Top Cards for Building or Rebuilding Credit
Everyone starts somewhere. Whether you're rebuilding after a setback or starting fresh, these cards are designed to help you build credit with manageable requirements and a path to better cards.
| Feature | Discover it Secured Discover | Capital One Platinum Capital One |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $0 | $0 |
| APR | 28.24% | 30.49% |
| Sign-Up Bonus | Cashback Match (all cash back doubled year 1) | None |
| Base Rewards | 2% at gas/restaurants (up to $1k/quarter), 1% everything else | No rewards |
| Top Categories | 2% gas and restaurants, 1% everywhere else | No bonus categories |
| Foreign Tx Fee | $0 | $0 |
| Credit Needed | Bad - Fair (no minimum) | Fair (580+) |
Pros & Cons
Discover it Secured
Pros
- +No annual fee
- +Earn cash back (rare for secured cards)
- +Automatic upgrade review after 7 months
- +First year Cashback Match
- +Reports to all 3 bureaus
Cons
- -Requires security deposit ($200-$2,500)
- -Lower credit limit
- -Only one APR tier
Capital One Platinum
Pros
- +No security deposit needed
- +No annual fee
- +Automatic credit line increase review
- +No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- -No rewards
- -No sign-up bonus
- -Higher APR
- -Basic card with no perks
Our Recommendation
The Discover it Secured is the best secured card thanks to cashback rewards and automatic graduation to an unsecured card. The Capital One Platinum is the best unsecured option for limited credit.