The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card tops our list due to its limited fees, reasonable APR, possible credit limit increase and nationwide access. Plus, it doesn’t require a bank account for approval.
When you have bad credit, trying to get a new credit card can feel like a herculean task. Applying for a new card means the issuer will run a credit check — and if you have a history of financial missteps, you may be denied.
A card that requires no credit check can help you avoid a hard pull, but these cards often come with expensive fees. However, there are cards that have more favorable terms — and some even have rewards. Whether you have bad credit, a limited credit history or are completely new to credit, you might consider trying a secured credit card. With a secured credit card, you make a cash deposit to serve as collateral for your credit line, and it otherwise works the same way as a regular card.
You can also find unsecured credit cards that use proprietary technology to sidestep the credit check. That said, you may have to meet other criteria, such as having another account with the issuer. There may also be limitations on how you use the card.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Security deposit: $200 to $3,000
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card has a very high approval rate, with no credit check or bank account required to open. Cardholders with on-time payments will see a credit line increase automatically in as little as six months, and then potentially every three months thereafter. Compared to other secured cards, the APR is reasonable, though it is still advised to pay your balance in full each month to help build your credit.
While this card doesn’t require a bank account for approval, you’ll have to provide some financial information, including your annual income, monthly housing payment and housing payment type. The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card also offers the option to transition to an unsecured card after demonstrating responsible card usage.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Security deposit: $200 to $1,000
Though your goal with any credit card is to try not to carry a balance, if you think you may from time to time, the Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card has one of the lowest APRs around. At just 9.99% (Fixed), you can keep your balance relatively manageable if you need some extra time to pay it down.
Beware, however, that the Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card doesn’t offer a grace period. This means that you’ll be charged interest from the transaction date of your purchase — in contrast, most credit cards give cardholders at least a 21-day grace period in which they won’t be charged interest until their statement due date.
The Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card is intended for individuals with limited / poor credit.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Security deposit: $100 minimum
The Secured Self Visa® Credit Card is a solid choice for consumers willing to play the long game with building credit — since you need to have a credit builder loan with Self before you can get this secured card.
Once you have your Credit Builder account, you’ll need to meet the following additional criteria to be eligible for the Secured Self Visa® Credit Card:
After three months of on-time payments, you can use $100 (or more) of your payback amount to serve as your card’s security deposit. It is important to note, though, that you’re unable to use the card outside the United States. You should also know that once you’ve paid off your credit builder loan, the amount you put toward the card’s security deposit will not be included in the payout. To get the deposit refunded, you’ll have to pay the card off in full and close it.
Security deposit: None
Startup companies need a reliable payment method, but many business card issuers perform a personal credit check that can impact the cardholder’s personal credit — Brex For Startups doesn’t.
To qualify, your business will have to meet strict eligibility requirements. Instead of looking at your credit history, the issuer will consider your business’s finances, including revenue and cash reserves, as well as how many employees you have.
If you become a cardholder, you’ll get competitive rewards on popular business spending categories. Note that you will need to link to a Brex Cash account and pay daily to qualify for top reward rates.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Security deposit: None
If you’re already a Chime customer (or thinking of becoming one), the Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is ideal for establishing a credit history.
Though it’s a secured card, the Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is unique, in that your deposit isn’t held. Instead, you’ll transfer over an amount from your Chime checking account to serve as your credit limit, and payments can be drawn from there — with no fees or interest charged. All the while, your positive payment behavior is reported to the credit bureaus to boost your credit.
Since your credit limit comes from how much of your Chime bank balance you transfer over, it’s harder to get into trouble with utilization or late payments.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Security deposit: $17
The Grow Credit Mastercard Card lets you build credit by paying for your subscriptions to streaming services, magazines, mobile food ordering apps and more. Though the fee-free version of the card has just a $17 per month spending limit, it automates payments from your bank account to help you establish a positive payment history — a crucial component of the credit score calculation. (You could upgrade to a Grow Membership for $4.99 per month to access a $50 monthly limit, or $9.99 per month for a $150 monthly limit.)
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Security deposit: $200 to $2,000
The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card offers the unique opportunity to earn cash back while building credit. While most secured cards don’t offer a cash back program, the First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card allows you to earn 1% Cash Back on payments. This card also reports to all three credit bureaus, has a low 14.74% (V) APR and doesn’t require a credit check to be approved.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Annual Fee | Regular APR | Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card*
|
Winner
|
$35 | 25.14% (variable) | Poor | |
|
Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card*
|
Low interest rate
|
$48 | 9.99% (Fixed) | Limited / Poor | |
|
Secured Self Visa® Credit Card*
|
Low security deposit
|
$25 | 29.24% Variable. | Poor | |
|
Brex For Startups*
Learn More
on Emigrant Bank's secure site |
Business
|
$0 | N/A | Good / Excellent |
Learn More
on Emigrant Bank's secure site |
|
Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card*
|
Chime users
|
$0 | N/A | Limited / Poor / Fair | |
|
Grow Credit Mastercard*
Learn More
on Sutton Bank's secure site |
Build Credit
|
$29.99-$99.99 | N/A | N/A |
Learn More
on Sutton Bank's secure site |
|
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card*
|
$49 | 14.74% (V) | Limited / Poor |
Getting a credit card with no credit check is not only possible, but is advised if you know your credit is dismal or nonexistent. That said, it’s still important to do your homework to find the right card for your situation, as they do have other eligibility requirements.
Tip: Many issuers also offer a preapproval process with no credit check. This means you can get a sense of whether or not you’ll qualify without a hard credit inquiry. Unfortunately, you can’t actually apply for a credit card without affecting your credit score (except for no credit check credit cards), as once you decide to move forward, a hard credit check will be performed.Yes, there are some credit cards you can get without a hard credit inquiry being performed. Secured credit cards are one example, as you’ll be putting up a cash deposit as collateral. Though rarer, you may be able to find an unsecured card that uses other financial data and criteria to decide if you’re eligible. Lastly, there are business cards that don’t require a personal credit check, though there may be strict eligibility requirements.
You should never expect guaranteed approval when applying for a credit card. Even if you’re prequalified for a card, that simply means your chances are better, but you could still be denied after applying.
The primary difference between these cards is that a secured card requires a refundable deposit, which typically serves as your line of credit. The deposit is used as collateral in case the card user doesn’t pay off the purchases charged to the card.
Yes, you can get a credit card without a checking account. If you’re going through a traditional credit card application process, in which a credit check is performed, the issuer will look at your income, employment and credit history to determine if you’re eligible. Therefore, you don’t technically need a checking account to open a credit card (though it will simplify the method of making your monthly payments).
For secured credit cards that don’t perform a credit check, you often need to have an established bank account to link to as the source of your security deposit. However, there are some secured cards that allow you to use a wire transfer or money order to fund your deposit account.
To select the best card for each of these categories, our credit card experts compared cards designed for individuals with poor, limited or nonexistent credit that don’t require credit checks on both LendingTree.com and issuer sites.
While there are only a select few cards that fit that criteria, we chose our top picks based on factors such as interest rates on purchases, the required security deposits, annual fees and any additional fees.
The information related to the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card, Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card, Secured Self Visa® Credit Card, Brex For Startups, Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card, Grow Credit Mastercard and First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
