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Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card review
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A solid credit-building card with a low APR on purchases.
- Get this card if you want to build your credit with a secured card.
- Pick something else if you want an unsecured card or don’t want an annual fee.
- Apply with no credit history or with poor credit score.
$49
Annual fee
9.99%
Purchase APR (fixed)
300
Recommended credit score
Details
| Product Name | Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Card type | Visa |
| Annual fee | $49 |
| Purchase APR | 9.99% fixed |
| Balance transfer APR | N/A |
| Cash advance rate | 18.99% fixed |
| Cash advance fee | $5 or 5% of the cash advance amount, whichever is greater |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3% of the transaction value |
| Interest free period | Up to 25 days |
| Late payment fee | Up to $29 |
| Returned payment fee | Up to $29 |
| Additional cardholder fee | $29 |
Expert review
Review by
Kliment Dukovski
kliment.dukovski@findercrew.comKliment Dukovski is a credit cards writer. He's written over 600 articles to help readers find and compare the best credit cards. Kliment has also written on money transfers, home loans and more. Previously, he ghostwrote guides and articles on foreign exchange, stock market trading and cryptocurrencies.
Expert review
The Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card has a $49 annual fee, which is relatively high for a secured card. The tradeoff is a 9.99% fixed purchase APR, which is a very low rate.
As your payment history is reported to the credit bureaus, you can mprove your credit if you spend responsibly and make on-time payments. Green Dot Bank, the issuer of this card, advertises easy approval as long as you meet simple requirements like verifying your identity and address. Just watch out for the numerous fees, ncluding card replacement, credit limit increase and upgrade fees.
To get this card, you must maintain at least $200 in an interest-bearing savings account, which also acts as a security deposit and a credit limit.
Card benefits
- Build your credit.
The card reports to all three major credit bureaus — TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. This makes it easier to build your credit with responsible use and on-time payments. - Easy application.
There’s no application fee and it takes minutes to complete. It also doesn’t require a credit check.You can apply with a poor credit score or without any credit history. - Fixed APR.
The card comes with a fixed APR of 9.99%. This is on the lower end, considering other cards can have an APR as high as 26%. - Credit limit.
You can deposit from $200 up to $5,000 in a savings account at Green Dot Bank. You can’t use this amount to make payments since it acts as your credit line. You can increase your credit limit by depositing more funds into your savings account in $50 increments. - FDIC insured.
Get peace of mind knowing your deposit at Green Dot Bank is FDIC-insured.
What to watch out for
- Annual fee.
The card comes with an annual fee of $49. Every additional card will cost you $29. Your annual fee and any additional card costs will immediately be applied to your balance once your card is approved. - Foreign transaction fee.
Each purchase made abroad will cost an additional 3% of the transaction. - Cash advance limit.
The amount of any cash advance you make will be limited to half of your credit line. For example, if your credit line is $200, you can take cash advances of up to $100.
What should I know before I apply?
You have to be at least 18 years old — 19 in Alabama and Nebraska, 21 in Mississippi — and have no more than one open credit card with Green Dot Bank. Also, you must have a credit, debit or prepaid card.
Apply with the following information on-hand:
- Full name and contact details.
- Social Security number and date of birth.
- Monthly income and expenses.
- The amount you intend to deposit.
By clicking Next step during your application process, you accept to receive emails and digital newsletters from Green Dot’s marketing partners.
How to apply for the Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card
- Go to the provider's site and click Apply now.
- Fill out the application form with all required details.
- Review your application and submit it.
What credit score do I need?
There is no credit check when you apply for the card. This means you can have bad, limited or no credit history.
How long will it take to get my Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card?
It usually takes a few minutes to get a decision from Green Dot. If more information is needed, however, it could take up to a few business days.
You should get your card in 7 to 10 days once you’ve been approved.
Compare secured cards
What do customers say about the Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card?
Most complaints relate to poor customer service and slow payment processing, sometimes taking up to 10 days. However, some customers claim they managed to get faster payment processing of up to 2 days by using the Green Dot Credit website.
Those who were satisfied with the card claim they managed to increase their credit score in just a few months by responsibly using the card.
I got the card. Now what?
- Download the Green Dot app on your mobile device. Use it to make payments, send money, set up alerts and more.
- Pay on time. Your due date is 25 days after the close of each billing cycle. If you pay by then, you’ll avoid paying up to a $29 fee. Also, with timely payments, you can build your credit score.
- Customer support. Call Green Dot’s customer support at 866-795-7597 if you have questions.
What is Green Dot?
Green Dot is the largest prepaid debit card company in the world. Apple Pay Cash, Uber and Intuit all use Green Dot’s technology.
Bottom line
The Green Dot primor® Visa® Gold Secured Credit Card could be a good choice if you’re looking to build your credit. Make timely payments and spend responsibly to help boost your credit score. The card comes with some fees, however, so be sure to read the fine print.
You can also consider other secured credit cards to find a card that fits your needs.