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. 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.

• 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 Credit Card: $200 - $2,500 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.

The best guaranteed approval unsecured credit cards for bad credit are the Fingerhut Credit Account and the Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit, because both credit cards are designed for people with bad credit and both are easy to get approved for. To be clear, there are no credit cards with absolutely guaranteed approval. But some unsecured cards, like these two, are much easier to get than others. And both will help to build credit.

The problem with many unsecured credit cards for bad credit is they tend to be expensive. Many have annual fees and some have one-time fees or monthly fees, too. That’s on top of a high APR. Notably, the Fingerhut Credit Account has a $0 annual fee and no monthly fees. But it’s not a physical credit card, and you can only use the credit line at Fingerhut’s online store. So it’s not good if you need an emergency loan.

The Indigo Mastercard (for less-than-perfect credit), on the other hand, is a real credit card. In exchange for a $300 credit limit, you’ll pay an annual fee of $0 - $99, depending on your creditworthiness. And you can check to see if you pre-qualify before you apply, so at least you’ll know your approval chances before you get a hard pull on your credit.

Overall, the closest you can get to guaranteed approval for a credit card is with secured credit cards, which require an up-front security deposit. Secured cards aren’t going to provide an emergency loan, but they do help rebuild credit. 

If you need a credit card today, you should apply for an American Express card, Capital One card and some store cards that offer instant use. 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 also 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 Credit Card, may give you an instant number or code to use as a temporary version of your card.

Here are some of the best credit cards you can get today:

• Bad credit – Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card: Requires a minimum security deposit of $49, $99 or $200. Your credit line will always be at least $200. No rewards. $0 annual fee. Must be an existing Capital One customer to see your card information through the app.
• Limited credit – Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: 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 Credit Card: 5% discount at Target and Target.com. 30 extra days on returns. Free -day shipping. $0 annual fee. Gives a temporary number after approval to use until your card comes.
• Good credit (miles) – Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: 60,000 miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months. Unlimited 2 miles per $1 on all purchases. $95 annual fee. Must be an existing Capital One customer to see your card information through the app.
• Good credit (cash back) – Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: $200 bonus when you spend $500 in the first 3 months. Unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. $0 annual fee. Must be an existing Capital One customer to see your card information through the app.
• Good credit (cash back) – Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express: $200 statement credit for spending $2,000 in the first 6 months . 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent per year), 2% back at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores, and 1% back on all other purchases, earned as statement credits . $0 annual fee.
• Excellent credit – Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi: 1 - 4% cash back, depending on the type of purchase. $0 annual fee but must be a Costco member. 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.

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.

Your chances for a $5,000 limit credit card with guaranteed approval are higher if you apply for a secured credit card that allows you to deposit $5,000. The deposit usually acts as your spending limit, which prevents you from spending more than you can afford to repay. Secured cards aren’t completely guaranteed-approval, but that’s the closest you’ll get to guaranteed.

Some secured credit cards that allow a $5,000 deposit is the First National Bank of Omaha Secured Visa® Card, the OakStone Platinum Secured Mastercard® and the Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card.

There are no guaranteed approval credit cards with $10,000 limits because there are no guaranteed approval credit cards. You can, however, get nearly-guaranteed approval with a secured credit card - and the credit limit is your choice, because the deposit you put down becomes your credit limit. Some secured credit cards have upper limits on deposits - for example, the Merrick Bank Secured Visa card’s maximum deposit limit is $3,000, and the Capital One Secured card’s maximum is $1,000. But others, like the Wells Fargo Secured card, have a maximum deposit limit of $10,000.

If you’re looking for an easy-approval, high-limit unsecured credit card, those are hard to come by. Most credit cards with limits of $10,000 or more require at least good credit - and usually, you’ll need excellent credit for that kind of limit. That said, credit limits aren’t decided by credit score alone. Card issuers also look at an applicant’s annual income and credit report to assign a credit limit. So if you have a decent annual income and at least good credit, you can probably get a $10,000 credit limit with a Capital One credit card, such as VentureOne or Quicksilver. They are known for being generous with credit limits.

There are no unsecured credit cards that have guaranteed approval. There are, though, some unsecured credit cards that offer reasonable approval odds even if you have bad credit. You can check out our editors' latest picks for the best among them and weigh your options.

At this point, it is also worth noting that your credit limit could be low and the interest rates and fees pretty steep. So a secured credit card might be a better option.

In any case, keep in mind that any issuer would take into account various factors while considering your application, such as your income, credit history and any potential debts and liabilities you might have.

On that note, a good idea would be to first check your credit score to better assess your approval odds.

There are no guaranteed approval gas credit cards. No credit card company can guarantee approval for every single person who applies for one of its cards, as there are always some minimum standards to meet

Most gas credit cards require fair or good credit. The lower your credit score is, the less likely you are to get approved, or you might be limited to a gas-station card that provides convenience but few other perks.

There are, though, some gas credit cards that are easier to get, like the Discover it® Secured Credit Card card that offers 1 - 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. It has a $0 annual fee and you can get it with limited credit history or even bad credit. Another choice could be the Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit that gives 1% on gas purchases, among other things. It has a $75 intro 1st yr, $99 after annual fee and you can get it with bad credit.

It's best to check your credit score in advance and them apply for a gas credit card in your credit range, to maximize your approval odds.

One of the easiest credit cards to get with fair credit is the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card. This credit card is available to people with limited credit or better, reports monthly to the three main credit bureaus, and gives cardholders 2% to 10% cash back on purchases from select merchants. It also has a $0 annual fee. And if you’re lucky, you may even get approved for the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card instead, since you’ll be considered for both cards when you apply.

In general, the easiest type of credit card to get is a secured card or an unsecured card for bad credit. There are plenty of credit cards that require fair credit at a minimum, but if easy approval is what you’re after, you’ll want to exceed the card’s requirements rather than just meeting them. Checking for pre-approval will give you a good idea of which credit cards will be easiest to get with your fair credit score.

Easy Credit Cards to Get With Fair Credit

• Best Overall: Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card
• Best for Rewards: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Best for No Annual Fee: Capital One Platinum Credit Card
• Best for a Low Deposit: Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
• Best for No Credit Check: OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

It’s not hard to find easy credit cards to get with fair credit – even ones with rewards. But it is hard to find worthwhile 0% intro APRs on cards for fair credit. So it’s probably best to pay off your balance in full each month. And if you consistently pay on time, you should see your credit score start moving up toward the good credit range.

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 turned down 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.