Credit cards with no credit check

What are credit cards with no credit check?

Credit cards with no credit check allow you to get a credit card without needing to submit to a hard inquiry on your credit file. Many people want to get no-credit-check credit cards because they have bad credit or no credit history. Others want these types of cards to avoid damage to their credit scores from a hard inquiry.

There are several types of no-credit-check credit cards to choose from. These include secured, prepaid and student credit cards. You can also avoid a credit check if you sign up as an authorized user on someone else’s account. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to get a regular unsecured credit card without submitting to a credit check.

No-credit-check credit card options in Canada

Some of the main types of credit cards with no credit check you may want to consider include:

Secured credit cards

Secured credit cards require you to put a deposit down to secure your credit limit. Your provider can use this deposit to pay off your balance if you default on your payments. Otherwise, you’ll get it back when you close out your card and make your last payment. You can use secured credit cards to build your credit score, but you have to pay interest on them and they usually don’t come with benefits or rewards. Compare secured credit cards that require no credit check in the table above.

Prepaid credit cards

Prepaid cards are available from financial institutions as well as at your local grocery store in some cases. All you need to do is buy or sign up for one, and preload money onto your account to start spending. When that money runs out, you simply load in more (kind of like making payments in advance). These cards don’t charge interest or come with rewards and they won’t help you build credit.

Compare prepaid credit cards with no credit check

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Name	Product	Monthly fee	Cost per transaction	Foreign transaction fee	Rewards with this card	Feature
OFFER KOHO Prepaid Mastercard KOHO Prepaid Mastercard	OFFER	$0	$0	1.5%	0.5% cash back	Use promo code FINDERCODE and receive a $20 cash bonus into your KOHO balance once you make your first purchase within 30 days of signing up.	Earn 0.5% cash back on every eligible purchase. KOHO offer credit-building through their prepaid card for an extra monthly fee.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CIBC AC Conversion Visa Prepaid Card CIBC AC Conversion Visa Prepaid Card		$0	$0	0%	1% cash back		Load up to 10 currencies. Avoid foreign transaction fees. Plus, you'll be entered for a chance to win 2 Air Canada plane tickets for each CAD$250 equivalent load in any foreign currency onto your card from June 1 to August 31, 2022, or a chance to win $150 cash back on your prepaid card in June, July or August.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
OFFER KOHO Premium Prepaid Card KOHO Premium Prepaid Card	OFFER	$9/month or $84 annually	$0	0%	Up to 2% cash back	Use promo code FINDERCODE and receive a $20 cash bonus into your KOHO balance once you make your first purchase within 30 days of signing up.	Earn 2% cash back on transportation, grocery and restaurant purchases. Plus, get a 30 day free trial. KOHO offer credit-building through their prepaid card for an extra monthly fee.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Compare credit cards that allow you to sign up as an authorized user

If you can’t find a suitable no-credit-check credit card or you’d like a more premium credit card without needing to meet eligibility criteria, you can become an authorized user on a friend’s or family member’s account. This will let you spend money on their card without the need for a credit check. Just be aware that the benefits and rewards on the card will remain in the primary cardholder’s name.

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Name	Product	Welcome Offer	Rewards	Purchase Interest Rate	Annual Fee		Min. Credit Score	Description
Scotiabank SCENE Visa Card Scotiabank SCENE Visa Card		5,000 points	Up to 5 points per $1 spent	19.99%	$0	Apply now More Info	Min. recommended credit score: 660	Earn 5,000 bonus Scene+ points when you spend a minimum of $750 on eligible purchases in the first three months as a new SCENE Visa cardholder. Apply by August 31, 2022.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
BMO CashBack Mastercard BMO CashBack Mastercard Finder Award		5% cash back	Up to 3% cash back	19.99%	$0	Apply now More Info	Min. recommended credit score: 660	Get 5% cash back on all eligible purchases in the first three months of card membership (up to max. spend of $2,500). Plus, get a rate of 1.99% on balance transfers with a 1% balance transfer fee for nine months.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
BMO AIR MILES Mastercard BMO AIR MILES Mastercard Finder Award		800 Miles	Up to 3x Air Miles for every $25 spent	19.99%	$0	Apply now More Info	Min. recommended credit score: 660	Get 800 AIR MILES Bonus Miles (enough for $80 towards purchases with AIR MILES Cash). Get a rate of 1.99% on balance transfers for 9 months. A 1% fee applies to transferred balances.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
OFFER Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card	OFFER	10% cash back	Up to 2% cash back	19.95%	$0	Apply now More Info	Min. recommended credit score: 600	Earn 10% cash back (up to $100) on up to $1,000 of purchases in the first 2 months Until July 31, 2022. Plus, get a 1.95% interest rate on balance transfers for the first 6 months (valid within the first 30 days of account opening, 1% transfer fee applies).	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
EXCLUSIVE Neo Financial Mastercard Neo Financial Mastercard	EXCLUSIVE	Get $25.00	Average 5% cash back	19.99% - 24.99%	$0	Apply now More Info	Min. recommended credit score: 600	Get $25 when you sign up for the Neo Financial Mastercard. Plus, earn bonuses like 15% cashback on your first purchase at most partners, and earn an average of 5% cashback at thousands of partners and at least 1% cashback guaranteed.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
SimplyCash Card from American Express SimplyCash Card from American Express		4% cash back	Up to 1.25% cash back	19.99%	$0	Apply now More Info	Min. recommended credit score: 700	Earn 4% cash back on purchases (up to $200 cash back) for the first 6 months of Cardmembership.	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Student credit cards with no credit check

Many student credit cards don’t require you to submit to a credit check, or at the very least they will accept you with little or no credit history. These cards tend to come with few benefits and you’ll have to be a post-secondary student at an eligible institution in order to qualify. You can use these cards to build your credit score and you’ll have to pay interest on them. They are also more likely than other no-credit-check credit cards to come with benefits and rewards.

How to compare credit cards with no credit check in Canada

You can compare the following features to find the best no-credit-check credit cards for your personal situation:

• Type of credit card. You’ll want to think about which type of credit card with no credit check makes the most sense for you. Choose a prepaid card or sign up as an authorized user on someone else’s account if you simply want to shop online. Select a secured or student credit card if you want to build credit.
• Interest rates. Most credit cards with no credit check charge 19.99% for purchases and 21.99% for cash advances. You should avoid paying more than this wherever possible. You may also be able to qualify for a lower interest rate with some providers if you shop around.
• Eligibility criteria. You can qualify with many no credit history credit cards as long as you’re the age of majority in your province and a permanent resident of Canada. If you can’t meet these criteria, you may want to consider a prepaid credit card.
• Provider. When deciding on a credit card with no credit check, you can choose from many providers. Look for a card with an establishment you trust and make sure that the card is tailored to your lifestyle.

Who can qualify for credit cards with no credit check?

It depends on the credit card, but most providers require you to meet these basic eligibility criteria:

• Be 18 years old or the age of majority in your province or territory
• Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident with a valid Canadian address
• Have a working bank account (this is sometimes not a requirement – it varies between providers)

Not a Canadian citizen? Find out what credit cards you can qualify for as a temporary resident

How to get a credit card with no credit

You can follow these steps to apply for credit cards with no credit check:

1. Compare credit cards with no credit check. Look at a number of cards from different providers to find the card that makes the most sense for you.
2. Apply for the card of your choice. Apply for the credit card of your choice by visiting the main site of the provider you’re interested in.
3. Fill out application details. Provide personal information such as your full name, address, email and phone number to start your application.
4. Review final details. Read the fine print of your contract so that you understand the terms and conditions of your no-credit-check credit card.
5. Click submit. Click submit on your application or call your credit card provider directly to apply over the phone.

Tips for applying

While each provider’s criteria is different, there are some general things you can do to increase your chances of getting approved for credit cards with no credit check:

• Check eligibility criteria. Check criteria for the credit card you want, including minimum income, age and residency status requirements.
• Find out your credit score. Contact Equifax or TransUnion to see your credit score so that you know which cards you can qualify for.
• Gather your paperwork. Make sure you have the documents you need on hand before making an application (for example, bank account details and annual income details).

Bottom line

There are many credit cards with no credit check you can choose from if you have bad credit or no credit. You may also want to consider these cards if you’d like to protect your credit report from a hard inquiry. Compare different types of no-credit-check credit cards and find out which one could make the most sense for your personal situation.

Frequently asked questions about applying for credit cards with no credit check

• Are there no credit check credit cards for low credit scores?

  Yes, you can usually use all of the credit cards listed in this article if you have poor credit. That said, you may need to meet other eligibility criteria such as having a certain income or meeting an age threshold. You can find out more about getting credit cards for low credit scores here.

• Can I use a no-credit-history credit card to build my credit score?

  Yes. The best no-credit-check credit card to use if you want to build your credit score is a secured credit card. You can also check out our list of credit builder credit cards for more information about suitable options.

• How long does it take to be approved for a no credit check credit card?

  You can apply for a no-credit-check credit card in about 10-15 minutes online and usually find out within moments if you have been approved. If a provider needs to consider your application further, it may take up to two weeks to receive a response. It's usually a good idea to do an eligibility check first before making a formal application to determine your chances of approval.