7 Best Secured Credit Cards With No Credit Check
Looking for a secured credit card with no credit check to help improve your credit score? Here are our top recommendations for August 2023.

Table of Contents
- Best Secured Credit Cards With No Credit Check
- 1. Discover It® Secured Credit Card
- 2. OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
- 3. Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card
- 4. Chime® Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card
- 5. First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
- 6. Savings Secured Platinum Rewards Credit Card
- 7. Capital One® Platinum Secured® Credit Card
- Why Do Some Secured Credit Cards Require Credit Checks?
- How To Choose the Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
- Can My Secured Credit Card Application Be Denied?
- FAQs
Credit cards that don’t do a credit check can be attractive to consumers with low credit scores or no credit history, as applying won’t have an impact on their credit. But these cards typically come with high interest rates and fees – which may end up being an expensive form of credit.
However, some credit card companies advertise credit cards with no credit checks and no fees. These card issues look at other factors to evaluate your creditworthiness, like your bank account and employment history, instead of your FICO credit score.
We’ve rounded up the seven best secured credit cards that don’t require a credit check, along with their terms, requirements, and benefits.
Best Secured Credit Cards With No Credit Check
Lender | Scholaroo rating | Regular APR | Credit Score |
---|---|---|---|
![]() Discover It® Secured Credit Card Great for building credit Visit website | 27.99% | N/A | |
![]() OpenSky® Secured Visa® Best for no checking account Visit website | 22.64% | N/A | |
![]() Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card Best for lowest interest rates Visit website | 9.99% | N/A | |
![]() Chime® Credit Builder Secured Visa® Best for no interest Visit website | 0% | N/A | |
![]() First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Best for fast upgrades Visit website | 19.24% | N/A | |
![]() Savings Secured Platinum Rewards Best for travel Visit website | 17.24% | N/A | |
![]() Capital One® Platinum Secured® Best for low minimum security deposit Visit website | 30.49% | N/A |

Discover It® Secured Credit Card
Great for building credit

OpenSky® Secured Visa®
Best for no checking account

Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card
Best for lowest interest rates

Chime® Credit Builder Secured Visa®
Best for no interest

First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured
Best for fast upgrades

Savings Secured Platinum Rewards
Best for travel

Capital One® Platinum Secured®
Best for low minimum security deposit
1. Discover It® Secured Credit Card
2. OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
3. Applied Bank® Secured Visa® Gold Preferred® Credit Card
4. Chime® Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card
5. First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard® Secured Credit Card
6. Savings Secured Platinum Rewards Credit Card
7. Capital One® Platinum Secured® Credit Card
Why Do Some Secured Credit Cards Require Credit Checks?
A lot of people wonder why some secured credit cards require a credit check, as these cards use a security deposit as a credit limit. This means the bank has a way of covering the outstanding balance if you default on payments.
One point to note is that many secured credit cards allow for variable down payments that can result in credit lines in the thousands of dollars. Not everyone can receive the maximum credit line, however, even if they can make the deposit.
Credit card issuers are obligated to make sure that individuals can manage their bills before authorizing their application, as a large credit limit can lead to financial issues. To decide the maximum amount that can be allowed, a credit review is carried out.
Certain circumstances necessitate a credit check that has nothing to do with a person’s credit score. For example, United States financial institutions are mandated, according to the law, to authenticate the identity of anyone who is applying for a credit card, and credit reports can be a valuable aid in this procedure.
How To Choose the Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit
Getting a credit card can help you improve your credit. Here’s what to look for in cards designed for consumers with bad credit.
- Reporting on-time payment behavior: Choose a card that reports to at least one credit bureau: Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. However, it’s ideal if you can choose a card that reports to all three credit bureaus because consistent payments will show up on your credit report and can help improve your credit standing over time
- Light on fees: Most bad credit card fees are high, like a yearly fee without any benefits. Look for a card that has low fees to make owning the card affordable
- Ability to upgrade: Some cards let you “graduate” after making on-time payments for a few months. This helps if you don’t have to open another account, and also helps if opening a new line hurts your credit score
Can My Secured Credit Card Application Be Denied?
The benefit of a secured credit card is that it is a low-risk option for the credit card company. This means that almost anyone can be approved to get one, especially since the deposit amount is equivalent to the credit limit and the bank doesn’t need to worry about the cardholder being unable to pay.
However, though your credit score is a factor, there are a few other reasons why a credit card issuer may decline your secured credit card application. These may include but are not limited to, the risk of default, income level, employment status, and other financial obligations.
Here are some of the reasons why your application may be declined:
- No bank account: Most banks require you to have an active U.S. checking account to open a credit card.
- Residency requirements: Most credit card issuers require you to be a U.S. resident to qualify.
- Income too low: Credit card companies are not allowed to issue credit cards to applicants who are deemed unable to afford the payments.
- You are in the middle of bankruptcy proceedings: Most issuers won’t want to offer you credit if you’re in the middle of filing for bankruptcy as they risk being included in the proceedings.
- You have a poor bank history: Although your credit report may not show old missed payments or defaults, banks have their own internal records. For e.g., if you’ve abused a card from them before or discharged their card during bankruptcy, they may reject your application.
FAQs
What are the easiest cards to get approved for?
The easiest cards to get are usually ones without credit checks. This is because there are fewer criteria you have to meet. Secured credit cards are easy to get because your credit line is backed by collateral. You can often input your information and see what cards you’re pre-approved for without impacting your credit score.
How long does it take to build my credit?
It can take some time to get good credit, but it depends on your situation and how you use your credit. It takes months to get a credit score if you start from scratch. It usually takes at least six months to generate a credit score if you don’t yet have one, and even longer to achieve a good or excellent credit score.
What is a bad credit score?
There are different credit scoring models and each lender may use a different one. Generally, a FICO score below 580 is considered very poor, while scores between 590 and 669 are considered fair.
Does a credit check hurt my credit score?
Soft credit checks don’t have any impact on your credit score. However, hard credit inquiries do. When you complete a pre-approval process for a credit card, it generally only triggers a soft credit check without any impact on your credit score. A full credit assessment will trigger a hard credit inquiry, and this may lead to a temporary dip in your score.
Can I get a secured credit card with no credit history?
You can get approved for a credit card with no credit history. There are credit cards designed for people with no credit, including student credit cards and secured credit cards. Keep an eye out for fees and interest rates when shopping for your first credit card, especially for cards designed for people with no credit history or a bad credit score.
Do they check credit for secured card?
This depends on the credit card issuer’s guidelines. In general, a bank needs to check your credit history when assessing your application for a credit card. Some credit cards take other factors into account like your employment history and bank account, instead of looking at your credit score.
What secured credit card can I use immediately?
Some secured credit cards that you can use immediately after approval include the Capital One Platinum Secured credit card and the Milestone® Mastercard®.