A fair credit score is between 560 and 659, falling above poor scores and below good and excellent scores. Here are the best credit cards for fair credit in Canada, including credit cards for a 600-650 credit scores.
| Best no-fee credit card for cash back and fair credit: | RBC Cash Back Mastercard | $0 annual fee | Go to site | |
| Best no-fee travel card for fair credit | Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard | $0 annual fee | ||
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| Best no-fee credit card for everyday spending | Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card | $0 annual fee | ||
Exclusive + Get a $200 digital Visa Card when you get a Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card online through Finder. Become a Finder Member in seconds for free to claim your reward. Offer ends April 30, 2026. T&Cs apply. | ||||
| Best cash back credit card for fair credit: | Neo Mastercard | $0 annual fee | Go to site | |
| Best entertainment credit card for fair credit: | Scotiabank Scene+ Visa Card | $0 annual fee | Go to site | |
| Best fair credit card with no annual fee: | Scotia Momentum No-Fee Visa Card | $0 annual fee | Go to site | |
Compare more credit cards for a 600-650 credit score
Alternative: Borrow up to $500 from a cash advance app
Get funds within minutes, with apps offering 0% interest and either no or low subscription or membership fees. Cash advance apps accept all credit scores and offer instant approval and e-Transfer funding.
Getting a credit card for fair credit in Canada can be tough as there are limited options available. While strengthening your credit score to apply for premium cards, consider getting a prepaid card or secured credit card for non-cash purchases.
Prepaid cards are a lot like debit cards. You must deposit funds into your account to use it, so you can only spend what you have. Additionally, prepaid cards are not reported to credit bureaus and won’t help improve your credit score.
The upside is that these cards are easy to get and can be used to make online purchases.
Secured credit cards also require a deposit, which becomes your credit limit and is used as collateral in case you miss repayments.
Secured credit card payments are reported to credit bureaus, so these cards can be used to increase your credit score over time.
Worried you might not stay on top of credit card repayments? Consider getting a personal loan instead. With a fair credit score of 560 to 659, it’s possible to qualify for loans at—or even above—what you could get with a credit card. But be prepared for higher interest rates, especially for cash advances and other cash-like transactions.
The advantage of getting a personal loan over a credit card for fair credit is that you’re committed to a predictable schedule of fixed repayments that lowers your balance, not just maintains it. Credit is provided entirely upfront and isn’t revolving, so it’s not as easy to get stuck in a cycle of borrowing.
Compare personal loans for fair credit here.
Credit builder loans are specialized loans that are designed to help rebuild your credit. Lenders of these types of loans report your on-time payments to the credit bureaus, ensuring that every payment gets logged and your credit score increases faster than it would with a regular loan.
The downside of credit builder loans is that they sometimes come with higher interest rates (because most people applying for one have bad credit). You should generally try to avoid providers that charge excess fees to set up your credit builder loan.
Credit scores in Canada range from 300 to 900 points. The “magic number” is said to be around 660. A credit score higher than 660 is regarded as being in the “good,” “very good” or “excellent” range, while anything under 660 is regarded as “fair” or “poor.” A fair credit score sits just below the “good” credit range, starting at around 560 and going up to 659.
In simple terms, a fair credit score in Canada means that you pose a medium level of risk to banks and other lenders when it comes to defaulting on your loan. The lower your score is, the more risk lenders perceive and the less money you’ll be able to qualify for.
That’s why it’s important to maintain your score and take measures to improve your ranking where possible.
We asked Canadians if they planned to take out loan products during the first quarter of 2025. Among those that said they were, 12% planned to borrow from credit cards, followed by lines of credit (11%) and car loans (6%). The least popular choices were payday loans (4%), debt consolidation loans (3%) and business loans (3%).
A fair credit score will still qualify you for many credit cards, but your options will be more limited and you won’t be able to take advantage of some of the most generous credit card offers on the market. But a fair credit score is very close to a good score. A little extra financial effort could improve your score and give you access to credit cards with better perks.
Finder | Tangerine credit cards March promotion.
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