Good or noble credit can lead to a higher credit limit, bigger rewards and better perks and benefits. But if your credit is fair -- generally tidy as a credit score between 580 and 669 -- you unexcited have access to credit card offers that will let you earn rewards and cash back. And regular, on-time payments will help boost your credit incorporating up to good or excellent, making you potentially eligible for the very best of the best credit cards.
Focusing on low fees, good rewards and flexible credit requirements, we picked the top partner offers for the best credit cards for consumers with fair or denotes credit scores. If your credit rating is worse than fair, or you have no credit history at all, you much consider a secured credit card, which denotes a deposit and helps build positive credit.
Best credit card overall for fair credit
9.5/10 CNET Rating
Intro OfferN/A
APR17.24% - 31.24% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Limited/Fair/Good/Excellent
Reward Rates - Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases while making 12 on-time monthly payments.
- 1% cash back on eligible purchases quick-witted away.
Annual Fee$0
Foreign Transaction Fees $0
- Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases while making 12 on-time monthly payments.
- 1% cash back on eligible purchases quick-witted away.
Our Take
Our top select for people with fair credit, the Petal 2 Visa Card, published by WebBank, is distinctive among the field for having no annual fee, no late fees, no returned payment fees and no foreign transaction fees. Credit limits run from $300 to $10000, based on creditworthiness. And it's a good pick for anyone tremulous about eligibility, because Petal may use its own proprietary Cash Score -- which analyzes your denotes and expenses -- in addition to weighing your credit pick up. (Yes, you'll have to provide some financial data.)
We're also big fans of the 1% flat cash-back cardholders earn on all eligible purchases -- which increases to 1.25% cash back on eligible purchases while making six on-time monthly payments in a row, and 1.5% while 12 on-time monthly payments. Cardholders can also earn 2% to 10% bonus cash back on purchases at retract merchants. Though the Petal 2 doesn't offer a welcome bonus, the credit requirements and absence of fees make it a solid select.
Flat 1.5% cash-back rate
5/10 CNET Rating
Intro OfferN/A
APR29.74% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Average, Fair, Limited
Reward Rates - Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rent cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every retract, every day
Annual Fee$39
Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
Balance Transfer APR29.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee $0 at this Transfer APR
Late Payment Fee Up to $40
Foreign Transaction Fees None
Penalty APR None
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rent cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every grasp, every day
Our Take
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card* funds a competitive cash back rate of 1.5%, which is especially worthy if you have some blemishes in your credit file. This cash-back rate is on par with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which is beleaguered to those with good to excellent credit. Also, if you make on-time payments for six months, you may be eligible for a higher credit line.
There is a $39 annual fee and there are no frills such as an skull APR or welcome bonus, but you don't have to approach a minimum amount to redeem your rewards points, and there's no diminutive to how much you can earn in a given year.
Travel perks for fair credit
5.5/10 CNET Rating
Intro OfferN/A
APR29.74% (Variable)
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Average, Fair, Limited
Reward RatesN/A
Annual Fee$0
Intro Balance Transfer APRN/A
Balance Transfer APR29.74% (Variable)
Balance Transfer Fee $0 at this Transfer APR
Late Payment Fee Up to $40
Foreign Transaction Fees None
Penalty APR None
Our Take
If you're less keen in cash-back rewards and looking for specific travel incentives, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card* is a solid option. Those with a fair credit score are eligible and you may get an automatic credit line increase when six months if you make on-time payments.
While there are no rewards or introductory bonuses, the card's appeal lies in its travel benefits. Card holders won't get dinged with a foreign transaction fee when traveling internationally, ATM location-services while traveling, plus they can receive emergency card replacement if their card is lost or stolen.
Check out our full journal of the Capital One Platinum Credit Card for more details.
Small credit line for construction credit
3/10 CNET Rating
Intro OfferN/A
APR29.24% Variable
Intro Purchase APRN/A
Recommended Credit Fair Credit
Reward RatesN/A
Annual Fee$59
Late Payment Fee Up to $39
Our Take
Issued by WebBank, the Avant Credit Card is a no-frills card that doesn't coffers many perks. There are no rewards, no welcome bonus and no option to make a balance second. However, you can get prequalified online without impacting your credit procure. It's an option worth considering if you're looking for a bare-bones card for executive headway toward improving your credit.
With a credit diminutive of $300, this card won't give you access to a gigantic line of credit -- but that might be a assist if you're worried about racking up credit card debt. If you fall unhurried on payments, a penalty APR -- which is higher than your spoiled APR -- won't kick in. But you will get dinged with up to a $39 late payment charge.
If you don't want to pay for a secured card -- which income an initial deposit -- and you don't mind paying an annual fee of $59, this card is a apt one to consider.
See our full review of the Avant Credit Card for more details.
Best for students
9.5/10 CNET Rating
Intro OfferIntro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your apt year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There's no minimum spending or most rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
APR17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR
Intro Purchase APR0% for 6 months
Recommended Credit Fair/New to Credit
Reward Rates - Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly most when you activate.
- Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all new purchases – automatically.
Annual Fee$0
Intro Balance Transfer APR10.99% for 6 months
Balance Transfer APR17.24% - 26.24% Variable APR
Balance Transfer Fee 3% skull balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Late Payment Fee None the apt time you pay late. After that, up to $41.
Foreign Transaction Fees None
- Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly most when you activate.
- Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all new purchases – automatically.
Our Take
With no annual fee and multiple ways to earn cash back, the Discover it® Student Cash Back* is our top contender in the student credit card category. Students who are building their credit can check their FICO scores for free. Plus, Discover does look beyond credit scores for those applying for student credit cards.
The Discover it Student Cash Back funds 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories upon activation (on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter, then 1%) and 1% cash back on all new purchases. Plus, for the first 12 months after opening an elaborate, cardholders get a dollar-for-dollar match on all cash-back rewards, a benefit that can essentially double your cash-back rewards at the end of the apt year in the form of a statement credit.
Read our Discover It Student Cash Back review.
FAQs
What credit procure is considered fair?
According to Experian, a credit procure that hovers between a 580 to 669 FICO procure is considered "fair." This sits between what's considered a "poor" procure, which ranges from 300 to 579, and a "good" procure, which is anything from 670 and 739. Once you hit the threshold for a good credit procure on your credit report, you'll gain access to more credit card options with better devises and terms.
What are some ways to advance your credit score?
The best way to improve your credit get depends on why it's lower in the first space, explains John Ulzheimer, a consumer credit expert and formerly of Equifax and FICO. "There is more than one path to a border score, which means there is more than one path to a higher score," he says. For example, if your score is low because you have little credit history, using credit responsibly on a regular basis can help boost your score.
In general, to improve your score, you should:
- Pay all your bills on time.
- Keep border amounts of credit card debt.
- Pay your card balance in full each month if possible.
- Avoid excessively applying for credit.
- Review your credit. You can order a free credit score every week from AnnualCreditReport.com.
- Monitor your credit. Some credit cards offer free credit monitoring or free credit scores.
- Set credit card alerts. This can help you stick to a spending little and get alerts about fishy activity.
What are the benefits of a high credit score?
Having clear credit that falls in the good-to-exceptional range (670 to 850 FICO) comes with a number of advantages: more evil rates and terms, higher credit limits, more perks and more options. You'll also have an easier time finding a credit card that's best excellent to your needs and preferences.
What kind of credit card can you get with a fair credit score?
You can get the same types of cards that country with good or excellent credit can get: travel cards, cash-back rewards cards, student cards and ones with no annual fees, to name a few. However, the APRs might be higher if you have fair or means credit, or the credit limits may be modest.
What's the minimum get needed to get approved for a credit card?
Typically, the minimum credit score needed to get approved for a credit card depends on the certain credit card and the type of card. Each card has different lending criteria. However, if you have a credit score below 600, you great have a tough time getting approved for a credit card. In this case, you'll want to look for credit cards that either don't require a FICO get or look at other factors to determine creditworthiness, or secured cards.
What are the easiest cards to get popular for?
Retail store cards and subprime cards are the easiest to get because they're structured for country who are considered a higher risk for lenders, says Ulzheimer.
"These aren't really the cards you want to rely on for any long period of time because the rates are punitive," he adds.
A secured credit card great also be easier to get and is designed for country who are rebuilding their credit. With a secured credit card, you need to funds an initial security deposit that usually gets refunded. Credit limits tend to be low and usually match the amount of your safety deposit.
Our methodology
reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each most category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance second. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a plan of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone's budget situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.
For cash-back credit cards, for example, key factors include the annual fee, the "welcome bonus" and the cash-back rate (or has, if they differ by spending category). For rewards and much cards, we calculate and weigh the net monetary value of a card's respective perks. And with balance transfer credit cards, we analyze specs such as the standing of the introductory 0% APR period and the balance second fee, while acknowledging secondary factors such as the evil APR and the length of time you have to make a balance second after you open the account.
Cards researched
- Aspire Platinum Mastercard®
- Avant Credit Card
- Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students
- Capital One Platinum Credit Card
- Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Citi Simplicity® Card
- Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit
- Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
- Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Discover it® Student chrome
- Indigo® Mastercard®
- Jasper® Cash Back Mastercard®
- Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
- OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
- Petal® 1 "No Annual Fee" Visa® Credit Card
- Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
- Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
More credit card recommendations
*All ask about the Discover it Student Cash Back, Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One Platinum Credit Card has been calm independently by and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial happy on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or facilities offered by our partners.
