Credit cards often are maligned as being bad for your wallet, but here’s the truth: When used correctly, credit cards can be incredibly helpful to you. Indeed, there are major economic benefits that you can reap if you get the right cards. So, join us as we explore some of the credit card benefits and rewards a savvy shopper can take advantage of.
Credit Card Benefits
Credit cards often have benefits that come with their use…or by simply enrolling in them. The benefits below are among the most commonly offered:
Get Your Score
Many cards allow you to access your credit score quickly. Knowing your score ā and having ways to improve it ā can be critical to your financial health.
Protect Yourself From Liability
The most essential benefit that all credit cards should come with is liability protection. As such, the card won’t charge you for a charge incurred on behalf of someone other than you.
0% APR Balance Transfer From One Card to Another
Many cards will offer you 0% interest on the entire value of a balance transfer. You can save hundreds in interest costs if you pay off the balance during the promotional interest period. However, you have to be careful; if you don’t pay off your credit, you may get hit with an interest charge for the entire transfer amount, not just the amount remaining.
Get Rental Car Insurance
If you rent a car, you may also need to pay for additional insurance, which can get expensive. Thankfully, many credit cards offer free car insurance when you use the card to rent a car. This allows you to get added insurance at no additional cost.
Access Exclusive Discounts
Some cards will give you a discount at a specific store. This discount means that you can save money directly by using these cars.
Credit Card Rewards
Many credit cards also offer rewards or cash back that customers can use in many different ways, including cash back, travel miles, or credit against a balance. Sample rewards include:
Flat Percentage Rate for Bonuses
Some credit cards will give you a flat rate back on your entire balance. Some will also give you a certain percentage when the balance is incurred, then add to that balance when you pay it off.
Rotating Categories for Bonuses
Some cards change the types and amounts that they offer. For example, you may get a higher percentage back on groceries for one quarter of the year, gas the next, entertainment the next, etc.
Set Category Bonuses
Some cars will give slightly higher bonuses on specific categories, such as greater discounts if you use their card to pay off bills for online streaming services.
The rewards are paid for by businesses, who have to pay fees to credit card companies for their use. These fees allow credit card companies to generate the revenue necessary to pay these rewards. In other words, everyone using a credit card is paying for rewards. So you may do what you can to get this money back!
Are there costs associated with these cards?
It depends on the card in question, but yes, there is a cost associated with some of these cards. Many higher-end benefits and rewards cards will charge you an annual membership that automatically gets added to your bill. However, cards will often waive the first month of a membership fee; in many cases, they may have a free option. This free option will allow you to downgrade your benefits and keep a card for free.
How to Find Your Perfect Credit Card
So, what card is right for you? Here’s the truth: There’s no set answer. It ultimately depends on your needs, your services, and what card will give you the best reward. The good news is that there are plenty of credit card rewards and benefits: All you have to do is do your homework to find them. Check out DollarSense for help finding the perfect card for you.
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BOOST Platinum Card
- Bad Credit, No Credit? No Problem!
- Fast and Easy Application
- No Employment or Credit Check
- 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)
Destiny MastercardĀ®
- 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!
- Credit Recommended
- Poor to Good
- Regular APR
- See terms
- Annual Fee
- See terms
- Brand Name
- Mastercard
MilestoneĀ® MastercardĀ®
- 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.
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Good
- Regular APR
- See terms
- Annual Fee
- See terms
- Card Brand
- Mastercard
Net First Platinum
- No Employment or Credit Check
- Bad Credit, No Credit - OK
- Always 0.0% APR
- Fast Online Applications
- 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.
Have you been denied credit in the past? Net First Platinum is available to help people meet their financial needs. Our fast and easy application could be just what you need. A $750 credit line (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com) could be available to you faster than you ever thought possible.
*See Card for Details
SurgeĀ® Platinum MastercardĀ®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- Monthly Credit Score ā Sign up for electronic statements, and get your Vantage 3.0 Score Credit Score From Experian
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 ā $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- See if youāre Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Online account access 24/7
- Checking Account Required
- 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*
First Progress Platinum Elite MastercardĀ® Secured Credit Card
- Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 ā based on your security deposit
- Build your credit score.Ā¹ Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
- No minimum credit score required for approval!
- Ā¹ Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Limited/No Credit
- Regular APR
- 25.24% (V)
- Annual Fee
- $29
- Credit Line
- up to $2,000
- Cash Advance APR
- 30.24% (V)
FITā¢Ā Platinum MastercardĀ®
- $400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Initial Credit Limit of $400.00 (Subject to available credit)
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere MastercardĀ® is accepted
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Checking Account Required
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Poor/Bad
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Annual Fee
- $99 introductory fee for the first year, then $125 thereafter
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
Applied BankĀ® Secured VisaĀ® Gold PreferredĀ® Credit Card
- Better than Prepaid...Go with a Secured Card! Load One Time - Keep On Using
- Absolutely No Credit Check or Minimum Credit Score Required
- Automatic Reporting to All Three National Credit Bureaus
- 9.99% Low Fixed APR - Your Rate Wonāt Go Up Even if You Are Late
- Activate Today with a $200 Minimum Deposit - Maximum $1,000.
- Increase Your Credit Limit up to $5,000 by Adding Additional Deposits Anytime
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Fair/Limited/Damaged
- Regular APR
- 9.99% Fixed
- Annual Fee
- $48
- Credit Line
- $200 - $1,000
ReflexĀ®Ā Platinum MastercardĀ®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- See if youāre Pre-Qualified with no impact to your credit score
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 ā $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere MastercardĀ® is accepted
- Checking Account Required
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Credit Limit
- up to $1,000
- Annual Fee
- $75 - $125
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
OpenSkyĀ® Secured VisaĀ® 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
- *See Rewards Terms and Conditions for more information
- Credit Recommended
- Poor
- Regular APR
- 25.64% (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
- 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*
First Progress Platinum Prestige MastercardĀ® Secured Credit Card
- 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments
- Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 ā based on your security deposit
- Build your credit score.Ā¹ Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
- No minimum credit score required for approval!
- Ā¹ Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Limited/No Credit
- Regular APR
- 15.24% (V)
- Annual Fee
- $49
- Credit Line
- $2,000
- Cash Advance APR
- 24.24% (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
- Credit Line
- $750 Limit (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com)
- Monthly Fee
- See website for Details*
- Regular APR
- 0% APR
You are pre-approved for a $750 unsecured credit line (Usable only at TheHorizonOutlet.com) with the Freedom Gold Card! Sign up now, our application process is fast and easy.
*See site for details
First Progress Platinum Select MastercardĀ® Secured Credit Card
- 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments
- Choose your own credit line - $200 to $2000 ā based on your security deposit
- Build your credit score.Ā¹ Reports to all 3 credit bureaus
- No minimum credit score required for approval!
- Ā¹ Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Limited/No Credit
- Regular APR
- 19.24% (V)
- Annual Fee
- $39
- Credit Line
- $2,000
- Cash Advance APR
- 25.24% (V)
SurgeĀ® Platinum MastercardĀ®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- Monthly Credit Score ā Sign up for electronic statements, and get your Vantage 3.0 Score Credit Score From Experian
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 ā $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- See if youāre Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Online account access 24/7
- Checking Account Required
- 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*
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.
- After 9 months, we review your account for a credit line increase. No additional deposit required!
- 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 FICOĀ® 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.
- Card issued by Merrick Bank, Member FDIC.
- 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
Upgrade Cash Rewards VisaĀ®
- $200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Plus account and making 3 debit card transactions*
- Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
- Combine the flexibility of a credit card with the predictability of a personal loan
- No annual fee
- No touch payments with contactless technology built in
- See if you qualify in minutes without hurting your credit score
- Great for large purchases with predictable payments you can budget for
- Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability
- 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 VISAĀ® 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.
ReflexĀ®Ā Platinum MastercardĀ®
- Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- See if youāre Pre-Qualified with no impact to your credit score
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Initial Credit Limit of $300 ā $1,000 (subject to available credit)
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere MastercardĀ® is accepted
- Checking Account Required
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Credit Limit
- up to $1,000
- Annual Fee
- $75 - $125
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
FITā¢Ā Platinum MastercardĀ®
- $400 credit limit doubles to $800! (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
- All credit types welcome to apply
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Initial Credit Limit of $400.00 (Subject to available credit)
- Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
- Use your card at locations everywhere MastercardĀ® is accepted
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 score from Experian (When you sign up for e-statements)
- Checking Account Required
- Credit Recommended
- Fair/Poor/Bad
- Regular APR
- 35.90% Fixed
- Annual Fee
- $99 introductory fee for the first year, then $125 thereafter
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $41.00
OpenSkyĀ® Plus Secured VisaĀ® Credit Card
- New feature! Earn up to 10% cash back* on everyday purchases
- No annual fee
- 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
- Secure your credit line with a refundable security deposit - as low as $300.
- 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
- *See Rewards Terms and Conditions for more information
- Credit Recommended
- No credit, Poor, Fair
- Regular APR
- 29.99% (variable)
- Annual Fee
- $0
- Credit Line
- $300-$3000 at time of application
Bad Credit Cards
- 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*
Applied BankĀ® Unsecured Classic VisaĀ® 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 VisaĀ® 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
- Credit Recommended
- Poor/Damaged Credit
- Regular APR
- 29.99%
- Late Payment Fee
- Up to $38
- Return Payment Fee
- Up to $38
- Card Brand
- VisaĀ®
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!
- 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
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 ā up to 50,000 points or miles
- Good credit can lead to excellent credit ā 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
- 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
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 ā 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
- 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*
