Ryan P Page, Staff Writer
@ryan_page
The best second-chance credit card with no security deposit is the Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit. This credit card is good for a second chance because it accepts applicants with bad credit and offers 1% on purchases like gas, groceries, mobile phone service, internet, and cable.
The Credit One Visa is less expensive than similar cards, too, charging an annual fee of $75 for the first year and $99 after that. The card doesn’t have a monthly fee, or any one-time fees associated with opening an account.
5 Second-Chance Credit Cards with No Security Deposit
- Rates & Fees Flat-Rate Cash Back: Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding CreditLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Rates & Fees Flat-Rate Cash Back: Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding CreditLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Flat-Rate Cash Back: Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding CreditLearn MoreLearn More
- Flat-Rate Cash Back:
Ongoing Rewards: 1% cash back on gas and grocery purchases, as well as 1% back on mobile phone, internet, cable and satellite TV services
Annual fee: $75 intro 1st yr, $99 after
Monthly fee: $0
Credit requirement: 500 or better
- Rates & Fees Low Annual Fee Possible: Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect CreditLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Rates & Fees Low Annual Fee Possible: Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect CreditLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Low Annual Fee Possible: Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect CreditLearn MoreLearn More
- Low Annual Fee Possible:
Ongoing Rewards: None
Annual fee: $175 1st yr, $49 after
Monthly fee: $0 1st yr, $12.50 per month after
Credit requirement: 500 or better
- No Application Fee: Milestone® Mastercard®Learn MoreLearn More
- No Application Fee: Milestone® Mastercard®Learn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- No Application Fee: Milestone® Mastercard®Learn MoreLearn More
- No Application Fee:
Ongoing Rewards: None
Annual fee: $175 1st yr; $49 after
Monthly fee: $0 1st yr, $12.50 after
Credit requirement: 500 or better
- Rates & Fees Limited to Fair Credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit CardLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Rates & Fees Limited to Fair Credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit CardLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Limited to Fair Credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit CardLearn MoreLearn More
- Limited to Fair Credit:
Ongoing Rewards: 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases
Annual fee: $39
Monthly fee: $0
Credit requirement: Limited History or at least fair credit
- Store Credit Card: Fingerhut Credit AccountLearn MoreLearn More
- Store Credit Card: Fingerhut Credit AccountLearn MoreLearn Moreon issuer's website
- Store Credit Card: Fingerhut Credit AccountLearn MoreLearn More
- Store Credit Card:
Ongoing Rewards: None
Annual fee: $0
Monthly fee: $0
Credit requirement: 500 or better
You can check out our editors’ complete picks for the best second-chance credit cards on the market right now to weigh your options.
Second-chance credit cards include both unsecured credit cards for bad credit and secured credit cards. The latter are typically a lot cheaper, but they require a security deposit.
Pros & Cons of Second-Chance Credit Cards with No Security Deposit
| Pros | Cons |
| You don’t have to give up any money for collateral | There might be high fees |
| You can build credit with responsible use | Credit limits are usually low |
| You should have high approval odds | Many cards don’t offer rewards on purchases |
Though second-chance credit cards typically don’t offer as many benefits as other cards, the best second-chance credit cards help cardholders build credit with responsible use.
How to Build Credit with a Second-Chance Credit Card
Pay your bills on time
Paying your credit card bills on time is the key to making the most of your second chance. To help make sure you never miss a credit card due date, we recommend setting up automatic monthly bill payments from a bank account. Our guide on paying credit card bills can also help you make the most of your opportunity.
Keep your credit utilization low
You should strive to use less than 30% of your credit limit, and a ratio of 10% or less would be ideal. A low ratio will help your credit score, as credit utilization is a key ingredient. High utilization, on the other hand, could signal to lenders that you’re not managing your credit responsibly.
If you’re concerned about overspending, you don’t have to make purchases with your new card if you don’t want to. As long as you pay off any fees, you’ll still build credit.
Monitor your credit
Routinely checking your credit score and credit reports is important as it allows you to pinpoint the exact reasons whenever your credit score changes. It also helps you catch credit-report mistakes or suspicious activity that could be a sign of identity theft, giving you the opportunity to dispute them and avoid potential damage to your credit. You can use WalletHub’s free 24/7 credit monitoring to find out immediately whenever there is a significant change to your credit report.
You can also get personalized tips on how to build credit with WalletHub’s free credit analysis. This way, you can find out the best strategies for building credit with a credit card, along with the best cards to make that happen.
2025's Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit
2025's Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit
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Daniel Wright, Member
@dwright_dev
I know someone who got it, and it helped them a lot. Can’t guarantee it will do the same for you, but the other options look lackluster!
SS Cooper, Member
@scarlett_c
If you really want to take your second chance seriously, you’ll get a secured card. Or at least the partially secured cap 1 card, to split the difference.
Charlotte Lewis, Member
@char_lewis
No. If you heard otherwise on social media or something, it’s not true. Think about it - sounds a bit too good to be true doesn’t it?
The best you’re going to get is a card you’re highly likely to get approved for that offers a couple hundred (maybe a couple thousand) dollars to spend.
Harper Walker, Member
@harperw1
Go with the OneMain Brightway Card. None of these no-deposit cards for bad credit are all that good, but BrightWay seems like the least expensive/most rewarding one.
Have you tried it? Looks pretty good, but I don’t see it mentioned a lot of places.
Jason Watson, Member
@jwatson_consult
If you haven’t already considered the OneMain Financial BrightWay card, I highly recommend it. You get 1% cash back on purchases, and the fees aren’t as crazy as they are with some other cards for bad credit with no deposit.
Zoeee Parker, Member
@zoeparker_des
Check to see if you prequalify for all of these cards, and go with the lowest fee offer. You might get lucky.
People also ask
Do all credit cards require a deposit?
No, all credit cards do not require a deposit. A secured credit card is the only type of credit card that requires a security deposit, and this requirement exists to help people with bad credit get approved and avoid paying high fees. All other credit cards do not make you put down a deposit.
Unless you have bad credit (a score below 640), you should be able to get a credit card without a deposit –...
read full answer by Chip Lupo, Credit Card WriterCan you get a credit card with no money?
No, you cannot get a credit card with no money because the law requires credit card issuers to verify that applicants have the ability to make monthly payments before approving them for an account. Still, you may be able to get a credit card without a paycheck from a job if you have reasonable access to other income. This can include shared household income (for applicants 21 and older), retirement income, unemployment benefits and more.
... read full answer by Chip Lupo, Credit Card WriterWhat are the best no credit check credit cards with no deposit?
The best no-credit-check credit card with no deposit is the Tomo Card, which uses a proprietary method to determine eligibility instead of your credit history. The Tomo Card comes with a $0 annual fee and offers cardholders the chance to build credit, along with a variety of valuable perks.
This card’s balance is automatically paid in full, starting out each week and then shifting to a more traditional monthly payment, using your linked bank account. This means you can’t...
read full answer by Ryan P Page, Staff WriterDid we answer your question?
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