Best Credit Builder Cards, Compared
Secured cards, student cards and no-deposit starter cards in one table, ranked by our credit-building score, with the annual fee, security deposit, bureau reporting and APR side by side.
Most “best credit builder card” lists stop at secured cards. That leaves out two groups who often have a better option: college students, who can usually qualify for an unsecured student card that earns cash back, and people with fair or limited credit, who may get a no-deposit starter card and keep their cash free. This page puts all three kinds in one comparison so you can see the trade-offs at a glance, and ranks them on one number built for this job: our credit-building score.
If you already know you want a secured card or a no-deposit credit-builder card, our best cards to build credit page shows those two groups as separate ranked lists. Not sure where you stand yet? The free Credit Roadmap builds a month-by-month plan from your own numbers.
Credit builder cards ranked
Ranked from our card database on October 9, 2026. Confirm the current terms on the issuer’s site before you apply.
| # | Card | Type | Annual fee | Security deposit | All 3 bureaus | Ongoing APR | Score | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Secured Chime Visa® Credit CardThe Bancorp Bank / Stride Bank5% cash back on one spend category you pick each month with Chime Prime ($3,000+ direct deposits in 34 days)… | Secured | $0 | No minimum | Yes | — | 64 | View card → |
| #2 | Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for StudentsBank of America6% cash back first year in choice category (then 3%) | Student | $0 | None | — | 17.49%-27.49% APR | 64 | View card → |
| #3 | Eagle Ascend™ Credit CardUSAA2% cash back on your top eligible spend category each month, including gas stations, groceries, dining and…Credit limit increase review in as few as six months when you make on-time payments | No deposit | $0 | None | — | — | 62 | View card → |
| #4 | Capital One Savor Student Cash RewardsCapital OneEarn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores, on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus… | Student | $0 | None | — | — | 62 | View card → |
| #5 | Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash RewardsCapital OneUnlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases | Student | $0 | None | — | — | 62 | View card → |
| #6 | Chase Freedom Rise® Credit CardChase1.5% cash back on all purchases | No deposit | $0 | None | — | — | 61 | View card → |
| #7 | Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards for StudentsBank of America2% cash back on all purchases first year, then unlimited 1.5% | Student | $0 | None | — | 17.49%-27.49% APR | 61 | View card → |
| #8 | Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for StudentsBank of America1.5 points per $1 on all purchases | Student | $0 | None | — | 17.49%-27.49% APR | 61 | View card → |
| #9 | Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit CardBank of AmericaEarn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and… | Secured | $0 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 60 | View card → |
| #10 | Quicksilver Secured from Capital OneCapital One1.5% cash back on all purchases | Secured | $0 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 59 | View card → |
| #11 | opensky Plus Secured Visa®Capital Bank N.A. | Secured | $0 | $300 minimum, refundable | — | — | 58 | View card → |
| #12 | Platinum Secured Credit Card from Capital OneCapital One | Secured | $0 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 58 | View card → |
| #13 | cashRewards SecuredNavy FCU1% cash back on all purchases | Secured | $0 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 58 | View card → |
| #14 | Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured Credit CardBank of AmericaUnlimited 2% cash back first year then 1.5% cash back on all purchases | Secured | $0 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 58 | View card → |
| #15 | Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit CardWebBank1% cash back on all purchases, rising to 1.5% after qualifying on-time payments. Plus up to 10% cash back at…Leap program: credit line increase in 6 months with qualifying on-time payments | No deposit | $0 | None | Yes | 28.24%-30.24% Variable APR | 58 | View card → |
| #16 | TD Cash Secured Credit CardTD BankChoose your top two spend categories to earn unlimited 3% and 2% Cash Back and 1% cash back on all other… | Secured | $29 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 56 | View card → |
| #17 | OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit CardCapital Bank N.A. | Secured | $35 | $200 minimum, refundable | — | — | 56 | View card → |
| #18 | Chase Slate Edge℠Chase | No deposit | $0 | None | — | — | 55 | View card → |
| #19 | U.S. Bank Secured Visa® CardU.S. Bank | Secured | $0 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 55 | View card → |
| #20 | Platinum Mastercard® from Capital OneCapital One | No deposit | $0 | None | — | — | 55 | View card → |
| #21 | Petal® 1 'No Annual Fee' Visa® Credit CardWebBank1% – 10% cash back at select national merchants. Cash back merchants and offers vary throughout the year and…Leap program: earn credit limit increase by completing credit health challenges | No deposit | $0 | None | Yes | 28.24%-33.24% Variable APR | 55 | View card → |
| #22 | Soar Secured CardTruliant Federal Credit Union | Secured | $0 | $1000–$5000 refundable | — | — | 55 | View card → |
| #23 | BankAmericard® Credit Card for StudentsBank of America | Student | $0 | None | — | 14.99%–25.99% APR | 55 | View card → |
| #24 | Merrick Bank® Secured Credit CardMerrick Bank | Secured | $36 | Refundable deposit | — | — | 53 | View card → |
| #25 | Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit CardWebBank1% – 10% cash back at select national merchants. Cash back merchants and offers vary throughout the year and…Leap program: earn credit limit increase by completing credit health challenges | No deposit | $59 | None | Yes | 28.24%-33.24% Variable APR | 51 | View card → |
How this list is ranked. Score = our credit-building score (0–100), a weighted blend of each card’s fee, perks, rewards and welcome-offer sub-scores in which fees count most (55%), then perks (30%), rewards (10%) and the welcome offer (5%). Cards are sorted by that score; ties go to the lower annual fee, then the higher overall card score. A dash means our card data doesn’t state it, not that the card lacks it. Consumer cards only. Partner links never change the order. Full methodology →
Which kind of card fits you?
Secured cards
You put down a refundable security deposit, which usually sets your credit line. Because the deposit lowers the issuer’s risk, these are the easiest cards to get with no credit history or past credit problems. The deposit comes back when you close the account in good standing or the issuer upgrades you.
Student cards
Unsecured cards for college students with little or no credit history. No deposit, and many earn the same kind of cash back as regular cards. You’ll typically need to show your own income or ability to pay.
Starter cards (fair or limited credit)
- No deposit — unsecured, so no cash is tied up.
- Lower limits — starting credit lines are often small.
- Higher APR — pay in full every month to avoid interest.
Rather not use a card? A credit-builder loan builds payment history with small monthly payments, and most need no credit check. Compare credit-builder loans →
Credit builder card FAQ
What is the best credit builder card?
It depends on where you’re starting. With no credit history or past credit problems, a secured card is usually the most reliable way in, because the refundable deposit lowers the issuer’s risk. Students can often qualify for an unsecured student card, and people with fair credit can look at starter cards that need no deposit. Right now the highest credit-building score on this page belongs to the Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card (64), a secured card with a $0 annual fee, followed by the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards for Students (64).
What is the difference between a secured and an unsecured credit card?
A secured card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line is usually tied to that deposit. An unsecured card has no deposit; the issuer sets your limit from your credit and income. Most secured cards report to the credit bureaus just like unsecured cards, so on-time payments count the same way. You get the deposit back when you close the account in good standing or the issuer upgrades it to an unsecured card.
How many credit builder cards have no annual fee?
21 of the 25 cards on this page have a $0 annual fee. The 4 cards that charge one: TD Cash Secured Credit Card ($29), OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card ($35), Merrick Bank® Secured Credit Card ($36), Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card ($59).
How fast can a secured card build credit?
There is no fixed timeline. A FICO score generally needs at least one account that has been open for six months or more, so many people with no history get their first score about six months after opening their first card. How fast it improves after that depends on paying on time every month, keeping balances low compared with your limit, and the rest of your credit report. No card can guarantee a particular score.
Do credit builder cards report to all three credit bureaus?
Many do, but not all, and it matters: a card only builds your credit with the bureaus it reports to. In our card data, 4 cards on this page state that they report to all three (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion): Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card, Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card, Petal® 1 'No Annual Fee' Visa® Credit Card and Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card. A dash in the table means our data doesn’t say, not that the card doesn’t report, so confirm with the issuer before you apply.
When should I graduate from a secured card?
Once you have a record of on-time payments and low balances, ask whether your issuer will upgrade the account to an unsecured card and refund your deposit. Some issuers review secured accounts for this automatically; others need you to ask or to apply for a new card. Upgrading the same account, rather than closing it, keeps its history on your credit report. In our data, Eagle Ascend™ Credit Card, Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card, Petal® 1 'No Annual Fee' Visa® Credit Card and Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card list a credit line increase or upgrade program.
Keep going
- Best cards to build credit (secured vs. no deposit) →
- Best secured credit cards, ranked →
- Best cards for no credit →
- Best cards for bad credit →
- Best cards for fair credit →
- Best credit-builder loans & accounts →
- Free Credit Roadmap: your month-by-month plan →
- How to build your credit: the 5-phase plan →
- How long it takes to rebuild credit →
- Credit score ranges (FICO and VantageScore) →
- Credit utilization guide and calculator →
- Authorized-user strategy →
- Rent and utility reporting →
- Best cash back cards, once your credit is established (YourBestCards) →
Card details come from our card database, the same one YourBestCards uses. Verify terms with each issuer before applying. · Advertiser disclosure