Having a credit score of 580 or below limits your options when it comes to accessing a new line of credit. Some of the best rewards credit cards require good to excellent credit scores to apply, making it difficult to qualify if you have an imperfect credit score.
But you do have some options. There are some credit cards geared toward lower credit scores that can help you turn your situation around with responsible use. Credit cards for credit scores of 580 and below don’t offer a lot of benefits, but they can help you build credit and improve your score so you can upgrade to a better credit card with better rewards and perks later on.
Here are our top picks for the best credit cards for a 580 credit score and below.
Best credit cards for a 580 credit score and below
The Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit* comes with a first-year annual fee of $75 ($99 per year thereafter) and a high variable APR of 29.24%, yet it is easier to get approved for if you have bad credit. You can get prequalified online without a hard inquiry on your credit report, and the card reports to the three credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion -- to help you build your credit profile over time.
This credit card even lets you earn 1% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases and your monthly mobile phone, internet, cable and satellite TV services. A handful of cardmember benefits also come standard with the card, including the chance to pick your own due date, contactless payment options and an easy-to-use mobile app.
You can read our full review of the Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit for more details.
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The Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit* comes with a first-year annual fee of $75 ($99 per year thereafter) and a high variable APR of 29.24%, yet it is easier to get approved for if you have bad credit. You can get prequalified online without a hard inquiry on your credit report, and the card reports to the three credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion -- to help you build your credit profile over time.
This credit card even lets you earn 1% cash back on eligible gas and grocery purchases and your monthly mobile phone, internet, cable and satellite TV services. A handful of cardmember benefits also come standard with the card, including the chance to pick your own due date, contactless payment options and an easy-to-use mobile app.
You can read our full review of the Credit One Bank Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit for more details.
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- 29.24% Variable
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Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card
The Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card is geared toward consumers with imperfect credit, and comes with an annual fee of $0 to $59. You won’t know your exact annual fee until you prequalify for the card online. A variable APR of 26.99% to 29.99% applies to revolving balances, and the rate you get will be based on your creditworthiness. To avoid paying high interest charges, you should always pay your balance in full and on time.
This credit-building card also lets you get prequalified online without a hard inquiry on your credit reports. While there aren’t any notable perks to speak of, you can use the Mission Lane Visa Credit Card to build credit for the future and provide a boost to your score over time.
You can read our full review of the Mission Lane Visa Credit Card for more details.
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- 26.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
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The Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card is geared toward consumers with imperfect credit, and comes with an annual fee of $0 to $59. You won’t know your exact annual fee until you prequalify for the card online. A variable APR of 26.99% to 29.99% applies to revolving balances, and the rate you get will be based on your creditworthiness. To avoid paying high interest charges, you should always pay your balance in full and on time.
This credit-building card also lets you get prequalified online without a hard inquiry on your credit reports. While there aren’t any notable perks to speak of, you can use the Mission Lane Visa Credit Card to build credit for the future and provide a boost to your score over time.
You can read our full review of the Mission Lane Visa Credit Card for more details.
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- 26.99% – 29.99% (Variable)
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The Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card is a secured credit card -- meaning you’ll fund your credit card line with a security deposit -- that can help you build credit through responsible use. Once approved for the Credit Builder Secured Visa card, you must deposit at least $200 to serve as your credit limit. Whatever amount you move to your card at any given time is how much you can spend with the card.
Because of the way this secured credit card works, there’s no APR or interest** to speak of. There’s also no credit check to apply, although the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa Credit Card helps you build credit by reporting your payments to the credit bureaus. This card doesn’t have an annual fee.
You can read our full review of the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa Credit Card for more details.
To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
**Out of network ATM withdrawal fees may apply. See here for details.
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The Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa® Credit Card is a secured credit card -- meaning you’ll fund your credit card line with a security deposit -- that can help you build credit through responsible use. Once approved for the Credit Builder Secured Visa card, you must deposit at least $200 to serve as your credit limit. Whatever amount you move to your card at any given time is how much you can spend with the card.
Because of the way this secured credit card works, there’s no APR or interest** to speak of. There’s also no credit check to apply, although the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa Credit Card helps you build credit by reporting your payments to the credit bureaus. This card doesn’t have an annual fee.
You can read our full review of the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa Credit Card for more details.
To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
**Out of network ATM withdrawal fees may apply. See here for details.
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If you want to build credit and you think a secured credit card could be a good fit, consider the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. This secured credit card doesn’t require a credit check to get approved, although you have to put down a refundable security deposit of at least $200 to get started. From there, you can use your card for purchases and the issuer will report your balances and payments to the credit bureaus to help add depth to your credit profile.
This card also lets you get prequalified online with no impact to your credit score, but there are no major perks or features. This card does require a $35 annual fee.
You can read our full review of the OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card for more details.
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- 25.64% (variable)
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If you want to build credit and you think a secured credit card could be a good fit, consider the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card. This secured credit card doesn’t require a credit check to get approved, although you have to put down a refundable security deposit of at least $200 to get started. From there, you can use your card for purchases and the issuer will report your balances and payments to the credit bureaus to help add depth to your credit profile.
This card also lets you get prequalified online with no impact to your credit score, but there are no major perks or features. This card does require a $35 annual fee.
You can read our full review of the OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card for more details.
- Intro Balance Transfer APR
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- Regular APR
- 25.64% (variable)
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Is a credit score under 580 considered bad credit?
No matter which type of credit score we’re talking about, if you have a credit score under 580, lenders will see you as a riskier borrower, and may be less likely to approve you for credit. There are two major credit scoring models, FICO and VantageScore.
The FICO scoring model considers scores of 580 and below to be “poor credit,” whereas the VantageScore scoring model considers scores between 300 and 600 to be poor or very poor.
Here’s an overview of the credit score ranges with each scoring model:
FICO score ranges
| Credit rating | Credit score range |
| Poor | 300 to 579 |
| Fair | 580 to 669 |
| Good | 670 to 739 |
| Very good | 740 to 799 |
| Exceptional | 800 to 850 |
VantageScore score ranges
| Credit rating | Credit score range |
| Very poor | 300 to 499 |
| Poor | 500 to 600 |
| Fair | 601 to 660 |
| Good | 661 to 780 |
| Excellent | 781 to 850 |
How to get a credit card with a low credit score
In order to get a credit card for poor credit, you have to be willing to make a few trade-offs. Consider taking the following steps to get a credit card of your own.
- Become an authorized user. If you have a family member or trusted friend with good credit, see if they’re willing to add you to their account as an authorized user. This can help you get a better credit card than you can get on your own, although you’ll want to make sure you only charge purchases you can afford to pay off and that you treat your credit card -- and the relationship with the primary cardholder -- with respect.
- Be willing to put down a cash deposit for a secured credit card. If you’re willing to put down at least $200 as collateral, you may be able to get approved for a secured credit card. Some of the best secured credit cards offer rewards for spending with no annual fee -- but your initial credit limit will be on the low end.
- Consider paying an annual fee for an unsecured credit card for bad credit. There are also unsecured credit cards for bad credit, which don’t require a security deposit, though some charge annual fees. If you’re willing to pay a fee, these cards can be a good option if you don’t want to fund your credit line upfront.
What to look for in a credit card for ‘bad’ credit
If you want to get a credit card of your own and your credit score is at 580 or below, you’ll need to keep your expectations in check. Where the best rewards credit cards and travel cards are for people with good to excellent credit, credit cards for bad credit come with more fees, higher interest rates and hardly any perks.
That said, some credit cards in this category are better than others. Here’s what you should look for as you decide which card is best for you and your credit-building goals:
- No annual fee or a low annual fee: Some credit cards for bad credit charge an annual fee, but not all do. If you decide on a card with an annual fee, make sure you’re getting some perks or rewards in return.
- No hidden fees: Watch out for not-so-obvious fees like application fees and foreign transaction fees.
- Cardholder benefits: Check whether cards offer any benefits, such as a free credit score each month or the ability to pick your own payment due date.
- Rewards: You can also pick a credit card that offers rewards, but only if you want to. Where earning cash back for spending seems like a good idea, you may want to skip cards with rewards to focus on credit-building instead.
How to rebuild your credit
Getting a credit card is a good first step to rebuilding your credit, and it doesn’t matter if you have to settle for a credit card with minimal features. What does matter is the fact your card reports your payments to the credit bureaus. After all, this is what helps you rebuild credit and get your score moving in the right direction.
To rebuild your credit and improve your credit score, consider the following tips:
- Avoid late payments on all your bills. Your payment history is the most important factor that makes up FICO scores and VantageScore credit scores, so you should avoid late payments on bills at all costs.
- Keep debt levels in check. Both major credit scoring models also base your score on how much debt you carry, so you should try to not let debt get out of hand. Most experts suggest keeping your credit utilization ratio -- the percentage of your total debt to your total credit -- at 30% of your credit limits or well below that threshold for the best results.
- Keep old accounts open -- even if you don’t use them often. The length of your credit history also affects your scores, so strive to keep all of your older accounts open, if possible.
- Consider a credit-builder loan. You can also improve your credit mix and add more depth to your credit history by opening a credit-builder loan. These loans have you make monthly payments to a savings account or certificate of deposit, or CD, in your name, yet the payments you make are reported to the credit bureaus so you can build credit over time. At the end of the loan term, you get the amount you paid in back, minus nominal interest charges and fees.
Our methodology
CNET reviews credit cards by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back, welcome bonus, travel rewards and balance transfer. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card.
For cash-back credit cards, for example, key factors include the annual fee, the “welcome bonus” and the cash-back rate (or rates, if they differ by spending category). For rewards and miles cards, we calculate and weigh the net monetary value of a card’s respective perks. And with balance transfer credit cards, we analyze specs such as the duration of the introductory 0% APR period and the balance transfer fee, while acknowledging secondary factors such as the standard APR and the length of time you have to make a balance transfer after you open the account.
*All information about the Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa for Rebuilding Credit has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
