At first glance, the Horizon Gold Card may appear to be a decent option for those looking to build their credit with the help of an unsecured card. But in reality, this card should be avoided at all costs.
That’s because the Horizon Gold Card is not actually a credit card, but instead a store card that offers a line of credit at one online merchant — the Horizon Outlet. Additionally, the Horizon Gold Card charges numerous fees and only reports to one credit bureau.
If you have poor credit, you should instead consider a card that builds credit with the three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion), charges no fees and provides tools to help boost your credit profile, like the Discover it® Secured Credit Card.
Note, the Horizon Gold Card is currently no longer available to new applicants.
Intro Purchase APR
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Regular Purchase APR
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Intro BT APR
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Regular BT APR
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Annual Fee
See Terms*
Cash Advance Fee
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Foreign Transaction Fee
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Balance Transfer Fee
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No credit check
The Horizon Gold Card does not require a credit check or employment to be approved. That said, the card is no longer open to new applicants.
$500 credit line
With the Horizon Gold Card , members receive instant access to a $500 line of credit. Keep in mind, though, this credit line can only be used to purchase merchandise from the Horizon Outlet.
Numerous fees
The Horizon Gold Card comes laden with fees, including a monthly service fee of $24.95 that equals out to be $299.40 per year. At that price, you should seriously consider opening a secured card before applying for the Horizon Gold Card , since many secured cards have low fees or none at all.
Also, there is a one-time $5 account validation fee, on top of shipping fees (which can’t be charged to your Horizon Gold Card account, but instead must be paid using a valid and active U.S. credit card or debit card).
Note, if you are an existing Horizon Gold Card member, a rep from Horizon Card Services informed us that it’s best to log in to your account to verify your card’s membership fees — as it’s possible that these can change based on services offered by the card.
Can't be used outside Horizon Outlet
Unlike traditional credit cards that can typically be used to make purchases everywhere you shop, the Horizon Gold Card can only be used to purchase merchandise at one online retailer: the Horizon Outlet.
Only reports to one credit bureau
If you’re looking to rebuild your credit, know that the Horizon Gold Card only reports to one of the three major credit bureaus. That can backfire if the card isn’t listed with another credit reporting agency a future lender may refer to when determining your creditworthiness. When rebuilding your credit, it’s best to choose a card that reports to all three credit bureaus.
A better alternative to the Horizon Gold Card is a secured card like the Discover it® Secured Credit Card.
Designed for those with poor/limited credit, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card requires a refundable security deposit ranging from $200 to $2,500, which will serve as your line of credit.
The card comes with a $0 annual fee, and unlike the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, does not charge an activation fee or monthly fees.
Plus, the card can be used anywhere Discover is accepted and provides the opportunity to earn rewards on every purchase you make. Discover it® Secured Credit Card members earn 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. Additionally, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Lastly, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card reports your account activity to the three major credit bureaus, and after you’ve had the card for seven months, Discover will begin conducting monthly account reviews to see if you’re eligible to graduate to an unsecured card and get your deposit refunded.
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| Horizon Gold Card | Discover it® Secured Credit Card | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | Jasper Cash Back Mastercard® |
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Apply Now on Discover's secure site
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Apply Now on Capital Bank, N.A.'s secure site
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| Annual Fee | |||
| See Terms* | $0 | $35 | $0 |
| Regular APR | |||
| N/A | 27.99% Variable APR | 22.39% (variable) | 16.99% - 26.49% (Variable) |
| Welcome Offer | |||
| N/A | Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. | N/A | None |
| Rewards Rate | |||
| N/A | 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 | None | Get up to 6% cash back by referring friends! Start with 1% and get an extra 1% for a full year for every friend you bring on board |
| Recommended Credit | |||
| Poor | Poor/Limited | Poor/Limited | Excellent/Good/Fair/Poor/Limited |
| Card Details | |||
| Horizon Gold Card | Discover it® Secured Credit Card | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | Additional card details unavailable |
Although your options can seem extremely limited if you have poor credit, we recommend that you don’t settle for the Horizon Gold Card — due to its excessive fees and restrictions on where you can use the card.
Instead, a card that doesn’t charge fees, offers broad-acceptance and reports to the major credit bureaus — like the Discover it® Secured Credit Card — is a much better choice. Plus, as an added bonus, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card offers cash back on every purchase.
The information related to the Horizon Gold Card has been independently collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
