Best Credit-Building Cards of January 2026

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If you have limited or no credit, you can apply for subprime credit cards to build your credit history. As long as you pay off your credit-card balance on time each month, your responsible payment records will be reported to three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and your credit rating will improve.

Credit CardsPurchase APRTransfer InfoAnnual Fee Credit Level
Destiny Mastercard®

See terms

N/A

See terms

Poor To GoodApply NowView Card Details
  • A guaranteed $700 credit limit to help get your financial goals on track, if approved.
  • Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you're not approved. See terms.
  • No security deposit, and a path to better credit.
  • Zero Fraud Liability - Peace of mind that comes with having a Mastercard.
  • Get the credit you deserve, even with less-than-perfect history.
  • An unsecured card great for everyday purchases
Total Visa® Card

35.99%* APR

rates & fees

N/A

See Terms*

Fair / BadApply NowView Card Details
Platinum Secured Mastercard®

12.75 to 18.00% Variable APR

12.75 to 18.00% Variable APR

$0

Poor / Limited / NoApply NowView Card Details
  • Score great rewards and build credit with a refundable security deposit
  • Earn 1 rewards point for every dollar spent on your everyday purchases. There's no maximum and your points never expire. Use your points for Travel, Merchandise, Gift cards and more
  • No annual fee, balance transfer, cash advance or foreign transaction fee
  • Rates from 12.75 to 18.00% APR, not to exceed 18.00%
Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®

35.90% Fixed APR

N/A

$75 - $125

Fair / Poor / Bad / LimitedApply NowView Card Details
  • Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
  • See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Reflex Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
First Latitude Assent Secured Mastercard®

27.49% (V) APR

N/A

$0

Poor / Limited / NoApply NowView Card Details
  • Turn your Tax Refund into a Credit Building Tool in 2026!¹ Apply for First Latitude Today!
  • Choose the First Latitude Assent Card and enjoy $0 Annual Fee!
  • 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!
  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments made to your First Latitude Secured credit card account.
  • Designed to push you forward on your credit building journey with $0 Annual Fee.¹
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, 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.
  • *See Important Disclosures for complete offer details
opensky® Plus Secured Visa® Credit Card

28.49% (Variable) APR

N/A

$0

No Credit, Poor, FairApply NowView Card Details
  • 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
  • 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!
First Latitude Elite Secured Mastercard®

23.49% (V) APR

N/A

$29.00

Poor / Limited / NoApply NowView Card Details
  • Your Tax Refund Could be the Key to Improving Your Credit in 2026!¹
  • Choose our First Latitude Elite Card for a lower annual APR!
  • Apply now and fund your security deposit over 90 days with the option to make partial payments.
  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments made to your First Latitude Secured credit card account.
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.¹
  • No minimum credit score required for approval!
  • Secure your credit line with a refundable security deposit - as low as $200 to get started!
  • 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.
  • *See Important Disclosures for complete offer details
  • A guaranteed $700 credit limit to help get your financial goals on track, if approved.
  • Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you're not approved. See terms.
  • No security deposit, and a path to better credit.
  • Zero Fraud Liability - Peace of mind that comes with having a Mastercard.
  • Get the credit you deserve, even with less-than-perfect history.
  • An unsecured card great for everyday purchases
  • An initial credit limit Up To $500! (See terms*)
  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments made to your Total Visa Credit Card.
  • Score great rewards and build credit with a refundable security deposit
  • Earn 1 rewards point for every dollar spent on your everyday purchases. There's no maximum and your points never expire. Use your points for Travel, Merchandise, Gift cards and more
  • No annual fee, balance transfer, cash advance or foreign transaction fee
  • Rates from 12.75 to 18.00% APR, not to exceed 18.00%
  • Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
  • See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
  • Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Reflex Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
  • Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
  • Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
  • Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
  • Turn your Tax Refund into a Credit Building Tool in 2026!¹ Apply for First Latitude Today!
  • Choose the First Latitude Assent Card and enjoy $0 Annual Fee!
  • 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!
  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments made to your First Latitude Secured credit card account.
  • Designed to push you forward on your credit building journey with $0 Annual Fee.¹
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, 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.
  • *See Important Disclosures for complete offer details
  • 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
  • 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!
  • Your Tax Refund Could be the Key to Improving Your Credit in 2026!¹
  • Choose our First Latitude Elite Card for a lower annual APR!
  • Apply now and fund your security deposit over 90 days with the option to make partial payments.
  • Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards on payments made to your First Latitude Secured credit card account.
  • Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.¹
  • No minimum credit score required for approval!
  • Secure your credit line with a refundable security deposit - as low as $200 to get started!
  • 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.
  • *See Important Disclosures for complete offer details

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is prepared by CardBenefit staff. Opinions expressed herein are author's alone, not those of the bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotels, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Disclosure on User Generated Content: The responses on our site are not provided or commissioned by the advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the advertiser. It is not the advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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