What is a partially secured credit card?

One of the best credit cards for a 550 credit score is the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. There’s no credit check when you apply, so approval is almost guaranteed. You just need $200 for a refundable security deposit and enough income to make monthly payments. This card also reports to all three major credit bureaus... read full answer (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) every month, which is your ticket to a better credit score. And a $35 annual fee isn’t too much to pay for that.

However, this isn’t the only credit card you can get with a 550 credit score. In fact, there are two kinds of credit cards for people at that credit level: secured credit cards and unsecured credit cards for bad credit. A 550 credit score is within the bad credit range, which goes from 300 to 639. But picking the right 550 credit score credit card and using it responsibly could help you improve your score.

Some of the best credit cards for a 550 score:

You can also check our editors’ complete picks for the best credit cards for bad credit to see which one best suits your needs.

Before applying for a card, make sure to check out its terms and conditions, or an FAQ page if there is one. This way, you can make sure you fit the criteria for eligibility. You can also try getting pre-approved for a credit card. It won’t hurt your credit, and it will give you a good idea of your odds if you decide to apply.

One of the best secured credit cards with a low deposit is the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card because new cardholders may be able to put down either $49, $99 or $200 and still get a $200 credit line, which would make the card only partially secured. Plus, there’s a $0 annual fee.

Other secured cards don’t have the potential to be quite as cheap, but there are a few really good options with a $200 minimum deposit. That’s still pretty low compared to several secured cards that ask for $300-$500+. ... read full answer

Here are some good secured credit cards with low deposits:

The Capital One Platinum Secured requires a $49, $99 or $200 minimum deposit. This card has a $0 annual fee and $0 foreign transaction fees. The Capital One Platinum Secured has a $200 starting credit limit.

The Citi Secured requires a $200 minimum deposit. The card has a $0 annual fee and 3% foreign transaction fees.

The OpenSky requires a $200 minimum deposit. The card has a $35 annual fee. OpenSky foreign transaction fee. There is no credit check when you apply.

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured requires a $200 minimum deposit. This card offers 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. The Capital One Quicksilver Secured has a $0 annual fee and $0 foreign transaction fees.

It’s worth noting that the Capital One Platinum Secured doesn’t guarantee a low deposit, but it does offer the chance of one. If your credit is toward the bottom of the bad credit range, you’ll probably still have to put down a $200 deposit. But the higher your credit score is, the better chance you’ll have of being assigned a low deposit.