- Intro Offer
-
No current offer
- Annual fee
- None
- APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- No Credit History
- Rewards rate
-
1% 1% cash back on purchases
The Tomo Credit Card* lets people access credit easier because it doesn’t perform credit checks. You don’t need a credit score to be approved, just a linked checking or savings account and a Social Security number. Non-US citizens are able to qualify as well with a government issued I.D. or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). However, you only get one chance to apply: Unlike other credit cards, if your application is rejected, you’re unable to reapply
It’s a good choice for students, people looking to build a better credit history, or if you’re new to credit cards. There’s no annual fee or late payment fee, which makes it more forgiving than other credit cards. It provides more perks than most, plus some rewards. But because it doesn’t have an annual percentage rate (APR), you’ll need to pay off your entire statement balance each spending cycle.
Rewards and redemption
You’ll earn 1% cash back for all of your purchases, which you can then deposit into your linked bank account. Though this rewards rate isn’t particularly competitive with credit cards for people with good credit, the tradeoff is that you can get access to a line of credit despite your standing -- so the rewards are more of a bonus.
Spending power
Because there’s no credit check involved with the application process, your approval will hinge on different financial criteria. It also means your credit won’t be affected upon approval.
The company states that they’ll look at your linked bank account, including spending habits and balances to determine your credit limit.
Your credit limit will be between $100 and $10,000. The company also indicates that you’re able to increase your spending power by linking your bank account -- or multiple -- with the highest balance.
Making payments
The Tomo Credit Card is a charge card meaning it doesn’t have an APR, so you won’t ever be charged interest. However, that also means you’ll need to pay your statement balance in full each month. While there aren’t any punitive fees that most credit cards carry, if you don’t pay off your balance in full each month, your card will be frozen until you do.
Uniquely, you’re able to pay early by setting up weekly, automatic payments. Each Monday you’ll be charged for the purchases you made during the previous week. It’s the card’s primary feature, giving you more opportunities to pay on time and therefore establishing a credit history faster than other cards.
Build credit with the Tomo Credit Card
You can build credit with any credit card with responsible use. Mainly, this means making all of your payments on time and avoiding using too much of your credit line at any given time. Since the Tomo Credit Card is a charge card that won’t let you carry a balance, it naturally pushes cardholders to make on-time payments and keep their credit use low.
Additional card perks
Typically, credit cards without an annual fee offer few perks outside of their rewards, as usually paying an annual fee equates to a better selection of benefits.
- DashPass: Cardholders will receive three months of DoorDash’s DashPass for free, plus $5 off their order each month. DashPass provides no delivery fees for orders over $12.
- ShopRunner membership: Receive complimentary ShopRunner membership which provides free two-day shipping with select merchants.
- Lyft credit: You can get a $5 Lyft credit after taking three rides.
- Fandango credit: After spending $20 on movie tickets or streaming, you’ll get $5 off your next purchase.
- World Elite Concierge: Utilize the concierge service for help with non-emergency tasks like finding an item or making dinner reservations.
- Cell Phone Protection: Your phone will be covered against damage or theft by up to $1,000.
Alternative cards
Consider these cards if you’re looking for more options for building your credit.
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
The Petal 2, issued by WebBank, offers better rewards incentives than the Tomo Credit Card. It has a lower credit requirement than most credit card and doesn’t require a security deposit. It operates like a typical credit card, however, meaning your balance will accrue interest if you choose to carry one from month to month.
While you’ll earn up to 1.5% cash back for your eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments, compared to 1% with the Tomo Credit Card, the Petal 2 offers fewer additional card perks.
You can get all the details in our Petal 2 review.
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card* is a secured credit card, which means it requires a one-time, refundable security deposit upon approval. The deposit works as collateral and funds your starting credit limit. You can deposit anywhere from $200 to $2,500.
In addition to providing a path toward healthier credit scores, cardholders can earn 2% cash back (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%) at gas stations and restaurants.
This card does offer one of the best welcome bonuses, as Discover will essentially double the rewards you earn for your first year with the card at the end of your first year. There are also no foreign transaction fees so you can use this card abroad.
Learn more in our Discover it Secured Credit Card review.
How Tomo Card compares to other cards
- Intro Offer
-
No current offer
- Annual fee
- None
- APR
- N/A
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- No Credit History
- Rewards rate
-
1% 1% cash back on purchases
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
- Intro Offer
-
No current offer
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 18.24% – 32.24% (Variable)
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- No Credit History
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 1.5% Up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments.; 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away.
- Intro Offer
-
Cashback Match™ Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 28.24% Variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR
- N/A
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- No Credit History
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 2% Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter.; Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
FAQs
Your credit score is generated by the three credit bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian) using the scoring models which consider your credit history, payment history, number of credit accounts, credit utilization, how much debt you have and other factors.
Credit utilization is the amount of your total available credit you’re using. If you’re constantly spending up to your limit, your credit scores will be negatively affected. Keep your utilization below 30% and your scores will be better for it.
A charge card won’t have an APR, which means your balances won’t accrue interest, but it also means you’re required to pay off your entire statement balance each month. Standard credit cards will accrue interest at the APR but you can revolve a balance from month to month. However, it’s still a good idea to pay off your full statement balance each month in order to avoid interest charges.
*All information about the Tomo Credit Card and Discover it Secured Credit Card 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.
