Lisa Cahill, Credit Cards Moderator
@lisacahill
The best store credit cards to build credit with are the Amazon Store Card (5% back in rewards back on Amazon.com with a Prime membership) and the Kohl's Credit Card (7.5% in Rewards at Kohl’s and kohls.com). Both require just fair credit for approval.
Like other major store credit cards, the Amazon and Kohl’s cards report to the three major credit bureaus every month. That will help you build credit history. But keep in mind that store cards can only be used at the retailer they’re affiliated with.
Best Store Credit Cards to Build Credit With
You need at least a fair credit score to be approved for most store credit cards. If you have bad or limited credit, you won’t have many options. As a result, you might be better off expanding your search beyond store credit cards to include secured credit cards and general-purpose credit cards for people with limited or bad credit. Then when you reach fair credit, you can accelerate your credit building and maximize your savings with a store credit card from your favorite retailer.
It’s also worth noting that some of the best store credit cards to build credit with have “deferred interest.” Don’t confuse this with a normal 0% offer, where you only owe interest on the balance remaining after your intro periods ends. With deferred interest, you must pay off your entire balance by the end of the promotional period. If you don’t, you owe interest at the card’s regular APR from the date of purchase instead.
Popular Credit Cards to Build Credit
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Starter Card
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No Annual Fee
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No Credit Check
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Students
Isabella Clark, Member
@izzy_clark
They all require fair credit and report to the credit bureaus, so pick based on rewards and where you shop the most. My favorite are:
- Target
- Victoria's Secret
- Kohl's
Pay off your balance by the due date, and you’ll save money and build credit.
Ella Morgan, Member
@ella_morgan
Among the few that accept bad credit, I like the Amazon card the best. The others are for funky stores!
If you have fair credit, any store credit card can help you, so pick your favorite store’s card. I have Target and Amazon cards, for example.
Charlotte Lewis, Member
@char_lewis
As long as your favorite store’s card has rewards and no annual fee, just get that. You’ll need at least fair credit with most stores, but it can help boost you up to good/excellent credit with responsible use.
James Wilson, Member
@jwilson87
Good call. I like the look of that Kohl’s card, which is good because I love the way I look in Kohl’s clothes!
People also ask
Do store credit cards help you build credit?
Yes, store credit cards can help you build credit if you use them wisely. Store credit cards report your payment history to credit bureaus monthly. If you pay your credit card bill on time and stay within your credit limit, a store credit card can go a long way in building or rebuilding your credit.
What you should know about store cards:
- Overview: Store credit cards are offered by certain retailers and can usually be used only...
What are the easiest department store credit cards to get?
One of the easiest department store credit cards to get approved for is the Montgomery Ward Credit Account, if you count an online retailer / mail catalog as a department store. You can get it with bad credit which is rare for a store card.
Pretty much all other store credit cards require fair credit (640+ score) for approval. But that still means most department store credit cards are easy to get for most people. It also...
read full answer by WalletHub, Financial CompanyWhat are the best store credit cards for bad credit?
The best store credit cards for bad credit are the Montgomery Ward Credit Account and the Amazon Secured Credit Card. Both of these store credit cards accept applicants with bad credit scores, have $0 annual fees, and report to the major credit bureaus.
They don’t have a whole lot of competition, however. There are very few store credit cards for bad credit available right now. Nearly all store cards require at least fair credit for approval, according to WalletHub’s database...
read full answer by John S Kiernan, Managing EditorDid we answer your question?
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