Best credit cards for fair or average credit 2024

To build credit, you need to get credit, and that’s not always easy for fair credit borrowers. However there are credit card options available for those with fair credit. Some are from big financial institutions and some are from newcomers. Using these cards responsibly will build your credit score. Here are some of the best credit cards for fair or average credit.

Our top recommendations for fair or average credit

• card_name: Best for cash back
• Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card: Best for no credit check
• Mission Lane Visa®: Best for easy prequalification
• OpenSky(R) Secured Visa(R) Credit Card: Best for no credit history
• OpenSky(R) Plus Secured Visa(R) Credit Card: Best for no credit history
• card_name: Best for quick upgrades
• Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa(R): Best for flexibility
• card_name: Best for no deposit required
• card_name: Best for instant access

card_name: Best for cash back

Citi Double Cash® Card

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Citi Double Cash® Card

Credit score

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Annual fees

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(Rates & Fees)

Welcome bonus

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While you won’t get top-tier cash back offers like folks who qualify for cards that require excellent credit, the card_name is nothing to scoff at. The 2% cash back opportunity rewards you not only for purchases, but payments as well. It’s an extra incentive for making payments, which will only increase your credit score and help you qualify for other credit cards down the road

Other bonuses include card_name. The “double cash” in the name is 2% cash back — 1% when you make your purchase and then another 1% as you pay. You also get 5% total cash back on some Citi travel bookings.

card_name: Best for no credit check

Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

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Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

Credit score

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Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

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One of the biggest barriers to qualify for a credit card is a credit check, but the Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card doesn’t have one. This is a huge deal for folks who want to start building credit and need a break. The key to this card is the unique way it operates as a secured credit card. You open a Chime Checking account and get a Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card simultaneously and move money from checking to your secured account. However much you put in the secured account is your credit limit on your Chime credit card.

This is a great solution for people who don’t want to put down a minimum amount (usually $200 and up) for a secured credit card. The one drawback is that when Chime reports your good credit habits to the credit bureaus, you don’t get the benefit of low credit utilization as part of your score.

Mission Lane Visa®: Best for easy prequalification

Mission Lane Visa®

Mission Lane Visa®

Credit score

300

Annual fees

$0, $39, and $59

Welcome bonus

None

The Mission Lane Visa® is an unsecured credit card for people with fair to average credit. It does not require a deposit. When you apply, your creditworthiness is considered. Depending on your finances and/or credit history, you may be offered an annual fee between $0, $39, and $59. (See Rates and Terms for full pricing information.)

This is a good option for folks who don’t have a lot to get started but need something quickly to start building credit*. If you have fair credit or simply a thin credit history, you may not have to pay an annual fee or even the top annual fee of $59. The card doesn’t come with rewards, like cash back, but if you really can’t put down $200 for a secured card with no annual fee and spending rewards, this card gives you options.

*With responsible use and on-time payments, the Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card could give you the chance to build your credit history.

card_name: Best for no credit history

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

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OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

Credit score

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Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

Even folks who are just starting out on their credit journey can get the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. That’s because there’s no credit check to apply and you don’t have to worry about having no credit history. Your credit limit will depend on the amount of money you put into your deposit account, which could be any sum between $200 and $3,000.

The annual_fees annual fee is a minor setback if you need to start building credit right away, and your deposit is refundable when you close the card. Other secured credit cards don’t require an annual fee, however, and the OpenSky Secured doesn’t have any other incentives attached to it.

card_name: Best for no credit history

OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card

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OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card

Credit score

credit_score_needed

Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

Unlike the regular OpenSky card, the OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card doesn’t charge an annual fee. There’s still no hard credit pull so long as you have the extra cash on hand to cover the higher minimum deposit requirement, and you can forgo the annual fee to get it.

The OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card also automatically evaluates you for a credit limit increase after six months without you having to add extra money to your security deposit, and you can make partial payments to your security deposit over 60 days.

card_name: Best for quick upgrades

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

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Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Credit score

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Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

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Sometimes getting a secured or credit-builder card means you’ll need to use the card for a while — sometimes a year or longer — before getting the chance to upgrade. With the card_name, you can get a credit limit increase much faster than some others — in as little as 6 months. That’s great for folks who want to start making more or larger purchases but are held back by the limitations of these types of cards.

This card also does not require a security deposit, making it a serviceable option for people whose credit score falls in the “Fair” range. There aren’t many perks to holding this card beyond credit building however, so if your credit is better than fair, you will want to see if you can get an unsecured card that offers rewards or other bonuses.

card_name: Best for flexibility

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa(R)

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Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa(R)

Credit score

credit_score_needed

Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

The unique value proposition of the card_name is how your payments are set up. Rather than having a balance and a minimum payment every month, you essentially get a series of closed-end loans that you access through credit card transactions — your purchases. The loans give you access to funds up to the full line of your credit amount, but you only pay interest on the money you borrow. The lowest rates require you to enroll in the Autopay program, and the majority of the credit loan amounts are $15,000 or less.

This card also offers you 1.5% cash-back rewards, which is a big perk compared to many other cards for fair and average credit that don’t offer cash back. We also like that there’s no hard credit check to see what your rate will be and the large credit limit range.

card_name: Best for no deposit required

Avant Credit Card

Avant Credit Card

Credit score

credit_score_needed

Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

A big advantage of the card_name is its free pre-check for qualification, which means you can apply without a hard credit pull, and there will be no ding on your credit score. And because it isn’t a secured credit card, it doesn’t require a minimum deposit. The card_name also comes with an app that lets you manage your credit from your phone.

The annual_fees annual fee for this card is higher than other cards on our list, and the interest rate is on the high side. It also doesn’t offer any rewards or cash back. If you have the money for the deposit on a secured card, you might save money in fees by going that route.

card_name: Best for instant access

Prosper(R) Card

Prosper(R) Card

Credit score

credit_score_needed

Annual fees

annual_fees

Welcome bonus

bonus_miles_full

One nice thing about the card_name is you’ll get access to your credit limit right after you’re approved, which gives you immediate spending power. Once you start using the card, you’ll be able to make payments and show an on-time payment history to build up your credit score and history. No hard credit check is also great to see if you’re eligible without causing your credit score to drop.

The Prosper card also is light on fees compared with some other unsecured credit cards for fair credit on our list. There is a annual_fees annual fee, but it is waived the first year if you sign up for the Autopay program. And there is no fee for cash withdrawals from ATMs (though the ATM may charge a fee).

Best credit cards for fair/average credit 2024: Comparison

How we chose the best credit cards of 2024

We compared card offers based on the following criteria: Cards that accept fair or average credit, rewards rates (when applicable), welcome offers (when applicable), introductory offers, and annual fees.

Ultimately, we looked for credit cards that offer the best value for customers with fair or average credit, as well as their ability to help consumers improve their credit with responsible use. In all cases, benefits such as consumer protections and travel insurance perks were taken into account.

Choosing the best credit card: Where to begin

Not all credit cards are created or managed equally. If you’re on the hunt for your first or a new credit card to help build up your credit score, here’s how to get started.

Check your credit

Whether you’ve never had a line of credit before or you’ve had some missteps in the past, the first step is to see what potential credit issuers will see, and that means checking your credit score.

You can get a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and Transunion — by going to AnnualCreditReport.com. Use sites like Credit Karma current credit cards to check your score for free.

See if you’re eligible

There’s no minimum standard across all credit cards, which means if you want to know if you’re eligible for a credit card, you have to check them out on a case-by-case basis.

Some credit card issuers let you see if you’re eligible through prequalification while others let you complete a full application without impacting your credit score. Many issuers will tell you what sort of credit range you should have before applying so you don’t waste your time in case you aren’t eligible.

Review the fees and terms

Cards make their money off of interest rates and fees. So beware of how you’re going to get charged for using a card. Carrying a balance from month to month triggers interest charges, so if you want to avoid those fees, you can pay off your balance every month.

Look at many different fees and when they might cost you. For instance, is there an annual fee to use the card? What about a late payment fee? Some issuers trigger that fee immediately after you miss a payment while others wait a few days before taking effect.

Look at the card’s value to you

For those with fair or average credit, you may have different goals for your credit card compared to someone with good or excellent credit. Ask yourself a few questions, like:

1. Does this card report my activity to the major credit bureaus so I can prove I’m responsible with credit and my score can go up?
2. Will I get reviewed for credit limit increases or the chance to move from a secured card to an unsecured card, if applicable?
3. Am I looking for rewards or am I looking for a card to help build credit? Does this card offer one, the other or both?

Not all cards are for all people, so making sure you’re the right fit for the card — and it’s the right fit for you — is important before you complete an application.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Is it easy to get approved for a card with fair credit?

It can be if you check to see if you’re eligible for that card and it makes sense for your needs. Since every card has different credit requirements, you might not be eligible for all credit cards, but you may still have options to get approved for some.

What's the easiest credit card to get with fair credit?

It depends on your credit history, needs, card requirements and flexibility. You might get approved for a secured credit card instead of an unsecured one, for example. Getting prequalified can help you see if you’re eligible for a credit card without completing a full application and triggering a hard credit inquiry.

Can I get a credit card with average credit?

Yes, there are some credit cards that target borrowers with average, fair or even poor credit. You may not get the best card with the most perks or rewards, but you may still be eligible for a few cards with average credit.