Credit Cards designed for individuals with fair credit are for those who have a FICO score ranging between 640 and 699. Usually these are the consumers who are either reconstructing their credit score after a turbulent history or constructing their credit from the start.
In order to fetch the Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit you must have a history as a consumer of at least 3 years. The credit cards listed here by The Crediters report their data to all three major credit bureaus hence you have a great shot at increasing your credit if you apply for any of these cards given that you clear your bills well in time and avoid carrying any balance forward to the next month.
Tips for Identifying the Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit
Prior to proceeding with the list of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit, it is imperative that our users take a quick glance at some of the perspectives which must be kept in mind before selecting a credit card.
- Watch out for the Annual Fee, this fee is a crucial one that you must look out for in addition to some other charges. There is a single time fee for the application or while transferring balances according to the type of card you apply for. Your target must be to avoid or minimize any such additional charges or expenditure by selecting the cards who are offering the most affordable or no charges.
- Make your selection between 0% Rates and Rewards, and the sooner you make this choice the better it is. This cuts down your costs by half and allows you to get better perks. One thing you must clarify that no single credit card has all the rewards and the most affordable rates hence it is prudent that you never use one card for everyday expenditure and balances. Get yourself a reward based card for everyday expenses which you must payback complete, this should be the card providing 0% on purchases. Then use another card for balance transfer with 0% rate which helps you reduce the debt you carry.
- Recheck your credit score,fair and good credit has a thin line in between. The two are differentiated by a difference of a mere 40 credit score. If you haven’t had a look at your credit score in a while then it is time you recheck it before you begin applying. You may be eligible for a better rewards card and totally unaware about it.
- Make Payments on Time and Brace to get Upgraded, If you did not know already then credit scores can change by a 100 points in a month hence jumping to a better credit score category may not take that long at all. This is exciting because consumers with excellent credit scores are eligible for great rewards. You must clear your bills on time and watch your credit score spike in no time.
- See the Numbers, calculate the number in dollars. If you are using a rewards card then apply the rates to your spending or expenditure to figure out your usage. If you are using the 0% cards, then look at the amount of debt you can easily payback in a month, the amount of balance you will have at the end of introductory period for a card and most importantly the interest rate you will be charged after the introductory period.
The Top Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit (2020)
Blaze MasterCard® Credit Card
Falling in the category of Less than perfect credit with a fair credit score then about time you apply for the Blaze Mastercard Credit Card.
It has a credit limit of $1500; many users get a starting limit of around $350 and other higher than that. When your application gets approved, the consumer can be given an increase in the credit line within 6 months if the consumer makes timely payments, stays under the credit limit radar and keeps a good record for the account history.
This is an unsecured card that requires no deposit at all. In fact the account is fairly easy to set up with security alert notifications at the go so that the consumer stays updated on the transactions made through the account. Apply for this card now that tops the list for Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit and get ready to increase your credit line.
Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa®
Credit One Bank Platinum Visa Credit Card is another topper in the list of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit offering 5% Cash Back Rewards once the consumer has reached $5,000 of eligible purchases per year. In fact consumers are given huge rewards on everyday purchases in general including grocery gas bills, electricity, mobile phones, TV etc.
Moreover on all other purchases there is a 1% cash back reward. This apply to purchases made every day without any limits. You can easily manage your account online within the ease of your phone through the Credit One Bank Mobile App. This card also offers Zero Fraud Liability, safeguarding you from any unauthorized access charges.
Deserve Pro
Deserve Pro is a great option for consumers who are new to building credit even for those who have recently settled in the United States and have met a certain set of income requirements. The card has great rewards for entertainment, food and travel; a lot more generous as compared to others in the list.
It is rightly included in the list of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit since the L1, O1, and H1B visa holders are eligible to apply for it. The consumers are offered the Priority Pass™ Select Membership once they have made $1000 worth of purchases within the first 3 days of card activation.
Furthermore it offers 3% cash back on entertainment and travel 2% on dining and 1% unlimited cash back on other purchases. The most loved feature of this card is its zero annual fee and does not need any security deposit or co-signer and since it is a Mastercard it can be used worldwide. In fact users are given a $600 worth complimentary insurance of mobile phone.
First Digital MasterCard®
The First Digital Mastercard® put forth by the Synovous Bank is ideal for helping individuals with fair credit to rebuild their credit line and become eligible for better rewards. Even though this card is designed for individuals with less than perfect credit score it does not offer low rates or low fee. However if you wish to reconstruct your credit score using an unsecured credit card and have had any luck then this card is all you need right now.
It charges you a yearly fee with a single time application fee along with a per month service. Once you get approved, you will be charged $95 once for the activation of your card. In the very first year, the yearly fee would be $75. For the second year this fee will drop down to $48 and then you will be charged a per month fee of $6.25 for services.
The interest rate is 35.99% which is although high but worth considering if you wish to rapidly amp up your credit score.
First PREMIER® Bank Classic Credit Card
First PREMIER® Bank Classic Credit Card is a great addition to the list of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit that determines the processing fee according to the creditworthiness of the consumer ranging between $25- $95. This fee has to be completed paid prior to opening the Credit Account. If a consumer fails to pay the processing fee within the first 85 days, the application will be cancelled.
The credit limit assigned to every consumer can vary according to the creditworthiness on which will then depend the card’s fee ranging from $0 – $8 in the first year, then will drop down to $6.25 – $10.40 after.
First PREMIER® Bank Credit Card
The First PREMIER Bank Credit Card although has a high fees and APR but it is recommended for the fair credit scorers to build their credit score. There is a single time opening account fee worth $95 which is not charged by other competitors. Then you might be charged an annual fee according to your assigned credit limit.
In order to qualify for this card you need to have a checking account then if you make your payments on time you will be able to build your credit history, also remember to keep your balance low to get positive remarks on your credit report.
Any activity conducted on Your First PREMIER Bank credit card submitted in a report to the Consumer Reporting Agencies per month. Easily track your progress and watch your credit score spike.
First PREMIER® Bank Gold Credit Card
First PREMIER® Bank Gold Credit Card basis everything on the consumer’s creditworthiness requiring you to pay a processing fee between $25 to $95, to be paid one time before opening the credit account. If this fee is not paid in the 85 days the card application will be withheld by the issuer.
The charged fee will decrease the available limit for credit and this credit limit is determined on your creditworthiness. The annual fee for the card may also vary which can be charged from $75 to $125 for the first year and then thereafter it will drop down from $45 to $49.
Then according to the assigned credit limit and the consumer’s creditworthiness the monthly charges can vary from $0 to $8 for the first year and then $6.25 to $10.40 from thereon.
First PREMIER® Bank MasterCard® Credit Card
First PREMIER® Bank Mastercard® Credit Card is another well recognized name in the list of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit and determines the single time processing fee ranging from $25 to $95 according to the consumer’s creditworthiness. Once again if this fee is not paid within 85 days the application for the account will be with held.
The consumers must know that the fee charges decreases the available credit limit since the annual fee is deducted from the given credit limit. This annual fee can range from $75 to $125 for the first year and then would decrease to $45 for the next years. Since the account details are reported to all major credit bureaus, this card is a great way for consumers to increase their credit limit.
This is a Mastercard so it would be universally accepted by retailers anywhere across the globe.
Indigo® Platinum MasterCard® Credit Card
The Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® is a great credit card for people with fair credit to help them improve their score. If you have a FICO score that is even less than 600 and seem to find hard luck getting approved anywhere else then this is safe haven.
Even though this card does not offer extravagant rewards in form of cash back or points but it reports your credit details to all major bureaus hence can help you build credit if you pay your bills on time. You will then be eligible for cards with extravagant rewards.
This card also offers the service of pre-qualification or pre-approval which does not impact your credit score and allows you get an idea on your chances of getting your application approved if you apply for it. Moreover it comes on 5 exclusive designs that the consumers can select from.
Indigo® Unsecured MasterCard®
Indigo Unsecured Mastercard requires no security deposit and has been specifically designed to assist consumers in building their credit score hence can rightly be included in the category of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit. There are multiple options for card designs to select from without any hidden charges and even if the consumer has had previous reported bankruptcy they can still apply for this card.
You can check for your Pre-Qualification without having any impact on your credit score and since the card reports to all major credit bureaus in the United States it is a good start to rebuild your credit score and history. Since this is a Mastercard, it is accepted worldwide which is another added convenience. The card also protects its consumers from any card of fraud if your card gets lost or stolen.
Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card
Merrick Bank Double Your Line™ Platinum Visa® Credit Card allows its potential consumers to conduct a quick pre-qualification test requiring less than 60 seconds of your time and without putting a kink in the credit score. This gives applicants a better idea on their chances of getting their card application approved.
The credit links of this card lies ranges from $550 – $1,200 and can double up to $1,100 – $2,500. This double line can be achieved if the consumer pays their bill on time for the starting 7 months. The increase would then be automatic by the card issuer. The issuer also keeps the consumers updated on their FICO score every month while complete Fraud Liability secures the user if the card gets lost or stolen.
Furthermore the users can manage their account easily from mobile access. There is no penalty fee or hidden charges.
Milestone® Gold MasterCard®
Milestone Gold Mastercard is the last but definitely not the least in our list of Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit and offers a speedy Pre-Qualification without putting a dent in your credit score. The results are even faster and give the applicants a fair idea on their chances of getting approved. The users can also select from custom designs of card and can manage their account with easy online access.
The card protects the consumers from all kinds of fraud in case of misplacement or stealing. This card is universally accepted at more than 35 million places and even if the applicant has previous filed bankruptcy they are still eligible to apply for it.