Secured Credit Card Guide

The best secured credit card with rewards is the Discover it® Secured Credit Card because it has a $0 annual fee and offers 2% cash back on up to $1,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants combined every quarter. It also gives 1% back on all other purchases, and Discover matches all your cash back earned during the first year. 

Best Secured Credit Cards with Rewards

Rewards are among the few factors that you should consider when choosing a secured credit card, along with the annual fee and the minimum deposit requirement. Paying an annual fee just to get rewards only makes sense if the amount you'll earn exceeds both the fee and your expected earnings with a cheaper card combined. 

By the way, all of these cards report to the credit bureaus on a monthly basis, giving you the chance to build credit with on-time payments.

The best secured credit card with no annual fee is the Discover it® Secured Credit Card because it gives 1 - 2% cash back on purchases and has a 0% foreign transaction fee to go along with its $0 annual fee. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card also matches 100% of the cash rewards a new cardholder earns the first year. And it reports to all 3 major credit bureaus each month.

Best Secured Credit Cards with No Annual Fee

As you can see, there are several really good secured credit cards with no annual fee, and they're available even to people whose credit is damaged. Any no annual fee secured credit card is an excellent way to start building up a positive payment history and rebuilding one's credit score.

Eventually, it will be easier to qualify for unsecured credit cards with better terms. But unsecured cards for people with poor credit almost always charge annual fees. 

One of the best secured credit cards with a low deposit is the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card because new cardholders may be able to put down either $49, $99 or $200 and still get a $200 credit line, which would make the card only partially secured. And there's a $0 annual fee.

Other secured cards don't have the potential to be quite as cheap, but there are a few really good options with a $200 minimum deposit. That's still pretty low compared to several secured cards that ask for $300-$500+.  

Here are some good secured credit cards with low deposits:

$49, $99 or $200 minimum deposit. $0 annual fee and $0 foreign transaction fee. $200 starting credit limit.

$200 minimum deposit. $0 annual fee and 3% foreign transaction fee.

$200 minimum deposit. $35 annual fee. 3% foreign transaction fee. No credit check when you apply.

$200 minimum deposit. 1.5% cash back on every purchase. $0 annual fee. $0 foreign transaction fee.

Capital One Platinum Secured doesn't guarantee a low deposit, but it does offer the chance of one. If your credit is toward the bottom of the bad credit range, you'll probably still have to put down a $200 deposit. But the higher your credit score is, the better chance you'll have of being assigned a low deposit.

The best secured credit card to rebuild credit is the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card because of its low deposit requirement and $0 annual fee. The deposit is $49, $99 or $200, depending on your credit standing, but you're guaranteed a $200 credit limit.

Another good option is the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. It doesn't even require a credit check when you apply, which makes it great for rebuilding really bad credit. Or, if you want to enjoy some perks while you rebuild, Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a rare secured card with rewards. You get 1 - 2% cash back on your purchases.

To be clear, all major secured credit cards can help you rebuild your credit. They all report account information to the major credit bureaus every month. And all those with low annual fees and low deposit requirements are in the running for the top spot. But the Discover it Secured Credit Card, Capital One Platinum Secured and OpenSky cards each bring something special to the table.

Best Secured Credit Cards to Rebuild Credit

Choosing the best secured credit card to rebuild credit is only the first step toward actually rebuilding. You must also use that card responsibly month after month so that positive information flows to the credit bureaus. Regularly adding positive information to your credit reports gradually covers up negative records from the past.

Your card will report positive information as long as you pay your bill on time every month. Using less than 30% of your spending limit each month or paying multiple times per month can help too. But if you really want to rebuild your credit, you'll need to get the rest of your finances in order as well. That means paying down debt, catching up on past-due accounts and steering clear of collections accounts.

One of the best secured credit cards with no credit check is Secured Sable ONE Credit Card because it gives 2% cash back at Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Uber, Uber Eats, Spotify, and Whole Foods, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus, this card has a $0 annual fee. There are, however, a few more secured credit cards with no credit check to choose from.

Best Secured Credit Cards with No Credit Check

The annual fees on secured credit cards with no credit check range from $0 to $48 per year. The Sable Credit Card requires a $10 security deposit. The rest of the cards require a minimum deposit of $200. All these cards report information to the big 3 major credit bureaus each month. So, any of them can help you immediately begin rebuilding your credit.

Still, it's important to note that even a secured credit card with no credit check has some approval requirements. You have to be at least 18 years old, for one thing, and you need enough money for the refundable security deposit as well as your monthly bill payments.

Why You Shouldn't Rule Out Secured Cards With a Credit Check

Before you apply for a secured credit card with no credit check, make sure you actually need it. Even secured cards that require a credit check are pretty easy to get. They're meant for people with bad credit, and the refundable security deposit you place reduces the risk for issuers.

Individual issuers may have specific requirements that rule some people out. For example, you can't get most secured cards with a non-discharged bankruptcy on your credit report. But there are plenty of other cards whose main requirement is that you have enough money to fund the security deposit. Plus, while they may do a credit check, most applicants should still get approved.

What You Need to Know About Credit Checks

Keep in mind that the hard inquiry that comes with a credit check shouldn't be too big of a deal, if you end up opening an account. The score damage will be temporary. And you won't be able to qualify for any worthwhile loans until you improve your score anyway. So, if you don't need the best possible score right now, taking a short-term hit to achieve long-term gains is the way to go.

Finally, if you're nervous about getting rejected, you can check for pre-approval before applying. Pre-approval doesn't mean you're guaranteed an account. But it is a sign that your odds of approval are extremely high. If after all that you're not confident in your ability to get approved, you can always go for a secured credit card with no credit check.

The best secured credit card for no credit is the Discover it® Secured Credit Card because it has a $0 annual fee, gives 1 - 2% cash back on purchases, and doubles the rewards cardholders earn the first year. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card requires a refundable security deposit of $200 or more, for a credit limit equal to the deposit amount. But it also offers the chance to graduate to an unsecured card after at least seven months of on-time payments.

Another good secured credit card for no credit is the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card. This card gives 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases and requires a minimum deposit of $200, which will be your credit limit.

Best Secured Credit Cards for No Credit

In general, secured credit cards offer good approval odds to people with limited or no credit. They're designed for rebuilding credit, after all, and even people with bad credit scores can get approved. But even the best secured credit cards should only be a backup plan for people with no credit.

There are also unsecured credit cards for no credit with no deposit required. Student credit cards are the best deals, with $0 annual fees and more than 1% back on purchases. But other people with limited credit should be able to find a good offer, too. So, you might want to try for an unsecured card for no credit first and then settle for a secured card if you don't get approved.

The best secured card that graduates to unsecured is Bank of America Custom Cash Secured Card. Bank of America periodically reviews accounts for possible graduation and it reports to all 3 major credit bureaus. With this card, you also get 3% cash back in a category of your choice, 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (up to $2,500 spent quarterly in the 3% and 2% categories combined), and 1% back on all other purchases. 

Best Secured Cards That Graduate to Unsecured

When your secured card graduates to an unsecured card, your credit line no longer needs to be secured with collateral. So when you graduate, the initial deposit you made to open the account will be refunded. You may get to keep the same physical credit card, or you may be migrated to another one. Either way, you'll keep the good credit history you've earned with your secured card.

You should put at least $200 on a secured credit card, especially if you want to use the card for everyday purchases. The deposit you put down on your secured credit card will also function as your credit limit in most cases, so putting down very little will make using your card more difficult.

Most secured credit card issuers require a minimum deposit of $200 to $300 to open an account, and many have a maximum deposit amount as well. Some cards, like the Secured Sable ONE Credit Card, have the potential for lower starting deposits. But generally, the lower your starting deposit is, the lower your credit limit will be.   

Top Secured Credit Cards by Minimum Deposit

*You must make a deposit from a Sable One bank account, but you can choose the amount.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how much money you want to put down. Having a higher credit limit can make it easier to maintain credit utilization below 30%, which is good for your credit score. The downside, of course, is that the more you're able to spend on purchases, the harder it might get to pay your credit card bill on time. Paying your bill when it's due is one of the best ways to build credit with a credit card, so you will want to make sure your card's limit isn't set too high and you are able to keep your spending in check.

The best secured credit card that reports to all 3 bureaus is the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card. The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Card reports to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion each month, giving cardholders the opportunity to build credit. Capital One Quicksilver Secured also has a $0 annual fee, rewards cardholders with 1.5 - 5% cash back on purchases, and requires a minimum deposit of $200.

Best Secured Credit Cards That Report to All Three Credit Bureaus

It's important to note that many secured credit cards report to all three major credit bureaus. You can usually find out if a card reports before you apply by contacting the issuer directly or checking the terms online to see if they include that information. People looking to get a secured credit card should also consider the minimum deposit, recurring fees, and any rewards the card includes in addition to which credit bureaus the issuer reports to. You can compare our editors' picks for the best secured credit card offers on WalletHub.

Yes, secured credit cards are worth it for people with limited or bad credit who are looking to build their credit and can afford to put up a security deposit. Secured credit cards often have $0 annual fees, rewards and high approval odds, and they can help you improve your credit score if you pay the bills on time.

When a Secured Credit Card Is Worth It

• When you have limited or bad credit. Secured credit cards are good for people with bad or limited credit because they are easy to get, thanks to the collateral requirement that reduces the risk for the issuer. Some secured cards don't even require a credit check when you apply. On the other hand, people with higher credit scores can get cards with no deposit requirement, better rewards and/or lower interest rates.
• When you are looking to build credit. The primary purpose of a secured credit card is to build credit. If that is your main objective and you want an easy credit card to get, these cards are much more cost-effective than unsecured alternatives for bad credit.
• When you can afford the security deposit. A secured card requires a security deposit, which is usually a minimum of $200 to $300, to open the account. The amount of this deposit usually becomes your credit limit. You won't have access to your deposit again until you close the account with a $0 balance or upgrade to an unsecured card.
• When you know you can pay on time. Making late payments hurts your credit score, which defeats the purpose of using a secured card. Ideally, you should not only pay on time each month, but also pay your balance in full. That way, you will build your credit as efficiently as possible while avoiding interest charges.

It's worth noting that there are also unsecured credit cards for bad credit, and it's fair to wonder whether secured cards are worth it compared to them. In general, these unsecured cards often have expensive, non-refundable annual fees (while secured cards often have $0 annual fees), and their APRs tend to be higher because of the lack of collateral. However, some unsecured credit cards for people with no credit may be better than their secured card alternatives.