
Sign up & start saving!
Get our weekly newsletter for the latest in money news, credit card offers + more ways to save
After you receive your offer code, click the Respond To Offer link on The Build Card website.
Enter your offer code, application ID, ZIP code and Social Security number, and proceed to the application, which will ask you for personal information like your contact details and annual income.
People with poor credit have few options for unsecured cards. Most lenders are simply unwilling to take a chance on so-called subprime borrowers.
The issuer of The Build Card — a company called FS Card — takes a different tack. Rather than shy away from customers with poor credit, it actively scopes out “deep subprime” borrowers with credit scores of between 300 and 600. To be clear, you can’t apply for The Build Card on a whim: You must be invited by FS Card.
The Build Card is a mixed bag of positives and negatives. On one hand, it’s an unsecured card, so it doesn’t require a security deposit like a secured card does. It also comes with a respectable $500 starting credit limit.On the other hand, you’ll have to pay $125 to open the card (a $53 one-time account set-up fee and a $72 annual membership fee). The card also offers no grace period before charging you interest on purchases — a significant downside and something that is rare for credit cards in general.
How does credit card interest work?
Ultimately, it’s best to consider The Build Card only if you’re in a serious cash crunch and have no other options but to borrow money. The card comes with a high 29.9% variable APR for purchases and cash advances, but that’s better than what you’ll get with a payday loan (as long as you pay your balances in good time).
If your primary goal is to build credit, strongly consider passing on The Build Card. A secured card will likely be a better option — you’ll need to put down a security deposit, but the money will still be yours. Many excellent secured cards have no annual fees and require low deposits.
Currently, you must be invited to apply for The Build Card. When you apply, you need to input the offer code that was sent to you.
If your credit score is higher than that range, consider a card for fair credit. If your credit score is lower than that range, look for a secured credit card — and especially consider one that doesn’t require a credit check.