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Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card review
Numerous fees and a high APR make credit-building difficult.
- Get this card if: you really want a unsecured credit-building card.
- Pick something else if: you qualify for a card with a lower APR and annual fee.
- Apply with a poor credit score of 300 or higher.
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Up to $72
Annual fee
19.45% to 28.45%
Purchase APR (variable)
300
Recommended credit score
Review by
Steven Dashiell
steven.dashiell@finder.comSteven Dashiell is a writer at Finder specializing in all things credit cards. With more than 300 articles under his belt, he aims to help readers embrace credit cards and maximize their rewards. Steve is studying to become a Certified Educator in Personal Finance, and is a frequent face on Finder’s YouTube channel, offering the latest in credit card hacks and advice. His expertise has been featured on numerous outlets, including U.S. News & World Report, Time, CBS, Fox Business, Lifehacker, Martha Stewart Living and more.
Expert review
While the offer to double your credit limit after a few on-time payments sounds enticing, the rest of this card’s features signal red flags. Namely, you’ll pay an annual fee of $0 to $72 and an APR of 19.45% to 28.45% variable, depending on your creditworthiness.
Strong unsecured credit-building cards feel like something of a rarity on the market and the Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card falls squarely into the “read the fine print” pile. Certainly, the card offers some credit-building perks, such as reporting to the major credit bureaus and offering FICO score updates each month. But so do countless other credit cards – albeit without the fees.
If your goal is to build your credit score, you should look to do with while paying as little in fees as possible. With a potential annual fee and a high APR hanging over your head, we recommend you look elsewhere to build your credit.
How to apply for the Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card
To apply for the Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card:
- Click Apply now.
- Fill out the required information to see if you prequalify without affecting your credit score.
What credit score do I need?
Merrick Bank may send offers to apply if you have a poor credit score of 300 or higher.
Compare Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card with two similar cards
Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card
Not yet rated
| Go to site |
|---|
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Minimum credit score 300 |
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Annual fee $0 to $72 |
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Purchase APR 19.45% to 28.45% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards N/A |
|
Welcome offer N/A |
Merrick Bank Double Your Line® Secured Visa® Credit Card
★★★★★
| Go to site |
|---|
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Minimum credit score 300 |
|
Annual fee $36 |
|
Purchase APR 17.45% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards N/A |
|
Welcome offer N/A |
Merrick Bank Secured Visa® from Merrick Bank
Not yet rated
| Go to site |
|---|
|
Minimum credit score 300 |
|
Annual fee $36 |
|
Purchase APR 17.45% variable |
|
Balance transfer APR N/A |
|
Rewards N/A |
|
Welcome offer N/A |
Compare even more credit cards
Card benefits
- Double your credit line. Merrick Bank may double your credit line after you make your minimum payment each month for seven months.
- No penalty rates. You won’t experience a penalty APR for late payments or incur overlimit fees.
- Credit score. You’ll have monthly access to your FICO score.
What to watch out for
- Fees. This card has a higher-than-average number of fees associated.
- High APR. The purchase APR on this card is higher than average at 19.45% to 28.45%.
- Rising credit limit. After seven minimum payments Merrick Bank raises your credit limit. Though this could be a benefit, a higher limit has the potential to lead to debt and overspending.
Fees to watch out for. The Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card carries a sizable number of fees for a credit-building card. These include:
- Annual fee: $0 to $72
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
- High cash advance APR: You’ll pay a variable APR of 24.95% to 33.45% on any cash advance transactions you make with your card.
Bottom line
Given this card’s numerous fees and high APR, it’s hard to recommend the Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card for building credit. Even if you were to use this card perfectly, paying an annual fee is counterproductive to your ultimate goal of financial health.
If you need to build or rebuild credit, we recommend comparing secured credit cards to find one that best suits your financial profile.
