Guaranteed Approval Credit Cards

Guaranteed approval credit cards with $10,000 limits for bad credit don’t really exist. A secured credit card that allows you to place a very sizable deposit is the closest thing you’ll find. For example, the Wells Fargo Secured Credit Card allows you to put down as much as $10,000 and offers nearly guaranteed approval. But your spending limit equals the amount of your deposit, so it won’t help you buy something that you can’t already afford in cash.

There are a couple of important reasons why guaranteed approval credit cards with $10,000 limits for bad credit are not available. For starters, no credit card offers 100% guaranteed approval. There’s always some sort of minimum eligibility requirement that you must meet. That’s even true with secured credit cards.

Furthermore, credit cards for people with bad credit tend to have spending limits that are far below $10,000. Most unsecured cards for bad credit give you a starting limit of around $300, and fees eat into a lot of that early on. So if you have bad credit, you’re not going to find a credit card capable of financing a big-ticket purchase.

At the end of the day, getting a credit card with a specific spending limit should not be your top priority when you have bad credit. You’re unlikely to get an unsecured card with a $10,000 limit until you have excellent credit. So rebuilding your credit as inexpensively as possible is the best approach in the long run. Above all else, that means getting approved for a credit card as quickly as possible and paying your bill on time every month.

To help point you in the right direction, WalletHub’s editors compared dozens of credit cards for bad credit and picked their favorites.

Here are some nearly-guaranteed approval credit cards for bad credit with high limits:

• Wells Fargo Secured Credit Card: $300 - $10,000 limit (same as deposit amount)
• Aeromexico Secured Credit Card: $300 - $5,000 limit (same as deposit amount)
• Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card: $300 - $5,000 limit (same as deposit amount)
• First National Bank of Omaha Secured Visa® Card: $300 - $5,000 limit (same as deposit amount)
• OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card: $200 - $3,000 limit (same as deposit amount)
• Discover it® Secured: $200+ limit (same as deposit amount)

These offers are among WalletHub’s picks for the best secured credit cards. They all can make shopping more convenient. And as long as you pay your monthly bills on time, they’ll help you improve your credit score. If you’d like some tips for how to speed up the credit-rebuilding process, you can get personalized credit-improvement advice by signing up for a free WalletHub account.

There is no way to get guaranteed credit card approval with a high limit. That’s because no credit card issuer guarantees approval – they make a decision based upon your credit, income, debt load and many other factors. In addition, credit cards with the highest starting limits require good credit (score of 700+) or excellent credit (score of 750+). So only people with a long history of responsibility can get them.

Your best chance for nearly guaranteed approval and a high limit is with a secured card. Secured cards require a security deposit, and they’re the easiest type of credit card to get. Unless you have no income or a currently pending bankruptcy, your odds of rejection are very low. On secured cards, your credit limit is equal to your deposit. So the more you deposit, the higher your credit limit becomes. Issuers tend to set upper limits, but if you have a lot of cash on hand, there are several cards that allow users to deposit quite a bit. Your deposit is refundable once you pay any balance owed and close the account.

If you happen to have good or excellent credit history, make sure to take a look at WalletHub’s picks for the best high limit credit cards overall.

If you are denied for a secured credit card, you could apply for a different secured card (one with a higher approval rate), become an authorized user on someone else’s credit card account, or apply for a credit-builder loan. Some secured credit cards don’t even check your credit when you apply. So you will only be denied if you do not have a U.S. mailing address, a Social Security number (or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number), or enough money to fund your deposit and make monthly payments.

In general, secured credit cards are much easier to get than unsecured cards because they require a refundable deposit that also serves as your credit limit. Because there’s less risk for the issuer, secured cards are able to offer nearly guaranteed approval, even to people with damaged credit. But that doesn’t mean everyone is accepted, and some secured cards are easier to get than others.

Typically, if you’re denied for a secured credit card, the card’s issuer will send you a letter explaining why. That can be a good place to start when determining your next steps.

What to do if you’re denied for a secured credit card:

• Apply somewhere else. Just because you didn’t meet one credit card company’s requirements doesn’t necessarily mean you’re disqualified from every secured card on the market. In particular, make sure to check out credit cards with no credit check.
• Become an authorized user. If someone adds you to their account as an authorized user, you’ll get a card and be able to make charges, but the primary cardholder will be responsible for paying the bills. And if they pay on time, your credit standing will improve.
• Apply for a credit-builder loan. Many credit unions and banks offer small loans to help people build or rebuild their credit. Much like a secured card, you’ll need to make a deposit when you apply for a so-called credit-builder loan.
• Focus on your open accounts. If you have a mortgage, student loan, auto loan, or line of credit, making your payments on time will help build up your credit score. That will make it easier to get approved for a credit card.

Why was I denied for a secured credit card?

The most common reasons people are denied for a secured credit card include having a bankruptcy or tax lien on their credit report, not having enough income to meet their monthly obligations, and having an extremely low credit score. Past delinquencies with the issuing bank, current delinquencies anywhere, and invalid application information could all be reasons as well.

The specifics vary by card, though. So, if you were denied for a secured credit card, don’t lose hope. Just apply for one of the several secured cards with no credit check, and manage your account responsibly once you’re approved. You can also sign up for WalletHub’s free credit analysis for additional help getting your credit score back on track.

Unless you have good or excellent credit, you’re not going to find a guaranteed approval credit card with a $1,000 limit. The best you’ll be able to do is either place a deposit of $1,000 on a secured credit card or apply for an unsecured card that you are way overqualified for. The Discover it® Secured is one good option, for example, as it doesn’t charge an annual fee and allows deposits of up to $2,500.

It’s important to remember that no credit card really offers guaranteed approval. Secured cards have the highest approval odds because they require you to place a refundable security deposit, the amount of which matches your spending limit. But that means you won’t be able to use them for any purchases you don’t already have the money for.

Beyond that, the better your credit is, the higher your approval odds will be for unsecured credit cards. But credit cards for people with limited or fair credit may or may not offer $1,000 spending limits, so you’ll likely have to set your sights a bit higher to be sure of getting that much fire power. And that means you need really good credit for approval to be anywhere close to guaranteed.

For tips to help you get the credit needed to qualify for the best cards, check out WalletHub’s credit improvement guide. You can also get personalized recommendations for credit cards with high approval odds by signing up for a free WalletHub account.

Yes, you’re going to want a 640+ credit score for Best Buy Store Card approval. That’s in the fair credit range but not quite at the bottom of it (620), so as to give you better odds of approval. Fair credit is the minimum credit standing required. And barely meeting a card’s minimum requirements is far from the ticket to high approval odds. Still, store cards like the Best Buy one aren’t beyond the average person’s reach. The average credit score is around 680. And there are other things besides your credit score that matter for Best Buy Store Card approval.

Here’s what you need, along with a fair credit score, for a Best Buy Store Card:

• All the basics. You can’t get approved without a U.S. mailing address and Social Security Number. You also need to be at least 18 years old and have income, or access to it.
• At least fair credit. That means 620+, but your approval odds only increase as your score gets higher.
• Some money to spend. You’ll have to list your income and assets on your application, along with how much debt you owe. That’ll show how much you’re still free to spend.
• Other information. Exactly what Citi takes into account and how much weight each factor carries isn’t public information. But things like your employment status and how many other cards you’ve opened recently have been known to play a role.

Make sure to check your credit score before you apply. Is it 640+? If not, you may want to take some time to improve it. You can raise your score by using less of your available credit, paying on time and reducing debts.

Applying numerous times does not improve your odds of approval, and does not ensure you get approved automatically. In fact, it reduces your chances. Each time you apply for new credit, the issuer of that card will perform a hard inquiry into your credit report.

Repeated inquiries within a short timeframe cause your credit standing to temporarily decline because they reflect desperation for credit. This guide might help you out.

Your best bet is to place a deposit on a secured credit card like the Capital One Secured. Secured cards offer the closest thing you can get to guaranteed approval, and using one responsibly will help you improve your credit standing to the point that you can be confident in getting approved for a decent unsecured credit card. 

There is no way to get guaranteed business credit card approval. Business credit cards always have certain requirements that must be met for approval, such as exceeding credit and income thresholds, having proof of U.S. residency and/or providing a Social Security Number (SSN).

The closest thing to guaranteed business credit card approval is a secured business credit card. The Wells Fargo Business Secured card has high odds of approval even to people with bad credit. It requires a minimum $500 cash deposit. This deposit serves as collateral and is equal to your credit limit. But even though the deposit makes Wells Fargo’s risk very low, they might still reject your application if you have pending tax liens or bankruptcies on your credit report.

Business credit card approval relies on your personal credit history. The reason is that business credit cards require a personal guarantee. Issuers need an assurance that any money they lend will be paid back. The personal guarantee states that if the business is unable to repay a debt, then the business owner is personally liable.

There are no guaranteed approval unsecured credit cards, but there is an unsecured card that offers you reasonable approval odds no matter how bad your credit is - the Credit One Platinum Visa.

However, the credit limit will be low and the interest rates and fees are pretty steep, so a secured credit card might be a better option.

Your best options to get a credit card today are American Express cards, Capital One cards and some store cards. While it’s pretty common to get approved for a credit card the same day if you apply online, you’ll still usually have to wait another 7-10 business days before your card comes to use it.

All American Express cards give you the potential for an instant card number after approval, which will give you access to part of your credit line until your card arrives. Capital One cards provide instant use through the Capital One app, but that’s only possible if you’re an existing Capital One cardholder. Store cards, such as the Target REDCard, may give you an instant number or code to use as a temporary version of your card.

Here are the best credit cards you can get today:

• Bad credit – Capital One Secured Mastercard: Requires a minimum security deposit of $49, $99 or $200. Your credit line will always be at least $200. No rewards. No annual fee. Must be an existing Capital One customer to see your card information through the app.
• Limited credit – Capital One QuicksilverOne: Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. $39 annual fee. Must be an existing Capital One customer to see your card information through the app.
• Fair credit – Target REDcard: 5% off at Target and Target.com. 30 extra days on returns. Free shipping. No annual fee. Gives a temporary number after approval to use until your card comes.
• Good credit (miles) – Capital One Venture: $50,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Unlimited 2 miles per dollar on all purchases. $95 annual fee waived the first year.
• Good credit (cash back) – Capital One Quicksilver: $150 bonus cash back when you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. No annual fee.
• Good credit (cash back) – Amex Blue Cash Everyday: $150 statement credit when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months. 3% cash back on the first $6,000 per year at U.S. supermarkets, 2% at U.S. department stores and U.S. gas stations and 1% on everything else. No annual fee.
• Excellent credit – Costco Anywhere Visa: 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on gas per year, 3% on restaurants and travel, 2% at Costco, 1% on everything else. No annual fee but must be a Costco member. Requires excellent credit. Gives a temporary code to scan at checkout until the actual card arrives.

While there’s no guarantee these options will get you a credit card today, they’ll certainly give you your best chance. Don’t forget that if you get approved for a Capital One card you’ll need to both already have another Capital One card open and have downloaded the app. Unfortunately, this option isn’t available to every Capital One customer but Capital One doesn’t disclose who is eligible for instant card information. In the same way, all Amex cards give the potential for instant numbers, but aren’t guaranteed to give you one.

And if you’re interested in a store card, make sure to ask if they offer instant use first. Lastly, when your physical card arrives by mail in 7-10 business days, be sure to activate it right away.

The short answer to this question is “not exactly.” Secured credit cards offer nearly guaranteed approval. In other words, most people should be able to get one, even with bad credit. But approval requirements vary from credit card company to credit card company.

Many issuers will reject people with certain types of negative information – usually a non-discharged bankruptcy or pending tax lien – on their credit report. Other secured cards don’t even perform a credit check. They simply require you to earn more than you spend each month.

So while secured cards don’t offer truly guaranteed approval, they give you the next best thing. And it’s as good as you’ll get with any credit card.