The best secured credit cards with zero credit checks with eastwoodbank.com? If your issuer can’t or won’t upgrade you — and keep in mind that not all secured-card issuers even offer unsecured cards — you can apply for unsecured cards separately. Eventually you’ll want to close the secured card to recoup your deposit. Several issuers specialize in unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit, but NerdWallet generally doesn’t recommend them. That’s because these “subprime specialist” cards tend to charge high fees that can easily add up to much more than a typical minimum security deposit — annual fees up to $99, application fees, “activation” and “processing” fees, monthly maintenance fees and so on. And unlike the deposit on a secured card, those fees are money you can’t get back. Our roundup of the best and worst cards for bad credit has more information on cards to avoid.
Who should get this card? If you don’t have a bank account and/or your credit check would make a traditional credit card issuer avoid your calls, an OpenSky secured credit card may be just what you’re looking for. But there’s no reason for most people to pay the $35 annual fee. We caution most consumers to avoid paying such fees on secured cards, as there are plenty of annual-fee-free options for consumers with limited credit.
First Progress checks your credit when you apply for one of its secured cards, but it’s not a “hard” inquiry, meaning it doesn’t affect your credit score. The First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard® Secured Credit Card gets the nod here as the lowest-cost First Progress card. Getting a secured card without a hard inquiry on your credit report can be a benefit to those with lower credit scores, when every point counts. The interest rate on this card is decent for a secured card, though it’s best to pay your balance in full every month, especially when building credit. The annual fee of $29 isn’t terrible — but there are good secured cards available with no annual fee at all.
Provided you make on-time payments with a secured card, your security deposit remains untouched and is remitted back to you should you ever close the account. Some issuers even pay you interest on the deposited funds. In time, given a positive record of making payments, issuers may grant you a credit limit that exceeds the security deposit. Eventually, the issuer may also offer you the option to upgrade to a regular—that is, unsecured—credit card. In many cases, that allows the account to remain open, and its increasing age to be an asset to your credit record, which generally rewards having older accounts. If that option isn’t available, though, one can simply close the secured account and apply for an unsecured card once you’ve attained a solid credit score. The free score-monitoring feature offered by most secured cards allows you to track your progress.
No. The OpenSky card is one of the easiest secured credit cards to obtain, so you don’t need to worry about passing a credit check. If you’re looking for a good way to build your credit, then this card is ideal. Not only is there no credit check to obtain the card, but you also don’t have to have a credit score search recorded on your credit file. As searches alone can impact your credit score, this is of huge benefit. The minimum deposit is $200. The more you deposit, the higher your credit limit will be. Are There Any Additional Benefits? OpenSky report their accounts to all three major credit bureaus, so you can improve your credit score by using this card sensibly. OpenSky also provide credit and financial management tips to their customers. Find even more information at no credit checks.