5 Apps Like Self to Build Credit

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If you’ve heard of Self, you’re likely aware of its reputation for credit-building tools like credit-builder loans, rent reporting, and secured credit options.

But if Self isn’t right for you, we’ve rounded up other credit-building apps. Many offer similar products like credit-building loans and rent reporting, but a few have entirely different tactics.

5 apps like Self for building credit

Most similar to Self: Kikoff
Secured card with 0% APR: Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card
Flexible credit-builder loans: Credit Strong
For an all-in-one finance app: Cleo
Building credit with subscription payments: Grow Credit

Alternative for most similar to Self

Kikoff Secured Credit Card

9.4 Excellent

Go to site on Kikoff's secure site Read review

Self offers various credit-building options, but so does Kikoff. It provides credit-builder loans, a revolving line of credit, dispute tools, and rent reporting services. It's a great pick if you need multiple ways to build credit all on one app. However, some features are state-restricted, monthly fees may apply, and only the Kikoff Secured Credit Card reports to all three major bureaus.

Fee	From $20 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$50

Pros

Multiple credit-building options

Credit-builder loans

Rent reporting and dispute tools

No hard credit check
Cons

Limited customer support options

Only one product reports to three bureaus

Some products are state-restricted

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
Fee	From $20 per month
ATM transaction fee	$0
Foreign transaction fee	0%

Fee	From $20 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$50

Go to site on Kikoff's secure site Read review

verified_user FDIC Insured

Alternative for a secured card with 0% APR

Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

10 Excellent

Go to site on Chime's secure site Read review

The Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is an accessible option for building credit with no interest or monthly fees, and it doesn't perform a hard credit check when you apply. This secured card helps you responsibly manage credit without interest charges. However, to get the Credit Builder card, you must have a Chime Checking account.

Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

Pros

No hard credit check

0% APR

No annual or monthly fees
Cons

Requires a Chime Checking Account

Limited to users who receive direct deposits

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
Fee	$0 per month
ATM transaction fee	$0
Overdraft fee	$0
Foreign transaction fee	0%

Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.
Credit builder: To apply for Credit Builder, you must have an active Chime® Checking Account.
Security deposit: Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
Building credit: On-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®, Experian®, and Equifax®. Impact on your credit may vary, as Credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations.
No interest: *Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer.
SpotMe:SpotMe® on Credit Builder is an optional, no interest / no fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account available to qualifying members with an active Chime Credit Builder Account. To qualify for the SpotMe on Credit Builder service, you
must receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account each month and have activated your physical secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card or Chime Visa® Debit Card. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Secured Deposit Account up to $20, but may later be eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on Chime account history, direct deposit
frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. The SpotMe on Credit Builder Limit will be displayed within the Chime mobile app and is subject to change at any time, at Chime’s or its banking partners’ discretion. Although Chime does not charge any overdraft fees for SpotMe on Credit Builder, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions and fees associated with OTC cash withdrawals. SpotMe on Credit Builder won’t cover non-card transactions. SpotMe on Credit Builder Terms and Conditions.

Fee	$0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

Go to site on Chime's secure site Read review

verified_user FDIC Insured

Alternative for flexible credit-builder loans

CreditStrong

Go to site on CreditStrong's secure site Read review

Credit Strong offers almost too many credit-builder loans to count, letting you choose from a variety of flexible terms and a payment period that works for you. However, Credit Strong charges APR and administrative fees, with the exact cost depending on the loan you choose. But you receive your funds at the term's end, minus fees and interest.

Fee	From $28 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

Pros

Various terms and amounts to choose from

No hard credit check

Personal and business options

Reports to three major credit bureaus
Cons

Charges APR as fee for service

Administrative fees

Pricing isn't always transparent

Not available in Vermont or Wisconsin

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
Fee	From $28 per month

Fee	From $28 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

Go to site on CreditStrong's secure site Read review

Alternative for all-in-one finance app

Cleo Credit Builder Card

8.8 Great

Go to site on Cleo's secure site Read review

Cleo offers a mix of budgeting and credit-building tools, making it an ideal pick for those new to credit who want financial guidance in a single app. Cleo includes the Credit Builder Card, a secured card with no interest charges that reports payments to all three major credit bureaus. Beyond credit-building, it provides insights into spending and savings, cashback rewards, budgeting tools, and an AI that roasts or praises your financial habits. But its Credit Builder subscription costs $14.99 per month.

Fee	$14.99. per month
Minimum deposit to open	$1

Cleo offers a mix of budgeting and credit-building tools, making it an ideal pick for those new to credit who want financial guidance in a single app. Cleo includes the Credit Builder Card, a secured card with no interest charges that reports payments to all three major credit bureaus. Beyond credit-building, it provides insights into spending and savings, cashback rewards, budgeting tools, and an AI that roasts or praises your financial habits. But its Credit Builder subscription costs $14.99 per month.
Pros

Combines credit-building with budgeting tools

Offers cash advances for users who qualify

Cashback, budgeting, and AI chat
Cons

Credit Builder costs $14.99 per month

Secured card must be fully paid each month

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
Fee	$14.99. per month
ATM transaction fee	$2.50

Fee	$14.99. per month
Minimum deposit to open	$1

Go to site on Cleo's secure site Read review

verified_user FDIC Insured

Alternative for building credit with subscription payments

Grow Credit

9 Excellent

Read review

If you want to boost your credit score with subscriptions you already pay for, this app is worth considering. Grow Credit helps you build credit by paying subscription services like Netflix or Spotify through its app. It offers three plans, each allowing a different number of subscriptions. The base plan, called Build, is free for the first 12 months and lets you report up to $17 in monthly subscriptions. Grow Credit also reports to all three major credit bureaus.

Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

If you want to boost your credit score with subscriptions you already pay for, this app is worth considering. Grow Credit helps you build credit by paying subscription services like Netflix or Spotify through its app. It offers three plans, each allowing a different number of subscriptions. The base plan, called Build, is free for the first 12 months and lets you report up to $17 in monthly subscriptions. Grow Credit also reports to all three major credit bureaus.
Pros

Build plan free for the first year

Simple and automated credit-building process

Compatible with 100+ subscriptions

Reports to three major bureaus
Cons

Limited to subscription payments only

Build plan $2.99 monthly after first year

Annual Percentage Yield (APY)	N/A
Fee	From $0 per month

Fee	From $0 per month
Minimum deposit to open	$0

Read review

How Self compares

Self is a credit-building app that helps users improve their credit score through accessible credit-builder loans, rent and utility reporting, and more. Its credit-building loans require monthly payments into a locked savings account, with funds returned at the term’s end minus fees. Self reports your credit-building loan payments to all three credit bureaus.

It also offers free rent reporting, and for a premium, Self adds utility and phone bill reporting, credit monitoring, and a Lookback option to report up to two years of past payments. It also provides secured card options, but that may require a hard credit check. For some products, you’ll have to watch for monthly or annual fees, administrative fees, and credit score requirements.

Pros

Free rent reporting
Credit-building loans
Secured credit card options
Most products report to all three bureaus
Credit monitoring services

Cons

Utility reporting only for one bureau and a fee
Some services have one-time or monthly fees

Bottom line

Choosing the right app for building credit ultimately depends on your specific financial goals. While Self is a popular choice, our top alternatives may better fit your needs, whether you’re looking for no hard credit checks, budgeting assistance, or subscription-based credit-building.

For more comparisons, check out our comprehensive guide on credit-building options.

Thank you for your feedback!

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Bethany Hickey

Banking editor

Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto. Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt. Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others. Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full bio

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Bethany has written 449 Finder guides across topics including:

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Apps Like Kikoff Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card Review

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Apps Like Self

Compare top credit-building alternatives if Self isn’t the right fit.

5 apps like Self for building credit

Alternative for most similar to Self

Alternative for a secured card with 0% APR

Partner terms and conditions

Alternative for flexible credit-builder loans

Alternative for all-in-one finance app

Alternative for building credit with subscription payments

How Self compares

Bottom line

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