Looking for a credit card with no credit check?

If you’ve got bad credit, then frustratingly, the lowest rate and most premium cards are likely to be unattainable right now. However, almost all card issuers now offer quick and easy “soft search” checks so you can find out whether or not you’d be approved before you apply. Crucially, these don’t involve a “hard search” of your credit file (which would have a very slight negative impact on your credit score).

Even better, you can also use comparison sites or other brokers to run soft-search checks with multiple card issuers in one go. If they’re doing a good job, they’ll be checking cards for high credit scores and cards for low credit scores so that users can identify the best deals that they’d be likely to get approved for.

If you’re not sure what your credit score looks like, it’s easy to find out for free.

Open Banking in the UK has been growing rapidly, with over 16 million active users. Open Banking can assess how creditworthy you are as an applicant by looking at your finances overall, including your spending habits and savings, not just your credit history like a “hard” or “soft” search does.

What are my options?

If you have a bad credit score – or perhaps have no credit history at all – then a credit builder credit card could be a good place to start. While the interest rates are high and the credit limit is low, you can enjoy some of the benefits of credit card ownership while you build up your score with regular payments.

Unlike many mainstream credit cards that have introductory interest-free offers or reward bonuses, credit builder cards usually offer a standard interest rate from the get go. There are usually few benefits or rewards. These cards are designed to act as a stepping stone to better credit cards as your score improves over time.

Alternatively, if you’re struggling to find approval for a credit builder, then consider a prepaid card. This isn’t a credit product, but you can use it like a credit card to pay for purchases in-store and online. It’s easiest to think of it like a gift card which you load with funds before using. There are no interest charges, but many prepaid cards do include admin or load fees.

All about prepaid cards

Finder’s tips for getting your application approved

While each lender’s criteria on deciding whether to lend money is different, there are some general things you can do to increase your chances of approval.

• If the card issuer has got one, use an eligibility check before applying. Find out your realistic chances of getting a credit card before making an application.
• Find out your credit score. Contact Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to see how you score. Certain factors could be affecting your score, like admin mistakes or not being on the electoral roll, which could easily be rectified.
• Make sure you give all the correct information and documents to hand before making an application (e.g. bank account details, annual income details) when you apply.
• Check lender’s basic eligibility criteria (e.g. minimum income, new customer).

It usually takes about 10-15 minutes to apply online and you usually know whether you’re approved in moments. Occasionally, some providers may require further information and your application could take up to two weeks to be processed.

Dos and don’ts

Credit card providers have different reasons for accepting or rejecting your application.

Here are some important dos and don’ts to help you increase your chances of approval and how to manage your credit card once you have it.

Credit builder and student credit cards

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8 of 28 results

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Finder Score	Annual/monthly fees	Initial credit limits	Minimum income	Representative APR	Incentive
7.4Great 118 118 Money Guaranteed Rate Card	7.4Great	£0	Min. limit £500, max. limit not specified.	£8400	49%	Representative example: Representative 49% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 49% p.a. (variable).	£15 Reward Finder Rewards: Get a £15 bank transfer when you join Finder. T&Cs apply.	Check View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
9.9Excellent Barclaycard Forward Credit Card	9.9Excellent	£0	Min. limit £50, max. limit £1,200.	£0	33.9%	Rate discounts: 3% interest rate reduction if you make all your repayments on time for the first year, and a further drop of up to 2% more if you continue to do so in the second year. Representative example: Representative 33.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 33.9% p.a. (variable).	Check View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6.5Standard John Lewis Thrive Credit Card	6.5Standard		Min. limit not specified, max. limit not specified.	Not specified	34.9%	Representative example: When you spend £1,200 at a purchase rate of 34.95% (variable) p.a., your representative rate is 34.9% APR (variable).	Check View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
6.8Standard Tymit Credit Card	6.8Standard	£0	Min. limit £500, max. limit £15,000.	Not specified	29.9%	Representative Example: 29.9% (variable) based on a borrowing of £1200 over 12 months with no annual fee.	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
5.6Standard Vanquis Bank Ltd Credit Builder Credit Card	5.6Standard	£0	Min. limit £250, max. limit £2,500.	Not specified	37.9%	Representative example: Representative 37.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,000. Rate of interest 37.9% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.5Great Yonder Credit Card (Free Membership) Finder Award	8.5Great	£0	Min. limit £500, max. limit £15,000.	£25000	31.6%	Earn 1 point for every £1 spent and up to 5 points per £1 at partner locations and choose a dining, fitness or ticketed experiences in London, Manchester, Bristol or Bath. Travel experiences are available nationwide. Representative example: Representative 31.6% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 31.6% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
8.3Great Tesco Bank Foundation Credit Card Finder Award	8.3Great	£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit not specified.	£5000	29.9%	5 points per £4 spent (£4 minimum) in Tesco and 1 point per £8 spent (£8 minimum) outside Tesco. Must have available credit to earn points. Points are converted to Tesco vouchers or can be exchanged for Partner rewards to receive money off a variety of restaurants/entertainment. Representative example: Representative 29.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 29.9% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading
7.4Great Ocean Finance Credit Card	7.4Great	£0	Min. limit £200, max. limit £1,500.	Not specified	39.9%	Representative example: Representative 39.9% APR variable. Based on assumed borrowing of £1,200. Rate of interest 39.94% p.a. (variable).	Continue View details Compare product selection Compare	loading

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Looking for other options? Check out these similar products.

How we picked these

Finder Score for credit cards

To make comparing even easier we came up with the Finder Score. Costs, perks and suitability across 120+ cards are all weighted and scaled to produce a score out of 10. The higher the score the better the card – simple.

Read the full methodology

Frequently asked questions

• Will card providers check my credit report?

  All reputable credit card providers will check your credit report. For that reason, you may be declined if your credit score is too low. You can check yours easily through Finder.

• Are multiple credit card applications a bad idea?

  Yes. Most lenders look unfavourably on multiple credit card applications because it could suggest you are desperate for credit and could be a risk. This is why the “soft” search to check your eligibility for a product is a very smart idea.

• Why was my credit card application rejected?

  If you have a history of bad debt or no credit history, you could be rejected. Also, if you have been made the subject of a county court judgement (CCJ), you may not be accepted, and you are unlikely to be given a card if you’ve ever been declared bankrupt.

• How long does it take to be approved for a credit card?

  You can apply for a credit card in about 10-15 minutes online and usually find out within moments if you have been approved. If a provider needs to consider your application further, it may take up to two weeks to receive a response. It’s usually a good idea to do an eligibility check first before making a formal application to determine your chances of approval.

Written by

Chris Lilly

Head of publishing

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Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio

Chris's expertise

Chris has written 502 Finder guides across topics including:

• Loans & credit cards
• Building credit
• Financial health
• Share trading