Updated for 2015: Secured Credit Card List

[Anonymous]

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@Te3030 wrote:

Overstock has a secured card that graduates.

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Heh, FNBO again!  They have their fingers in EVERYTHING.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.  I'll compile the info and get it added.

[Anonymous]

Yep..good ol FNBO!

[Imperfectfuture]

Lots of options for those that want to avoid FP or credit One.

I don't mind a posting of the regional ones? Then folks in those geographic regions can get quickly in branch. Maybe another table for those?

[Anonymous]

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@Imperfectfuture wrote:
Lots of options for those that want to avoid FP or credit One.

I don't mind a posting of the regional ones? Then folks in those geographic regions can get quickly in branch. Maybe another table for those?

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A regional one would be handy but there are quite literally hundreds of local and regional banks and credit unions that one person trying to compile them all could take ages.  In my area alone there's a good dozen or so local and regional banks and credit unions that offer some kind of secured product, and that's just within a 50 mile radius of my house.  That's why I've chosen to stick to national banks and credit unions so no matter who looks at this list they will be able to scroll through and pick out one and apply for it regardless of location.

[jesseh]

For those who are interested in the SDFCU or Andrews FCU credit card, which is interesting because of no FTF, no AF etc. Be warned that the 'member' service dept is pretty terrible. 

They are very similar CU's.

Waiting for a rep for half an hour and not be notified when the office closes has happened to me. I have never felt like they appreciate me as a customer. When I lost the connection and called back in, the rep didn't want to take the effort of transferring me to the person I was speaking to earlier. Every time I call in with an issue about my credit card, they transfer me to PSCU cardmember services, which has nothing to do with the credit reporting or loan applications.

Wrong information is common, getting no information to your question and then told "would you like to apply for a new loan product?" is even more common. It's the norm to end the call without having your issues dealt with or answered. 

I spoke to the manager at SDFCU, she admitted right away that they have 'training issues' with their employees.

They just won't go the extra mile, let alone an inch, for their members.

I think, looking back, I would have preferred going to a better credit union. Too bad penfed declined me for a secured card back then, they are very conservative with lending to folks with little history.

[caesar_thefat]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I figured this may be useful for some others out there.  The other lists floating around are over a year old and are fairly short, so I made a little more detailed list.  

These are available nationally - that was the major criteria.  I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up on a card that has a 3.25% interest rate that's only available to a very small segment of the population, heh.  

The most interesting thing I found while making this chart was that the cards that offer rewards also tend to have a lower annual fee and tend to graduate.  Makes those all the more appealing

Hope others find this useful.  

Name	APR	Annual Fee	Monthly Fee	Unsecured CLI?	Unsecured CLI Terms	Graduate?	Graduation Terms	Rewards	HP/SP	Reports As	Comments
SDFCU EMV Savings Secured Visa Platinum	6.99%	$0	$0	unknown	unknown	no	N/A	1 FlexPoints Rewards point per $1	SP (usually)	S
NFCU nRewards Secured Visa	8.99%	$0	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	1 nRewards point per $1	HP	U	**must meet CU eligibility requirements**
DCU Secured Visa Platinum	11.50%	$0	$0	unknown	unknown	yes*	*must apply and be approved, not automatic	no	HP	S
Andrews FCU Visa Platinum Secured	14.50%	$0	$0	no	N/A	no	N/A	no	HP	U
Swagbucks Secured Visa	19.99%	$0	$0	unknown	unknown	unknown	Issued by FNBO; probably similar terms to SavingStar / Kickstart	1 Swagbuck per $2	HP	S	Intro: 500 bonus swagbucks for $500 / 1000 bonus swagbucks for $1000 / Issued by FNBO / Offers FICO credit score
Discover It	22.99%	$0	$0	yes	@Anonymous, likely eligible @ 6 months	yes	12 months	5% rotating categories / 1% everyday	HP	U	counter offer only / Offers FICO credit score
Discover It Chrome	22.99%	$0	$0	yes	@Anonymous, likely eligible @ 6 months	yes	12 months	2% gas and restaurants / 1% everyday	HP	U	counter offer only / Offers FICO credit score
US Bank Harley Davidson Secured Visa	22.99%	$0	$0	no	N/A	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	1 HD Genuine Rewards point per $1	HP	S	@Intro: $10 HD Genuine Rewards certificate @ account opening
First Convenience Bank Secured MasterCard	17.99%	$19	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	@eligibility begins @ 15 months	no	HP	S	Issued by FNBO / offers FICO credit score
FNBO Secured Visa	17.99%	$19	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	@eligibility begins @ 15 months	no	HP	S	Offers FICO credit score
Union Bank Secured	17.99%	$19	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	@eligibility begins @ 15 months	no	HP	S	Issued by FNBO / offers FICO credit score
Overstock.com Club O Secured MasterCard	24.99%	$19	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	@eligibility begins @ 11 months	Up to 8% Overstock / 2% gas and groceries / 1% everyday	HP	S	Free Club O membership, free o.co shipping / Issued by FNBO / offers FICO credit score
FNBO SavingStar AMEX	18.99%	$25	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	@eligibility begins @ 11 months	10% back on SavingStar groceries / 5% back on SavingStar online mall / 1% back everyday	HP	S	Issued by FNBO / offers FICO credit score
Wells Fargo Secured Visa	18.99%	$25	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	per site: reviewed periodically	no	HP	S
US Bank AeroMexico Secured Visa	22.99%	$25	$0	no	N/A	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	2 miles per $1 gas and groceries / 1 mile per $1 everyday	HP	S	Intro: 5000 miles + companion ticket on first spend
US Bank LANPASS Secured Visa	22.99%	$25	$0	no	N/A	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	1 mile per $1	HP	S	Intro: 5000 miles on first spend / 10% discount on LAN purchase once/yr
US Bank LifeMiles Secured Visa	22.99%	$25	$0	no	N/A	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	1 mile per $1	HP	S	Intro: 5000 miles on first spend
OpenSky Secured Visa	17.50%	$29	$0	unknown	Anecodally, CLIs are possible	no	N/A	no	SP	U
Citi Secured MasterCard	18.24%	$29	$0	unknown	unknown	yes	18 months	no	HP	S	must apply in branch / may offer FICO credit score
US Bank Secured Visa	18.99%	$29	$0	no	N/A	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	no	HP	S
First Progress Platinum Elite Secured MasterCard	19.99%	$29	$0	yes	"at sole discression"	no	N/A	no	SP (usually)	S
FNBO Kickstart Visa	20.99%	$29	$0	yes	@eligible @ 7 months	yes	@eligibility begins @ 11 months	no	HP	S	Issued by FNBO / offers FICO credit score
Capital One Platinum Secured MasterCard	22.99%	$29	$0	yes	Credit Steps - typically after 5-7 on time payments	no	N/A	no	HP	U	can be partially or fully secured / offers Score Tracker
USAA Secured American Express	9.9% - 19.9%	$35	$0	no	N/A	no	N/A	no	HP	U	**must meet CU eligibility requirements**
USAA Secured Platinum MasterCard	9.9% - 19.9%	$35	$0	no	N/A	no	N/A	no	HP	U	**must meet CU eligibility requirements**
Merrick Bank Secured Visa	17.45%	$36 first year	$3 after first year	no	N/A	no	May be sent an unsecured pre-approval, but it is a second card	no	HP	S	Offers credit score
primor Secured Visa Classic / MasterCard	13.99%	$39	$0	no	N/A	no	N/A	no	SP	S
First Progress Platinum Select Secured MasterCard	14.99%	$39	$0	yes	"at sole discression"	no	N/A	no	SP (usually)	S
Bank of America Secured Visa	20.24%	$39	$0	no	N/A	yes	@Automatic begins @ 12 months, can unsecure early	can add 3% gas / 2% groceries / 1% everyday	HP	S	can be partially or fully secured / partially secured counter offer only
Suntrust Secured MasterCard	17.99-19.99%	$39	$0	no	N/A	yes*	per a rep: it will be "considered", no time period indicated	2% gas and groceries / 1% everyday	HP	S
First Progress Platinum Prestige Secured MasterCard	11.99%	$44	$0	yes	"at sole discression"	no	N/A	no	SP (usually)	S
primor Secured Gold Visa / MasterCard	9.99%	$49	$0	no	N/A	no	N/A	no	SP	S
US Bank SKYPASS Secured Visa	16.24%	$50	$0	no	N/A	yes	@eligibility begins @ 12 months	1 mile per $1	HP	S	Intro: 5000 miles on first spend / 1000 miles at renewal
First Premier Secured MasterCard	19.90%	$50	$0	yes	@eligible @ 13 months / 25% fee per increase ($100 increase = $25 fee)	no	N/A	no	HP	S	(editor's comment: sadly, this is STILL a better deal than their unsecured)

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So I live in Florida and applied for the FNBO Secured and it told me they aren't accepting apps at this time. I checked to see if they would accept apps from another state and they do. I don't know if that disqualifies is as a "nationally available" option but I just thought I'd mention it.

[sjt]

I was told Andrews CU reports their secured card as secured.

[jre]

great list thanks for compiling op. This should be stickied in rebuilding forums or in here as it can help newcomers out.

[Anonymous]

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@sjt wrote:

I was told Andrews CU reports their secured card as secured.

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Is it?  I was under the impression based on another commentor in this thread that it reports as unsecured but I haven't personally held it so I wasn't sure.  I'll see if I can find a definitive answer and if it reports as secured I'll update the list.

[Anonymous]

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@jre wrote:

great list thanks for compiling op. This should be stickied in rebuilding forums or in here as it can help newcomers out.

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Thanks  There have been lists before but most of them were really out of date or missing some of the better (in my personal opinion) secured cards so I figured I would chart it out so others can see other options out there rather than the most spoken about secured cards.  Like, for example the ones I knew about before I started researching were Capital One, First Progress and Open Sky and had a passing knowledge that many major banks offer a secured card even though my bank does not - I had no idea there were secured cards with rewards, for example, or some without an annual fee, or some that will actually graduate without you having to close the card.  Once I started researching my eyes were opened and after several months worth of knowledge I decided to post my efforts here in the hope that some people starting on their rebuilding journey can avoid the ridiculous fees associated with "less than perfect" credit.