Credit Cards (US)

Best credit building cards of 2021: top choices to rebuild your score

If you need a credit card and to rebuild your score, take a look at some of the best credit building cards of 2021!

Find out everything about the best credit building cards

Check out some of the best credit building cards of 2021! Gettyimages
Check out some of the best credit building cards of 2021! Gettyimages

Before granting you a loan or financing, companies, businesses, and financial institutions verify your credit score as a consumer (the well-known credit score). As a result, persons seeking credit cards with a known low credit score should be patient.

Your credit score is only one aspect of your financial health, but it can have a significant impact on your finances and in your life. When you seek credit, a low credit score can mean paying higher interest rates and fees or even not being approved at all.

With bad credit, you can get a credit card but it won’t be one of the ones that promote generous rewards or unique benefits. Instead, it will be a really basic card. And that is okay. You won’t have to rely on this card indefinitely. The goal is to use it to develop or rebuild your credit before moving on to a more suitable product.

If your credit score is poor or fair, taking measures to improve it can help you qualify for loans with better rates and terms. Fortunately, some credit cards can help you grow credit over time, either by making it easier to get approved or by providing particular credit-building benefits.

This list of the best credit building cards was produced by Forbes Advisor.

The best choices for credit building cards

You can always find a card that suits your need, even if you don't have a high credit score. Source: Gettyimages
You can always find a card that suits your need, even if you don’t have a high credit score. Source: Gettyimages

Even if your credit score is low, you can discover the best credit card for your needs. Compare your options and seek the assistance you require to better your financial situation.

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

For people who do not have a credit score, this can be a great card as it does not require a previous credit record. You can even get cash back rewards with this card, which is something that is not so common with other similar credit build credit cards.

Credit ScoreNo credit record required
Annual Fee$0
Regular APR22.99% variable APR
Welcome bonus*Cashback Match™

*Terms apply
Rewards*1% cash back for every purchase
2% cash back for spendings made at gas stations and restaurants

*Terms apply

Secured Mastercard® from Capital One

The Secured Mastercard® from Capital One requires a refundable security deposit. Your credit limit will be equivalent to your deposit on most secured cards, but this card allows customers who qualify for a smaller deposit to apply.

Credit ScorePoor
Annual Fee$0
Regular APR26.99% variable APR
Welcome bonusNo welcome offer
RewardsNo rewards

Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card

This card has no fees at all, no foreign transaction fees, annual fees, and others. So, this can be a great card for those who are building credit. Also, this card does not require that you have a credit score. And even with all of that, you can get cash back with this card.

Credit ScoreLimited, poor, no credit record
Annual Fee$0
Regular APR12.99% to 26.99% variable APR
Welcome bonusNo welcome bonus
RewardsAfter you make 12 monthly payments with no delay, get cash back of 1.5% on qualifying purchases
1% cash back on qualifying spendings

*Terms apply

Pre-approved credit cards for low credit score available now

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Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

With this card, you might get approved if you have average, limited, or no credit history at all. And also you can get cash back rewards of a 1.5% rate. And you can get more credit in up to 6 months after creating your account.

Credit ScoreAverage, limited, no credit score
Annual Fee$39
Regular APR26.99% variable APR
Welcome bonusNo welcome offer
Rewards*Unlimited rewards in cash back of 1.5%

*Terms apply

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

This credit card is a great choice for people who need to rebuild their credit. Even though it has an annual fee, it has a lower variable APR in comparison with other similar cards. And also you can get this card even if you do not have a bank account.

Credit ScorePoor to average
Annual Fee$35
Regular APR20.39% (variable) on purchases
20.39% (variable) on cash advances
Welcome bonusNo welcome bonus
RewardsNo rewards

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

This card can be great for those who have limited or fair credit scores. And this can be a great low-cost option for you if you want to rebuild credit.

Credit ScoreAverage, limited, no credit history
Annual Fee$0
Regular APR26.99% variable APR
Welcome bonusNo welcome offer
RewardsNo rewards program

Discover it® Student Cash Back

For students who want to build solid credit while in college, we recommend the Discover it® Student Cash Back. To apply, you must be at least 18 years old and a US citizen.

Credit ScoreFair, no credit record
Annual Fee$0
Regular APR 12.99% – 21.99% variable APR
Welcome bonusCashback Match™
Rewards*5% cash back on bonus categories
Cash back match for the first year
$20 in statement credit in every school year

*Terms apply

Avant Credit Card

Even though you will not earn rewards, you can get a credit line of $300 – $1,000. There is only one annual fee and no other.

Credit ScoreFair
Annual Fee$59
Regular APR* 24.99% variable APR

*Terms apply
Welcome bonusNo welcome offer
RewardsNo rewards available

U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Card 

This card is also great for those with a poor credit score and it has a fair variable APR and a $0 annual fee. Even though you have some other relatively high fees, you can choose your due date.

Credit ScoreBad, poor
Annual Fee$0
Regular APR* 23.99% variable APR

*Terms apply
Welcome bonusNo welcome bonus is available
RewardsNo rewards available

Our final thoughts

Traditional banks are trying to innovate to compete with fintechs. Source: Unsplash
Traditional banks are trying to innovate to compete with fintechs. Source: Unsplash

With the introduction of fintech to the market, consumers that have fewer credit points now have some banking options. Traditional institutions, also called banks, have also launched products aimed at this type of audience in order to compete with fintech.

It is feasible to determine the likelihood that you will be unable to pay any expenses over the following 12 months using the score. Around 700 points are the ideal score for registration to be accepted quickly by a credit card company. But, of course, it all depends on that company’s requirements.

5 best cards for low credit score

See throughout this article the best cards for low credit score, as well as information related. Find out which is the best for you!

About the author  /  Thais Daou

Thais Daou holds an undergraduate degree in Languages — Translating and Interpreting from the São Judas Tadeu University. She has been translating, proofreading, and transcribing financial documents, as well as documents from other fields, for five years. And now she begins a new chapter in her career, writing about financial solutions in a simplified way, with a desire to spread this knowledge, which is so important.

Reviewed by  /  Aline Barbosa

Senior Editor

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