Best Credit Cards for Poor Credit 2026
Poor credit (typically below 580) makes approval harder, but it's not impossible. Secured cards and credit-builder options can help you establish a positive payment history and work your way toward better credit. Compare the best options available for poor credit.
Top Picks
Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One®
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Average, Fair, Limited
Rewards Rate
3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Intro Offer
Earn $50 Cash Back when you spend $100 in the first three months
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
Show 7 more Show less
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
- Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal
- Build your credit with responsible card use
- Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
- Top rated mobile app
First Progress Prestige Secured Mastercard®
Synovus Bank
Annual Fee
$49
Credit Needed
Poor/Limited/No Credit
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
13.49% (V)
- Turn Your Tax Refund into a Credit Building Opportunity in 2026!¹ Make Everyday Purchases = Get Rewarded. Make Payments = Get Rewarded.^^
- Now offering Up To 10% Cash Back at select merchants with First Progress! Plus, 1% back when you make payments!^^
- Apply with no impact to your credit!*
Show 6 more Show less
- Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.¹
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- ¹Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- *We may pull a soft inquiry of your credit. Soft inquiries do not impact your credit score.
- ^^The 10% cash back rate is available only at a limited number of participating merchants. Offer percentages vary by merchant and are subject to change. See First Progress Rewards Program Terms & Conditions for details.
- *See Important Disclosures for complete offer details
Self - Credit Builder Account + Secured Self Visa® Credit Card
Self's
Annual Fee
N/A
Credit Needed
None/Poor
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
N/A
- Apply Now: Intro No Annual Fee with the secured Self Visa® Credit Card^
- If you have an active Credit Builder Account, $100 or more in savings progress and satisfying income requirements you may be eligible to receive the secured Self Visa® Credit Card*, without a hard credit check. Criteria subject to change.
- Build credit and savings at the same time.
Show 3 more Show less
- Start with a Credit Builder Account* that reports monthly payments to all 3 major credit bureaus.
- At the end of your plan, unlock the savings you built - minus interest and fees.
- The secured Self Visa® Credit Card is accepted at millions of locations in the U.S. *Credit Builder Accounts & Certificates of Deposit made/held by Lead Bank, Sunrise Banks, N.A., First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. Subject to credit approval. The secured Self Visa® Credit Card is issued by Lead Bank or First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC. See Self.inc for details. Subject to ID Verification. Individual borrowers must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and at least 18 years old. Valid bank account and Social Security Number are required. All loans are subject to consumer report review and approval. The Secured Self Visa® Credit Card requires an active Self Credit Builder Account and qualification based on other eligibility criteria including income & expense requirements. Criteria subject to change. ^$0 annual fee for the first year only, $25 annual fee thereafter. Variable APR of 27.49% as of 1/1/2026. Offer valid for new customers only.
First Progress Select Secured Mastercard®
Synovus Bank
Annual Fee
$39
Credit Needed
Poor/Limited/No Credit
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
17.49% (V)
- Put Your Tax Refund to Work — Earn Up To 10% Cash Back on everyday shopping with your First Progress Card, plus another 1% back on payments!^^
- Apply with no impact to your credit!*
- Secure your credit line with your refundable security deposit – choose from $200- $2,000 - with the ability to increase up to $5,000 over time!
Show 7 more Show less
- Choose the First Progress Select Card for a lower annual fee!
- All credit types welcome to apply!
- Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.¹
- ¹Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.
- *We may pull a soft inquiry of your credit. Soft inquiries do not impact your credit score.
- ^^The 10% cash back rate is available only at a limited number of participating merchants. Offer percentages vary by merchant and are subject to change. See First Progress Rewards Program Terms & Conditions for details.
- *See Important Disclosures for complete offer details
opensky® Launch Secured Visa® Credit Card
Capital Bank N.A.
Annual Fee
$24 during the first year, paid in installments of $2 per month. $36 after the first year, paid in installments of $3 per month.
Credit Needed
No credit, Poor, Fair
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
28.24% (variable)
- Start building credit with just $150 – secure your line with a low, refundable security deposit
- No credit check required – 89% approval rate with zero credit risk to apply!
- Annual fee billed in monthly installments of $2 per month in year 1 and $3 per month thereafter
Show 10 more Show less
- Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
- Affordable payments – minimum payment as low as $10
- Boost your credit score fast—2 out of 3 opensky® cardholders see an average increase of 47 points after 6 months
- Track your progress with free access to your FICO® score in our mobile app
- Build your credit history with reporting to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Seamless payments—add your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
- Fast and easy application—apply in minutes with our mobile-first experience
- Flexible payment options—pick a due date that works for you
- More time to fund—spread your security deposit over 60 days with layaway
- Join 1.6 million+ cardholders who have used opensky® to build better credit!
opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
Capital Bank N.A.
Annual Fee
$35
Credit Needed
No credit, Poor, Fair
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
23.89% (variable)
- Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
- No credit check required – 89% approval rate with zero credit risk to apply!
- Boost your credit score fast—2 out of 3 opensky® cardholders see an average increase of 47 points after 6 months
Show 8 more Show less
- Track your progress with free access to your FICO® score in our mobile app
- Build your credit history with reporting to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Seamless payments—add your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
- Start with just $200—secure your credit line with a refundable deposit
- Fast and easy application—apply in minutes with our mobile-first experience
- Flexible payment options—pick a due date that works for you
- More time to fund—spread your security deposit over 60 days with layaway
- Join 1.6 million+ cardholders who have used opensky® to build better credit!
Tilt Essentials Card
WebBank
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
Excellent, Good, Limited History, No History, Limited, No Credit
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
29.24% Variable
- 1% cash back on all purchases. Unlock 3% on gas and groceries with AutoPay
- No Annual Fee
- 1-10% cash back at select national merchants
Show 8 more Show less
- Credit limit increases in as early as 4 months for qualified borrowers
- Pay with ease with a contactless card or on your phone using Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay
- Build credit alongside hundreds of thousands of Tilt card members
- Tilt reports to all 3 major credit bureaus
- Freeze your card in the mobile app at any time for peace of mind
- Zero liability fraud coverage
- No security deposits required
- Card issued by WebBank
opensky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card
Capital Bank N.A.
Annual Fee
$0
Credit Needed
No credit, Poor, Fair
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
N/A
Balance Transfer
N/A
Regular APR
28.24% (variable)
- No annual fee – keep more money in your pocket!
- No credit check required – 89% approval rate with zero credit risk to apply!
- Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases
Show 9 more Show less
- Boost your credit score fast—2 out of 3 opensky® cardholders see an average increase of 47 points after 6 months
- Track your progress with free access to your FICO® score in our mobile app
- Build your credit history with reporting to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Seamless payments—add your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
- Start with as little as $300 – Secure your line with a refundable security deposit
- Fast and easy application—apply in minutes with our mobile-first experience
- Flexible payment options—pick a due date that works for you
- More time to fund—spread your security deposit over 60 days with layaway
- Join 1.6 million+ cardholders who have used opensky® to build better credit!
Poor Credit Cards
CreditSoup.com
Annual Fee
See website for Details*
Credit Needed
Fair/Poor/Bad/Damaged/Limited/No Credit
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
See website for Details*
Balance Transfer
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
- A better way to get a Card Offer!
- For those with less that perfect credit.
- Response in as fast as 60 seconds
Show 1 more Show less
- Search, Compare, Apply!
Best Credit Cards
CreditSoup.com
Annual Fee
See website for Details*
Credit Needed
Average/Fair/Limited/Poor/Good/Excellent
Rewards Rate
N/A
Purchase APR
See website for Details*
Balance Transfer
See website for Details*
Regular APR
See website for Details*
- Compare our current best credit card offers to find the one that best suits your needs
- See the best credit cards by category including cash back, travel, business and student
- Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases or 2X points on travel and dining expenses
Show 3 more Show less
- Best card selections updated often – click to see the latest rankings
- Terms may vary by partner offer. Please see each bank's application for terms and conditions
- Clicking will take you to CreditSoup.com to compare Best Credit Cards from participating partners