What are the easiest department store credit cards to get?

Question

The best store credit cards for bad credit are the Montgomery Ward Credit Account and the Fingerhut Credit Account. 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 of 1,500+ credit card offers. But there are exceptions from time to time.… read full answer

There are other types of cards to consider, too. They include unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit as well as secured credit cards, which give you the highest approval odds. Some even offer rewards and are affiliated with a popular brand. In other words, they’re like store credit cards for bad credit, but you can use them anywhere. You can check out our top picks below.

Best For	Store Card	Annual Fee	Min. Credit Needed
Overall	Montgomery Ward Credit Account	$0	Bad
Online Shopping	Fingerhut Credit Account	$0	Bad
Airline Miles	LATAM Secured Credit Card	$0 1st yr, $25 after	Bad
NASCAR Fans	Credit One Bank® NASCAR® Credit Card	$39 - $99	Bad
Bikers	Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card	$0	Bad

There aren’t many store credit cards for people bad credit to choose from right now, so identifying the best of the bunch isn’t very difficult. Overall, the best store credit card for bad credit is the Fingerhut Credit Account because you can get it with a poor credit score and there’s no annual fee. Plus, the Fingerhut Credit Account reports to the credit bureaus every month, which will allow you to build credit if you pay your bills on time.

Fingerhut is an online retailer that sells a broad array of goods from major brands, often at a discount, and allows you to pay for them in monthly installments. You can buy TVs and computers for up to 25% off, for example.

You don’t want to limit yourself unnecessarily, however. There are plenty of other credit cards for bad credit that could provide even better perks with popular retailers. So, make sure to keep the following pointers in mind when shopping for the best credit card for your needs.

3 Things to Remember When Looking for Store Credit Cards with Bad Credit

Store credit cards don’t give the highest approval odds. Nearly all store credit cards require at least fair credit for approval.

Store credit cards and co-branded credit cards are different. A store credit card works at no more than a few retailers, but usually just one. A co-branded credit card is affiliated with a retailer or other company but can be used anywhere Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express is accepted.

Secured cards are best for credit repair. Store credit cards for poor credit are barely a thing. Secured credit cards, on the other hand, were made to help people with bad credit rebuild.

If you’re interested in more advice, sign up for a free WalletHub account. You can check your credit score for free, with daily updates, and receive personalized credit-improvement tips and recommendations for credit cards with high approval odds.

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Answer 1 · 2021-03-12 21:14:52

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

@m_adams • 03/12/21 This answer was first published on 03/13/21 and it was last updated on 03/12/21.For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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The easiest department store credit card to get approved for is the Fingerhut Credit Account, but that’s only if you count an online retailer / mail catalog as a department store. It’s the only store card you can get with bad credit. 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 means you should choose your card based on where you shop the most and which offers the most rewards, since there isn’t much of a difference in their approval requirements. Let’s take a look at a few good options.

Here are some of the easiest department store credit cards to get:

Target Credit Card: For people with fair credit. 5% discount at Target and Target.com. Returns extended by 30 days. Free shipping. $0 annual fee.
Walmart® Store Card: For people with fair credit. 2 - 5 points per $1 on Walmart purchases and Walmart & Murphy USA Fuel Stations. $0 annual fee.
Kohl's Credit Card: For people with fair credit. 35% discount on your fist purchase. 5% cash back on every qualifying purchase made at Kohl. $0 annual fee.
JCPenney Credit Card: For people with fair credit. 1 point / $1 on qualifying purchases. Discounts on select items. Annual fee: None.
Fingerhut Credit Account: For people with bad credit. Easiest store card to be approved for. No rewards. $0 annual fee.
Amazon.com Store Card: For people with fair credit. 5% cash back at Amazon.com if you have a Prime account. $10 gift card after approval. $0 annual fee.

There are plenty of other department store cards with great deals too. For example, TJX, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sears all give savings and perks that are worth looking at. Just remember that department store credit cards can only be used at the store that issued them (and sometimes affiliates), so apply for a card from somewhere you know you’ll shop on a regular basis.

Answer 2 · 2018-09-28 10:48:55

Sarah Bilkins, WalletHub Credit Card Advisor

@sarah.bilkins • 09/28/18 This answer was first published on 03/20/18 and it was last updated on 09/28/18.For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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Some of the easiest department store credit cards to get include the Macy’s, Kohl’s and Target cards. But there isn’t really a single department store credit card that’s obviously easiest to get. Nearly all store cards require that you have fair credit or better to be eligible. So, instead of one easy card, you have several options within reach.

The Macy’s Card is good because…there’s no annual fee, and you get 20% off (up to $100) when you open an account.

The Kohl’s Card is good because…there’s no annual fee, and you’ll save 30% on your first Kohl’s purchase and get a 15% coupon when your card arrives in the mail.

The Target Card is good because…there’s no annual fee, and you’ll save 5% at Target and Target.com, plus get a 10% off coupon on your account anniversary.

But it’s worth noting the distinction between a store’s in-store card and its general-use credit card. The former can only be used at the retailer that issued it (and sometimes others merchants owned by the same parent company), and are generally easier to get. For example, the Sears Store Card, which you can only use at Sears, requires fair credit. The Sears Credit Card requires good credit, and you can use it anywhere that accepts Mastercard. So, the easiest department store credit card to get will almost always be the retailer’s in-store card.

Answer 3 · 2018-01-21 17:11:14

Keenan Avery, Member

@keen_avery • 01/21/18 This answer was first published on 01/19/18 and it was last updated on 01/21/18.For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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All of them need 650 or above to get approved. Fingerhut is a store card, and the exception to that rule, but it's online only.

Answer 4 · 2018-03-27 18:14:23

Preston Garvey, Member

@preston_garvey3 • 03/27/18 This answer was first published on 03/27/18. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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The only one I can think of would be Fingerhut, though you wouldn't exactly call it a department store. Other than that, they're all pretty much the same as far as requirements and approval odds go: 640+ is a must.

Answer 5 · 2021-05-07 03:26:25

christinacollins86, Member

@christinacollins86 • 05/07/21 This answer was first published on 05/07/21. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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Fingerhut isn't the easiest it's Stoneberry's k. Jordan Mason easy pay and fifth and Glam

Answer 6 · 2018-09-19 10:05:32

Justine Browns, Member

@justine_browns • 09/19/18 This answer was first published on 04/03/18 and it was last updated on 09/19/18.For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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I think the easiest one to get is the Fingerhut. It’s not really a department store, but it does offer more than 500,000 items. You can apply online, it’s very fast and easy, and you get a decision quickly. You can get approved for it even if you have poor credit, and it doesn’t have an annual fee. All the others require you to have at least fair credit.

Answer 7 · 2019-01-27 14:10:24

tisha2551, Member

@tisha2551 • 01/27/19 This answer was first published on 01/27/19. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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Maurices is backed by CapitalOne credit. If you have a CapitalOne credit card already, this one is approved as well. Fingerhut is online only, not sure why they send credit cards in the mail. For poor credit building credit cards, Indigo has cheaper interest rate than CapitalOne. CreditOne is also for poor credit and offers a 1% - 3% cash back on fuel and food purchases.

Answer 8 · 2018-02-16 12:29:52

Motley Grasse, Member

@motley_grasse • 02/16/18 This answer was first published on 02/16/18. For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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I know you can get the Fingerhut even if you have bad credit, but I'm not sure it counts as a department store.

What are the easiest department store credit cards to get?

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

Here are some of the easiest department store credit cards to get:

2021's Best Store Credit Cards

Sarah Bilkins, WalletHub Credit Card Advisor

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