Your FICO score can range from 300 on the low end to 850 at the top. A credit score between 600-649 FICO range can make getting a good credit card a challenge. But there’s still hope. Here is a list of the best credit cards for those with a credit score of 600 or more.
Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit (Score of 600 to 649)
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
The card does feature a variable APR of up to 26.99%, making this a card you’ll want only to keep until you get your credit score to the point where you can qualify for another card.
There’s no opportunity to earn cash back or rewards on purchases, but it’s easy to get accepted for this card even if you’re still beginning your credit score rebuilding journey.
Capital One also offers access to CreditWise, where you can track your credit score and use a simulator to see how financial actions can impact your score.
- APR: 26.99% variable
- Rewards: None
- Annual Fee: $0
- Best For: Easy approval
Approval Odds*
| App Status | Date | Credit Score | Bureau | Credit Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved | 04/01/2021 | Not Provided | ||
| Approved | 08/01/2020 | Not Provided | ||
| Approved | 12/18/2019 | Equifax | ||
| Approved | 12/18/2019 | Experian | ||
| Approved | 12/18/2019 | TransUnion | ||
| Approved | 02/25/2020 | Equifax | ||
| Approved | 02/25/2020 | TransUnion | ||
| Approved | 02/25/2020 | Experian | ||
| Approved | 11/28/2018 | TransUnion | ||
| Approved | 11/28/2018 | Experian | ||
| Approved | 11/28/2018 | Equifax | ||
| Denied | 06/12/2020 | Experian |
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One includes a quick tool where you can move a slider and see how much cash back you could earn in a year. If you spend $1,000 a month, you get cash back of roughly $180 each year. That takes care of the annual fee and puts a little extra money in your pocket.
You’ll also have access to CreditWise with this card.
- APR: 26.99% variable
- Rewards: 1.5% cash back
- Annual Fee: $39
- Best For: Simple cash back rewards on all purchases
Approval Odds*
| App Status | Date | Credit Score | Bureau | Credit Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved | 01/04/2017 | TransUnion | ||
| Approved | 01/04/2017 | Equifax | ||
| Denied | 07/20/2013 | TransUnion |
Jasper Mastercard
You can manage the card with an app that gives you tips or recommendations on actions you can take to build your credit.
There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fees, but the cash back rewards are small. It starts at 1%, with the promise of an extra 1% for a year for every friend that you refer. Cash back caps out at 6%, which would be great if you didn’t have an obligation to refer people.
- APR: 15.49% – 24.99% variable
- Rewards: 1% cash back (Up to 6% in the first year if you refer friends)
- Annual Fee: $0
- Best For: Building credit
Petal 1 Visa Card
The Petal 1 Visa Card can also help you rebuild your credit with no annual fee or foreign transaction fees. Petal reports to the three main credit bureaus, and you can keep an eye on your spending and your credit score with the app.
You can be approved for a line of credit starting at $300 and going up to $5,000. You can earn a credit line increase with six months of on-time payments if you begin with a lower limit. The app also makes it easy to track the actions you need to take to earn a credit limit increase.
Be prepared to connect your bank account via Plaid to verify the income. Petal is a bit of a process, but it offers 2% – 10% cash back at select merchants. You can use the app to find merchants offering cash back deals.
Petal’s website makes it easy to get more information, and the application form flowed incredibly well when I tested it out.
- APR: 20.24% – 29.74% variable
- Rewards: 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants
- Annual Fee: $0
- Best For: Building credit and keeping an eye on your credit score
Approval Odds*
| App Status | Date | Credit Score | Bureau | Credit Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approved | 02/07/2022 | Experian | ||
| Approved | 02/07/2022 | Equifax | ||
| Approved | 02/07/2022 | TransUnion | ||
| Approved | 01/27/2022 | Experian | ||
| Approved | 07/17/2018 | TransUnion | ||
| Approved | 12/15/2021 | Experian |
Discover It® Secured Credit Card
Putting down a security deposit to open a credit card is not ideal. However, a secured card can get you back to rebuilding credit if you have limited options.
The rewards are great. You can earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, up to $1000 in purchases every quarter, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The icing on the cake here is that you get an unlimited match of the cash back you earn at the end of your first year with no additional steps required.
Discover offers an automatic account review seven months after you open the card to see if you can convert to an unsecured card. You can get your deposit back, and it works like a standard credit card.
- APR: 22.99% variable
- Rewards: 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants and 1% on all other purchases
- Annual Fee: $0
- Best For: Earning rewards while quickly building towards an unsecured card
Chime Credit Builder Visa® Secured Credit Card
You will need to have a Chime checking account to have a Credit Builder secured card. Your credit limit is based on the amount you put into the Credit Builder account from the primary checking account.
Chime reports to the three main credit bureaus, and you can increase your credit score by making on-time payments. Chime will always let you know how much you have available to spend, and you can keep track of your credit score with the app.
- APR: None
- Rewards: None
- Annual Fee: $0
- Best For: Avoiding fees, no interest, and choosing your own credit limit
Approval Odds*
The Chime Card is a secured credit card. As such, does not run a credit check during the application process.
Research Methodology
Our ratings are based on comparing credit card offers designed for those with a credit score of 600 to 649.
To create this list, we first narrowed our database of credit cards to those designed for those with fair credit. We considered by traditional credit cards and secured cards. We then focused on each card’s interest rates, rewards and fees.
*The credit score data provided for some of the cards listed above came from publicly available information in a number of forums. The accuracy of the information cannot be verified. Keep in mind that credit card issuers consider more than an applicant’s credit score and that underwriting standards change over time.
How to Choose a Credit Card for Fair Credit
Remember that every new credit card you apply for results in a hard inquiry, impacting your credit score. It’s wise to pick a good card or two to minimize the consequences and maximize your benefits.
Also, consider these factors:
Your Credit Score: While the cards here are designed for fair credit, there’s a big difference between a score of say 600 and 640. The higher your credit score, the more likely you will qualify for a card. Many on our list allow you to prequalify without hurting your FICO score.
Fees: We prefer credit cards without an annual fee. Most of the cards on our list meet this standard. The few that do charge an annual fee offer something in return, such as cash back rewards.
Rewards: Until recently, it was rare to see cards for fair to average credit offering cash back rewards. Today they are more common, particularly with new card companies such as Jasper and Petal.
Credit Score Tools: If you have fair credit, your goal should be to improve your credit score, and you’ll want to consider the tools some credit card issuers offer to build and monitor your score quickly. For example, Capital One offers free credit monitoring with CreditWise. Jasper provides a one-of-a-kind automatic payment feature that keeps your balance below 30% of your credit limit. Keeping your credit utilization low is essential in building and maintaining a good credit score.
FAQs
What is the best credit card for a 600 credit score?
While there are several good options, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is considered one of the best. It charges no annual fee, offers credit-building tools, and Capital One will consider a credit line increase in as little as six months.
What is the best credit card for a 620 credit score?
Capital One QuicksilverOne is a solid option, particularly when spending $2,600 or more a year on the card. It does charge an annual fee, but the 1.5% cash back rewards more than make up for it.
What is the best credit card for a 640 credit score?
For those with a credit score at the high end of fair credit, the Jasper Mastercard is an excellent option. The card pays up to 6% cash back, charges no annual fee, and currently offers a $100 signup bonus.
What is the easiest credit card to get if you have fair credit?
While all of the cards in our list are designed for fair credit, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is one of the easiest cards to get approved with fair credit based on our research of approvals and denials.
Final Thoughts
Don’t let a few credit issues from the past keep you from a brighter credit future. You have what it takes to build excellent credit. We recommend holding onto these cards long enough to move to a higher credit score tier. Once you see that your score is at or just below 700, it’s time to move on to credit cards for good credit.