Credit score advices to obtain the best secured credit cards in 2021? If your issuer can’t or won’t upgrade you — and keep in mind that not all secured-card issuers even offer unsecured cards — you can apply for unsecured cards separately. Eventually you’ll want to close the secured card to recoup your deposit. Several issuers specialize in unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit, but NerdWallet generally doesn’t recommend them. That’s because these “subprime specialist” cards tend to charge high fees that can easily add up to much more than a typical minimum security deposit — annual fees up to $99, application fees, “activation” and “processing” fees, monthly maintenance fees and so on. And unlike the deposit on a secured card, those fees are money you can’t get back. Our roundup of the best and worst cards for bad credit has more information on cards to avoid.
Applicants do not have to have a credit history, and Capital Bank will not run a credit check. As with most secured credit cards, your credit limit is determined by the amount you deposit, between $200 and $3,000. We like that the annual percentage rate for purchases isn’t as bruising as with some secured cards. You’ll pay 17.39% variable APR, which is higher than standard credit card interest rates, but lower than the 20% APR or higher you’ll find on other cards. You don’t need a bank account to apply. The APR is relatively low compared with other secured credit cards. 17.39% variable APR.
You don’t have to undergo a credit check to apply, and you don’t need a bank account to qualify. If these are areas of concern for you, the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card is definitely worth a look. If not, there are better (and cheaper) alternatives. The issuer doesn’t run a credit check on OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card applicants, making this an attainable option for people with severely damaged credit. You can make your deposit — minimum $200, maximum $3,000 — and pay your bills with a debit card, wire transfer, check or money order, making it one of the few secured cards that doesn’t require a traditional bank account.
The Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card is our pick for best business secured card, which is an obvious choice since it appears to be the only secured business card in the market. It offers the flexibility of earning cash back or points rewards and the ability to have a credit line up to $25,000. The Wells Fargo Business Secured Card is ideal for small business owners needing to build their business credit or have experienced business credit challenges in the past.
When you manage this credit line successfully, it helps to build a history with credit bureaus and can ultimately improve your credit score. Your card will operate like a normal credit card, with the deposit just there as security. Can I Use My Deposit To Pay My Minimum Payment Or Balance? No. These are two separate financial records that you hold with the company. You can’t decide to turn to your deposit amount so that you can pay your minimum payment or balance; these payments must be made separately. If you are late with a payment, then your card issuer may decide to use some of your deposit to meet the payments. You will usually be notified if this is going to happen; you may also find the card is voided until you can repay the security deposit. Read even more information on Secured Cards.