Is there any benefit to applying via Credit Karma?

[ptatohed]

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@Horseshoez wrote:

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@ptatohed wrote:

I don't know how often it happens but I will say my upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa had a whopping $400 Welcome Bonus on CK at the time I applied, when the upgrade site was only $200 I believe.  Today, the Welcome Bonus is $200 at both CK and upgrade. 

Also, maybe I am wrong but I think I have only seen the Discover it Balance Transfer Card available on CK.  (Although I can't really tell the difference between the BT Card and the regular Cash Back Card other than the BT offer).  

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I just did a quick look-see at what CreditKarma is offering me:

• 20 AMEX cards (on the black list)
• 6 Discover cards (Discover wouldn't even approve me for a secured card)
• 12 Citi cards (I appear to be on this black list as well)
• 21 Chase cards (two of which I already have)
• 14 CapitalOne cards (two of which I already have; lots of partial dups in this list due to different SUBs)
• 10 Bank of America cards (not sure they'd approve me for anything as they also wouldn't approve me for a secured card)
• 55 assorted cards from Wells Fargo, CreditOne, Mission lane...

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Don't forget the "Luxury" Gold, Black, and Titanium Cards offering high AF and low rewards!!!  

https://www.luxurycard.com/

[Horseshoez]

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@ptatohed wrote:

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@Horseshoez wrote:

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• 55 assorted cards from Wells Fargo, CreditOne, Mission lane...

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Don't forget the "Luxury" Gold, Black, and Titanium Cards offering high AF and low rewards!!!  

https://www.luxurycard.com/

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LOL, yeah, those were included in the 55. 

[CorpCrMgr1]

CK claims I will be approved for CC that I already have. A few times I've directly checked a site for a card recommended by CK. The reward on the home site is generally twice what CK is offering. I've never applied through CK nor do I ever recommend it.

[SouthJamaica]

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@dlister70 wrote:

I know that the Credit Karma recommendations are basically just advertising, but I noticed on todays offers that it says they'll pay $50 if I don't get approved for a couple of Citi cards.

I didn't really have much doubt that I'd be approved, but I guess it might be worthwhile to apply through them if I wanted that card, just in case?

That got me to thinking if there was somehow better odds at approval or interest rate or credit limit if you apply through a partner like Credit Karma or Nerd Wallet. 

I've read that a car dealership can sometimes get you approved at a bank that you couldn't get yourself because they deal in volume and the car dealership is sending a lot of business to that bank, so they make an exception and take a credit profile that they maybe wouldn't have, or lend 125% LTV when they maybe would have only given you 100% if you had asked yourself.

I'm not sure how true that is about car loans, but it made me wonder if there was any pull at all to applying through a third party link rather than applying directly on the bank website.

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It's true about dealerships getting you a car loan.

But I don't think CK improves one's chances of being approved for a credit card.

[Zoostation1]

@Brian_Earl_SpilnerEven though they only show reports and VS 3.0 scores for EQ/TU,  I'm getting regular SPs from CK on my EX.  I just pulled my reports from annualcreditreport tonight and I've had more SPs in 2024 on EX from CK than anywhere else.

[markhs777]

Freeze all your reports and go for the "guaranteed" card. Technically you would be denied and should get the $50. No?

[ptatohed]

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@markhs777 wrote:

Freeze all your reports and go for the "guaranteed" card. Technically you would be denied and should get the $50. No?

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Hmmmmm.   :smiley with hand on his chin, thinking:

[MitchDeerfield]

Sometimes you will get a better signup bonus using Credit Karma, though usually not.   I always check both  CK and the bank website (incognito) and check which is better.

[fortis]

I noticed that they claim that they might report the $50 to the IRS