Secured cards, compared
Aim for a no-fee card that reports to all three bureaus and graduates.
- Don't settle below that. A card that does all three sets the bar.
- We rank by first-year cost, per our published rubric.
- The same on-time payments build the same history, whatever you pay.
- The catch: a no-fee pick often pays us nothing. We rank it first anyway.
How we rank these
We rank on three things. First: what the card costs you in year one. That's the annual fee plus any setup fees, all in. We don't rank by what a card pays us.
Second: whether it reports to all three bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Third: whether it graduates, meaning it upgrades you to an unsecured card and returns your deposit. We don't rank by payout. Check any card's fees →
Ranked by first-year cost
| # | Card | First-year cost | 3 bureaus? | Graduates? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | No-fee secured card | $0 | Yes | Yes | Cheapest |
| 02 | Low-fee bank card | $25 | Yes | Yes | |
| 03 | App-based card | $48 | Yes | No | |
| 04 | Fee-heavy card | $99 | Yes | No |
The no-fee card at the top pays us nothing. It still ranks first, because it costs you least and does all three. See how the cost breaks down →
A closer look at two cards
One that hits the target, and one that costs more for the same reporting. Example cards.
No-fee secured card
- No annual fee
- Reports to all three bureaus
- Graduates and returns your deposit
- Deposit tied up till you graduate
- Low starting limit
- Approval isn't promised
App-based secured card
- Fast in-app setup
- Reports to all three bureaus
- Annual fee on top
- No clear path to graduate
The card that hits the target often pays us nothing. A page built to earn would bury it. We put it at the top. That's the whole point of ranking by cost.
Before you apply, ask two things. Does it report to all three bureaus? Does it graduate and return your deposit? If yes and the fee is $0, that's the rung to take.