If you have a poor credit score, you will still have access to credit cards but they won’t be the ones that you see with exclusive rewards and perks. A credit that is tailored for your specific financial needs to repair the credit score are extremely beneficial to you in the long run. The best credit cards for bad credit leave the borrowers with two key credit card options, one a secured card that requires a security deposit that is equal to the line of the credit and the other an unsecured card that is primarily designed for those with poor credit score and have minimal to no annual fee but sky-high APRs.
Among the best credit cards for bad credit, the cards that require a security deposit as collateral have solid rewards, reasonable APR, and low annual fees. Using credit cards that can report to all three major credit bureaus can help you build a credit score quickly and efficiently. This way once you improve your credit score and can easily upgrade to a card with valuable rewards and perks.
Below are the recommendations for the 10 best credit cards for bad credit scores. Lets dive into the details of each card.
Table of Contents
Quick Summary – 10 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit for 2024
- U.S Bank Cash+®Visa® Secured Card – Great card for everyday spending for those with bad credit score
- Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card – Best card with no account deposit and easy account management
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card- Best Bank of America card for every day rewards for those with subpar credit scores
- Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card – Great option for those building or rebuilding the credit
- First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card – Great low-interest card for those with poor credit scores
- Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card – Best flat-rate cash back card for bad credit
- Self Visa® Secured Card – Great card for no upfront deposit or credit check
- Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card – Best flat-rate cash back credit cards for all those with low credits
- U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card – Great card for low credit with unique bonus categories
- OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card – Great pickfor no credit check and no annual fee
Charting the 10 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit for 2024
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Regular APR | Most Important Benefit |
| U.S Bank Cash+®Visa® Secured Card | $0 | 23.24% – 27.49% | 2% cash back on everyday purchases |
| Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card | $0 | 22.90% – 26.90% | No upfront deposit and easy account management |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card | $0 | 22.99% – 28.99% | Cash back rewards in your choice of three categories each quarter |
| Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card | $0 -$59 | 18.99% – 25.99% | No annual fee and low introductory APR |
| First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card | $49 | 17.99% – 23.99% | Low introductory APR and no foreign transaction fees |
| Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 | 22.99% – 27.99% | 1.5% cash back on all purchases |
| Self Visa® Secured Card | $25 | 23.99% – 28.99% | No upfront deposit or credit check |
| Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card | $25 | 22.99% – 28.99% | 1.5% cash back on all purchases |
| U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card | $0 | 19.99% – 24.99% | 2% cash back on grocery store purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases |
| OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card | $0 | 19.39% – 28.39% | No credit check and no annual fee |
1. U.S Bank Cash+®Visa® Secured Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular APR | 29.99% (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Bad/Poor(0-649) |
The U.S Bank Cash+®Visa® Secured Card is among the best credit cards for bad credit for those who are looking for a card to build or rebuild their credit. This card comes with generous cash-back rewards and does not charge an annual fee at all. U.S Bank Cash+®Visa® Secured Card can help you shore up the credit standings While earning up the 5% cash back on purchases like fast food, cell phone, and bills.
The card is at the top position of best credit cards for bad credit has lenient approval rules and serious contender for those looking to build credit for the first time. Though not many but the 5% cashback on various purchases makes it a screaming deal for secured credit cards.
Top perks of No#1 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Earn 5% cash back on a total spending of $2,000 combined purchases each quarter in the two categories
- Being one of thebest credit cards for bad credit, you can easily earn 2% cash back on eligible purchases like gas stations, grocery, and restaurants
- Earn 1% cashback on all the other eligible purchases
- Comes with an annual cost of $0
| Pros | Cons |
| High reward potential in an annual cost of $0 | High variable APR |
| Useful and convenient benefits | Requires deposit as other secured cards does |
| Can easily choose your payment due date | Charges foreign transaction fees |
| Zero fraud liability |
2. Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular APR | No Interest Charges |
| Credit Score | Poor to Fair (300-669) |
Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card is primarily designed for all those who want to build their credit safely over time. This one is the secured card but no security deposit is required for its working. There is no monthly fee associated with the card which makes it a viable option among the best credit cards for bad credit.
So, the working of this card is simple and straightforward. It simply allows you to get credit on multiple purchases you make every day. Being one of the credible options among the best credit cards for bad credit, it actively reports your payment to credit bureaus. Moreover, loyal members can actively see a surge of 30 points to their credit score while using the card.
Top perks of No. #2 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Requires no credit check to apply along with no minimum-security deposit. This way it offers stress-free additional terms to apply
- Easy to build your credit history over time with your own payments
- Being one of the best credit cards for bad credit score , it can increase your credit score by 30 points when you make timely payments
- Turn on the transaction notifications so you keep updated about the transaction history in real time
- Live support to assist you all round the clock
| Pros | Cons |
| No minimum-security deposit required | Does not offer welcome bonus and rewards on purchases |
| Actively report to all three credit bureaus | Subjected to few complaints |
| Visa card can be used in various online and in-store purchases | |
| Offers great control over your spending |
3. Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular APR | 28.24% (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | New to Credit |
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card is geared toward all those looking to earn cashback while building their credit score. It lets you earn cashback on a diverse range of categories. If you want to rebuild your credit score, this secured credit card is a viable option for you.
Being on the list of the best credit cards for bad credit gives cardholders the opportunity to demonstrate financial habits with responsible use of it. Once you receive the credit score, you can further opt for lucrative rewards cards in the future. The only downside is that if you are using the card outside the premises of the U.S., you have to think twice because it charges a hefty foreign transaction fee.
Top perks of No. #3 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Get a chance to earn 3% cash back on the categories of your choice that includes gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug, home & and furnishing, and much more
- Earn 2% cashback on grocery stores and wholesale clubs
- Earn 1% unlimited cashback on other purchases
- Being one of the secure options among the best credit cards for bad credit, you can earn 3% and 2% cash back on combined purchases with a spending cap of $2,500 each quarter and than 1%
- A minimum $200 deposit is required for account opening
- With one of the best credit cards for bad credit, you get access to FICO® Score updates monthly for free
- Charges no annual fee
| Pros | Cons |
| Offers greater potential to improve credit score and upgrade to better reward card | The rewards might be difficult to track |
| Earns greater cashback on eligible purchases | Charges foreign transaction fee |
| Charges no annual fee |
Best student Credit Cards
If you are a student who is searching for excellent credit cards to build your credit score during college days, you can check the best student cards for the year 2024. Discover it® Student Cash Back is one the best options to earn greater cashback with an annual fee of $0.
4. Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0-$59 |
| Regular APR | 26.99%-29.99% (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Poor to Fair( 300-689) |
The Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card is a decent choice for credit builders as it comes with low annual fees and does not require a security deposit. It is flat rewards card with easy ways to redeem rewards. Being one of the best credit cards for bad credit, it is easily accessible to a wide user base due to its user-friendly nature.
For those who don’t want to tie up money in the security deposit, this one is a viable option. Although there is no upgrade path you can easily qualify with a bad credit score.
Top perks of No. #4 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Have the chance to consider for a higher credit line in a duration of 7 months
- Offers the card members to access online credit score
- Get instant decision on your application process
- Being one of the best credit cards for bad credit, it charges no interest on purchases when you make on-time monthly payments
- No minimum-security deposits are required
- Easy access of your account using the mobile application at any time of the day
- Even if the interest is charged, the charges will be less than $0.50
| Pros | Cons |
| No minimum-security deposits are required | No rewards |
| Qualify with limited credit | Potential annual fee |
| Automatic credit limit reviews |
5. First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $49 |
| Regular APR | 15.24 % (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Poor to Fair or no credit |
For all those who have previously faced bankruptcy, this card offers a fresh start to build your credit score over time. This is regarded as the decent option among the best credit cards for bad credit as it requires a deposit ranging between $200-$2,000 to establish a credit line. The card charges a fee of $49 which can be difficult to the stomach if you are previously buried under debt.
The First Progress line of credit cards are designed for all those with poor credit and are looking to rebuild credit over time. The variable APR is low as compared to various other cards in the list to facilitate a large user base.
Top perks of No. #5 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- With this card, you can earn 1% cash back rewards on payments
- You can choose the credit line between $200-$200 based on the security deposit
- Efficiently helps in building the credit score
- No minimum credit score is required for the approval
- Cardholders who make on-time monthly payments using this card can significantly improve their credit score with the passage of time.
| Pros | Cons |
| Low Standard APR | A minimum deposit is required |
| Reports to all three major credit bureaus | Charges foreign transaction fee |
| Easy to seek approval even for those with poor credit score |
6. Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular APR | 30. 74% (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Poor or no credit history |
If you are looking for a low-cost credit card to boost your credit score, look no further than Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card. As the card can offer the chance to those individuals with no credit score , so it charges a high ongoing APR.
This card from the lineup of Capital One is one of the most secured card. This card being one of the best credit cards for bad credit carries the same flat rate cash back. With no annual fee , it is one of the most rewarding credit cards in the market .
Top perks of No. #6 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Comes with no annual fee and offers unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase every day
- Put down a refundable $200 security deposit For $200 initial credit line
- Zero fraud liability so you don’t have to worry about unauthorized charges
- Being one of the best credit cards for bad credit, you can easily earn back the security deposit an can make timely payments
- Automatically considered for higher credit line with no additional deposit in a period of 6 months
- Earn unlimited cashback of 5% on hotel and rental cards that are booked through Capital ONE Travel. But for this terms and conditions are applicable
- Being one of the viable options among the best credit cards for bad credit, you could easily monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One.
- With this card, you can enjoy 6 months of Uber One membership statement credit
| Pros | Cons |
| Offer generous unlimited 1.5%cash back on rewards | High APR |
| Reports to all three major credit bureaus | Features a low maximum credit limit to start |
| No foreign transaction fee | |
| Gives you a chance to build credit in a duration of 6 months |
7. Self Visa® Secured Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $25 |
| Regular APR | 28.24% (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Bad or Poor (0-649) |
This one is a distinct kind of secured card that requires a comparatively low deposit. For all the subpar credit cardholders, the Self Visa® Secured Card is a suitable option with full-fledged assistance to create and manage accounts. If you have a minimum accrued saving of $100, you could easily gain ownership of this card and make timely payments.
Those who have fair credit can even leverage this card in the best possible ways. Unlike the typical secured cards, it does not require credit checks. Overall with no or bad credit score, this card is the stepping stone for your credit-building journey.
Top perks of No. #7 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Being one of the best credit cards for bad credit, it requires a comparatively low deposit of $100
- Card members can easily pay a micro amount even as low as $25
- Monthly credit limit can surge with the right usage
- Make timely payments from your credit builder account and have $10 or move in the savings to have a good credit standing
- No hard credit check is required
- The saving progress from the Credit builder account serves as a security deposit for your secured credit card
| Pros | Cons |
| No hard credit pulls for the card | Charges an annual fee |
| Security deposit is the one you have in the credit builder account | Confusing to pick a credit builder plan |
| Credit limit can increase with the passage of time |
8. Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $25 |
| Regular APR | 28.24% (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Poor or no credit history |
This card being in the list of the best credit cards for bad credit comes with unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases. With no annual fee, you can easily gain access to rewards that are easy to redeem. Through a solid reputation over the years, this card is a solid contender among all the other secured cards.
With no spending cap and bonus categories, you could easily secure the rewards. Being a secured card, it requires a minimum deposit of $200. But you have to maintain optimum conditions in order to effectively build credit over time. Moreover, it keeps the credit utilization limit low and further helps you to elevate your credit score over time.
Top perks of No. #8 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Comes with no annual fee
- Earn 1.5% flat rate cash back on all the purchases
- No extra expenses to gain access to FICO score
- Zero fraud liability
| Pros | Cons |
| Simple reward structure that is easy to manage | Charges foreign transaction fee |
| Free access to FICO score | Minimum deposit of $200 is required |
| Good payment behavior can improve your credit score in a short span of time |
9. U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular APR | 29.99 % (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Poor or no credit history (0-649) |
TheU.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card offers superb bonus categories for a secured card. Moreover it also offers above-average earnings on dining and other relevant categories. It requires an initial deposit of $300 to $5,000 which serves as the collateral for the bank in case you cannot pay off for your card.
If you are the one who is ignorant of your spending, then this card is a favorable choice. Although the initial deposit is greater than the rest of the cards on the list, but it is a solid option among the best credit cards for bad credit.
Top perks of No. #9 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- With this card, you can earn 4 points per dollar on dining and take-out
- Get 2 points at grocery stores, gas stations, and streaming services
- Earn 1 point on all other eligible purchases
- Earn $15 credit for streaming services purchases like Spotify and Netflix
- Comes with no annual fee
| Pros | Cons |
| Charges no annual fee | Requires a minimum deposit of $300 |
| Reports to all the three credit bureaus | Non – bonus categories earn lesser rewards |
| Comes with streaming services statement credit |
10. OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card
| Welcome Bonus | Not Applicable |
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular APR | 29.99 % (Variable APR) |
| Credit Score | Poor to Excellent (300-850) |
The OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card being last in the list of best credit cards for bad credit is the best option for all those with limited credit. Although the card offers no signup bonus and rewards but compensates those with poor credit history. If you are on a mission to build credit, then this card is the right choice for you.
The card has lenient terms and policies and does not even perform the credit check for qualification purposes. On the other hand, you require the cash deposit to get the card that will sum function as collateral. And if you want to make use of the card to build a good credit history, make timely payments.
Top perks of No. # 10 Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit For 2024
- Requires no credit check to apply
- Have an approval rate of 67% from the past 6 months
- Easily build your credit history across 3 major credit bureaus including Equifax, Transunion and Experian
- Get monthly access to the FICO score in the mobile application
- Apply for the card in a matter of minutes through the mobile-first application
- Fund your security deposit with in the duration of 60 days with the easy option of partial payments
| Pros | Cons |
| Requires no credit check | Comes with an annual fee |
| No bank account required | Charges foreign transaction fee |
| Offers low APR for all those who have bad credit score |
Frequently Asked Questions
 Can I get a credit card with credit score below 500?
Yes, you can. There are multiple options among the best credit cards for bad credit scores that works well for you . Among the list the most viable option is Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card that comes with a flat 1.5% reward rate on all the purchases.
Can I get American Express card with a bad credit?
No , you are not eligible for the American Express card with poor credit. These cards are only specific for those who have good to excellent credit score.
