Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own. Advertiser Disclosure

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card review

This card requires no credit history or minimum credit score.

finder.com’s rating: 3.6 / 5

★★★★★

  • Get this card if you have a poor credit score or you have no credit history at all.
  • Pick something else if you want a cashback card or a card without an annual fee.
  • Apply with no credit history or with a poor credit score.
No reviews yet. Write a review
Avatar
Megan Horner
Last Updated

$49

Annual fee

14.24%

Purchase APR (variable)

300

Recommended credit score

Details

Annual fee$49
Welcome offerN/A
RewardsN/A
Purchase APR14.24% variable
Balance transfer APRN/A
Minimum credit score300
IssuerMastercard
Apply now

Review by

Megan Horner is head of publishing at Finder, where she leads a team that's focused on publishing personal finance guides and reviews that help readers make informed financial decisions. She's passionate about helping you find the best financial accounts to meet your needs — whether that's earning great rewards or improving your credit score.  Megan's expertise has been featured on Lifehacker, CreditCards.com, American Banker and news broadcasts across the country. She has a longstanding background in surfacing the best deals and helping people make decisions, including a start as a writer at a comparison website and editing credit card and credit score content at Credit Karma. She earned a degree in English and editing from Brigham Young University.

Expert review

The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card requires no credit history or minimum credit score. It has a low variable APR for purchases — which makes the card unique — but it comes with a high annual fee of $49. If you’re fine with this combination, this card could be a good choice if you want to rebuild your credit.

By making a deposit, you have control to set your initial credit line. With responsible spending, you might even get to increase your credit line by depositing additional funds.

How to apply for the First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card

You can apply for the card if you’re at least 18 years old or 19 in Alabama and Nebraska, you’re a US citizen or a permanent resident in the US. Here’s how to apply:

  1. Learn more about how to apply for First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card.
  2. Complete the application with your personal details.
  3. Once you agree to the terms and conditions, you’ll set up your deposit.
  4. Confirm that your information is correct and click Go to payment to complete your application. If you’re not approved for the card, First Progress will return your security deposit.

How long will it take to get my First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card?

First Progress needs three weeks to make a decision on your application. If you don’t hear any information by then, contact their support.

Go to site

What credit score do I need?

You don’t need a credit history or a minimum credit score to apply. However, approval is not guaranteed upon application.

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card benefits

  • Build your credit. Synovus Bank reports to all three major credit agencies every month. With timely payments, you’ll build your credit score and can eventually apply for a better card.
  • Control your credit limit. The size of your credit limit is determined by your deposit. You can start with as little as $200 and go up to $2,000. With approval, you can add additional funds to your deposit and raise your credit limit up to $5,000, which is the maximum for this card.
  • No minimum credit score to apply. If you’ve just started your credit-building journey, or if you’ve had credit difficulties in the past and want to rebuild your credit, you can apply for the card without worrying about having a minimum score.
  • Low APR. The annual percentage rate for purchases made with this card is 14.24% variable. This is low when compared to other cards, some of which can have APRs up to 26%.
Go to site

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card drawbacks

  • Annual fee. This card has an annual fee of $49, which will be applied to your balance.
  • Foreign transaction fee. If you use this card when traveling abroad, you’ll pay an additional 3% of the transaction for each purchase.
  • Penalty fees. A late payment can cost you up to $41, and a returned payment up to $30.
  • Limited customer service. At the moment, there’s no phone number for potential customers to call. Support is limited to online help for current customers or postal mail.
  • Upfront security deposit. First Progress requires you to fund the security deposit of at least $200 before you know whether you’re approved.
Go to site

Compare First Progress credit cards

First Progress cardAnnual feeAPR
The First Progress Platinum Elite MasterCard® Secured Credit Card$2924.24% variable
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card$4914.24% variable
First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card$3918.24% variable

Compare secured cards

If this card isn’t right for you, compare other secured cards on the market. Consider factors such as annual fee, APR and security deposit requirements,

1 - 3 of 5
Name Product Filter values Minimum deposit required Purchase APR Annual fee Minimum credit score
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
$49, $99 or $200
29.74% variable
$0
New to credit
First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
Starting at $200
18.24% variable
$39
300
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
Starting at $200
14.24% variable
$49
300
loading

Compare up to 4 providers

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card reviews and complaints

Satisfied customers claim the card has managed to help them build their credit score considerably in a few months time. Those who aren’t satisfied complain about poor customer service and hidden fees. To avoid this, make sure you read your card’s agreement.

Synovus Bank earns an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau where it’s been accredited since 2013. As of August 2021, Synovus Bank has more than 260 complaints, more than half of which have been resolved.

Bottom line

If you typically carry a balance, this card could be a strong choice, as it has the lowest APR on purchases compared to its First Progress siblings. But if you always pay your balance on time, The First Progress Platinum Elite MasterCard® Secured Credit Card and its lower annual fee could suit you best.

If you’re still not sure which credit card is best for you, check out other secured cards and compare your options.

Credit card ratings

★★★★★ — Excellent

★★★★★ — Good

★★★★★ — Average

★★★★★ — Subpar

★★★★★ — Poor

Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.

We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.

Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.

Ask an expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our finder.com Terms of Use and Privacy and Cookies Policy.
Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our finder.com Terms of Use and Privacy and Cookies Policy.

4 Comments

    Default Gravatar
    Rediman
    March 15, 2018

    By applying for this card, will there be an additional inquiry on my credit report.
    Can I choose to make and initial deposit of $ 3,000.00 for my credit line or even more up to $ 5,000.00?

    Reply
      Avatarfinder Customer Care
      Rench
      March 21, 2018

      Hi,

      Thanks for your inquiry.

      Yes, any new applications you make for credit will directly affect your credit score. Keep in mind that you don’t need to be approved for the application for it to be listed on your credit file and therefore affect your credit.

      For the initial deposit/security deposit, you must maintain a security deposit of at least $200 in a non-interest bearing deposit account at Synovus Bank if approved. This can be increased, with approval, by adding funds to your initial deposit, up to $5,000. This security deposit sets your credit limit.

      You may contact First Progress directly to inquire further by clicking on the ‘Go to site’ button on this page.

      Best regards,
      Rench

      Reply
    Default Gravatar
    Dray
    September 15, 2017

    First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard Secured Credit Card – does this card require credit check

    Reply
      Default Gravatar
      Ash
      September 15, 2017

      Hello Dray,

      Thanks for reaching out to us.

      For the The First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard Secured Credit Card, it does not rely on your credit rating rather on the security deposit that you will make which will also be your line of credit. Then with approval, you can increase your credit limit by also increasing your initial deposit.

      I hope this helps.

      Let us know if there is anything else that we may assist you with.

      Cheers,
      Ash

      Reply
Go to site