Getting a secured credit card is one of the best ways to boost your credit.
Whether you're applying for your first credit card, new to the U.S. credit system and hoping to build credit, or trying to rebuild your credit after previous financial blunders, the options below can bring you closer to your goal.
Business Insider's credit card experts reviewed many different credit cards designed for people with bad credit to bring you this short list of our top picks. None of our recommendations charge annual fees, and all help you build credit as long as you responsibly pay what you owe on time each month.
These are the best secured credit cards you can get in April 2025.
Best Secured Credit Cards of April 2025
| Best for | Card | Annual Fee |
| Best overall | U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card | $0 |
| Best for low security deposit | Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | $0 |
| Best for foodies | U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card | $0 |
| Best for travelers | Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 |
| Best for custom bonus categories | Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card | $0 |
| Best welcome offer | Discover it® Secured Credit Card | $0 |
| Best for no credit check | Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card | $0 |
Check for Secured Credit Card Offers
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card: Best Secured Credit Card Overall
The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card might not look exciting at first glance, but it's a surprisingly valuable card available to those new to the world of credit.
This no-annual-fee card earns generous rewards where most secured cards do not. Earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter in two categories you choose. Earn 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center. Earn 2% cash back on eligible purchases in your choice of one everyday category (like gas stations and EV charging stations, grocery stores and restaurants). Earn 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
Read our U.S. Bank Cash Plus Secured credit card review
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card: Best Secured Credit Card for Low Security Deposit
The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card allows you to open an account with a $200 credit line for as little as $49 down. You can also put down a larger security deposit to increase your credit line up to a maximum of $1,000.
Capital One will also evaluate your repayment history and may offer you an upgrade to the unsecured Capital One Platinum Card, which allows you to reclaim your security deposit.
The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card comes with a few additional perks like $0 fraud liability for unauthorized charges, CreditWise, Card Lock, 24/7 customer service, and AutoPay features.
U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card: Best Secured Credit Card for Foodies
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is likely your best bet for a meaningful return on spending if you regularly dine out and order pickup or delivery meals.
Cardholders can earn generous rewards on everyday expenses: Earn 4 points per dollar on dining, takeout and restaurant delivery. Earn 2 points per dollar at grocery stores, grocery delivery, streaming services, gas stations and EV charging stations. Earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
The points you earn with this card can be redeemed for a flat 1 cent each — meaning this card effectively earns 4% back on dining.
One other benefit of this card (which is excellent for a no-annual-fee credit card) is its annual streaming credit. For each 12-month period that you make a qualifying streaming purchase, you'll automatically receive a $15 credit on your account.
Read our U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card review
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best Secured Card for Travelers
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card earns 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. This is great if you regularly travel for work or leisure, especially if you prepay work expenses and get reimbursed.
You can convert the cash back earned from this card into valuable Capital One miles at a rate of 1 mile per cent. You can use these rewards as statement credits to pay down what you owe.
If you want to use rewards from this card for future travel, save them until your credit is strong enough for you to open a Capital One miles-earning card such as the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One VentureRewards Credit Card. After that, you can combine your rewards from the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card with your new card.
You can then use your rewards to book flights, cruises, and other travel through Capital One transfer partners or the Capital One travel portal. Business Insider's points and miles valuations, Capital One miles are worth 1.7 cents each when you transfer them to airline and hotel loyalty programs like British Airways and Air Canada Aeroplan.
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card: Best for Custom Bonus Categories
The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card allows you to choose your own bonus categories for rewards.
You'll earn 3% cash back from one of the following categories: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, and home improvement/furnishings —extremely practical bonus categories for most people.
You can change your bonus category once per calendar month. So if you anticipate spending a lot on home furnishings in the coming month, for example, you can earn bonus points by changing your category beforehand.
You'll also earn 2% back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and 1% back on everything else.
You can further boost your rewards if you're also a member of Bank of America Preferred Rewards. For those with a certain amount of assets in a Bank of America or Merrill account, you could earn between 25% and 75% more cash back — bringing your potential rewards up to a whopping 5.25%.
Note: This card's 3% and 2% bonus categories are only valid on up to $2,500 in total spending each quarter. Once you reach $2,500 in spending, you'll earn 1% cash back.
Read our Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured credit card review
Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best Secured Credit Card for a First-Year Bonus
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a straightforward cash back card with several bonus categories that are easy to track.
It earns a simple 2% back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1% back). You'll earn 1% cash back on everything else.
This card is particularly valuable during the first year of card membership. Discover will match all the cash back you earn during your first 12 months. That means you'll earn up to 4% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, and 2% cash back on all other purchases.
If much of your everyday spending doesn't fall into the bonus categories of the other credit cards on this list, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card is the clear winner for you, as you'll earn no less than 2% back during your first 12 months.
Additionally, Discover will begin automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if you can transition to an unsecured line of credit and have your deposit returned.
Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card: Best Secured Card for No Credit Check
The Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card offers a way for consumers with low or no credit to enjoy the functionality of a credit card without undergoing a standard credit check.
The card helps users build credit by reporting card activity to major credit bureaus. However, it doesn't earn rewards and can't be converted to an unsecured card, so the card isn't a great fit for someone who's hoping to build a relationship with a larger issuer up front.
You'll have to have a Chime® Checking Account and put down a cash deposit in order to get and use the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card.
This card stands out from other secured cards because you can pay down your balance from your security deposit. However, you'll effectively lower your spending limit unless you top up your account balance afterward.
Secured Credit Card Basics
Secured credit cards are designed for people with low or no credit who put down a cash deposit as security. The deposit guarantees that the cardholder will repay whatever they charge to the credit card.
Secured credit cards tend to lack flashy ongoing benefits and high earning rates. Instead, they serve just one primary purpose: to help people with poor (or no) credit get on their financial feet.
How Do Secured Credit Cards Work?
When you open a secured credit card account, you're required to deposit a sum of money. This deposit usually determines your credit limit. Essentially, you're borrowing against your own money, while also building your credit history.
Traditional, unsecured credit cards use undisclosed mathematical algorithms that rope in credit score, income, and payment history to determine your credit limit. Alternatively, your credit limit on a secured credit card will be how much you deposited. Credit card companies hold this money as collateral if you default on your credit card or rack up severe delinquencies.
Required Security Deposit
The deposit is typically refundable and varies from one card issuer to another. It's crucial to understand the terms associated with the deposit to ensure you're making a well-informed decision.
One determining factor of your credit score is the percentage of available credit you use, ideally under 30%. This number is also known as your credit utilization ratio. The higher the security deposit, the more you can use your card without putting your credit score at risk. You'll be able to get this back.
Assuming you make your payments on time, the credit card company will return your security deposit when you pay off your remaining balance and close out the card.
Secured vs. Unsecured Credit Cards
Secured credit cards and unsecured credit cards occasionally share a product name, but they can have very different usages and limitations.
Secured Credit Cards
- Often do not require a credit check
- Accept applicants with low credit scores
- Require cash security deposit to set credit limit (within a specified range)
- Often charge higher interest than unsecured credit cards
Unsecured Credit Cards
- Typically require a good credit score at minimum, and prioritize applicants with excellent credit scores
- Issuer determines credit limit based on a number of internal considerations
- Interest rates vary based on the strength of your credit profile
Upgrading from a Secured Credit Card to an Unsecured Credit Card
Yes, many issuers allow you to upgrade from a secured to an unsecured credit card after demonstrating responsible use and building a positive credit history. This typically involves a review of your credit and payment history.
When and How to Upgrade Your Card
Upgrading to an unsecured credit card means your cash security deposit will be returned to you, and the upgrade is often considered a sign of improved credit health. The best issuers automatically upgrade secured cardholders to an unsecured product after a certain amount of time has passed, usually between six months to one year.
What to Expect When Upgrading From A Secured Credit Card
Transitioning to an unsecured card often comes with a higher credit limit and more benefits. However, it's important to maintain the disciplined habits you've developed; don't start carrying a balance.
Cardholder Reviews of Secured Credit Cards
In addition to compiling feedback from our credit card experts, we reviewed customer feedback from popular forums like Reddit to see what everyday cardholders have to say.
Friendly Customer Service
Several Redditors recommend U.S. Bank for its friendly, accessible customer service and for offering several credit cards designed for people with poor credit. This recommendation aligns with our recommendations of the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa® Secured Card and the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Chose the Best Secured Credit Cards
With little exception, secured credit cards do not provide ongoing benefits that are worth mentioning since their primary function is to help consumers build credit.
The approval requirements are also extremely similar across the board. Therefore, we chose the best credit cards based on each card's earning rate and rewards currency.
Many secured credit cards come with no return whatsoever for spending. The cards on our list not only earn rewards, but they also rival — and even outperform — some of the best no-annual-fee cash back credit cards on the market.
Here's a full breakdown of how we rate credit cards at Business Insider.
FAQs
How can a secured credit card help me build credit?
A secured credit card can help you build credit if you use it to demonstrate good credit habits. You can responsibly use a secured credit card by making payments on time, keeping balances low, and managing credit wisely. Card activity is reported to credit bureaus, so responsible and consistent usage will improve your credit score over time.
Do secured credit cards build credit?
Yes, secured credit cards can help you build your credit history as long as you use them responsibly. That means paying your bill on time and not spending more than you can afford. Secured cards report your account and activity to the major credit bureaus, meaning they will show up on your credit report and factor into your credit score calculation.
What is a good secured credit card?
A good secured credit card can help you improve your credit score if you use it responsibly. You'll need to "secure" your line of credit by putting down a deposit, but as long as you pay off your balance, you'll be showing the credit card issuer that you can be responsible with a line of credit. A good secured credit card may also offer other perks, like rewards on your spending.
How much should I deposit for a secured credit card?
The credit limit of a secured credit card typically depends on the amount of cash you leave with the issuer as a security deposit. Common minimum deposits start at $300. Choose an amount that you're comfortable with and that reflects your spending habits.
Are secured credit cards only for people with bad credit?
No, secured credit cards are also a good option for people with no credit history or for those looking to rebuild their credit.
Can I get my deposit back on a secured credit card?
Yes, the deposit on a secured credit card is typically refundable, provided that you've paid off your balance and closed your account in good standing.
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