Credit Cards

The different types of credit cards available (explained).

When you start looking for a credit card you quickly realize there are a large number of card companies but also a vast array of card types with little to no explanation of what the difference is between them and why you may or may not want a specific type for your needs.

Balance transfer

Balance transfer cards specialize in incentives for those that already have credit cards to transfer those balances to their card with the benefit of low or no APR for qualifying transfers usually for 12-18 months with the idea being its easier pay down the balance if you are not incurring interest charges during the introductory period but function much the same as a standard card after that window.

Low interest

Low interest cards are aimed at consumers with good to excellent credit offering APR below the standard but tend to not offer many additional benefits due to the low interest rate being the big draw.

Cash back

Cash back refers to a credit card perk that gives you a small percent of your money spent back to you usually as an annual check. Cash back offers need to be read carefully as they can have a lot of stipulation that can limit their effectiveness depending on how and where you use your card. Some cards limit the stores you get cash back others limit the type of items or have different percentages back on different types of items. Be aware of how you spend before selecting one of these.

Reward points

These cards are much like the cash back cards in that they reward your spending but instead of cash they assign you points. The points can be used for discounts, to purchase items from loyalty sites and some will redeem for cash or to lower balances. Much like cash back cards you need to read the fine print as all point systems are different and have different rules for how they are accrued and can be used. Again, it’s best to match up the point system with how you spend money.

Hotel and travel points

These cards reward frequent hotel and travel purchases with value-add incentives that make your travels more comfortable and convenient. Rewards include things such as free hotel stays, wi-fi, reduced flight charges, free baggage, even access to special on-site clubs or lounges. A majority of these types of cards are offered by specific hotel chains or airlines so you will need to book with them when you travel to cash in.

Retail rewards

Retail cards reward loyal returning shoppers with discounts, coupons and special offers at the store location or chain.

Gas points

Pretty straight forward, you spend money on gas and for every dollar spent or gallon purchased you receive discounts or reward points to reduce your future purchases or trade in for merchandise.

Airline miles

Cards featuring airline miles will grant you points that can be redeemed for travel discounts or upgrades. Be aware that reward miles are not actual travel miles so it not always clear what your points will get you until you look at the conversion system.

Secured

Secured cards are geared for consumers with no credit history or with some bumps in your credit history. These cards operate like other standard cards and even offer perks but require a small up-front deposit to open the account, usually approximately $200 which most of time is refundable.

Prepaid Cards

Unlike a debit card, prepaid cards are not tied to bank accounts but rather are funded by adding money to an account in advance of spending. Usually you can not spend more than you have in your account which can help curb over spending and incurring overdraft fees.

Business

Business credit cards are focused on business purchases rather than individual consumer use. These cards can help small businesses build a credit profile to improve future barrowing terms.

Student

Student centric cards tend to have low spending limits and not many perks. These cards are intended for students away from parents for the first time that need to build their individual credit history.

With all the different credit card types available its important to get the one that fits your situation and spending habits.

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BOOST Platinum Card

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Credit Recommended
Damaged credit to Fair credit
Credit Line
$750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
Regular APR
None
Monthly Fee
$177.24 annually ($14.77 per month)

Net First Platinum

  • No Employment or Credit Check
  • Bad Credit, No Credit - OK
  • Always 0.0% APR
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Credit Recommended
Damaged credit to Fair credit
Credit Line
$750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
Regular APR
0% APR
Monthly Fee
See website for Details*

The Net First Platinum card could be the perfect card for you.

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FIT™ Platinum Mastercard®

  • $400 Initial Credit Limit
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The FIT Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for e-statements)
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
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Credit Recommended
Fair/Poor/Bad
Regular APR
35.90% Fixed
Annual Fee
See terms
Return Payment Fee
Up to $41.00
Late Payment Fee
Up to $41.00

First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Credit Card

  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards with First Progress Prestige!
  • Apply now and fund your security deposit over 90 days with the option to make partial payments.
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  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.¹
  • All credit types welcome to apply!
  • ¹Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
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Credit Recommended
Poor/Limited/No Credit
Regular APR
14.74% (V)
Annual Fee
$49
Credit Line
$2,000
Cash Advance APR
23.74% (V)

Freedom Gold Card

  • $750 Unsecured Credit Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
  • Instant Approval*
  • No Credit Check
  • No Employment Check
  • Fast online application
  • Bad Credit - OK
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Credit Recommended
Damage credit to Fair credit
Credit Line
$750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
Monthly Fee
See website for Details*
Regular APR
0% APR

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Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®

  • Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
  • See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Reflex Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for e-statements)
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
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Credit Recommended
Fair/Poor/Bad/Limited
Regular APR
35.90% Fixed
Credit Limit
up to $1,000
Annual Fee
$75 - $125
Late Payment Fee
Up to $41.00

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

  • Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
  • See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for e-statements)
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
See website for Details*
Regular APR
35.90% Fixed
Late Payment Fee
Up to $41.00
Return Payment Fee
Up to $41.00
Intro Rate
See website for Details*

Milestone® Mastercard®

  • Greater access to credit than before - $700 credit limit
  • Get a Mastercard accepted online, in store and in app
  • Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S.
  • $0 liability* for unauthorized use
  • Access your account online or from your mobile device 24/7
  • *Fraud protection provided by Mastercard Zero Liability Protection. If approved, you'll receive the Mastercard Guide to Benefits that details the complete terms with your card.
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
Fair/Good
Credit Limit
$700
Cash Advance Fee
See terms
Regular APR
See terms

Bad Credit Cards

Search Now
Credit Recommended
Fair/Bad/Poor/Damaged/Limited/No Credit/
Intro (Purchases)
See website for Details*
Intro (Transfers)
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
Annual Fee
See website for Details*

First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card

  • Get a First Progress Select Card and Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards!
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  • All credit types welcome to apply!
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.¹
  • ¹Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
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Credit Recommended
Poor/Limited/No Credit
Regular APR
18.74% (V)
Annual Fee
$39
Credit Line
$2,000
Cash Advance APR
24.74% (V)

Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®

  • $200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Plus account and making 3 debit card transactions*
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Credit Recommended
Excellent, Good, Fair, Average
Credit Line
$500 - $25,000
Regular APR
14.99% - 29.99% APR
Regular Transfer APR
14.99% - 29.99% APR
Annual Fee
$0

*To qualify for the welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking Plus account through Upgrade and make 3 qualifying debit card transactions from your Rewards Checking Plus account within 60 days of the date the Rewards Checking Plus account is opened. If you have previously opened a checking account through Upgrade or do not open a Rewards Checking Plus account as part of this application process, you are not eligible for this welcome bonus offer. Your Upgrade Card and Rewards Checking Plus account must be open and in good standing to receive a bonus. To qualify, debit card transactions must have settled and exclude ATM transactions. Please refer to the applicable Upgrade Visa® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information. Welcome bonus offers cannot be combined, substituted, or applied retroactively. The bonus will be applied to your Rewards Checking Plus account as a one-time payout credit within 60 days after meeting the conditions.

Destiny Mastercard®

  • All the benefits of a Mastercard, without a security deposit
  • 24/7 access to your account, even on mobile!
  • Reports to all three major credit bureaus
  • Less than perfect credit is okay, even with a prior bankruptcy!
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Credit Recommended
Poor to Good
Credit Limit
$700
Regular APR
See terms
Annual Fee
See terms

Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card

  • Choose your own credit line based on how much money you want to put down as a security deposit.
  • Initial deposits can be from $200 to $3,000. You can increase your credit line at any time by adding additional money to your security deposit, up to $3,000.
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  • Secured Credit Cards are great for people looking to build or rebuild credit and are available to people with all kinds of credit backgrounds.
  • Unlike a debit card or a pre-paid card, it helps build your credit history. We report your payment history to all three major credit-reporting agencies.
  • Get your FICO® Credit Score for free each month.
  • Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen. Access your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get help staying on track with available Auto Pay and account alerts.
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Credit Recommended
See website for Details*
Regular APR
22.70% Variable
Annual Fee
$36 for first year. Billed $3 per month thereafter
Credit Line
$200-$3,000, depending on deposit amount
Cash Advance APR
27.70% Variable

OpenSky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card

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  • No annual fee
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  • Easy application, apply in less than 5 minutes right from your mobile device
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Credit Recommended
No credit, Poor, Fair
Regular APR
29.49% (variable)
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Line
$300-$3000 at time of application

Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®

  • Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
  • See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Reflex Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for e-statements)
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
Fair/Poor/Bad/Limited
Regular APR
35.90% Fixed
Credit Limit
up to $1,000
Annual Fee
$75 - $125
Late Payment Fee
Up to $41.00

OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

  • New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back* on everyday purchases
  • No credit check to apply. Zero credit risk to apply!
  • Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
  • Get free monthly access to your FICO score in our mobile application
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
  • Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
  • Fund your card with a low $200 refundable security deposit to get a $200 credit line
  • Apply in less than 5 minutes with our mobile first application
  • Choose the due date that fits your schedule with flexible payment dates
  • Fund your security deposit over 60 days with the option to make partial payments
  • Over 1.4 Million Cardholders Have Used OpenSky Secured Credit Card To Improve Their Credit
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Credit Recommended
No credit, Poor, Fair
Regular APR
25.14% (variable)
Annual Fee
$35
Credit Line
$200-$3000 at time of application

Fair Credit Cards

  • Time for a new Credit Card
  • Improve your credit with responsible use
  • Credit Cards for Fair Credit
Search Now
Credit Recommended
Average/Fair/Good/Poor/Bad/Limited/
Intro (Purchases)
See website for Details*
Intro (Transfers)
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
Annual Fee
See website for Details*

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

  • Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
  • See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for e-statements)
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
See website for Details*
Regular APR
35.90% Fixed
Late Payment Fee
Up to $41.00
Return Payment Fee
Up to $41.00
Intro Rate
See website for Details*

FIT™ Platinum Mastercard®

  • $400 Initial Credit Limit
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The FIT Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for e-statements)
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
Fair/Poor/Bad
Regular APR
35.90% Fixed
Annual Fee
See terms
Return Payment Fee
Up to $41.00
Late Payment Fee
Up to $41.00

Good Credit Cards

  • Take advantage of your good credit to get competitive APRs and rewards
  • Enjoy low rates and rewards for everyday spending
  • Earn cash back, points or miles to redeem for travel, gift cards or cash rewards
  • Bonus offers – up to 50,000 points or miles
  • Good credit can lead to excellent credit – some cards provide free credit score monitoring
  • Terms vary by partner. Please see individual application for product terms and conditions.
  • Clicking Apply Now will take you to CreditSoup.com to compare Credit Cards for Good Credit from participating partners
Search Now
Credit Recommended
Fair/Good/Limited/No Credit/Excellent
Intro (Purchases)
See website for Details*
Intro (Transfers)
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
Annual Fee
See website for Details*

*See Card for Terms and Conditions

Applied Bank® Unsecured Classic Visa® Card

  • Get Pre-Qualified in Less Than a Minute
  • A $300 Unsecured Credit Line which can be used at Grocery Stores, Gas Stations, Discount Stores, ATM's and Online!
  • A REAL Visa® Credit Card with Automatic Reporting to all Three National Credit Bureaus
  • No Penalty Rate. Your Rate Won't Go Up Even If You are Late
  • Access Additional Credit With On-Time Payments and Responsible Usage
  • A True Unsecured EMV enabled (chip) Visa Credit card
  • Does not require perfect credit for approval
  • Fixed APR and Manageable Monthly Payments
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
Poor/Damaged Credit
Regular APR
29.99%
Late Payment Fee
Up to $38
Return Payment Fee
Up to $38
Card Brand
Visa®

Poor Credit Cards

  • A better way to get a Card Offer!
  • For those with less that perfect credit.
  • Response in as fast as 60 seconds
  • Search, Compare, Apply!
Search Now
Credit Recommended
Fair/Poor/Bad/Damaged/Limited/No Credit
Intro (Purchases)
See website for Details*
Intro (Transfers)
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
Annual Fee
See website for Details*

Search, Compare and Apply! Creditsoup.com offers you a better way to get a card offer.

*See Card for Terms and Conditions

Excellent Credit Cards

  • Take advantage of your excellent credit to get the best rates and rewards
  • Enjoy low rates and rewards for everyday spending
  • Excellent credit can lead to higher credit lines
  • Earn cash back, points or miles to redeem for travel, gift cards or cash rewards
  • Bonus offers – up to 50,000 points or miles
  • Terms vary by partner. Please see individual application for product terms and conditions.
  • Clicking Apply Now will take you to CreditSoup.com to compare Credit Cards for Excellent Credit from participating partners
Search Now
Credit Recommended
Good/Excellent
Intro (Purchases)
See website for Details*
Intro (Transfers)
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
Annual Fee
See website for Details*

OpenSky Launch Secured Visa® Credit Card

  • Excellent option for a low fully refundable security deposit, get started with just $100
  • Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
  • Minimum payment as low as $10
  • Annual fee billed in monthly installments of $2 per month in year 1 and $3 per month thereafter
  • No credit check to apply. Find out instantly if you are approved- Zero credit risk to apply!
  • Looking to build or rebuild your credit? 2 out of 3 OpenSky cardholders increase their credit score by an average of 41 points in just 3 months
  • Monitor your credit progress with free access to your FICO Credit Score.
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
  • Add to your mobile wallet and make purchases using Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay
  • Easy application, apply in less than 5 minutes right from your mobile device
  • Offers flexible payment due dates which allow you to choose any available due date that fits your payment schedule
  • Now you can make smaller partial payments towards funding your security deposit over 60 days
  • Over 1.4 million cardholders have used OpenSky Secured Credit Card to improve their credit
Apply Now
Credit Recommended
No credit, Poor, Fair
Regular APR
29.49% (variable)
Annual Fee
$24 during the first year, paid in installments of $2 per month. $36 after the first year, paid in installments of $3 per month.
Credit Line
$100- $1,000
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