What credit cards are actually available at 600

At a 600 credit score, you are in the range where secured cards and subprime cards become your main options. Unsecured cards designed for people with good or excellent credit will reject you, but you are not locked out of credit entirely. The cards that will consider you fall into two categories: secured cards (where you put down a cash deposit that becomes your credit limit) and subprime cards (unsecured cards with higher interest rates and annual fees designed for rebuilding credit).

The difference matters. A secured card requires money upfront but typically has no annual fee and reports to all three credit bureaus, which means it actually builds your score if you use it responsibly. A subprime card charges you to borrow and may not report as reliably, so you pay for the privilege of rebuilding without the same payoff. Neither is a trap — both can work — but they solve different problems.

Key Takeaways

  • Secured cards require a cash deposit (usually $200 to $2,500) that becomes your credit limit, and most have no annual fee or low annual fees.
  • Subprime cards charge annual fees ($39 to $99 or more) and higher interest rates but do not require a deposit.
  • At 600, you will not be approved for rewards cards or cards marketed to people with good credit, no matter the issuer.
  • The card you choose should report to all three bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) or your payment history will not reach lenders who check your score.
  • Your approval odds are highest with banks and credit unions you already have accounts with, because they can see your full banking history.

How secured cards work and why they rebuild faster

A secured card works like this: you deposit $500, the bank gives you a $500 credit limit, you use the card and pay the bill each month, and the bank reports your on-time payments to the credit bureaus. After 6 to 18 months of perfect payments, the issuer may convert the card to unsecured (you get your deposit back and keep the card) or you can move to a different card and close this one.

The deposit is not a fee — it sits in a savings account at the bank and earns a small amount of interest. You do not lose it. What you pay for is the card itself: some secured cards charge $0 annually, others charge $25 to $50. The interest rate on a secured card is usually 18% to 24%, which is high but not the highest you will see.

Secured cards rebuild your score faster because they report to all three bureaus and because the deposit removes the bank's risk, so they are more likely to approve you and less likely to close the account if you miss a payment. The tradeoff is that your money is tied up. If you need that $500 for an emergency, you have to close the card, which can hurt your score if you have not yet built other credit history.

Subprime cards: higher cost, no deposit required

A subprime card is an unsecured card issued by lenders who specialize in people with poor or fair credit. You do not put down a deposit. Instead, you pay an annual fee ($39 to $99 or higher) and an interest rate that is usually 24% to 36%. Some subprime cards also charge monthly fees ($5 to $10) or fees for going over your limit.

The appeal is that you do not need cash upfront. The cost is that you are paying to borrow before you even use the card. If you carry a balance, the interest adds up fast. A $500 balance at 28% interest costs you roughly $140 per year in interest alone, plus the annual fee. That is expensive, and it is why subprime cards work best if you use them to make small purchases and pay the full balance each month.

Not all subprime cards report to all three bureaus. Before you explore, check the issuer's website or call and ask: "Does this card report to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion?" If the answer is no or unclear, the card will not help your score as much as a secured card would.

Where to look: banks, credit unions, and online lenders

Your best odds of approval are with a bank or credit union where you already have a checking or savings account. They can see your full banking history — how often you overdraft, whether you keep a balance, how long you have been a customer — and that information often matters more than your credit score. Call the institution directly and ask if they offer secured or subprime cards for people rebuilding credit.

Online lenders and card issuers that specialize in fair-credit cards include Capital One, Discover, OpenSky, and Self. These companies have approval criteria designed for people at your score range. Capital One's Secured Mastercard and Discover's Secured Card are two of the most commonly approved cards at 600. OpenSky requires no credit check at all, though the annual fee is higher ($35) and the interest rate is steep (20.99% variable).

Do not explore to multiple cards in a short time. Each process triggers a hard inquiry, which temporarily lowers your score by a few points. Space applications out by at least two weeks. If you are rejected, ask the issuer why — sometimes it is the score, sometimes it is too many recent inquiries, sometimes it is an error on your credit report that you can dispute.

Interest rates, fees, and what to actually pay

At 600, expect to pay more than someone with a 750 score. A typical secured card charges 0% to $50 annually and 18% to 24% interest. A typical subprime card charges $39 to $99 annually and 24% to 36% interest. Some cards also charge fees for late payments ($25 to $40), going over your limit, or paying by phone.

The interest rate matters only if you carry a balance. If you use the card to buy $200 of groceries and pay the full $200 when the bill arrives, you pay $0 in interest. The annual fee still applies, but you avoid the interest trap. This is the strategy that rebuilds your score without costing you money: small purchases, full monthly payment, on time, every time.

If you do carry a balance, the math gets painful fast. A $1,000 balance at 28% interest costs you $280 per year in interest alone. At that point, you are not rebuilding credit — you are paying a lender to let you borrow. Avoid it.

What happens after you get the card

Once approved, your first job is to use the card in a way that helps your score. That means: charge something small each month (a subscription, groceries, gas), wait for the bill, and pay the full amount before the due date. Do this for 6 to 12 months and your score will move up, usually by 50 to 100 points if you have no other negative marks on your report.

Do not max out the card. Credit bureaus look at your utilization ratio — how much of your available credit you are using. If your limit is $500 and you charge $450, your utilization is 90%, which hurts your score. Keep it below 30% if you can. Charge $100 to $150 per month and pay it off.

After 6 to 18 months of on-time payments, you may be able to move to a better card. Some issuers will convert your secured card to unsecured and return your deposit. Others will not, but by then your score will have improved enough that you can explore for a card with lower fees and rates. Do not close the first card when ready — closing it reduces your available credit and can temporarily lower your score — but you do not have to use it anymore.

Common mistakes to avoid

The biggest mistake is missing a payment. One late payment can drop your score 100+ points and will stay on your report for seven years. Set up autopay for at least the minimum payment, even if you plan to pay more. That way, if you forget, the bank still gets paid on time.

The second mistake is explore for too many cards at once. Each process is a hard inquiry, which lowers your score temporarily. If you explore for three cards in one week and get rejected by all three, you have lowered your score and have nothing to show for it. explore to one card, wait two weeks, and see if you are approved before explore elsewhere.

The third mistake is closing the card too soon. If you get approved for a better card after six months, you might think you should close the first one. Do not. Closing it removes available credit from your profile and can lower your score. Keep it open, use it occasionally, and let it sit in your wallet. The longer your credit history, the better your score.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will getting a credit card at 600 hurt my score?

The process will cause a small temporary drop (usually 5 to 10 points) from the hard inquiry. But once you are approved and start making on-time payments, your score will rise. After six months of perfect payments, the initial dip will be gone and your score will be higher than it was before you applied.

Can I get a rewards card with a 600 score?

No. Rewards cards (cash back, points, travel) are issued only to people with good or excellent credit, usually 670 and above. At 600, focus on rebuilding first. Once your score reaches 650 to 700, you can explore for rewards cards and actually benefit from the rewards.

What is the difference between a hard inquiry and a soft inquiry?

A hard inquiry happens when you explore for credit and lowers your score slightly. A soft inquiry happens when a company checks your credit for other reasons (like a pre-approval offer) and does not affect your score. Only hard inquiries matter for your score.

How long does it take to move from 600 to 700?

It depends on what else is on your report. If 600 is your score because of recent late payments or high balances, it may take 12 to 24 months of perfect behavior to reach 700. If 600 is your score because you have little credit history, it may take 6 to 12 months. The longer you go without negative marks, the faster your score rises.

Should I get a secured card or a subprime card?

If you have $200 to $500 to set aside, a secured card is the better choice — no annual fee or lower fees, faster score improvement, and your money is not lost. If you do not have cash available or need credit when ready, a subprime card works, but choose one that reports to all three bureaus and keep your balance low to avoid interest charges.