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Best Mastercard for Bad Credit
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best Mastercard for bad credit.
There are many different Mastercard credit cards for bad credit, considering that Mastercard is one of the world’s largest and most widely accepted card networks. In other words, a significant portion of all the credit ca… show more
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We're sorry, but after searching our extensive database, we were unable to locate any credit cards that match the following criteria: {{tag.tag}}{{$last ? '' : ', '}}
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
- No annual or monthly fees
- Starting credit line $200
- Great for credit-building
- No rewards
- Higher-than-average interest rate
- No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
- Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
- Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking to access your account from your desktop or smartphone, with our mobile app
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Secured Sable ONE Credit Card Secured Sable ONE Credit Card
- NEW! Get a dollar-for-dollar match on all cash back at the end of your first year with Sable Double Cash Bonus.
- Earn 2% cash back on everyday purchases at Amazon, Uber, Uber Eats, Whole Foods, Netflix, Spotify, and more! Plus, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
- No membership fees
- High rewards rate
- Low regular APR
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- No rewards bonus
- Foreign fee
- Requires security deposit
- Auto-review to unsecured card in as FAST as 4 months, 3X faster than anywhere else with Sable’s graduation promise.
- Up to $10,000 credit limit
- No credit check or US credit history required.
- No SSN required for non US citizens.
- Build US credit history FAST. Sable offers enhanced reporting on more data points than any other card so you can build your credit faster.
- Premium benefits like coverage in the event your covered cell phone is stolen or damaged (including cracked screens!), rental car insurance, and much more!
- Please see terms and conditions for additional details.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheSecured Sable ONE Credit Card
Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- Membership fees
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- Pre-qualify for a card today and it will not impact your credit score.
- Less than perfect credit is okay
- Mobile account access at any time
- Fraud protection for stolen or lost cards
- Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheIndigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit
Surge Mastercard® Surge Mastercard®
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- No balance transfers allowed
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- Free access to your Vantage 3.0 score From Experian* (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 - $1,000* (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- See if you’re Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Free online account access 24/7
- Checking Account Required
- $0 monthly fee for the first 12 months. $10.00 per month starting the second year, waived for those with a $750 or $1,000 credit limit
- See More Details & Reviews About TheSurge Mastercard®
Destiny Mastercard® Destiny Mastercard®
- Qualify with bad credit
- Does not require security deposit
- High membership fees
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- Greater access to credit than before - $500 credit limit
- All the benefits of a Mastercard, without a security deposit.
- Keeping your account in good standing may help establish and/or improve your credit history
- Less than perfect credit is okay, even with a prior bankruptcy!
- Prequalify for a card today and it will not impact your credit score
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus
- See More Details & Reviews About TheDestiny Mastercard®
FIT Mastercard® FIT Mastercard®
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- One-time fees
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- $400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Initial Credit Limit of $400.00* (Subject to available credit)
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
- Free access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian* (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Checking Account Required
- See More Details & Reviews About TheFIT Mastercard®
Reflex Mastercard® Reflex Mastercard®
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- No balance transfers allowed
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- See if you’re Pre-Qualified with no impact to your credit score
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Free access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian* (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 - $1,000* (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere Mastercard® is accepted
- Checking Account Required
- $0 monthly fee for the first 12 months. $10.00 per month starting the second year, waived for those with a $750 or $1,000 credit limit
- See More Details & Reviews About TheReflex Mastercard®
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
- No annual or hidden fees, and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. See if you're approved in seconds
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Great rewards
- No annual fee
- Relatively low minimum deposit
- Qualify with limited credit history
- High interest rate
- Put down a refundable $200 security deposit to get a $200 initial credit line
- Building your credit? Using a card like this responsibly could help
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- See More Details & Reviews About TheCapital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
Milestone® Mastercard® - Less Than Perfect Credit Considered Milestone® Mastercard® - Less Than Perfect Credit Considered
- No processing or monthly fees
- Available to people with bad credit, even after bankruptcy
- Relatively low APR for the segment
- Membership fees
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- Prequalify for a card today and it will not impact your credit score
- Less than perfect credit is okay
- Mobile account access at any time
- Protection from fraud if your card is stolen
- Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S.
- Disclaimers: *Dependent on credit worthiness
- See More Details & Reviews About TheMilestone® Mastercard® - Less Than Perfect Credit Considered
First Digital Mastercard® First Digital Mastercard®
- Qualify with limited or no credit history
- Does not require security deposit
- One-time fees
- No rewards
- No rewards bonus
- No intro APR on purchases
- Get the security and convenience of a full-feature, unsecured MasterCard® Credit Card – accepted at millions of merchant and ATM locations worldwide and online.
- Build up your credit history with a card that reports to all three major credit bureaus every month.
- Perfect credit not required for approval; we may approve you when others won’t.
- Easy and secure online application – It takes just moments to apply.
- Issued by Synovus Bank, Member: FDIC
- See More Details & Reviews About TheFirst Digital Mastercard®
What is the best Mastercard for bad credit?
The best Mastercard for bad credit depends on whether your top priority is credit improvement or getting an emergency loan. If you simply want to rebuild your credit, a secured credit card is the way to go. In particular, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great option. But if you’re facing unexpected, unaffordable expenses, you’ll need an unsecured credit card for bad credit. And the Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit is probably the best of the not-so-hot options in that category.
These picks are based on WalletHub’s review of 20+ Mastercard credit cards for people with bad credit. And there’s more where they came from. WalletHub’s editors also selected the top cards in a few other popular categories.
Here are the best Mastercards for bad credit:
| Best For… | Card Name | Annual Fee | Security Deposit | Card Network | Min. Credit Required |
| No Annual Fee | Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 | $200 | Mastercard | Bad |
| Rewards | Secured Sable ONE Credit Card | $0 | $10 | Mastercard | Bad |
| Unsecured | Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit | $0 - $99 | N/A | Mastercard | Bad |
| Business | Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card | $0 | $500 | Mastercard | Bad |
To see if these offers are the cream of the bad-credit crop, we recommend comparing them to the best Visa cards for bad credit, at the very least. You can also see which offers made the final cut for 2022’s best credit cards for people with bad credit.
About the author
John Kiernan has covered the credit card industry for more than 10 years as a writer and editor for WalletHub. His work has been featured by major media outlets such as The Washington Post and The New York Times and has been cited by industry regulators such as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Read Full Author Bio
Questions & Answers
Comparing mastercard for bad credit offers 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.show more
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What are the Citi Secured requirements for approval? Reply
The main Citi Secured requirements are that an applicant must be at least 18 years old with a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification number. Applicants must also agree to put down a security deposit of $200+ before they can open the account. There’s no minimum credit score requirement, as the Citi Secured card is designed for people with bad credit and beginners with little or no borrowing history.
Citi Secured Card Requirements
- At least 18 years old
- Physical U.S. address (no P.O. boxes)
- Proof of income to make the monthly minimum payment
- Checking or savings account
- Social Security number or ITIN
- $200 security deposit
While the Citi Secured card has no minimum credit score requirement, Citibank may reject your application if there are serious negative entries on your credit report, such as a pending bankruptcy. In addition, if you apply for the Citi Secured card, it’s vital that you enter all required information completely and accurately. Knowingly reporting false or misleading information on a credit card application is a federal crime.
Can I get approved for the Citi secured credit card with a bankruptcy on my file? Reply
You cannot get the Citi Secured Card if you have any bankruptcy history within the last two years. Bear in mind there are other approval requirements too. Citi will review your income, debt and credit history to make sure you can afford a new account.
Featured Credit Cards
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† 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.
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