Extra debit card review
- Fee
- From $20 per month
- Minimum deposit to open
- $0
Our verdict
A highly rated debit card that builds credit, but you’ll pay at least $20 per month.
The Extra Card is a credit-building debit card that functions like a secured credit card and can build credit history. It has no interest charges, no credit check, and instead of being backed by a cash deposit, it's backed by an existing bank account. The amount in your linked account sets the spending limit on the card so you can’t spend more than what you actually have. When you use the card, Extra covers the purchase for you and then repays itself with your linked account. Those payments are reported to Experian and Equifax, which helps you build a credit history. But the card comes at a cost — at least $20 per month. You can also earn rewards, but unlocking rewards costs $25 per month.
Best for: Those who want to build credit safely.
Pros
-
No credit check, APR or deposit
-
Reports to Experian and Equifax
-
Credit Building and Rewards plan offers up to 1% back in points
-
Highly rated by customers
Cons
-
$20 or $25 per month
-
Not designed for large purchases
-
No physical branches
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No ATM withdrawals
How it works
The Extra debit card is a type of debit-credit card. To use the Extra card, you must connect an existing bank account. Extra Card’s spending limit is based on your linked bank account balance, called your Spend Balance.
When you use the card, Extra pays for the purchase, and then your Spend Balance pays Extra back for the amount. These paybacks are reported at the end of each month to the credit bureaus Experian and Equifax, which help you build a credit history and, in turn, improve your credit score.
Who is the Extra debit card best for?
Extra is best for those who want to build credit without worrying about debt or a credit check. Extra doesn’t charge interest on your balance, because the balance on the Extra card is automatically repaid.
It’s also best for those with poor credit who can’t get approved for regular credit cards but want to get on the road to repair. It also works well for young borrowers without credit history who want a secure way to start one.
Extra card plans and cost
You’ll choose between two plans for the Extra debit card: Credit Building and Credit Building + Rewards.
| Plan | Cost | Perks |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Building | $20/month or $149/year |
|
| Credit Building + Rewards | $25/month or $199/year | Everything in the Credit Building plan, plus:
|
What we like about the Extra debit card
The crown jewel of Extra’s card is the lack of interest charges. With traditional secured credit cards, you’re required to deposit cash to set the credit limit, and you’re charged interest on your balance if you don’t repay it before the end of the billing cycle. Because Extra’s card balance is repaid automatically, there are no interest charges, and there’s no opening deposit requirement because your linked account balance determines your credit limit.
There’s also no credit check, which isn’t the norm with secured credit cards. While other secured cards are known for less stringent credit score requirements, those with very poor credit histories or those without a credit history may still struggle to get approved by more traditional credit cards.
Reports to Experian and Equifax
Extra reports to two of the three major credit bureaus: Experian and Equifax. Many of these debit-credit cards only report to select bureaus, such as Current, which only reports to TransUnion.
Extra card users mention in reviews, testimonials and Reddit that they’ve seen a large increase in their credit scores generated from Experian’s and Equifax’s reports. Multiple comments and reviews state users saw a 40- to 80-point increase after a few months of consistent usage, and Extra reports their members increased their credit score by an average of 48 points.
Earn rewards with Credit Building + Rewards plan
Extra’s rewards program offers Tokens and Rewards Points, which you can unlock by enrolling in the Credit Building + Rewards plan for $199 per year.
Tokens are rewards for watching videos in the Experiences tab in the Extra App. While Extra doesn’t specify what types of videos you watch, they’re likely advertisements. Tokens are used to enter giveaways in the Extra app, and one Token represents one entry.
For Rewards points, it’s a tad convoluted, but it shakes out to earning around $0.01 for every $1 spent. Each $1 spent equals five reward points, and five reward points can be redeemed for up to $0.01 in the rewards store, depending on when you redeem them. The points don’t expire.
You can redeem points for items in Extra’s Rewards Store. Extra doesn’t provide a list of what you can get, leading us to believe they’re limited-time offers. You can also redeem points for Tokens if you want to enter more giveaways.
Where it falls short
The obvious downside is the cost. You’ll pay either $20 per month or $149 per year for the base plan, or with the Credit Building + Rewards plan it’s $25 per month or $199 annually.
And the rewards may not be worth the extra cost. Rewards are limited to up to 1%, and points can only be redeemed in the Extra rewards store or swapped for Tokens to enter giveaways. If you want more reward options or just want cold-hard cash, you may want to look at traditional rewards credit cards or rewards checking accounts instead.
Also, unlike most traditional debit cards, Extra doesn’t allow ATM withdrawals, and you can’t use it while traveling abroad.
Extra is also an online financial technology (fintech) company, not a bank. Evolve Bank & Trust or Patriot Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC) is the fintech’s bank partner that issues the card. And as an online fintech, there are no physical branches, which can limit your access to customer support. However, the majority of customers mention that Extra’s customer service is very quick and helpful.
Extra Card’s fees and access
| Type of fee | Fee details |
|---|---|
| Monthly or annual fee |
|
| Minimum deposit | $0 |
| Credit score | None |
| APR | 0% |
| Balance transfer fee | N/A |
| ATMs | Doesn’t support withdrawals |
| Overdraft or nonsufficient funds | $0 |
Compare Extra to other credit-building products
Narrow down top credit-building products by fees, opening deposits and features. For a better comparison, tick the Compare box on up to four providers to see benefits side by side.
How to get an Extra card
The Extra debit card requires you to have an existing bank account. The card gets linked to that account, and the balance in that account sets your spending limit for the Extra card.
Extra doesn’t check your credit score when you apply, but you’ll need to enter some information to apply, such as name, phone number, email and date of birth. Extra will send you a code via text to verify your phone number. If approved, you’ll choose a plan, link your account and then receive the card.
Customer experience
Overall, Extra has fantastic customer reviews. It earns a high 4.92-star rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an A- BBB rating. On top of that, there have been fewer than 60 customer complaints in the last three years — most fintech companies have thousands of complaints, so that’s very impressive.
On Trustpilot, Extra earns a strong 4.2-star rating out of hundreds of reviews, and it’s garnered a strong user base and positive reputation in the last five years it has been in business.
Most reviews are happy customers, with many stating they’ve seen marked improvements in their credit scores and how the card helps them budget. And the most surprising feedback we saw: Most reviews state the customer support representatives are extremely helpful and quick to respond, with many customers stating they’re happy to answer questions. For a fintech company with no physical branches, it’s rare to find any positive reviews regarding customer support, so big thumbs up to Extra in that realm.
Credit building card ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Read the full methodology of how we rate credit building cards.
Your reviews
Bethany Finder
Editor, Banking
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