Best Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best unsecured credit card for bad credit.
Unsecured credit cards for bad credit can help you borrow money for emergency expenses without a security deposit when your credit is damaged. Below you can find the best unsecured credit cards for bad credit, ... show more... show more
5 Best Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit
FILTER UNSECURED CREDIT CARDS FOR BAD CREDIT
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- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- $89 one-time program fee
- $75 annual fee for the first year
- $147 in fees starting year two
- High APR
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- One-time fees
- High regular APR
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
- High rewards rate
- Bonus rewards categories
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
- High rewards rate
- Bonus rewards categories
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
- 1% cash back on eligible purchases
- Available to people with bad credit
- Automatic credit-line increase reviews
- Annual fee of $75 intro 1st yr, $99 after
- High APR
- Low credit limit
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- One-time fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- High regular APR
- Foreign fee
WalletHub's Research
Our picks
The best unsecured credit card for bad credit is the Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit because it has a $300 minimum credit limit and you don’t have to put down a security deposit. The Credit One Visa also gives cardholders 1% cash back on select purchases in return for paying $99 in annual fees ($75 the first year). Plus, this card is made for people with bad credit. It reports to the major credit bureaus on a monthly basis, giving cardholders the chance to build better credit scores by making on-time payments.
But the pickings are pretty slim, unfortunately. That’s why we recommend reconsidering secured credit cards, which tend to be far cheaper in the long run. Short of that, try to avoid cards with one-time fees and focus on offers with just a small annual fee. That’s how our editors whittled down a list of 1,000+ credit card offers to their picks for the best credit cards for bad credit with no security deposit.
Best unsecured cards for bad credit comparison
Credit Card | Best For | Spending Limit | Annual Fee | APR |
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit | Best Overall | $300 | $75 intro 1st yr, $99 after | 29.74% (V) |
Fortiva® Mastercard® Credit Card | Best for Gas & Groceries | $350 | $49 - $175 1st yr ($0 - $49 after) | 29.99% or 36% |
Total Visa® Card | High Approval Odds | $300 | $75 1st yr, $48 after | 35.99% |
Fingerhut Credit Account | No Checking Account Needed | N/A | $0 | 35.99% |
Cerulean Credit Card | No Monthly Fees | $300 | $125 | 29.99% (V) |
No matter which credit card you end up getting, you can track your credit improvement for free on WalletHub. You will also benefit from personalized money-saving advice.
Which unsecured credit card is easiest to get with bad credit?
These unsecured cards are meant for people with bad credit and have minimal approval requirements, per their terms and conditions. Plus, they all allow potential applicants to pre-qualify first, with no credit-score impact, so there’s little risk in trying.
Easiest Unsecured Cards to Get With Bad Credit in 2024
- Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit
- First Access Visa® Card
- Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
- FIT™ Platinum Mastercard®
How we picked the best unsecured credit cards for bad credit
To identify the best unsecured credit cards for bad credit, WalletHub’s editors regularly compare 1,500+ credit card offers based on their approval requirements, fees, rewards, and interest rates. Final selections are then made based on the estimated two-year cost of using each card. It is important to minimize costs when rebuilding damaged credit because interest rates and fees can be high.
How Two-Year Cost Is Calculated
Two-year cost is used to approximate the monetary value of cards for better comparison and is calculated by combining annual and monthly membership fees over two years, adding any one-time fees or other fees (like balance transfer fees), adding any interest costs, and subtracting rewards. Negative amounts indicate savings. When fees or other terms are presented as a range, we use the midpoint for scoring purposes.
Rewards bonuses and credits have been taken into account for two-year cost calculations. However, bonuses applicable to only a very small portion of cardholders are not considered. For example, credits and bonuses awarded for spending or redeeming rewards through a company portal with non-co-branded cards have not been taken into account. Similarly, bonuses and credits related to spending with specific merchants using a non-co-branded card have not been taken into account (for example, if Card A offers credits with DoorDash, this feature would not be factored into calculations because it is hard to assess how many cardholders would use the benefit or exactly how much value they'd get from it).
Cardholder Spending Profiles
Given that different users have different goals and are likely to use their credit cards differently, we identified spending profiles that are representative of different users’ financial priorities and behaviors. For each cardholder type, we have assumed a specific amount of monthly spending by purchase type (e.g., groceries, gas, etc.), as well as an average balance, balance transfer amount, amount spent on large purchases and average monthly payment. Spending assumptions are based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Sources
WalletHub actively maintains a database of 1,500+ credit card offers, from which we select the best credit cards for bad credit for different applicants as well as derive market-wide takeaways and trends. The underlying data is compiled from credit card company websites or provided directly by the credit card issuers. We also leverage data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics to develop cardholder profiles, used to estimate cards’ potential savings.
Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit FAQ
Comparing can be tough. But you’ve got the knowledgeable WalletHub community on your side. We encourage everyone to share their knowledge while respecting our content guidelines. Please keep in mind that editorial and user-generated content on this page is not reviewed or otherwise endorsed by any financial institution. In addition, it is not the financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered. WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.show more
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Expert Opinions
- Why are unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit so expensive? And why are there so few options?
- Does it ever make sense to get an unsecured credit card if you have bad credit, considering the high rates and fees as well as the low spending limits?
- What’s the most important thing to look for in an unsecured credit card if you have bad credit?
- What are the biggest mistakes people with bad credit make when selecting a credit card?
Important Disclosures
We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. Actual terms may vary. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.
† Approval Odds are WalletHub estimates intended to gauge your likelihood of approval for a particular product. Approval Odds are based on WalletHub data and are not provided or endorsed by the lender. Approval Odds are not meant to imply or guarantee that you will be approved by the lender or that credit will be extended. WalletHub may share your information with third-parties in order to show personalized offers, as well as enable you to interact more easily with pre-fill forms or applications. You can opt-out of sharing your personal info here.
Ad Disclosure Certain offers that appear on this site originate from paying advertisers, and this will be noted on an offer’s details page using the designation "Sponsored", where applicable. Advertising may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). At WalletHub we try to present a wide array of offers, but our offers do not represent all financial services companies or products.
Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any issuer.
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