9 Easiest Credit Cards to Get in May 2024 | LendingTree (2024)

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Rates & Fees

The Discover it^® Secured Credit Card is our pick for the easiest credit card to get because it is designed for people with limited/poor credit scores. It comes with a $0 annual fee, great cash back rewards and a sign-up bonus for new cardmembers. Plus, you can find out if you’re preapproved without affecting your credit score. It’s consistently one of our top credit card choices for building credit.

Secured cards like the Discover it^® Secured Credit Card require a security deposit equal to the amount of your credit line (what you can charge to the card at one time). If you don’t pay off what you charge, Discover will use the deposit to recoup that loss.

But if you consistently make on-time payments, Discover may upgrade you to an unsecured card. They’ll also start conducting regular reviews of your account after seven months to see if you’re eligible to upgrade and get your deposit back.

• No credit score required to apply.
• No Annual Fee, earn cash back, and build your credit history.
• Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
• Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
• Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
• Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
• Terms and conditions apply.

The AvantCard Credit Card is one of the easiest unsecured credit cards to get with bad credit because you can quickly prequalify online with no impact to your credit score.

It’s also easy to get because you won’t have to put up a lot of cash upfront. As an unsecured card, the AvantCard Credit Card doesn’t require a security deposit in order to open an account. Instead, you’ll pay an annual fee of up to $59, which is on the low end for unsecured credit cards for people with low credit scores. You’ll also pay a fee for late payments.

Look elsewhere if you won’t be able to pay off your card in full every month. The AvantCard Credit Card has a high APR, so while it may be relatively easy to get, it’ll be hard to pay off if you have to carry a balance.

• Fast and easy application process
• No deposit required
• No hidden fees
• No penalty APR
• Report to all three major credit bureaus
• Zero fraud liability for unauthorized charges
• Avant branded credit products are issued by WebBank, member FDIC
• Disclosure: If you are charged interest, the charge will be no less than $1.00
• Late Fee up to $39
• Checking your eligibility does not affect your credit score

on The Bancorp Bank's secure site

• No annual fees or interest,* no credit check to apply, and no minimum security deposit required³
• Help increase credit score by an average of 30 points¹
• View and track your FICO® Score right in the Chime app. FICO Scores are used by 90% of top lenders
• Use everywhere VISA is accepted on everyday purchases, such as gas and groceries, and have these purchases count towards building credit via on-time payments
• Build credit history with your own money - your direct deposit sets how much you could spend, spend up to that amount, and have your monthly balance automatically paid with your direct deposit.
• Instant disable card in-app and real-time transaction alerts to prevent fraudulent activities, 24/7 support to assist you around the clock.
• Interest and fee-free˜ cash withdrawals at 60K+ ATMs at retailers like Walgreens, CVS, and more.
• Apply for a Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card once you sign up for a Chime Checking Account and receive a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more². See www.chime.com to learn more.
• Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. The secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.
• *No interest: Out of network ATM withdrawal fees may apply. See here for details.

  ¹ Based on a representative study conducted by Experian®, members who made their first purchase with Credit Builder between June 2020 and October 2020 observed an average FICO® Score 8 increase of 30 points after approximately 8 months. On-time payment history can have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score.

  ² 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 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.

  ³ Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.

  ATM Disclosure: Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
• No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
• Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
• Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
• For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

While some business credit cards require good or excellent credit, the Capital One Spark Classic for Business is designed for business owners with fair credit. It’s a $0-annual-fee* cash back card that’s worth considering if you think you’ll struggle to qualify for other business credit cards. There’s no foreign transaction fee* and no charge for extra cards to issue to your employees.

As a card designed for business owners with fair credit, it has limited rewards. Use the card responsibly and as your credit score rises, you can apply for a business card with better rewards. You should also note the card’s high APR — currently 29.99% (variable)* — so make sure you pay off your balance in full every month.

• Earn unlimited 1% cash back for your business on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions. Plus, earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• No annual fee
• Build and strengthen credit for your business by using this credit card responsibly
• $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
• Free employee cards, which also earn unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases
• Rewards won't expire for the life of the account, and you can redeem your cash back for any amount
• No foreign transaction fees

If you’re looking for a $0-annual-fee credit card for consumers with limited/fair credit that doesn’t require a security deposit, we recommend the Capital One Platinum Credit Card. It’s a non-rewards card, but you might be able to upgrade to another Capital One card offering cash back or miles after you’ve created a record of making on-time payments.

Capital One automatically reviews your credit line after six months to see if you qualify for a higher credit limit. Your initial credit limit may be low, which is typical for cards marketed to people looking to build their credit profiles.

If you carry a balance from month to month on your Capital One Platinum Credit Card, you will be subject to a high purchase APR of 29.99% (variable). That said, high interest rates are common for credit cards designed to help you build or establish credit.

• No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
• Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
• Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
• Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
• Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
• For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
  

If you’re a college student with limited/fair credit and you spend frequently on groceries, dining or entertainment, check out the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. It’s an excellent cash back card designed for students, so the approval requirements are lower than those on a typical card.

You can check to see if you’re preapproved for the card without risking any damage to your credit score. And Capital One will report your spending and payment activity to the credit bureaus, so you’ll build credit history while earning cash back at a competitive rate.

There’s a $0 annual fee, and if you travel outside the United States to study abroad, you can rest easy knowing that you won’t have to pay a foreign transaction fee, either. Cardholders with low credit scores will likely be subject to high interest rates, though, which will make carrying a balance on this card very expensive.

• Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), with 1% on all other purchases
• Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
• Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
• Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
• Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
• Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal
• Build your credit with responsible card use
• Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
• For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply

The Target REDcard™ Credit Card is our pick for the easiest store card to get. It has a $0 annual fee and several perks, including free shipping and 5% off at Target in-store and online. It’s easy to get the ongoing discount because it’s instantly applied at checkout. The Target REDcard™ Credit Card is best for Target shoppers, since you can’t use it outside of Target and Target.com.

Store cards are generally much easier to qualify for than other credit cards, as they tend to have lower credit limits and higher APRs. These high interest rates make this card a poor choice for anyone who needs to carry a balance.

• 5% discount at Target and Target.com
• $0 annual fee
• 29.95%variable APR

on Synchrony Bank's secure site

If you do the bulk of your online shopping at Amazon and are already a Prime member, getting the Amazon Prime Store Card makes good sense. Prime cardholders can earn 5% back at Amazon.com. This is a generous rate, especially for a store card. There’s no annual fee, but you’ll need to pay for an Amazon Prime membership in order to earn cash back.

To justify the Prime membership cost based on what you earn with the card, you’d need to spend at least $2,780 per year (or $1,380 for the annual student membership) on purchases earning 5% cash back.

• $100 Amazon Gift Card upon approval.
• No annual fee
• 0% APR financing