Secured credit cards are the easiest credit cards to get, with some requiring no credit score at all and deposits as low as $49. If you have bad credit, no credit history, or have been denied for traditional cards, you have several realistic options: secured cards, student cards, store cards, and a small number of fintech cards that skip the traditional credit check entirely.
Secured Cards: The Most Accessible Option
A secured credit card works like a regular credit card, but you put down a refundable cash deposit that serves as your credit line. Because the issuer holds your money as collateral, approval requirements are significantly lower than for standard cards. Most secured cards require a $200 deposit, but some go lower.
The Capital One Platinum Secured Card lets you put down a deposit starting at just $49 for a $200 credit line. That low entry point makes it one of the easiest cards to access if you don’t have much cash upfront. Capital One automatically considers you for a higher credit line after as little as six months of on-time payments.
The Discover it Secured Card doesn’t require a credit score for approval. Your credit line equals your deposit, starting at $200, and Discover begins automatic reviews at seven months to see if you qualify to graduate to an unsecured card and get your deposit back. The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards card requires a flat $200 deposit and also reviews your account for a credit line increase after six months.
The OpenSky Secured Visa is notable because it doesn’t check your credit at all during the application. You need a $200 minimum deposit (up to $3,000). The tradeoff: OpenSky doesn’t offer an unsecured card to upgrade to, so you won’t graduate within the same issuer. The Chime Credit Builder card takes a different approach entirely, letting you fund the card through a linked checking account instead of putting down a traditional security deposit.
Student Cards With No Credit Score Required
If you’re a college student, you’re in a unique position. Card issuers expect students to have thin or nonexistent credit files, so student cards are designed with that in mind. Several charge no annual fee and don’t require an established credit score.
The Discover it Student Cash Back and Discover it Student Chrome both state that no credit score is required to apply. Capital One’s Savor Student and Quicksilver Student cards accept applicants with limited or fair credit. The Connexus Credit Union College Real Rewards Card goes further, advertising no credit check at all.
To qualify, you need to be at least 18. If you’re under 21, you must show some form of income or have a co-signer who is 21 or older. Income doesn’t have to come from a full-time job. Allowances from parents, student loan disbursements, work-study pay, scholarships, and grants all count. None of these student cards charge an annual fee, and they function as regular unsecured credit cards, so no deposit is needed.
Store Cards With Lower Approval Bars
Retail store cards, particularly closed-loop cards that only work at a single retailer, are generally easier to get than general-purpose credit cards. The issuer takes on less risk because your spending is limited to one store, so they can approve applicants with thinner credit profiles.
The Target Circle Credit Card accepts applicants with fair credit (scores around 580 to 669). If you’re denied for the open-loop version that works anywhere Mastercard is accepted, your application can still be considered for the closed-loop version that only works at Target. The Home Depot Consumer Credit Card and the Kohl’s Credit Card both offer prequalification tools, which let you check your approval odds without affecting your credit score.
The Amazon Prime Secured Card is designed for applicants with fair, poor, or no credit. It requires a security deposit starting at $100, making it one of the lower-deposit options among secured store cards. Getting approved for any secured store card tends to be even easier than a standard store card because the deposit reduces the issuer’s risk further.
Fintech Cards That Skip Credit Checks
A growing number of fintech companies evaluate you based on your bank account activity, income, and spending patterns rather than your credit score. These cards can work well if you have income but a damaged or empty credit file.
The Arro Card doesn’t require a credit check. Instead, it uses data like your income and a linked bank account to decide whether you qualify. The Tilt Engage card takes a similar approach, using real-time spending data like income and expenses for its underwriting. In some cases, you’ll need to link a bank account so the issuer can verify this information directly.
For business owners, the Brex Card doesn’t require a personal guarantee or credit check, evaluating your business finances instead. That makes it accessible for startups and small businesses whose founders may not want to put their personal credit on the line.
What to Watch for With Easy-Approval Cards
Cards marketed to people with bad or no credit sometimes carry costs that standard cards don’t. Subprime unsecured cards (cards for bad credit that don’t require a deposit) can charge annual fees, monthly maintenance fees, or processing fees that eat into your available credit before you even make a purchase. A secured card with no annual fee and a refundable deposit is almost always a better deal than an unsecured subprime card loaded with fees.
When comparing options, focus on three things: the annual fee (ideally $0), whether the card reports to all three credit bureaus (this is the whole point if you’re building credit), and whether the card offers a path to graduation. A card that automatically reviews your account and can convert to an unsecured card after six to twelve months means you won’t be stuck putting down a deposit forever. Cards from Discover and Capital One both offer this automatic review process, making them strong choices for people who plan to build their score and move up to better cards over time.