8 Best Credit Cards for 650 Credit Score (Average Credit)

ByRob Berger

Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Allcards. Commissions do not affect our authors’ or editors’ opinions or evaluations. From our partners: See our advertiser disclosure here.

The average credit score varies from year to year. In the most recent data released by FICO, the average score was 714. That's high based on historical standards, as the average score typically falls in a range of 650-699. Finding the best credit card for 650 credit score and above can be tricky.

A score in the high 600s is good enough to avoid bad credit credit cards. At the same time, it's not quite high enough for the best credit cards.

The following cards are designed for individuals with credit scores in the 650, 660, 670, 680, or 690 ranges. For FICO scores in this range, these cards offer a good chance of approval, report payments to all three major credit bureaus, offer reasonable terms, and can help improve your credit score.

List of the Best Credit Cards with Average Credit

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card 

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a simple cash back structure, paying 1.5% on every purchase. You'll get a small welcome bonus, and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. And there's no annual fee. Approval-wise, there have been several approvals for credit scores around 650.

Rewards:

1.5% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
Earn 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases
5% cash back
Hotels
Earn 5% cash back on hotels booked through Capital One Travel
5% cash back
Rental Cars
Earn 5% cash back on car rentals booked through Capital One Travel

Annual Fee: $0

Welcome Bonus: One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

0% Intro APR: Get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months.

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a great card for the food-obsessed. You get unlimited 3% cash back on dining and grocery stores, plus 3% cash back on entertainment and select streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases. You also get 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats. You get a welcome bonus, and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. There have been a few approvals for credit scores in the high 500s, but of course, credit card companies base their approvals on many factors.

Rewards:

1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other purchases
3% cash back
Supermarkets
3% cash back at grocery stores excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®
3% cash back
Streaming services
3% cash back on popular streaming services
3% cash back
Dining
3% cash back on dining
3% cash back
Entertainment
3% cash back on entertainment
5% cash back
Hotels
Earn 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
5% cash back
Rental Cars
Earn 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
8% cash back
Entertainment
Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
10% cash back
Select Categories
Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024

Annual Fee: $0

Welcome Bonus: $200 Cash Back after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

0% Intro APR: Get 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

The card_name is a great card for those with average credit. You get 3% cash back on gas, groceries, and online retail purchases (subject to a cap). You also get a small welcome bonus and an introductory rate of 0% APR for the first 15 months. And you get all of this for a $0 annual fee. Credit score-wise, we've seen approvals with a score as low as 658. Bear in mind that your experience may be different.

Rewards:

1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.
3% cash back
U.S. supermarkets
3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.
3% cash back
Select Categories
3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.
3% cash back
Gas
3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.

Annual Fee: $0

Welcome Bonus: Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

Pre-approval: Find out if you're approved with no impact on your credit score (if you're approved and you accept a card, your credit score may be impacted)

0% Intro APR: Get 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then a rate of 19.24% - 29.99%.

Approval Odds*

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer 

The Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer is a great card whether you have average credit or even excellent credit. You get 0% on balance transfers for the first 18 months, and no annual fee. You get 1% cash back with every purchase and another 1% cash back when you pay the bill. There have been approvals for credit scores of 690, so if you haven't hit that 700 mark yet, this could be a good card to apply for.

Rewards:

2% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Annual Fee: $0

Welcome Bonus: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of your Citi Double Cash® card account opening.

0% Intro APR: Get 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months.

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is an attractive choice for those seeking rewards. It carries an annual fee of $39 but offers a generous 1.5% cash back on all your purchases, without any cap on the earnings. The interest rate is still pretty high at 30.74% APR, which means cardholders should pay the balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.

You'll also have access to CreditWise to keep tabs on your credit score.

Rewards:

1.5% cash back
All eligible purchases
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day

Annual Fee: $39

Best For: Simple cash back rewards on all purchases

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

The card_name is an excellent card for anyone, but particularly those with average credit. It offers excellent rewards of up to 6% cash back, a welcome bonus, and an introductory rate of 0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months. There is an annual fee, but it's waived for the first year. Credit score-wise, we've seen approvals with a score as low as 673, although credit card companies take a lot of factors into consideration when granting credit, so your experience may vary.

Rewards:

1% cash back
On all other eligible purchases
1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
3% cash back
Gas
3% cash back at U.S. gas stations
3% cash back
Transit
3% cash back on transit, such as taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains and buses
6% cash back
U.S. supermarkets
6% cash back on groceries up to $6,000 per year in purchases at U.S. supermarkets, then 1%
6% cash back
Streaming services
6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions

Annual Fee: $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95.

Welcome Bonus: Earn a $250 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.

Pre-approval: Find out if you're approved with no impact on your credit score

0% Intro APR: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable APR, 19.24% - 29.99%.

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card 

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a travel rewards card that offers 5x miles for travel booked through Capital One and 1.25x miles on all other purchases.  There's a small welcome bonus, and 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. And Capital One miles can be transferred to Capital One's travel partners for potentially even more value. The best travel rewards card requires excellent credit, but this is a good place to start until you reach that milestone.

Rewards:

1.25x miles
All eligible purchases
1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
5x miles
Hotels
5 Miles per dollar on hotels booked through Capital One Travel
5x miles
Rental Cars
5 Miles per dollar on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

Annual Fee: $0

Welcome Bonus: 20,000 Miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

0% Intro APR: Get 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months.

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

The Platinum Card® from American Express

card_name offers a generous welcome bonus and ongoing rewards. In addition to the 5x on flights and hotels you get, you also get a $200 hotel credit, a $240 credit on select streaming, a $200 airline credit, and a $155 Walmart credit. You have to make sure this card makes sense for you, though, because the annual fee is a whopping $695. You also get access to Centurion Lounges, which are the gold standard for airport lounges, and access to 1300+ other airport lounges.

Rewards:

1x points
On all other eligible purchases
1x on all other purchases
5x points
Airfare
5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases each calendar year
5x points
Hotels
5x points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com

Annual Fee: $695

Welcome Bonus: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

Approval Odds

Credit Score of Approved and Denied Applications

Read our Review

4 Tips to Getting a Credit Card with a Score of 650 to 700

  1. Know your credit score. Even a few points can make a difference between qualifying for a credit card or not, or perhaps getting a better card. There are plenty of ways to see your score for free.
  2. Watch the fees. Some credit cards designed for fair credit charge exorbitant fees. Many of the cards in our list charge no annual fee, and the others offer a reasonable fee. As you compare cards, make sure you understand how the fees work.
  3. Expect lower credit limits. While the credit limit will vary from one card to the next and one applicant to the next, expect credit limits in the hundreds of dollars, not thousands of dollars. There will be some exceptions, of course, but don't count on it.
  4. Always pay the card on time. These cards can help improve your credit score, but only if you pay the credit card bill on time, every time. Late payments are the most significant factor in the FICO score, and they can hurt your score considerably, even with just one late payment.

FAQs

What is a fair to average credit score?

Fair credit scores range from about 580 to 669. An average credit score varies from year to year but usually settles in the 670 to 699 range.

What's the best credit card with a score of 650 to 700?

While the best card will vary from one person to the next, the Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer is arguably the best option. It doesn't charge an annual fee and offers up to 2% cash back on all your purchases.

Can I get a fair credit credit card if I've defaulted on a loan?

Yes, depending on how long ago the default was, your credit score, and other underwriting factors. Capital One specifically defines “fair credit” as including those who have defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years.

Rob Berger is the founder of allCards.com. He's written about personal finance and investing since 2007 and is the author of the highly acclaimed book, Retire Before Mom and Dad. He is a former litigation attorney in the securities field and the Founding Editor of Forbes Advisor.