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Whether you’re new to credit, recovering from bad credit, or just don’t want to risk a hard inquiry on your credit report only to get a rejection notice, you have options.
LendingTree evaluated credit cards that are easiest to get approved for with straightforward terms so you won’t be smacked with expensive and often unexpected fees issuers of subprime credit cards usually charge you.
Typically, subprime cards are marketed to those with bad credit and often come with a variety of fees, including an annual fee, a monthly account servicing fee, and more, making them very expensive tools to rebuild your credit. They also tend to have very high interest rates. If you’re trying to rebuild credit, we recommend avoiding subprime cards and applying for a secured card instead.
| Easiest Credit Cards to Get Approved For | |
| Best for no credit check | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card |
| Best secured card | Discover it® Secured Credit Card |
| Best unsecured card | Capital One Platinum Credit Card |
| Best card for students | Discover it® Student Cash Back |
| Best retail card | Target REDcard™ Credit Card |
| Best business card | Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business |
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card — issued by Capital Bank — is a no-frills card that doesn’t require a credit check when you apply.
It’s a secured credit card, meaning you must submit a security deposit of a minimum of $200 to the issuer that will be equal to your credit limit (with a maximum security deposit of $3,000).
In other respects, it works the same as an unsecured credit card. It’s aimed at consumers with limited/bad/poor credit who want to improve their credit score and reports account and payment activity to all three credit bureaus.
If you’re worried about incurring a hard inquiry on your next card application (which can temporarily knock down your credit score), consider the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. It’s unique in that it doesn’t run a credit check when considering your application, though other financial factors will be considered. It’s a secured card, meaning you’ll have to submit a security deposit that will serve as your credit limit. You can get the deposit back if you pay off and close the card.
The downside to this card is that it charges an annual fee of $35 without offering any rewards, nor does the issuer give you an opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured card, as some competing secured cards do after you show responsible usage. However, if you want to avoid a hard inquiry, this card could allow you to improve your score and eventually get approved for a card without an annual fee or one that offers cash back or travel rewards.
This card’s regular purchase APR is 17.39% (variable).
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card — issued by Capital Bank — is a no-frills card that doesn’t require a credit check when you apply.
It’s a secured credit card, meaning you must submit a security deposit of a minimum of $200 to the issuer that will be equal to your credit limit (with a maximum security deposit of $3,000).
In other respects, it works the same as an unsecured credit card. It’s aimed at consumers with limited/bad/poor credit who want to improve their credit score and reports account and payment activity to all three credit bureaus.
If you’re worried about incurring a hard inquiry on your next card application (which can temporarily knock down your credit score), consider the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. It’s unique in that it doesn’t run a credit check when considering your application, though other financial factors will be considered. It’s a secured card, meaning you’ll have to submit a security deposit that will serve as your credit limit. You can get the deposit back if you pay off and close the card.
The downside to this card is that it charges an annual fee of $35 without offering any rewards, nor does the issuer give you an opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured card, as some competing secured cards do after you show responsible usage. However, if you want to avoid a hard inquiry, this card could allow you to improve your score and eventually get approved for a card without an annual fee or one that offers cash back or travel rewards.
This card’s regular purchase APR is 17.39% (variable).
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is unique among secured cards in that it offers a rewards program — 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
Discover also makes it easy to upgrade to an unsecured credit card. After you’ve used your card for eight months, Discover will start conducting monthly reviews of your account to see if you’re eligible to upgrade and get your deposit back.
There’s also an excellent signup bonus for new cardmembers: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Whether you’ve struggled with credit in the past or are completely new to credit and want to get off to a great start, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help you on your journey.
It’s a secured credit card, meaning you must submit a security deposit (a minimum of $200 up to $2,500) equal to the amount of your credit line. In the event you don’t pay off what you charge to the card, Discover will use the deposit to recoup that loss. In other respects, secured cards function just like regular credit cards (also known as unsecured cards).
A great feature of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card is that it earns cash back. Unlike some unsecured cards for bad credit, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card doesn’t hit applicants with expensive fees and confusing terms. It’s consistently one of our top credit card choices for building credit.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is unique among secured cards in that it offers a rewards program — 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
Discover also makes it easy to upgrade to an unsecured credit card. After you’ve used your card for eight months, Discover will start conducting monthly reviews of your account to see if you’re eligible to upgrade and get your deposit back.
There’s also an excellent signup bonus for new cardmembers: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Whether you’ve struggled with credit in the past or are completely new to credit and want to get off to a great start, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help you on your journey.
It’s a secured credit card, meaning you must submit a security deposit (a minimum of $200 up to $2,500) equal to the amount of your credit line. In the event you don’t pay off what you charge to the card, Discover will use the deposit to recoup that loss. In other respects, secured cards function just like regular credit cards (also known as unsecured cards).
A great feature of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card is that it earns cash back. Unlike some unsecured cards for bad credit, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card doesn’t hit applicants with expensive fees and confusing terms. It’s consistently one of our top credit card choices for building credit.
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is pretty much a no-frills credit card. It doesn’t offer a rewards program, but it is available to those whose credit is average/fair/limited.
It’s an unsecured card, meaning you don’t have to submit a security deposit — and you’re likely to get a higher credit limit than the standard $200 security deposit that you would be required to submit for a secured card. After demonstrating responsible usage on this card, you might be able to upgrade to another Capital One card offering cash back or miles.
If you carry a balance from month to month on your Capital One Platinum Credit Card, you will be subject to a high purchase APR of 26.99% (variable). That said, high interest rates are relatively common for credit cards designed to help you build or establish credit.
If you’re looking for a credit card that doesn’t require a security deposit that is designed for consumers with average/fair/limited credit and could be used to improve your credit score, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card could help.
In addition to offering unlimited access to your credit score, the $0 annual fee card automatically reviews your credit line after six months to see if you qualify for a higher credit limit. Know that your initial credit limit may be low, which is typical for cards marketed to individuals looking to rebuild their credit profiles.
The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is pretty much a no-frills credit card. It doesn’t offer a rewards program, but it is available to those whose credit is average/fair/limited.
It’s an unsecured card, meaning you don’t have to submit a security deposit — and you’re likely to get a higher credit limit than the standard $200 security deposit that you would be required to submit for a secured card. After demonstrating responsible usage on this card, you might be able to upgrade to another Capital One card offering cash back or miles.
If you carry a balance from month to month on your Capital One Platinum Credit Card, you will be subject to a high purchase APR of 26.99% (variable). That said, high interest rates are relatively common for credit cards designed to help you build or establish credit.
If you’re looking for a credit card that doesn’t require a security deposit that is designed for consumers with average/fair/limited credit and could be used to improve your credit score, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card could help.
In addition to offering unlimited access to your credit score, the $0 annual fee card automatically reviews your credit line after six months to see if you qualify for a higher credit limit. Know that your initial credit limit may be low, which is typical for cards marketed to individuals looking to rebuild their credit profiles.
If you’re a college student over the age of 18 with a steady source of income, the Discover it® Student Cash Back has a lot to offer.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Plus, the sign-up bonus is a great value if you put most of your spend on this card the first year you have it Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 6 months on purchases, after which a 12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR will apply.
Finally, Discover offers a good grades credit for up to five years. Each school year that your GPA is 3.0 or higher, you can get a $20 statement credit.
Students willing to keep track of bonus categories can maximize their cash back with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, while also building credit through responsible credit practices.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back offers a higher cash back rate on purchases that fall into specific categories (such as Amazon, grocery stores and restaurants) that change every quarter. Cardholders are required to activate those categories in order to earn the higher cashback rate.
Despite the effort required to activate a new category every quarter, the Discover it® Student Cash Back’s rewards program along with its $0 annual fee make it hard to beat.
If you’re a college student over the age of 18 with a steady source of income, the Discover it® Student Cash Back has a lot to offer.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate, 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Plus, the sign-up bonus is a great value if you put most of your spend on this card the first year you have it Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
This card also offers an intro APR of 0% for 6 months on purchases, after which a 12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR will apply.
Finally, Discover offers a good grades credit for up to five years. Each school year that your GPA is 3.0 or higher, you can get a $20 statement credit.
Students willing to keep track of bonus categories can maximize their cash back with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, while also building credit through responsible credit practices.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back offers a higher cash back rate on purchases that fall into specific categories (such as Amazon, grocery stores and restaurants) that change every quarter. Cardholders are required to activate those categories in order to earn the higher cashback rate.
Despite the effort required to activate a new category every quarter, the Discover it® Student Cash Back’s rewards program along with its $0 annual fee make it hard to beat.
While no credit card is ever a guaranteed approval, you should have a better shot at getting one of the cards on this list. Some provide opportunities to upgrade to better cards down the road. And while others may not have an option to upgrade, they can still help you increase your credit score with responsible usage, which can help you qualify for a better card down the road.
Once approved, make sure to pay your balance in full each month and keep your utilization ratio low. A good rule of thumb is to never use more than 30% of your credit limit — so if you have a card with a $500 limit, don’t charge more than $150 to it at any time.
You should also keep an eye on your credit score to make sure your credit card usage is having the desired effect. There are resources where you can do this for free, such as the LendingTree app.
Finally, for tips on smart credit usage, take a look at how one credit card user managed to raise his score by 100 points in 30 days.
The above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.
