If you’re applying for a secured card, your credit score may not be where you want it. When applying for a credit card, a lender typically makes a hard pull on your credit history — possibly ticking a few points off of your credit score.
To avoid multiple hard pulls on your credit report and protect the credit score you have now, apply for a secured card that doesn’t require a credit check. Pick one and build your credit slowly — and, eventually, you may be able to upgrade to an unsecured card.
Our Pick: Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card
No credit check and a low APR of 13.99% fixed. Credit lines available from $200 to $5000. You decide where you want to start and open your Personal Savings Deposit Account to secure your line.
- $39 annual fee
- 13.99% fixed APR
- Minimum Income Requirement of at least $100 higher than your monthly expenses
Secured credit cards with no credit checks
OpenSky® Secured Visa® vs. Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card
1. OpenSky® Secured Visa®
- No credit check
- No checking account needed
The OpenSky® Secured Visa® makes applying simple as you don’t need a credit history, and there’s no credit check. All you’ll need is a Social Security number, annual income and proof of identity. To open the card, you pay a $35 annual fee and put down at least a $200 security deposit.
Card Details
2. Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card
- No credit check
- Monthly income more than $100
Green Dot primor® Visa® Classic Secured Credit Card doesn’t require a credit check. In fact, it guarantees approval as long as your monthly income is at least $100 more than your monthly expenses. When applying, you’ll need to show a valid identification and Social Security number.
The annual fee is $39, which is deducted from your available credit.
No-credit-check secured cards are pretty rare. Still, running into a credit check doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be approved for a card. For a few cards that are easy to obtain, check out the DCU Visa Platinum Secured and the SDFCU Secured Visa Platinum.
You can get this card by joining the Digital Federal Credit Union. If you don’t meet the membership requirements, all you need to do to fix that is join Reach Out for Schools for $10 at the same time you open a DCU account. Then fund your DCU savings account with a minimum of $5. The Digital Federal Credit Union runs a soft credit check when you apply for its secured card. Regardless, you’re extremely likely to be approved for the card. When you apply for the SDFCU Secured Visa Platinum, the credit union checks your credit. However, it only does so to verify your identity — you’re very likely to be approved regardless of your credit. Keep in mind that the credit check may be a hard inquiry, which may result in a small hit to your credit score. To get this card, you need to become a member of the State Department Federal Credit Union. To do that, you can join the American Consumer Council for $5 or one of the many other affiliates. You also need to open an SDFCU savings account with a minimum of $1.Card Details
Other cards that come with easy approval
Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card
Eligibility to join the DCUCard Details
State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU) Secured Visa Platinum Card
Card Details
Common questions about secured cards
