Can’t Get a Credit Card? Try These Alternative Options

Getting a credit card without a credit history can present many obstacles if you can’t meet the requirements imposed by the traditional FICO scoring model. Secured credit cards are sometimes an option, but they require an upfront deposit, which can be cost-prohibitive.

Alternative credit card issuers are trying to bridge this gap by using their own nontraditional underwriting standards to assess creditworthiness based on factors such as income, employment and bank account information. Some of these products function like traditional credit cards, while others are more akin to charge cards.

But the point is that even if you have bad credit, limited credit or no credit at all, you have options — and some may be easier to get than you think.

Consider these alternative credit cards.

» MORE: How to build credit fast

Best alternative credit cards

• Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card

• Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card

• Grow Credit Mastercard

• Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

• Varo Believe Secured Credit Card

• Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card

• Zolve Credit Card

• Other options

Best for no credit

Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card

Petal's issuing partner, WebBank, might not rely solely on credit scores to determine who qualifies for the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card. It can opt to use a “machine-learning” underwriting model that considers such things as applicants' income, expenses, savings and debts. And the card has a lot of other marks in its favor for those with no credit.

For starters, it reports payments to the three major credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. These companies record the information used to calculate your credit scores. It doesn't require a security deposit and even offers a cash-back rewards program. The annual fee for new cardholders is $0, and you won't be charged late fees, overlimit fees or foreign transaction fees. (The card does not allow cash advances or balance transfers.)

You must be a U.S. resident with a valid Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to qualify.

» MORE: What is WebBank?

Best for fair or limited credit

Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card

The Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card is an option you might qualify for if you don’t have a strong enough cash flow or credit history to get approved for the aforementioned Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card.

Rewards are less robust on this version of the card, but the same eligibility requirements, considerations and credit-building features are in effect. It doesn’t require a security deposit, and the annual fee is $0.

It’s important to know, though, that In July 2023, this card did institute a monthly membership fee of $8 for some older customers, and it's unclear what criteria those existing holders met to be assessed those fees. Petal says the fee won't apply to new customers, and as long as the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card remains free to carry going forward, it can be a solid choice for building credit.

Best for poor credit

Grow Credit Mastercard

The Grow Credit Mastercard, issued by Sutton Bank, is ideal for those with no credit or poor credit (FICO scores of 629 or below). It's a virtual card that allows you to build credit while paying for qualifying monthly subscriptions that include eligible bills, TV, music and other streaming services. It's one of a handful of decent credit cards that don’t require a credit check. Instead, the company has its own proprietary technology that looks at income to evaluate creditworthiness. To weigh that information, Grow Credit requires that you link a bank account.

You can choose from different membership plans, depending on eligibility. Each one has a different price point, a different monthly spending limit, and different subscriptions that are covered. For instance, the Build membership plan allows you to build credit with subscriptions like Netflix, Pandora, Spotify, Amazon Prime and others. The paid membership plans include "premium" subscriptions, allowing you to build credit with Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile payments, among others.

The Grow Credit Mastercard functions like a credit card in some ways, but you're not free to spend on any purchase. You can charge only those specific subscription transactions. The line of credit itself is small, but payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus.

The card doesn't allow you to carry a balance from month to month either, and as a result it doesn't charge interest or fees (beyond what you might owe for one of the paid membership plans).

Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card

The Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card offers some of the buffers you may need when you’re getting a first or second chance at building credit. And while technically it's a secured card, it lacks some of the obstacles that come with many products in that class.

For instance, you don’t have to undergo a hard credit check or pay a minimum security deposit upfront. Chime® can look at income to determine whether you’re eligible for the card.

You'll need a Chime Checking Account, and the money you move from that account to the Credit Builder secured account determines the amount you can spend with the card. That money can also be used to pay off your balance. When you make a payment, it’s reported to all three major credit bureaus.

Also unlike many other secured credit cards, this card doesn’t allow you to carry a balance from one month to another, and it doesn’t charge interest or fees.

Varo Believe Secured Credit Card

The Varo Believe Secured Credit Card requires a security deposit, but you get to choose the amount. That kind of flexibility makes it possible to build credit without straying from your budget. It does report to all three major credit bureaus, but doesn't work exactly like a traditional credit card. For instance, it doesn’t charge interest or fees since you can't carry a balance. And there's no hard credit check when you apply.

To qualify, you need a Varo bank account that has received direct deposits of at least $200 in the past 31 days. You can only spend as much as you deposit in the secured account, so you can't rack up debt.

Cardholders will also have a chance to snag incentives through Varo’s online offers when they shop with select retailers.

» MORE: 'Debt-proof' credit cards lower some barriers, but raise their own

Best for no Social Security number or ITIN

Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card

The Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card doesn’t require a Social Security number or credit check to qualify. You can use passport or visa information to apply, and it reports to all major U.S. credit bureaus.

But unlike other options, this card charges a monthly fee: $4.99-$12.99 monthly or $48-$120/year depending on subscription plan. It also requires a Firstcard deposit account, which is used to transfer money from a linked bank account or deposit card in the amount of your choice to set the card's credit limit.

The more expensive monthly Firstcard subscription plans usually offer higher cash-back rates and higher interest rates on deposits kept in the account. But generally those fees aren't worth paying, since other starter credit cards can offer similar value without such costs. And unlike with a deposit you might put down for a secured credit card, monthly fees won't be refundable.

Still, if you're a newcomer to the U.S., the Firstcard® Secured Credit Builder Card could remove some barriers to credit and is worth a look.

» MORE: Credit cards you can get without a Social Security number

Zolve Credit Card

The Zolve Credit Card allows you to qualify without a Social Security number, as long as you have alternative documentation such as an I-20 if you’re a student, or offer letters or pay slips for workers. The card, which also reports to the three major credit bureaus, is tied to a subscription plan that's based on the credit limit you're eligible for.

There are three subscription plans, each with different terms, features and costs. There's the Classic ($0 annual fee), the Signature ($99 annual fee) and Black ($299 annual fee).

If you can qualify for the Classic plan, that's the best deal, especially for credit newbies.

Other options

American Express credit cards could also be options for immigrants and expats in the United States with no credit history here.

Typically, any credit history you may have built in your native country will not follow you to the U.S. But in late 2019, AmEx teamed up with international credit-reporting startup Nova Credit to launch a feature that can translate eligible international credit reports from qualifying countries into U.S.-equivalent credit reports.

The feature is currently limited to credit reports from qualifying credit bureaus in Australia, Canada, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Korea and Switzerland.

Other alternative credit card options may also be on the horizon. It's still a relatively new market with plenty of room for other companies.

» MORE: 5 things to know about Nova Credit