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5 Things to Know About the BrightWay Credit Card
It encourages healthy credit habits by giving cardholders perks after every six consecutive payments made. Plus, the card earns rewards.
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Updated · 3 min read
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NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Jae Bratton has been writing about credit cards for NerdWallet since 2022. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Associated Press and the journal Studies in Popular Culture, among other outlets. Before joining NerdWallet, Jae taught English and journalism for 13 years.
Kenley Young directs daily credit cards coverage for NerdWallet. Previously, he was a homepage editor and digital content producer for Fox Sports, and before that a front page editor for Yahoo. He has decades of experience in digital and print media, including stints as a copy desk chief, a wire editor and a metro editor for the McClatchy newspaper chain.
Managing Editor
The OneMain Financial BrightWay® Card, issued by WebBank, is an unsecured credit card designed for those with less-than-ideal credit, and it has some solid features.
The annual fee can range from $0-$89*, but there are no monthly maintenance fees, the card earns rewards and it reports to all three credit bureaus. With responsible use, it's also possible to get a credit limit increase or an APR reduction.
At the moment, however, BrightWay credit cards are available by invitation only or through certain partner websites.
Here’s what you need to know about the OneMain Financial BrightWay® Card.
There are actually two BrightWay credit cards: the BrightWay card and the BrightWay+ card. Applicants may choose which version they apply for.
BrightWay card. For those building or rebuilding credit. Annual fee: Up to $89.
BrightWay+ card. For those with more established credit. Annual fee: $0.
For both BrightWay credit cards, the minimum credit limit upon opening an account is $300, while the maximum is $2,000.
Nerdy Perspective
What are the most important things to consider when getting started with credit cards?
"The purpose of your first credit card is to not only to build credit, but also to help you build good habits. Good credit card habits include paying your balance off on time and in full every month, using less than 30% of your credit limit and tracking your expenses to make sure you’re not spending more than you can afford."
"Avoid annual fees on a credit card when your goal is to build credit. You’ll hopefully work your way up to better credit eventually and don't want to get stuck with a card with an annual fee. Closing the card is an option, but doing so can have a negative impact on your credit score and dampen your goals. It helps to choose strategically from the beginning. Don't overlook secured credit cards because they require a deposit upfront. If you can swing it, one that offers a path to someday upgrade to a better option with the same issuer can be a useful credit-building tool. Paying on time makes you eligible to get the deposit back once you’re upgraded, putting credit goals on track and setting you up with a small emergency fund that could keep debt at bay."
"I chose my first credit card simply because a friend had the same one and I didn't know any better. What I wish I had known then: Look for a card with no annual fee that reports to all three credit bureaus. Then, when you get your first card, set yourself up for success by opting into payment reminders, spending alerts and fraud notifications. Doing so can help you avoid missing a payment or overspending, both of which can damage your credit score."
"Don't get fixated on your credit score when you're starting out! Sign-up for your first card and handle that credit responsibly. With a year or less of on-time payments, you'll start to see your score increase. Then you can start looking for a card that may be more rewarding for your specific spending habits."
"The purpose of your first credit card is to not only to build credit, but also to help you build good habits. Good credit card habits include paying your balance off on time and in full every month, using less than 30% of your credit limit and tracking your expenses to make sure you’re not spending more than you can afford."
"Avoid annual fees on a credit card when your goal is to build credit. You’ll hopefully work your way up to better credit eventually and don't want to get stuck with a card with an annual fee. Closing the card is an option, but doing so can have a negative impact on your credit score and dampen your goals. It helps to choose strategically from the beginning. Don't overlook secured credit cards because they require a deposit upfront. If you can swing it, one that offers a path to someday upgrade to a better option with the same issuer can be a useful credit-building tool. Paying on time makes you eligible to get the deposit back once you’re upgraded, putting credit goals on track and setting you up with a small emergency fund that could keep debt at bay."
"I chose my first credit card simply because a friend had the same one and I didn't know any better. What I wish I had known then: Look for a card with no annual fee that reports to all three credit bureaus. Then, when you get your first card, set yourself up for success by opting into payment reminders, spending alerts and fraud notifications. Doing so can help you avoid missing a payment or overspending, both of which can damage your credit score."
"Don't get fixated on your credit score when you're starting out! Sign-up for your first card and handle that credit responsibly. With a year or less of on-time payments, you'll start to see your score increase. Then you can start looking for a card that may be more rewarding for your specific spending habits."
"The purpose of your first credit card is to not only to build credit, but also to help you build good habits. Good credit card habits include paying your balance off on time and in full every month, using less than 30% of your credit limit and tracking your expenses to make sure you’re not spending more than you can afford."
"Avoid annual fees on a credit card when your goal is to build credit. You’ll hopefully work your way up to better credit eventually and don't want to get stuck with a card with an annual fee. Closing the card is an option, but doing so can have a negative impact on your credit score and dampen your goals. It helps to choose strategically from the beginning. Don't overlook secured credit cards because they require a deposit upfront. If you can swing it, one that offers a path to someday upgrade to a better option with the same issuer can be a useful credit-building tool. Paying on time makes you eligible to get the deposit back once you’re upgraded, putting credit goals on track and setting you up with a small emergency fund that could keep debt at bay."
"I chose my first credit card simply because a friend had the same one and I didn't know any better. What I wish I had known then: Look for a card with no annual fee that reports to all three credit bureaus. Then, when you get your first card, set yourself up for success by opting into payment reminders, spending alerts and fraud notifications. Doing so can help you avoid missing a payment or overspending, both of which can damage your credit score."
"Don't get fixated on your credit score when you're starting out! Sign-up for your first card and handle that credit responsibly. With a year or less of on-time payments, you'll start to see your score increase. Then you can start looking for a card that may be more rewarding for your specific spending habits."
"The purpose of your first credit card is to not only to build credit, but also to help you build good habits. Good credit card habits include paying your balance off on time and in full every month, using less than 30% of your credit limit and tracking your expenses to make sure you’re not spending more than you can afford."
"Avoid annual fees on a credit card when your goal is to build credit. You’ll hopefully work your way up to better credit eventually and don't want to get stuck with a card with an annual fee. Closing the card is an option, but doing so can have a negative impact on your credit score and dampen your goals. It helps to choose strategically from the beginning. Don't overlook secured credit cards because they require a deposit upfront. If you can swing it, one that offers a path to someday upgrade to a better option with the same issuer can be a useful credit-building tool. Paying on time makes you eligible to get the deposit back once you’re upgraded, putting credit goals on track and setting you up with a small emergency fund that could keep debt at bay."
"I chose my first credit card simply because a friend had the same one and I didn't know any better. What I wish I had known then: Look for a card with no annual fee that reports to all three credit bureaus. Then, when you get your first card, set yourself up for success by opting into payment reminders, spending alerts and fraud notifications. Doing so can help you avoid missing a payment or overspending, both of which can damage your credit score."
"Don't get fixated on your credit score when you're starting out! Sign-up for your first card and handle that credit responsibly. With a year or less of on-time payments, you'll start to see your score increase. Then you can start looking for a card that may be more rewarding for your specific spending habits."
2. There's no longer an upgrade path for new cardholders
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula incorporates coverage options, customer experience, customizability, cost and more.
While applicants who applied for the Brightway card before Oct. 31, 2024, may be able to upgrade from the BrightWay to the BrightWay+ credit card if they meet certain criteria, it's not an option for new holders.
If you fall into that latter camp, it means that once you've worked your way up to better credit with the OneMain Financial BrightWay® Card, there's no higher-tier product from the issuer (one with better rewards, lower fees, etc.) that you can move to when you're ready. Instead, you'd have to apply for a brand-new card from a different issuer and, if your BrightWay card is charging an annual fee, you'd have to decide whether to keep paying it or shutter the account.
Applying for new credit accounts and shuttering existing ones can impact the credit scores you just worked so hard to improve.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card, by contrast, is a rewards-earning card for beginners that offers upgrades starting at seven months. Unlike the OneMain Financial BrightWay® Card, you'll have to put down a security deposit, but the annual fee is $0, and the deposit is refundable once you do upgrade to a traditional unsecured card with Discover.
3. Good credit habits can boost credit limit or lower APR
BrightWay cardholders can earn incentives along the way, after achieving a "Milestone Event." According to OneMain Financial, such an event occurs when a cardholder has made six consecutive qualifying payments, which is defined as making at least the minimum payment by the due date.
At that time, eligible cardholders can choose one of two Milestone Benefits: a lower purchase APR or a higher credit limit. Note that APR cannot be reduced below 19.99%, and the credit limit cannot exceed $15,000.
Cardholders forfeit their Milestone Benefit if they don’t select one by the payment due date following the billing cycle that the Milestone Event was earned.
After cashing in on a Milestone Benefit, the number of qualifying payments resets to zero, and you can begin working toward another Milestone.
4. Both cards earn rewards
The BrightWay and BrightWay+ credit cards earn an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases. Cash back is automatically redeemed for a statement credit at the end of each billing cycle.
Among credit cards for poor credit (credit scores of 629 or lower), those are solid rewards.
5. Foreign transaction fee is low
The foreign transaction fee on both BrightWay cards is 1%, which is lower than the 3% fee that many other non-travel-focused credit cards charge. Plus, as a Mastercard, the BrightWay cards will be widely accepted around the globe.
That makes either BrightWay card a decent product for overseas purchases.
Whether you want to pay less interest or earn more rewards, the right card's out there. Just answer a few questions and we'll narrow the search for you.
