A secured credit card is a type of credit card that requires the user to place a security deposit to open the account, which the card’s issuer holds as collateral until the account is closed. Secured credit cards are the easiest type of credit card to get, and they usually have low annual fees. A secured credit card can also help you build or rebuild your credit, just like a “normal credit card.”
The one thing a secured credit card generally won’t give you is the ability to actually borrow money. Most secured credit cards are fully secured, which means your spending limit will equal your deposit amount.
How a Secured Credit Card Works
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You place a refundable security deposit using a bank transfer
A debit card or check could be an option, too, depending on the card. Some secured cards require you to place a deposit when you apply, others after you’re approved. The minimum deposit for most secured cards is $200 or $300.
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The amount of your deposit becomes your spending limit
This prevents you from spending more than you can afford to repay, which benefits both you and the card issuer in the long run. For what it’s worth, you can usually add to your deposit over time for more spending power.
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The credit card company holds your deposit as collateral
The funds are usually kept in a custodial account that does not bear interest.
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Purchases and payments are the same as with any other credit card
You can spend up to your credit limit. You’ll have to pay your bill by the due date each month. And any balance you carry from month to month will accrue interest.
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You get the deposit back when you close your account
You’ll have to bring your account balance to zero first. But after you do (or the issuer subtracts what you owe), you’ll get a check or bank transfer returning your deposit money.
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Graduate to an unsecured card
After using a secured credit card responsibly for at least 12 months, you should be able to graduate to an unsecured credit card. Your secured card’s issuer might even offer to convert your account to unsecured by giving back your security deposit. If your card doesn’t charge an annual fee, you should definitely consider keeping it open. This would help make your credit history appear longer, benefitting your credit score.
You can track your progress for free on WalletHub. You will be able to see your latest credit score and report, which are updated daily. You’ll also receive personalized credit-improvement advice to help you graduate to an unsecured card sooner.
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To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide on how secured credit cards work.
Opinions and ratings are our own. This report is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.
Best Secured Credit Card Examples
You won’t truly understand secured credit cards until you get into the nitty-gritty with some actual offers. So WalletHub’s editors compared dozens of secured cards and picked some of the best, most popular offers for you to consider. Each of their selections, which you can check out below, is a great example of what you should look for in a secured credit card.
Here are some of the best secured credit cards:
| Info | Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | First National Bank of Omaha Secured Visa® Card | Citi® Secured Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $35 | $0 | $0 |
| Bonus Offer | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rewards Rate | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Purchase Intro APR | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Transfer Intro APR | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Regular APR | 30.74% (V) | 22.64% (V) | 25.49% (V) | 27.74% (V) |
| Editors' Rating | 5 | 4 | N/A | 4.6 |
| Details, Rates & Fees | Learn More Rates & Fees | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
Secured credit cards with no annual fee aren’t always available. But if you can find one, getting it and paying your bill in full and on time every month will leave you with a better credit score and more money.
Secured Credit Card Alternatives
If you have bad credit and don’t need a small emergency loan, there’s no need to even consider other options. A secured credit card is definitely your best bet. It’s just a matter of finding the best one for your needs. And we generally recommend starting with any no annual fee offers that are available and then using rewards as a tiebreaker. You shouldn’t worry about interest rates because you shouldn’t carry a balance from month to month with a security card. You have to pay the security deposit, so you’d basically be lending money to yourself and charging a high rate of interest on the balance.
If you have damaged credit and need a line of credit to pay for emergency expenses, you’ll have to make do with an unsecured credit card for bad credit. Such cards are known for charging extremely high rates and fees for very little added spending power. So they should be avoided whenever possible.
If you have limited or no credit, secured credit cards may have some competition. For example, some starter credit cards don’t charge annual fees or require a security deposit. And even better, student credit cards add lucrative rewards to the mix.
Finally, it’s worth noting that prepaid cards won’t be of much help in terms of either credit building or short-term financing. Prepaid cards don’t affect credit scores because they’re not included in our major credit reports. And they don’t provide any sort of loan or line of credit. They’re more like debit cards without the checking account.
Bottom Line
The only thing that’s unique about a secured credit card is the security deposit that you have to place to get one. This deposit generally doubles as your spending limit, preventing you from charging more than you can afford to repay. So you’re not really borrowing anything with a secured credit card, which is why such cards are easy for even people with bad credit to get.
The deposit requirement also helps explain why secured credit cards are so much cheaper than unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit. Repayment for balances racked up with an unsecured card isn’t guaranteed, so issuers charge non-refundable fees to compensate.
The combination of high approval odds and low fees make secured cards the best tool available for building or rebuilding your credit.
If you still have questions about secured credit cards, you can probably find the answer on WalletHub’s Secured Card FAQ page
