakdown 3.3
Accessibility 4.0
Effectiveness 3.0
Cost 3.0
Other Perks 3.5
Fees and APR 3.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $35
Rewards Rate
up to 10% Up to 10% cash back rewards on purchases at over 40,000 retailers
Best credit builder loan option
The Card with No Credit Check - The Secured Self Visa® Credit Card*
2.7/5
Rating Breakdown 2.7
Accessibility 2.0
Effectiveness 3.5
Cost 2.5
Other Perks 3.0
Fees and APR 3.5
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $25
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
A straightforward credit building card
Avant Credit Card
2.2/5
Rating Breakdown 2.2
Accessibility 2.0
Effectiveness 2.5
Cost 2.5
Other Perks 1.0
Fees and APR 2.0
Credit Building
We rate credit cards using our credit-building methodology for cards designed to help grow your credit score. Student credit cards, secured credit cards and credit cards with low or no credit requirements fall into this category. We rank them based on how easy they are to qualify for, credit-building features and how much they cost. Credit card issuers have no say or influence in our ratings. How we rate credit cards
Annual Fee $59
Rewards Rate
N/A This card doesn't offer cash back, miles, or points
Our Experts
Written by Raina He is a contributor to CNET Money. She previously worked as an editor at CNET, focusing on credit cards, banking and loans. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Media and Journalism. Before coming to CNET Money, she was an editor at NextAdvisor, a personal finance news site that shared a parent company with CNET Money. Cynthia Paez Bowman is a finance, real estate and international business journalist. Besides Bankrate.com, her work has been featured in Business Jet Traveler, MSN, CheatSheet.com, Freshome.com and SimpleDollar.com. She owns and operates a small digital marketing and public relations firm that works with select startups and women-owned businesses to provide growth and visibility. Cynthia splits her time between Los Angeles, CA and San Sebastian, Spain. She travels to Africa and the Middle East regularly to consult with women's NGOs about small business development. Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.
Edited by Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.
Reviewed by Shonda Martin Expert Reviewer Shonda Martin is the founder of Road To 750, a credit repair and wealth program. Martin is also an expert in minority homeownership and FICO score enhancement. As "The Credit Queen" on social media, Martin works to simplify complex financial topics, making her a go-to authority. Her mastery of FICO scoring models and knack for uncovering credit opportunities set her apart.
CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.
Reviews ethics statementWhy You Can Trust CNET Money
Table of Contents
- Best credit cards for bad credit
- What is a credit card for bad credit?
- How to determine if your credit score is ‘bad’
- Who should get a credit card for bad credit?
- Pros and cons of getting a credit card for bad credit
- How to choose the right credit card if you have bad credit
- How to get a credit card if you have bad credit
- How to effectively use a credit-building card
- Credit cards for bad credit that we don’t recommend
- Alternatives to credit cards
- FAQs
- Other credit cards we tested
- Our methodology
Written by
Raina He
Contributor
Raina He is a contributor to CNET Money. She previously worked as an editor at CNET, focusing on credit cards, banking and loans. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Media and Journalism. Before coming to CNET Money, she was an editor at NextAdvisor, a personal finance news site that shared a parent company with CNET Money.
Written by
Cynthia Paez Bowman
Cynthia Paez Bowman is a finance, real estate and international business journalist. Besides Bankrate.com, her work has been featured in Business Jet Traveler, MSN, CheatSheet.com, Freshome.com and SimpleDollar.com. She owns and operates a small digital marketing and public relations firm that works with select startups and women-owned businesses to provide growth and visibility. Cynthia splits her time between Los Angeles, CA and San Sebastian, Spain. She travels to Africa and the Middle East regularly to consult with women's NGOs about small business development.
Written by
Evan Zimmer
Staff Writer
Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.