Credit cards you can get with a credit score of 600

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If your credit score hits 600, it’s an indicator that your credit building journey is on the right track. A 600 on the FICO scales means that your credit has entered the good range and could soon reach the good range, if you keep up the good work. The higher your score, the more access you have to the best credit cards. But even if you’re not yet in the upper echelon, there are plenty of competitive options to help you continue your credit-building efforts.

Credit cards you can get with a credit score of 600

Visa card upgrade with cash rewards: fair to good (580–740)

The Upgrade Visa® with Cash Rewards card offers an incentive reward for the most important factor in determining your credit score: your payment history. You’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on your purchases, but only when you make a payment on your card. Pairing cashback and payment history is a great way to ensure you keep your score on an upward trend, as long as you stick to regular payments and other key credit habits like low interest rates. use of credit.

Your current APR with this card is based on your creditworthiness, so it can be low or high, ranging from 8.99% to 29.99% variable APR. A higher APR means you will accrue more interest charges if you carry over a balance from month to month. Having a score in the fair range can put you in the middle of the pack for the current APR with this card, so be sure to avoid carrying a balance to completely ignore the extra interest.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Fair to Good (580-740)

As you build a better score, you’ll gain access to better cards with more competitive reward rates, like the Capital One QuicksilverOne. You get unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases with this card, plus a lucrative 5% cash back rate on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms and conditions apply). apply).

There is a small catch. You will have to pay an annual fee of $39 for this card and the ongoing APR is high at 26.99% variable. However, these annual fees are some of the lowest you’ll find, and the ongoing APR isn’t a factor if you pay your balance in full each month. This card is also not secure, so you won’t have to pay both an annual fee and a security deposit.

Mission Lane Cash Back Visa Credit Card: Fair to Good (580-740)

The Mission Lane Cash Back Visa® credit card is a great representation of the difference between a bad and a good credit score, and the benefits a card for each can bring you. The Mission Lane Cash Back Visa is a step up from its sister card, the Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card, as it offers cash back. You still won’t have to pay an annual fee and there’s still no security deposit requirement. You’ll earn at least 1% unlimited cash back on your purchases, with the option to earn up to 1.5% cash back depending on the terms of your individual program.

One of the major drawbacks of the card is that your official rewards rate, which differs depending on the program terms you were assigned after application, is unknown until you are approved for the card. The starting credit limit is quite low at $300, but you’ll have the option to increase this limit after you’ve made six payments on time. As usual with cards for lower credit scores, the ongoing APR is high at 26.99% to 29.99% variable, so try not to carry over a balance each month.

Capital One Platinum Credit Card: Fair to Good (580-740)

The Capital One Platinum credit card is virtually identical to the Capital One Platinum Secured credit card. The main difference is the credit score recommendation for approval and the security deposit requirement. Since the Capital One Platinum card doesn’t require a security deposit, it’s another example of the benefits of a better credit score: fewer extra costs.

There’s still no rewards structure on this card, but it can be to your advantage when it comes to focusing on continued credit building. You may be eligible for a credit limit increase after six months, and the CreditWise app is a handy tool to help you track your score progress.

Citi Secured Mastercard: No Credit History

Another card that focuses on building credit is the Citi® Secured Mastercard®. You won’t get any rewards with this card and it’s secure so a deposit is required. This card may be ideal for someone whose score is in the lower end of the fair credit score range and who may not qualify for the best APRs going on some other credit cards for fair credit. There are no annual fees and your current APR is 23.24% variable, which is in the middle range for these types of credit cards.

You can get your deposit refunded after 18 months with this card as well as a potential upgrade from Citi, although these upgrade terms are not explicit. As a benefit for owning a Citi Card, you’ll have access to Citi Entertainment, which offers deals on exclusive travel, dining and entertainment events.

How to choose a credit card when you have fair credit

  • Follow the evolution of credit. Keep looking for cards that encourage you to track your credit habits. There are many cards that offer online banking apps and other tools that can also help you track your efforts.
  • See where you can cut costs. As your score improves, additional maintenance fees begin to drop on the credit cards available to you. Start looking at cards that don’t charge an annual fee or security deposit. If you know you tend to carry balances, look for cards with lower current APRs.
  • Start shopping for more value. Now that some of your card options may include rewards, examine your spending habits to determine the types of rewards that will best meet your financial needs. For example, if you spend heavily across all categories, you can opt for a flat-rate cashback card that covers all the purchases you make. If you’re spending more in certain categories like dining or travel, start looking for tiered rewards cards that heavily offset those purchases.

How to Go from Good Credit to Good Credit

  • Search for pre-qualified offers. One way to get a better idea of ​​which cards you might be approved for is to use online tools like CardMatch™ to determine your options without putting a lot of strain on your credit.
  • Don’t open too many new accounts at once. Opening too many accounts will have a detrimental effect on your credit, which you will want to avoid. Learn the importance of waiting to open a new credit account and how credit inquiries affect your overall score.
  • Don’t close your old credit card just yet. Your credit history is another important factor in your credit score, and the longer the better. Even if you no longer use your starter credit card, keeping it open could add vital length to your credit history and increase your score over time.
  • Keep paying on time and in full. This credit habit is arguably the most important to maintaining and growing your credit score. As long as you make regular, on-time payments, you should be able to maintain or increase your score.
  • Follow the Golden Rule of Using Credit. Keeping your credit utilization ratio at 30% or less will signal to lenders that you’re on top of your credit, which could lead to your score increasing over time.

Maximize credit card rewards

As your score improves, you’ll have access to more rewards credit cards. Learning how to maximize your credit card rewards is a great way to benefit from your credit-building efforts in two steps.

  • First, you’ll want to take a close look at your spending habits and figure out which purchases you use your credit card for the most. Your spending often aligns best with package rewards and bonus category cards, and knowing how you spend will be a big determinant of what will provide the most value.
  • In addition to helping your credit score, paying off your balance in full will help you avoid interest charges that can eat away at your reward earnings. Keeping your credit usage low means you’ll have smaller balances, which are easier to pay off quickly.
  • If your card issuer has a rewards portal, be sure to use it. Leveraging portals can either earn you a higher rewards rate on certain purchases or significantly increase your redemption value.

The bottom line

Reaching the fair credit range gives you more leeway when it comes to waiving extra fees and provides the opportunity to earn rewards. Try not to let these extra freedoms distract you from your goals. Continue to pay your balances on time and in full whenever possible to avoid additional interest that may reduce your new reward earnings. Use the money you used to save for security deposits to keep your credit utilization below 30%. Follow your responsible credit habits and you’ll be able to get your hands on the most lucrative credit cards in no time.

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