Second Chance Credit Cards
WalletHub makes it easy to find the best second chance credit card for you.
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Destiny Mastercard® Destiny Mastercard®

- 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®
Secured Mastercard® from Capital One Secured Mastercard® from Capital One

- No annual fee
- Unlike a prepaid card, there is regular reporting to the 3 major credit bureaus
- Accepted at millions of locations worldwide
- Make the minimum required security deposit and you'll get an initial credit line of $200. Plus, deposit more money before your account opens to get a higher credit line
- Access to an authorized bank account is required to make your $49, $99 or $200 refundable security deposit
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
- We will monitor your account, and as you use it responsibly by doing things like making on-time payments, you may be able to earn back your deposit as a statement credit
- Easily manage your account 24/7 with online access, by phone or using our mobile app
- See More Details & Reviews About TheSecured Mastercard® from Capital One
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

- No credit check necessary to apply. OpenSky believes in giving an opportunity to everyone.
- The refundable* deposit you provide becomes your credit line limit on your Visa card. Choose it yourself, from as low as $200.
- Build credit quickly. OpenSky reports to all 3 major credit bureaus.
- 99% of our customers who started without a credit score earned a credit score record with the credit bureaus in as little as 6 months.
- We have a Facebook community of people just like you; there is a forum for shared experiences, and insights from others on our Facebook Fan page. (Search “OpenSky Card” in Facebook.)
- *View our Cardholder Agreement located at the bottom of the application page for details of the card
- See More Details & Reviews About TheOpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit Indigo® Mastercard® for Less than Perfect Credit

- 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
Applied Bank® Unsecured Classic Visa® Card Applied Bank® Unsecured Classic Visa® Card

- Fast and Easy Application and Approval Process! Click “Apply Now” to apply online
- Reports to All Three Major Credit Bureaus
- Access Additional Credit with On-Time Payments and Responsible Usage
- Fixed APR and Manageable Monthly Payments
- A true Unsecured EMV enabled (chip) Visa Credit card that does not require perfect credit for approval.
- See More Details & Reviews About TheApplied Bank® Unsecured Classic Visa® Card
Reflex Mastercard® Credit Card Reflex Mastercard® Credit Card

- 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 TransUnion* (When you sign up for e-statements)
- 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 fraud liability for unauthorized charges
- $0 monthly fee for the first 12 months. $10.00 per month starting the second year, waived for those with a $750 credit limit
- See More Details & Reviews About TheReflex Mastercard® Credit Card
Fit Mastercard® Credit Card Fit Mastercard® Credit Card

- 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 that Mastercard® is accepted
- Free online account access 24/7
- Checking Account Required
- See More Details & Reviews About TheFit Mastercard® Credit Card
Milestone® Mastercard® - Less Than Perfect Credit Considered Milestone® Mastercard® - Less Than Perfect Credit Considered

- 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
Surge Mastercard® Credit Card Surge Mastercard® Credit Card

- 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 TransUnion* (When you sign up for e-statements)
- 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 credit limit
- See More Details & Reviews About TheSurge Mastercard® Credit Card
First Digital Mastercard® First Digital Mastercard®

- 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®
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What are the best second chance credit cards?

With those criteria in mind, our editors compared 1,000+ credit cards in search of the best second chance offers available. You can find their favorites below.
2021’s Best Second Chance Credit Cards
Best For… | Card Name | Editors’ Rating | One-Time Fee | Annual Fee | Minimum Deposit |
No Credit Check | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | 4.0 / 5 | None | $35 | $200 |
International Travel | Secured Mastercard® from Capital One | 5.0 / 5 | None | $0 | $49, $99 or $200 |
No Security Deposit | Credit One Bank® Visa® Credit Card | 3.0 / 5 | None | $0 - $99 | N/A |
Rewards | Discover it® Secured | 5.0 / 5 | None | $0 | $200 |
Unless you absolutely need an emergency loan, placing a refundable security deposit to open a secured credit card account is the best way to make the most of your second chance. The deposit makes it a lot easier to get approved, and you’ll get it back when you close your account in good standing. An unsecured credit card for bad credit, on the other hand, is likely to have high, non-refundable fees and provide only a very small credit line.
We also recommend signing up for a free WalletHub account to get free credit scores (updated daily) as well as personalized credit-improvement advice.
Questions & Answers
Comparing second chance credit cards 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 moreshow less
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Featured Credit Cards
Ask the Experts
- What incentive does a bank or credit union have to offer second chance credit cards?
- Is it worth giving credit cards a second chance if you've had bad experiences with them in the past?
- What advice do you have for someone who is looking for a second chance credit card?
- Will it be easier or harder to get a second chance credit card 12 months from now?
- Which credit card companies are most and least likely to give a second chance to consumers with negative items on their credit reports?
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Mauricio Rodriguez
Professor and Chair of the Finance Department in the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University
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Lawrence J. White
Robert Kavesh Professor of Economics in the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University
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Richard Kish
Allen C. DuBois Distinguished Professor of Finance at Lehigh University
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Robert H. Scott III
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at Monmouth University
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Sarah Jane Hughes
University Scholar and Fellow in Commercial Law in the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University
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We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. Actual terms may vary. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.
† 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.
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Editorial and user-generated content on this page is not provided, commissioned, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any issuer.