Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback review: Accessible entry into credit-building for students
A solid, secured option to build credit without requiring a credit check, SSN or minimum security deposit.
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Snapshot
3.0
Bottom line
Combining the best attributes of a pre-paid card and secured card, the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback is a good credit-building option for more than just students.
Intro offer
N/A
Rewards Rate
1% - Up to 15%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
0% APR
Bankrate Score
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Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback overview
Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback is an excellent way for students to begin their credit journey. And while the card is marketed as a student credit card, you can still apply if you’re a U.S. resident or even an international student. No credit check is required to apply, meaning you can get approved for this card even if you have no credit history. The card has minimal fees and the potential to earn extra cash back through linked merchant offers and random cash back sweepstakes.
With no minimum security deposit required and no maximum credit limit, the card compares favorably to some of the best secured credit cards.
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Rewards
- Earn up to 15 percent cash back on over 29,000 partner merchants
- Get up to 10 percent random cash back after every eligible purchase
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- No annual fee
- No late fees
- No APR
- No minimum deposit
- Earn a minimum of 1.25 percent APY on savings
- Foreign transaction fee: 1.5 percent
- ATM withdrawal fee: $2.50
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Credit-building features
- No credit check
- Monthly reporting to all three credit bureaus
- No preset credit limit
- Doesn’t report credit utilization
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- Zero fraud liability
Expert Appraisal: Unimpressive
See our expert analysis
Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback pros and cons
Pros
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There’s no credit check to get approved and a Social Security number isn’t required, allowing nearly everyone the opportunity to build credit.
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There’s no minimum deposit required and minimal fees associated with the card.
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Partner offers can provide solid cash back earning opportunities.
Cons
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There are no ongoing rewards associated with the card unless you subscribe to firstcard+.
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Not reporting credit utilization can slow credit-building efforts.
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The card lacks some of the most basic perks found on most cards.
How the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card works
The Firstcard Secured card functions as a hybrid of a secured card and a savings account, meaning it works differently from a traditional credit card.
Why you might want the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback
If you’re looking for a credit-building card with minimal fees, the Firstcard Secured card is worth a look. Here are some of its strengths.
Rates and fees: Very few fees
The Firstcard has no annual, late, penalty or APR fees. You’ll only pay a $2.50 ATM withdrawal fee and a 1.5 percent foreign transaction fee, and your credit limit is based on the amount you put down for a security deposit, with no minimum requirements. A flexible deposit is a solid feature to have on a secured card, as building credit on a secured card can prove financially taxing if you have to tie up a large security deposit.
You’ll also earn a minimum of 1.25 percent APY on your account balance. You can upgrade your card to the Firstcard+ ($4.99 per month or $48 per year) and get as high as 4.25 percent APY, which may be worth it depending on the balance you plan on carrying.
Credit-building: Accessible features with few requirements
The Firstcard's credit-building features are solid. Your payment history is reported to all three credit bureaus monthly, making it easy to build your credit history quickly.
This card has no barrier to entry since there’s no credit check required, no minimum security deposit, and no preset credit limit. Additionally, you don’t need a Social Security Number to apply, which opens up the card to immigrants and students from abroad. This accessibility is impressive for a card in this class: You’ll often find high-security deposit requirements or low credit limits with cards that don’t require a credit check.
Why you might want a different credit-building card
You may want to look elsewhere if you want a card that offers consistent rewards and better perks.
Rewards: No ongoing earnings
While Firstcard does have cash back earning opportunities, there are no consistent rewards you can earn from your spending without subscribing to firstcard+, which carries a $4.99 per month fee. This falls short of many secured cards that offer some basic earning categories or even a flat rate on all purchases.
You’ll need to link any merchant offers to your card before you spend and check the terms and conditions of the offer to see how you’ll earn it. You can only use one offer per merchant per day, with a cap of $15 per transaction and $75 per day. Also, the random cash back on purchases is more of a sweepstakes than anything you can count on. If you’re lucky enough to win random cash back, the maximum you can earn is $250.
Perks: Missing the basics
The Firstcard falls woefully short on perks, even for a credit-building card. Many cards in this category offer a standard package that includes at least a couple of features. The only notable perk found on this card is zero fraud liability, which is so common that it can’t be considered a feature at all. If you want something extra in this area, this card is not the ideal choice.
How the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback compares to other credit-building cards
The Firstcard Secured Card is a solid credit-building option. However, if you’re interested in rewards or a different approach to managing your credit limit, you might want to consider one of these options.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Rewards rate
Get up to 15% Merchant Cashback at 29,000 partner merchants. Get up to 10% Random Cashback on all qualifying purchases. Earn an additional 1% Unlimited Cashback with Firstcard+ on all purchases on top of the two cashback offerings (Merchant Cashback and Random Cashback) all Firstcard members are currently enjoying.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Rewards rate
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Rewards rate
10% cashback* on SuperTravel purchases. 5% cashback* on SuperShop purchases for 500+ of your favorite store. 2% cashback* on everyday purchases anywhere MasterCard® is accepted.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Who is the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback right for?
The Firstcard Secured best suits the following types of cardholders.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card with Cashback worth it?
If your goal is to start your credit card journey with a card that makes it easy to build your credit history, the Firstcard is a solid and flexible option. With no credit check, minimum deposit or maximum limit, you’ll have the freedom to customize your credit limit in a way that works best for you.
How we rated this card
Our proprietary card rating system takes into account a mix of factors when scoring credit cards for students and people building credit, including each card’s cost, APR, credit-building tools and more.
We analyzed over 50 of the most popular cards designed for students and people with no credit history, bad credit or a fair credit score and scored each based on where its key features stood in relation to others in its category.
Here are some of the key factors that gave this card its score:
Frequently asked questions
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.