What's the easiest credit card to get approved for?

Secured credit cards are the easiest to get approved for since you provide a security deposit. Cards like Discover it Secured and Capital One Platinum Secured approve most applicants with any credit history. For unsecured cards, the OpenSky and Chime credit builder accept most applicants.

Can I get a credit card with a 500 credit score?

Yes — secured credit cards are available with scores as low as 500 or even no credit score at all. Some cards like OpenSky don't even check credit. Store cards are also easier to get with scores in the 500-600 range.

What credit card can I get with no credit history?

Students can get cards like Discover it Student or Capital One Journey. Non-students can apply for secured cards (Discover it Secured, Capital One Platinum Secured) or credit-builder cards. Authorized user status on someone else's card is another option.

Easy Credit Cards to Get: Best for Limited Credit & Instant Approval (2026)

Easiest Credit Cards by Category

For Limited/No Credit

Card	Approval Difficulty	Annual Fee	Credit Check
Discover it Secured	Easy	$0	Yes (soft)
Capital One Platinum Secured	Easy	$0	Yes
OpenSky Secured	Easiest	$35	No
Chime Credit Builder	Very Easy	$0	No
Self Visa	Easy	$0	Soft pull

For Fair Credit (580-669)

Card	Approval Difficulty	Annual Fee	Rewards
Capital One QuicksilverOne	Moderate	$39	1.5% cashback
Credit One Bank Platinum	Easy	$75+	1% cashback
Indigo Platinum	Easy	$0-$99	None
First Access Visa	Easy	$75+	None

For Students (No Credit)

Card	Approval Difficulty	Annual Fee	Rewards
Discover it Student	Easy	$0	5% rotating/1% all
Capital One Journey	Easy	$0	1% (1.25% if paid on time)
Bank of America Cash Rewards for Students	Easy	$0	3%/2%/1%
Chase Freedom Student	Easy	$0	1%

Best Secured Credit Cards

Secured cards require a deposit that acts as your credit limit.

Top Secured Cards

Card	Deposit	Credit Limit	Grad to Unsecured?
Discover it Secured	$200-$2,500	= deposit	Yes (auto review)
Capital One Platinum Secured	$49-$200	$200-$1,000	Yes (as soon as 6 mo)
Citi Secured	$200-$2,500	= deposit	Yes (after 18 months)
Bank of America Secured	$200-$5,000	= deposit	Yes (after 12 months)
OpenSky Secured	$200-$3,000	= deposit	No graduation

Deposit Requirements

Card	Minimum Deposit	Credit Limit
OpenSky	$200	$200-$3,000
Discover it Secured	$200	$200-$2,500
Capital One	$49-$200	Higher than deposit possible
Chime Credit Builder	Any amount	Varies

Instant Approval Cards

These cards often give decisions in seconds.

High Approval Rate + Instant Decision

Card	Decision Time	Credit Needed
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa	Seconds	Fair-Good
Capital One Quicksilver	Seconds	Fair-Good
Target RedCard	Seconds	Fair
Walmart Rewards Card	Seconds	Fair
Apple Card	Seconds	Fair-Good

Pre-Qualification Tools

Check if you’re likely to be approved WITHOUT affecting credit score:

Issuer	Pre-Qual Tool
Discover	discovercard.com/application/preapproval
Capital One	capitalone.com/credit-cards/prequalify
Chase	chase.com/prequalify
American Express	americanexpress.com/prequalify
Citi	citi.com/credit-cards/pre-qualify

Credit Cards by Credit Score

500-579 (Poor)

Best Options	Type
Secured cards	Guaranteed with deposit
Credit-builder cards	Chime, Self
Store cards	Some available

580-669 (Fair)

Card	Annual Fee	Rewards
Capital One QuicksilverOne	$39	1.5% cashback
Discover it Chrome	$0	2% gas/dining
Credit One Platinum	$75-$99	1% cashback

670-739 (Good)

Card	Annual Fee	Rewards
Chase Freedom Unlimited	$0	1.5%-5% cashback
Citi Double Cash	$0	2% cashback
Capital One Quicksilver	$0	1.5% cashback

Store Credit Cards (Easier Approval)

Store cards often have lower approval thresholds.

Easiest to Get

Store Card	Min Credit Score	Rewards
Old Navy/Gap Card	~550	5 points/$1
Kohl’s Card	~550	30%+ offers
Target RedCard	~580	5% off everything
Amazon Store Card	~580	5% back Prime members
Walmart Rewards	~580	5% online, 2% in-store

Store Card Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Easier approval	Very high APR (25-30%)
Good discounts	Only at that store
Builds credit	Lower limits

Credit Builder Programs (Not Traditional Cards)

These help build credit without traditional approval.

Program	How It Works	Cost
Chime Credit Builder	Secure card, no deposit upfront	Free
Self Credit Builder	CD-secured loan	$25-$48/month
Kikoff	$500 credit line	Free
Experian Boost	Reports bills to Experian	Free

Tips to Improve Approval Odds

Before Applying

Action	Impact
Check pre-qualification	Approval odds without hard pull
Review credit report	Fix errors first
Lower utilization	Pay down balances
Reduce recent applications	Multiple inquiries hurt

Application Tips

Tip	Why
Apply for cards in your range	Don’t reach for premium cards
One application at a time	Multiple apps = red flag
Accurate income	Include all legal income sources
Stable address	Long residence looks better
Bank relationship	Apply where you bank

Income You Can Include

Income Source	Can Include?
Full-time salary	Yes
Part-time income	Yes
Side gig income	Yes
Spouse’s income (if access)	Yes
Regular allowance	Yes
Investment income	Yes
Social Security	Yes
Scholarships/grants	Maybe

Issuers Most Likely to Approve

Ranked by Approval Likelihood

Tier	Issuers	Notes
Easiest	OpenSky, Capital One, Discover	Most forgiving
Moderate	Credit One, First Access, Citi	Fair credit OK
Stricter	Chase, American Express, Wells Fargo	Good credit preferred

Capital One Advantage

Capital One is known for:

Approving thin credit files
Approving after bankruptcy (2+ years)
Pre-qualification available
Lower income requirements

What If Denied?

Immediate Steps

Step	Action
1	Read denial letter (must come within 30 days)
2	Note the reason(s) for denial
3	Get free credit report (as mentioned in letter)
4	Address specific issues

Common Denial Reasons

Reason	Solution
Too many recent applications	Wait 6 months
High utilization	Pay down balances
Short credit history	Get secured card
Late payments	Wait and improve
Insufficient income	Apply for lower-limit card

Reconsideration

Issuer	Reconsideration Phone
Chase	888-270-2127
Capital One	800-625-7866
Citi	800-695-5171
American Express	800-567-1083

Building Credit After Approval

First 6 Months

Action	Impact
Use card for small purchases	Shows activity
Pay full balance monthly	No interest, builds payment history
Keep utilization under 30%	Improves credit score
Set up autopay	Never miss payment
Don’t apply for more cards	Let inquiries age

Timeline to Better Cards

Months of Good History	What You Can Target
6 months	Request credit limit increase
8-12 months	Graduation to unsecured (secured cards)
12+ months	Apply for entry-level rewards card
18+ months	Target mid-tier rewards cards

Bottom Line

If you need an easy-to-get credit card:

No/limited credit: Start with a secured card (Discover it Secured or Capital One Platinum Secured)
Students: Discover it Student or Capital One Journey
Fair credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne or store cards
Instant decision: Use pre-qualification tools first

Key strategy: Start with cards you CAN qualify for, use them responsibly for 6-12 months, then upgrade to better rewards cards as your credit improves.

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