What cards will accept you with a low credit score
Banks and card issuers use your credit score to decide whether to issue you a card and what terms to offer. With a low score — typically below 620 — most standard cards will decline you. But several card types exist specifically for people rebuilding credit: secured cards, unsecured cards designed for lower scores, and store cards that have looser approval standards.
Secured cards are the most common path. You deposit cash with the bank, and that deposit becomes your credit limit — usually a 1:1 ratio, so a $500 deposit gives you a $500 limit. The card issuer reports your payment history to the credit bureaus, which is the whole point: you are paying to build a record. Unsecured cards for lower scores skip the deposit but charge higher interest rates and annual fees to offset the risk to the issuer. Store cards (from retailers like Target or Amazon) often have the loosest approval standards but only work at that retailer.
The card you choose matters less than what you do with it. The goal is to show consistent, on-time payments over months. A card that reports to all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) is worth more than one that reports to only one. A card with no annual fee is worth more than one that charges you to hold it.
Key Takeaways
- Secured cards require a cash deposit but are the most reliable way to rebuild credit with a low score, because banks approve almost anyone who can put down the deposit.
- Your deposit becomes your credit limit, and the bank reports your payments to credit bureaus — this history is what rebuilds your score over time.
- Look for cards that report to all three credit bureaus and have no annual fee, because fees and limited reporting reduce the benefit to you.
- Using 10 to 30 percent of your limit and paying the full statement balance on time each month will improve your score faster than other payment patterns.
- After 6 to 18 months of on-time payments, many issuers will convert your secured card to an unsecured card and return your deposit.
How secured cards work and why they rebuild credit
A secured card works like this: you open an account with a bank, deposit money into a savings account held by that bank, and the bank issues you a credit card with a limit equal to your deposit (or sometimes a percentage of it). You then use the card like any other card — make purchases, receive a statement, and pay it back. The bank reports your account activity to the credit bureaus each month.
The deposit stays in the savings account the whole time. It is not your payment; it is collateral. The bank keeps it there so that if you stop paying your card bill, they can take the money from the savings account to cover what you owe. This is why secured cards approve people with very low scores — the bank's risk is nearly zero.
What matters for your credit score is the payment history. Each month you pay on time, the bureaus see a on-time payment. Each month you miss a payment, they see a late payment. After 6 to 12 months of consistent on-time payments, your score will begin to rise. After 18 months or so, many issuers will review your account and offer to convert it to an unsecured card, returning your deposit to you.
Unsecured cards for lower credit scores
Some card issuers offer unsecured cards (no deposit required) to people with low scores. These cards typically charge higher interest rates — often 20 to 30 percent APR — and may include an annual fee of $25 to $100. The tradeoff is that you do not have to tie up cash as a deposit.
Unsecured cards for lower scores are worth considering if you cannot afford to deposit $300 to $500 right now, or if you want to hold multiple cards at once (you can only deposit with one bank at a time for a secured card). However, the higher interest rate means carrying a balance becomes expensive quickly. If you plan to pay your full statement balance each month, the interest rate matters less — you will pay no interest at all.
The annual fee is the real cost to watch. A $75 annual fee on a card you use to rebuild credit is money that could go toward your deposit on a secured card instead. Compare the total cost: a secured card with no fee and a $500 deposit costs you $500 upfront (which you get back), while an unsecured card with a $75 annual fee costs you $75 per year with no refund.
Store cards and retail credit options
Retail store cards — issued by Target, Amazon, Walmart, or other large retailers — often have the loosest approval standards. Many will issue a card to someone with a low score because they make money when you carry a balance and buy from their store. Store cards typically charge 20 to 25 percent APR and have no annual fee.
The downside is that store cards only work at that retailer (or a small group of affiliated stores). You cannot use a Target card at grocery stores or gas stations. This limits how much you can use the card to build credit, because you can only make purchases where the card is accepted.
Store cards can be part of a strategy — use one to build a small history while also using a secured card for everyday purchases — but they should not be your only card. A secured card or unsecured card for lower scores will serve you better long-term because you can use it anywhere.
What to look for when comparing cards
When you are comparing cards, focus on these features: whether the card reports to all three bureaus, whether there is an annual fee, what the interest rate is, and what the deposit requirement is (for secured cards).
Reporting to all three bureaus matters because some smaller issuers report to only one or two. If a card reports only to Equifax, your payment history will not show up on your Experian or TransUnion reports. You want all three bureaus to see your on-time payments so your score rises across the board.
Annual fees are a direct cost. A $0 annual fee card is better than a $50 annual fee card, all else equal. Some cards waive the fee in the first year or waive it if you meet spending requirements — read the terms carefully.
Interest rates matter only if you carry a balance. If you pay your full statement balance each month, you pay no interest regardless of the APR. If you sometimes carry a balance, a lower rate saves you money.
How to use a card to rebuild your score faster
Getting the card is the first step. How you use it determines how fast your score rises. The most important factor is payment history — paying on time, every time. Set up automatic payments for at least the minimum due, or better yet, the full statement balance. A single late payment can set back months of progress.
The second factor is credit utilization — the percentage of your limit you are using. If your limit is $500 and you carry a $250 balance, your utilization is 50 percent. Credit scores favor lower utilization. Aim to use no more than 10 to 30 percent of your limit. This means if your limit is $500, keep your balance below $150. Paying your full balance each month automatically keeps utilization at 0 percent, which is ideal.
The third factor is time. Credit scores improve slowly. You will not see a major jump after one month of on-time payments. After 6 months, you should see movement. After 12 months, the improvement becomes noticeable. After 24 months, you will likely may have access to for better cards and better rates on loans.
When to move from a secured card to an unsecured card
Most secured card issuers will review your account after 6 to 18 months and offer to convert it to an unsecured card if your payment history is clean. When this happens, they return your deposit to you and the card continues to work as before, except now you have no collateral on deposit.
You do not have to wait for the issuer to offer. After 6 to 12 months of on-time payments, you can call the issuer and ask whether they will convert your card. Some will do it when ready; others will wait until the 18-month mark. There is no harm in asking.
Once you have an unsecured card, keep using it. Do not close the account. An open account with a long payment history is valuable to your credit score. Closing it removes that history from your active accounts, which can lower your score. Keep the card open and use it occasionally — a small purchase every few months — to keep the account active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will getting a secured card hurt my credit score?
A hard inquiry (the bank checking your credit to decide whether to issue the card) will lower your score by a few points for a few months. But the benefit of building a positive payment history far outweighs this small, temporary dip. After a few months of on-time payments, your score will recover and then begin to rise.
Can I use multiple cards at once to rebuild faster?
Yes. Using two or three cards responsibly — keeping utilization low on each and paying all bills on time — can rebuild your score faster than using one card alone. However, each new card triggers a hard inquiry, so space out applications by at least a few months. Do not open multiple cards in a short period, as this signals risk to lenders.
What if I cannot afford a deposit for a secured card?
Start with a store card or an unsecured card for lower scores, both of which require no deposit. Once you have made on-time payments for a few months and your score rises slightly, you may then may have access to for a secured card with a smaller deposit, or you may have saved enough to afford a larger deposit.
How long does it take to rebuild credit with a credit card?
Most people see noticeable improvement within 6 to 12 months of on-time payments. Significant improvement — enough to may have access to for better cards or lower interest rates on loans — typically takes 18 to 24 months. The exact timeline depends on how low your score started and what else is on your credit report.
Should I pay off my balance in full or carry a small balance?
Pay off your balance in full each month. Carrying a balance costs you money in interest and does not help your score more than paying in full does. The myth that you need to carry a balance to build credit is false. On-time payments are what matter, and you make on-time payments whether you owe $0 or $100 at the end of the month.