What Fortiva is and who it's for
Fortiva is a credit card issuer owned by Enova International that focuses on people rebuilding credit or working with a limited credit history. Their main product is a secured credit card, which means you put down a cash deposit that becomes your credit limit — typically between $200 and $2,500. The card itself works like any other: you charge purchases, receive a monthly bill, and your payment history gets reported to the three major credit bureaus.
Fortiva also offers an unsecured card for people with fair credit, though the secured card is their primary offering. The company does not require a credit check to open a secured account, which is why people with no credit history or past damage often consider them. That said, "no credit check" does not mean no verification — Fortiva will confirm your identity and check for fraud.
The real question is not whether Fortiva exists or what it does, but whether their terms make sense for your situation compared to other secured cards or whether you might be ready for an unsecured option instead.
Key Takeaways
- Fortiva's secured card charges an annual fee ($39 to $99 depending on the tier) and a relatively high APR (around 19% to 24%), making it expensive to carry a balance.
- The card reports to all three credit bureaus, which is necessary for building credit history, but you can find secured cards with lower annual fees from banks like Capital One or Discover.
- Fortiva does not require a credit check, but they do verify your identity and may decline you if fraud risk is high or if you have recent negative banking history.
- The card can graduate to unsecured status after responsible use, though the timeline and conditions vary and are not may provide.
- If you have fair credit rather than poor or no credit, you may may have access to for unsecured cards with better terms, so comparing options before explore matters.
How Fortiva's fees and interest rates compare
Fortiva charges an annual fee upfront, ranging from $39 to $99 depending on which tier you choose. That fee comes out of your deposit or is charged to your card when ready, so it reduces the credit limit you actually have available. For example, if you deposit $500 and choose the $99 tier, your usable credit is $401.
The APR — the interest rate you pay if you carry a balance month to month — sits between 19% and 24% depending on your tier. That is higher than many unsecured cards and higher than some competing secured cards. Capital One's Secured Mastercard, for comparison, charges a $25 annual fee and an APR that varies but often falls in a similar range, though Capital One sometimes offers promotional periods with lower rates. Discover's secured card has no annual fee at all, though its APR is also in the high teens to low twenties.
The practical impact: if you carry a $300 balance on Fortiva at 22% APR, you will pay roughly $66 in interest over a year if you make only minimum payments. That is on top of the annual fee you already paid. Secured cards are not meant to be used as ongoing credit — they are meant to build history by charging small amounts and paying in full each month. But if you do need to carry a balance, Fortiva's rates are steep.
What happens to your deposit and when you might graduate
Your deposit sits in a separate account and is not touched unless you stop paying your bill. Fortiva holds it as collateral, which is why they do not need to check your credit — the deposit protects them. Once you have used the card responsibly for a period of time (usually 6 to 12 months, though Fortiva does not publish a hard rule), you can request that the card graduate to unsecured status.
When graduation happens, your deposit is returned to you, and the card converts to a regular credit card without the collateral requirement. However, graduation is not automatic and is not may provide. Fortiva reviews your account and decides whether to approve the conversion. If you have missed payments or carried high balances, they may decline to graduate your card, and you will continue paying the annual fee on a secured card.
This uncertainty is a real drawback. With Capital One's secured card, the company publishes that graduation can happen after six months of on-time payments, which gives you a clearer target. Fortiva's process is less transparent, so you do not know exactly what behavior will trigger the conversion.
Whether Fortiva reports to credit bureaus and how that affects your score
Fortiva reports your account activity to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — all three major bureaus. This is essential for building credit history. If a card issuer does not report to the bureaus, using it will not help your credit score at all, no matter how responsibly you use it. Fortiva does report, so that box is checked.
However, reporting alone does not mean your score will improve. Your score depends on what Fortiva reports: whether you pay on time, how much of your credit limit you use, and how long you keep the account open. If you charge $100 on a $500 limit and pay it in full each month, your score should improve over time. If you max out the card or miss payments, your score will drop. Fortiva's reporting is standard; the outcome depends on your behavior, not on Fortiva's reporting system.
Alternatives to consider before choosing Fortiva
If you have no credit history at all, Fortiva is a reasonable option because they do not require a credit check. But if you have fair credit — a score in the 580 to 669 range — you may may have access to for unsecured cards with better terms. Discover's unsecured card for fair credit has no annual fee and no deposit requirement, though the APR is similar to Fortiva's. Capital One's unsecured card for fair credit also has no annual fee.
If you have poor credit but not zero credit, you might also consider becoming an authorized user on someone else's account. If that person has good payment history, their account activity will appear on your credit report and can boost your score without you opening a new account. This works only if the primary cardholder is willing and if the card issuer reports authorized user accounts to the bureaus.
Another option is a credit-builder loan from a credit union or online lender. You borrow a small amount (usually $500 to $1,000), and the lender holds the money in a savings account while you make monthly payments. Once you finish paying, you get the money back plus interest earned. This builds payment history without the ongoing annual fees of a credit card, though it takes longer and requires discipline to make payments on time.
Red flags and situations where Fortiva might not be right
Do not use Fortiva if you are not ready to use credit responsibly. A secured card only helps your score if you pay on time and keep your balance low. If you are likely to miss payments or max out the card, you will damage your credit further, and the annual fee will just be money wasted. Be honest with yourself about whether you can commit to on-time payments before opening any credit card.
Fortiva also may not approve you if you have very recent negative banking history — for example, if you have had accounts closed for non-payment in the last few months or if you are on ChexSystems (a banking history report similar to a credit report). Fortiva does a fraud check and may decline applications from people with active fraud flags or very recent banking problems. If you are declined, you will not know the exact reason, and Fortiva does not have a clear appeals process.
Finally, avoid Fortiva if you are trying to rebuild credit quickly for a specific important date, like a mortgage process in six months. Secured cards help over time, but the improvement is gradual. If you need credit score improvement in a short window, a secured card is not the right tool.
How to decide if Fortiva makes sense for your situation
Start by checking your credit score using a free service like Credit Karma, AnnualCreditReport.com, or your bank's credit monitoring tool. If your score is below 580 and you have little to no credit history, Fortiva is worth considering because you have fewer other options. If your score is 580 or higher, spend 15 minutes comparing Fortiva to Capital One's unsecured card and Discover's unsecured card — both may offer better terms.
Next, be clear about your goal. If you are building credit from scratch and can commit to using the card for small purchases and paying in full each month, a secured card makes sense. If you need to carry a balance regularly because of cash flow problems, a credit card is not the solution — you need a different approach, like a personal loan or a payment plan with creditors.
Finally, read Fortiva's cardholder agreement before you explore. The agreement spells out the exact APR you will receive (which varies by tier), the annual fee, and the terms for graduation. Fortiva's website does not always make this straightforward to find, so you may need to search for "Fortiva cardholder agreement" or call their customer service to request it. Knowing the exact terms before you explore means no surprises later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a Fortiva card if I have been denied for other credit cards?
Fortiva does not do a traditional credit check, so a prior denial from another card issuer will not automatically disqualify you. However, Fortiva does verify your identity and checks for fraud risk. If you were denied because of identity theft or fraud, Fortiva may decline you too. If you were denied straightforward because of a low credit score, Fortiva is more likely to approve you.
What is the minimum deposit for a Fortiva secured card?
Fortiva's minimum deposit is typically $200, though some tiers may require higher minimums. Your deposit becomes your credit limit, so a $200 deposit gives you a $200 limit (minus the annual fee). You can deposit more if you want a higher limit, up to around $2,500.
How long does it take to build credit with a Fortiva card?
Credit score improvement is gradual and depends on your payment history. You should see movement within three to six months of on-time payments, but meaningful improvement usually takes 12 months or longer. The longer you keep the account open and the more consistently you pay on time, the bigger the improvement.
Will Fortiva automatically convert my card to unsecured, or do I have to ask?
You have to request the conversion. Fortiva will not automatically graduate your card. After six to 12 months of responsible use, you can contact Fortiva and ask for graduation. They will review your account and decide whether to approve it. There is no may provide they will say yes, even if you have paid on time.
What happens if I stop using my Fortiva card?
If you open the card and never use it, your credit score will not improve because there is no payment history to report. You will still pay the annual fee each year. If you want to build credit, you need to use the card regularly — charge small amounts and pay them off. Inactivity does not help, and the annual fee makes it costly to leave the card unused.