Time Requirement
Activity

1-3 Months
Corrected credit report mistakes Repaying outstanding credit card and loan balances

1-2 Years
Hard credit inquiries (full credit checks following application for new credit)

7-10 Years
Late payments Charged-off accounts Foreclosures Chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcy

Special Considerations

Card issuers never promise to approve anyone’s application, regardless of their credit score. That said, issuers have designed card products for different segments of the market, and that includes the subprime market for people with bad (or no) credit. As mentioned above, secured cards can be a good place to start if you have some cash to deposit with the card issuer. These cards typically report to all three major credit bureaus, which can help you build a solid credit history.

Another option, which doesn’t require a security deposit, is to apply for one or more store credit cards from national retailers like Sears, Target, Kohl’s, or Best Buy. These types of cards can only be used with those respective retailers, unlike cards issued by banks that carry the Visa or Mastercard logo or that are issued directly through Discover or American Express, which can be used anywhere that accepts those credit cards. Store credit cards should only be considered a stepping stone to build credit, however, as they tend to have very small credit lines and charge high interest rates.

While there are numerous unsecured Visa and Mastercard options targeting people with bad credit, they can be a needlessly expensive option. These types of cards tend to have limited credit lines, very high interest rates, and numerous fees. The Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act of 2009, also known as the CARD Act, sought to reign in these abusive products (sometimes referred to as “fee harvester” cards) by outlawing any annual fee that exceeds 25% of the credit line. 

However, issuers have gotten around that by exploiting a loophole that allows them to charge “processing” fees that are as bad or worse than the previously predatory annual fees. So, buyer beware with these types of subprime cards. As mentioned, secured cards from major issuers like Discover or Citi can be a much less expensive option until your credit score rises above the 600 mark and better, unsecured options become available to you.

Another thing to think about is the ability to transfer balances with bad credit. Unfortunately, few, if any, credit cards designed for people with bad credit allow balance transfers, especially at interest rates that would prove advantageous. If you find one that does, it might make sense to transfer your balance if your current card is charging penalty rates of 36%, for example, and you can move the funds to a card that charges a rate in the mid-20% range. While that rate would still be high, it could save you money in interest charges (not accounting for likely transfer fees of 5%), if the new issuer can provide a large enough credit line to absorb the transfer. Before you consider a balance transfer, however, it would be worth contacting your current card issuer to see if you can simply negotiate a lower rate.

What Causes Bad Credit?

Bad credit can be caused by several factors, including:

• Maxing out your credit cards
• Late bill payments
• Missed payments
• Defaulting on a loan 
• Having account go to collections  
• Foreclosure of your home
• Filing for bankruptcy

How Do You Know You Have Bad Credit?

The only way to know for sure whether you have bad credit is to check your credit score. There are free sources for checking your score online that only require the last four digits of your Social Security number. One indicator of bad credit is a FICO score between 300 to 579. This score is considered by FICO to be very poor. A score between 580 to 669 is considered to be fair. If you don’t know your current credit score, you can visit AnnualCreditReport.com for a free credit report. Checking your credit score won’t affect your credit. 

What Happens When You Have Bad Credit?

Having bad credit means that you will have significantly less access to any type of credit, and any loans or credit cards you do qualify for will be much more expensive in terms of interest rates and fees. Other credit card features that are commonly offered to people with better credit, such as rewards and promotional APR offers, will likely not be available.

Credit scores also serve as a proxy for trustworthiness in our society and are sometimes used by employers, landlords, cell phone providers, and insurance companies to determine how much of a risk you represent. They may set their prices accordingly or decline to do business with you altogether.

How Can You Recover From Bad Credit?

Regardless of how bad your credit is, there is almost always a path to move things in a better direction. Building a positive credit history can take time, but it is certainly possible with responsible credit behavior and some patience. Simply avoiding the behaviors that cause bad credit can go a long way. Other things you can do to recover from bad credit include: 

• Review your credit report: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com for a free credit report. Spend some time reviewing your report to see if there is any incorrect information or fraudulent activity. If there is, these mistakes can be corrected by contacting the lender or card issuers. The positive impact on your credit score should show up quickly.
• Build credit: If you can’t get a regular credit card look into a secured credit card. If you demonstrate that you can pay your bill on time for a prolonged duration, the issuer may upgrade you to a regular card and return your security deposit. 
• Use credit responsibly: Once you have a credit card, you can begin repairing your credit score but using the card, keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30%, and always paying your bill on time (and in full, if possible).

Can I Still Get a Credit Card If I Have Bad Credit?

Yes, you can still get a credit card if you have bad credit. While your credit card options will be more limited, there are still plenty of cards to choose from. Credit cards for bad credit are cards that are typically easy to qualify for and can be used to help you rebuild your credit. Some of the credit cards you can apply for if you have bad credit include: 

• Secured credit cards: A secured credit card is one that is backed by a cash deposit that is required when you open the account. The deposit is held as collateral until the account is closed. Secured credit cards are a good choice for those looking to rebuild or repair their credit because payments are reported to the credit bureaus. 
• Unsecured credit cards: An unsecured credit card is a form of unsecured debt. It does not require a cash security deposit. Most regular credit cards are unsecured credit cards. You still have access to some unsecured credit cards with bad debt, but they often come with higher fees and can be more difficult to get approved for than a secured credit card. 
• Store credit card: A store credit card is a credit card that can only be used in a specific store or group of related stores. Store credit cards can be good for people who are looking to build or repair their credit because they usually come with no annual fees and accept those with lower credit scores. 

Methodology

To arrive at our list of best credit cards for bad credit, we filtered our list of nearly 300 credit cards for cards that consider applications from people with credit scores below 600. From this list, we then objectively chose the best cards in each subcategory based on their star ratings and feature quality. A weighted algorithm was used to determine which cards would be included in our final list. 

When choosing the best credit cards for bad credit we considered variables including the card fees, if it charged a reasonable interest rate, and if the card offered any rewards. We also looked into the card security and whether or not the card issuer provided solid customer service. Part of our methodology also included continuous monitoring of data for credit card issuers to ensure we provide the most up-to-date rankings.

MEET OUR CREDIT CARDS EXPERT

Ben Woolsey is Investopedia’s Associate Editorial Director of financial products and services, including credit cards. He has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including marketing for banking and financial institutions such as Associates First Capital and Bank One. Prior to Investopedia, he managed credit card content for CreditCards.com and Bankrate.com.