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The Seen Mastercard, issued by Coastal Community Bank, is a lower-fee unsecured credit card for those who are invited to apply and are in the process of rebuilding credit. If you’ve received an invitation by mail or email, you can use the offer code on their website to access the application. As of November 2024, the card targets those who have around a 550 to 620 credit score range, according to Brad Mason, head of card risk and compliance at Seen.
Compared to unsecured "fee-harvester" credit cards — which charge steep annual fees, monthly maintenance fees and account setup fees — the Seen Mastercard is a more affordable unsecured option. Plus, it has other beneficial features, including comprehensive credit bureau reporting and the potential for a relatively high credit limit. But even still, it may not be the best choice.
For instance, a no-annual-fee secured credit card can be more cost-effective. While you’ll be required to pay an upfront security deposit for these kinds of products, you can get that money back with a good track record of on-time payments. (This isn't the case with annual fees.)
Here’s what to know about the Seen Mastercard.
1. It has lower fees compared to cards in its class
Relative to other unsecured credit cards for those with less-than-ideal credit, the Seen Mastercard keeps the fees low.
These are some ways the card stands out:
- An annual fee between $0 to $75: The annual fee will vary depending on your creditworthiness, but it’s lower than you’ll get with some fee-harvester credit cards that charge annual fees that can cost almost $200. In addition to that cost, some of these cards add on account setup fees and monthly maintenance fees. With the Seen credit card, you don’t have to worry about these excessive costs as you’re trying to rebuild credit.
- No foreign transaction fees: Without this fee and as part of Mastercard’s broad network, this card will be a solid travel companion for making purchases abroad.
- A $25 late fee: It’s important to avoid paying late to stay on track with credit-building goals, but if you do have a slip-up, the late fee will be lower compared to those from other issuers. Some issuers charge up to $41 as a late payment (as of this writing).
These are all marks in favor of the Seen Mastercard — but it’s still possible to save more money with a secured credit card like the $0-annual-fee Discover it® Secured Credit Card. It requires a minimum of $200 as a security deposit, but you’ll get it back eventually if you maintain a good payment history and close the account or upgrade to an unsecured credit card with Discover. You’ll also earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, and 1% on all other purchases. As a cardholder, you’ll also get a welcome bonus: INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. These incentives can help defray some of the cost of the deposit over time.
But if that type of deposit requirement isn’t in your budget, you can consider the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, which may allow you to get a $200 line of credit with an initial deposit of $49, $99 or $200, if you can qualify.
For a more flexible option, explore the Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card. It allows you to choose your deposit amount, but you won’t be able to carry a balance from one month to the next.
As a result, Chime's card doesn’t charge interest or fees.
See more from Chime®
Chime says the following:
- The secured Chime Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank.
- Based on a representative study conducted by Experian® in Sept 2025, the top 10% of members who made their first purchase with Credit Builder, an earlier version of Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card, between April and August 2024, observed a FICO® Score 8 increase of 71 points after approximately 8 months. Average increase of 28 points across all participants in the study. Credit score improvement not guaranteed. Paying on time may increase your score, while late payment may decrease your score. Other credit activity can impact your score. Credit score is one of many factors creditors may consider in evaluating credit applications.
- On-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Results may vary.
- Money added to the Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card will be held in a secured deposit account as collateral for your Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card, and you can spend up to this amount. You can use money deposited in your Secured Deposit Account to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
- Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply.
- SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no interest / no fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account available to qualifying members with an active Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card. To qualify for the SpotMe on Chime Card service, you must receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime® Checking Account each month and have activated your physicalSecured Chime Visa® Credit Card or Chime Visa® Debit Card. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Secured Deposit Account up to $20, but may later be eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on Chime account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. The SpotMe on Chime Card Limit will be displayed within the Chime mobile app and is subject to change at any time, at Chime’s or its banking partners’ discretion. Although Chime does not charge any overdraft fees for SpotMe on Chime Card, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions and fees associated with OTC cash withdrawals. SpotMe on Chime Card won’t cover non-card transactions. SpotMe on Chime Card Terms and Conditions.
- With qualifying direct deposits, earn 5% cash back as a Chime Prime member or 2% cash back as a Chime Plus member on up to $1,500 of eligible Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card purchases. See the Secured Chime Visa® Credit Card - Cash Rewards Program Addendum for limitations and details on earning cash back on your monthly selected category.
2. The credit limit has room to grow
As a cardholder, you’ll start with a credit limit between $300 and $3,000, based on your creditworthiness and other factors. If you’re charged an annual fee, it will also eat into your initial credit limit. For instance, if you have a credit limit of $300 and an annual fee of $59, your amount of available credit will be $241 until you pay that fee back. On a credit-building journey, it’s important to not use more than 30% of your amount of available credit on the card to avoid a negative impact on your credit scores.
Eventually, you will be considered for a credit limit increase when you make your minimum payment on time for five consecutive billing cycles. There’s no guarantee you'll get it, but it’s a nice feature when you’re building credit because it could lower your credit utilization ratio. This is the amount of your available credit in use and a key factor that impacts credit scores.
» MORE: 7 ways to rebuild credit
3. The APR is expensive
As of November 2024, the APR charged for purchases on the Seen Mastercard was nearly 36%, making it very expensive to carry a balance. It’s not uncommon for the annual percentage rate, or interest rate, on a credit card for less-than-ideal credit to be high, so it's critical to make payments on time and in full when possible.
One possible strategy you can employ is to use the card to pay for small purchases and then pay off the expense in full to avoid interest charges. You’ll further protect yourself from debt or from relying on your credit card if you can work toward building an emergency fund.
4. Payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus
With the Seen Mastercard, your payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. It’s an essential feature when you’re rebuilding credit, since these companies record the information that’s used to calculate your credit scores. For this reason, it’s important to stay on track with payments.
5. The card may be used instantly after approval
After you’re approved for the Seen Mastercard, you’ll get a digital card that may be used for purchases after approval. Once you receive the physical card in the mail, the digital card will automatically deactivate. The physical card arrives in the mail within five to seven business days, according to the card’s website.
