Green Dot Bank secured credit cards

Green Dot Bank is a secured-card provider known for its primor® products. Though it charges a higher annual fee than other providers, it offers relatively low purchase APRs.

Best of Green Dot credit cards

The Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card and Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card are the bank’s two best cards. One offers the bank’s lowest annual fee, while the other provides an excellent purchase APR.

Best for low annual fee
Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card

Credit recommended (300-579) Read review

300
Min. credit score

$39
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

This is Green Dot's secured card with the lowest annual fee. It's still high compared with many other good secured cards, but it offers a relatively low purchase APR.

• Relatively low purchase APR. You'll receive a fixed purchase APR of 13.99%. The average credit card APR is around 16% variable.
• Minimum deposit: $200 This is a standard minimum deposit for a secured credit card.
• Payment history reported to the three major credit bureaus. Green Dot Bank reports your account activity and responsible payments to TransUnion, Experian and Equifax to build or rebuild your credit score.

Annual Fee	$39
Purchase APR	13.99% fixed
Balance transfer APR	N/A
Welcome offer	N/A
Rewards	N/A

Best for low purchase APR
Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card

Credit recommended (300-579) Read review

300
Min. credit score

$49
Annual fee

n/a
Rewards

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card comes with an even higher annual fee than the Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card. But it also offers an even better APR on purchases — one that few other cards match.

• Low purchase APR. The card offers a low fixed purchase APR of 9.99%. This is lower than even most unsecured cards.
• Minimum deposit: $200. This is a standard minimum deposit for a secured credit card.
• Payment history reported to the three major credit bureaus. With responsible use and timely payments, you'll get help with building or rebuilding your credit score. Green Dot reports your account activity to TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.

Annual Fee	$49
Purchase APR	9.99% fixed
Balance transfer APR	N/A
Welcome offer	N/A
Rewards	N/A

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Compare Green Dot Bank credit cards

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Name	Product	Filter values	Minimum deposit required	Purchase APR	Annual fee	Recommended minimum credit score
Green Dot primor® Mastercard® Classic Secured Credit Card			Starting at $200	13.99% fixed	$39	300	Designed for those with little or poor credit, the Green Dot primor® Mastercard® Classic Secured Credit Card has no minimum credit score requirements and no processing or application fees to worry about.	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card			Starting at $200	13.99% fixed	$39	300	Open a personal savings deposit account to secure a credit line from $200 to $5,000.	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Green Dot Platinum Visa® Secured Credit Card			Starting at $200	19.99% fixed	$39	300	The power to build your credit with reporting to the three major credit bureaus.	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Green Dot primor® Mastercard® Gold Secured Credit Card			Starting at $200	9.99% fixed	$49	300	Low fixed interest rates with no penalty rate.	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card			Starting at $200	9.99% fixed	$49	300	Fast, easy application process with no processing or application fees.	View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
CardMatch™ from creditcards.com			See terms	See issuer's website	See terms	300	Use the CardMatch tool to find cards you're likely to qualify for with your credit score, without a hard pull on your credit.	See offer View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How to apply for a Green Dot card

To apply for a Green Dot card, you must be at least 18 years old. If you live in Alabama or Nebraska, you must be at least 19. If you live in Mississippi, you must be at least 21.

Apply for the card in four easy steps:

1. Visit the Green Dot website.
2. Complete the application with your name, address and other details.
3. Fund your security deposit with a minimum of $200.
4. Review your information and submit your application.

Typical card features and benefits of a Green Dot credit card

• Secured card. All Green Dot credit cards are secured cards, meaning you must deposit a certain amount of money before you can use the card. Should you decide to close your account, Green Dot will return your deposit if you have no outstanding debt.
• Low deposit amount. To use a Green Dot credit card, you can make a deposit as low as $200. However, try to deposit more if possible, so you can keep your utilization rate low.
• No credit check. Green Dot won’t make a hard pull on your credit when you apply for any of the cards.
• No minimum credit score required. Apply for a Green Dot card even with poor credit.
• Reporting to the major credit bureaus. Your responsible spending and payments are reported to Experian, TransUnion and Equifax.

Green Dot rewards program

Green Dot credit cards don’t offer rewards. That’s typical for secured cards, which rarely offer points or cash back.

Many personal-finance experts recommend treating your secured card solely as a means to build credit. With consistent on-time payments, you’ll slowly increase your credit score. And a higher credit score will ultimately help you qualify for rewards cards that earn you points, miles and cash back on your spending.

What to watch out for

There are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to apply for a Green Dot secured card:

• They don’t offer rewards. None of Green Dot’s secured credit cards offer any form of rewards. Rewards are rare on secured cards, but there are options available, especially if your credit isn’t too shabby.
• Assorted fees. You’ll find annual fees on several Green Dot secured cards, ranging from $39 to $49 annually. These cards also carry foreign transaction fees.
• Few perks. You won’t find much in the way of additional perks or benefits on these cards, even for the “Platinum” offering.

How does Green Dot keep my credit card information secure?

It’s not easy to find security information on Green Dot’s site. But SEC filings indicate that it encrypts sensitive data submitted through its forms and applications and over its app. It also says it implements necessary computer safeguards and keeps its files and buildings safe.

Full list of Green Dot credit cards

Bottom line

Green Dot’s secured cards offer a low purchase APR for an annual fee, helping you to steadily build your credit score with reporting to the major credit bureaus.

If you’d rather not pay a fee to improve your credit, find a secured card that better meets your needs.

Frequently asked questions

• What is the highest secured deposit I can make with a Green Dot credit card?

  The maximum amount you can deposit is $5,000.

• Should I carry a balance on my credit card?

  You can — Green Dot cards have relatively low APRs. But consider paying off your balance in full each month to build strong financial habits while building your credit.

• Am I guaranteed for card approval?

  No. Green Dot says approval is easier than for other secured cards, but it can deny you if you don’t meet its requirements.