If you have bad credit or no credit, you’ll likely need to turn to a secured credit card. When you look at secured cards, you’ll want to think about things like APR, annual fee and whether it helps you build up your credit. This card excels in these categories, so check out the best benefits of this secured credit card.
No credit check
Usually, when you apply for a credit card, the credit card company checks your credit report. This check, or inquiry, can lower your credit score by a few points each time. But with this card, there’s no credit inquiry when you apply, so don’t have to worry about your credit score going down at all.
Helps build your credit score
When you make monthly payments on this secured card, those payments get reported to the three largest credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Because of this reporting, on-time payments help build up your credit score. But keep in mind that late payments will lower your credit score. Over time, if you don’t miss a monthly minimum payment, your credit score will increase.
Reasonable annual fee
You have to pay an annual fee no matter which of the First Progress cards you go with, but the Select charges a manageable fee of $39. Many cards charge more than this to use throughout the year, although it’s certainly possible to find secured cards with no annual fee. This fee isn’t the lowest available of the three First Progress cards, either, but a much lower APR balances it out.
Low APR
The interest rate you’ll pay with this credit card is 19.24 variable APR, which is unusually low for a secured card. Typically, credit card issuers charge a higher annual fee on secured credit cards because you’re deemed a riskier customer but that’s not the case with this First Progress card.
Work up to a higher credit line
A secured card requires you to make a cash deposit upon opening your account, and this amount makes up your credit limit. The more you deposit, the higher your credit limit will be on the card. The First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard Secured Credit Card requires a minimum of $200 cash deposit, but you can initially deposit up to $2,000. Over time, you can work up to a $5,000 credit limit.