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Empower — the company that acquired the Petal portfolio of credit cards in 2024 — is rebranding as Tilt and launching a trio of new products for credit builders.
The Tilt Engage, Tilt Motion and Tilt Essentials cards will be replacing the company’s Petal cards. As a result, applications are now closed for the Petal® 1 Rise Visa® Credit Card, the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card and the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card. Existing cardholders will not be affected.
Petal cards offered a pathway to credit for applicants with less-than-ideal scores who couldn't meet the underwriting standards of more traditional cards. As Tilt, the company expects to continue serving as a steppingstone to credit. In addition to the new credit cards, Tilt will maintain its underwriting standards, line of credit ranges and cash advance options that it previously offered as Empower.
The new Tilt cards, at a glance
As with the three Petal cards, the trio of Tilt cards will be aimed at slightly different credit profiles. The Tilt Engage and Tilt Motion cards are meant for applicants with poor to good credit, while the Tilt Essentials card is for those with fair to excellent credit.
How they compare
Annual fee
- $59
- $0
- $0
Welcome bonus
None.
None.
None.
Rewards
1% to 10% cash back at select merchants.
1% to 10% cash back at select merchants.
3% cash back on gas and groceries when you set up autopay and 1% back on other purchases.
APR
- 29.24%-34.24% Variable
- 29.24%-34.24% Variable APR
- 29.99% Variable APR
Still not sure?
Key Petal features remain intact
Tilt confirms that many of the new cards' features will be similar to what the former Petal cards offered, with a few exceptions.
WebBank will continue to be the issuer of the cards and keep reporting payments to all three major credit bureaus. Crucially, the credit policies, risk models and technology used to underwrite applicants will also stay intact. That's important because one of the primary benefits of Petal cards was that the issuer could opt to evaluate more than just FICO scores when determining creditworthiness, instead relying on a proprietary algorithm that could take into account things like income, savings and spending.
As such, the application process for Tilt cards may require linking a bank account through Plaid when traditional credit data doesn’t offer a full overview of credit history.
The pre-qualification process, which allows applying without any initial impact to credit scores, will also remain the same. You must be a U.S. resident with a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
The annual fee ranges of the new Tilt cards are in line with the Petal cards, although there are some differences in reward rates. While the Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card offered the highest possible rate among that portfolio of cards — up to 1.5% cash back on all purchases — you can earn up to 3% cash back on certain purchases with the Tilt Essentials card and 1% on everything else.
Another positive change from the previous cards is a shorter path to potential credit limit increases. With the Tilt cards, it's possible to qualify for a credit limit increase in as little as four months, though it can take longer depending on eligibility. (The Petal cards required at least six qualifying on-time monthly payments.)
Should you consider a Tilt card?
Compared with cards in its class, the no-annual-fee Tilt cards could be decent options that offer access to credit and earn rewards, especially since the alternative underwriting process will remain intact.
The Tilt Engage, however, packs a $59 annual fee, which might make a secured credit card more appealing, even if it does require a deposit. Deposits, unlike annual fees, are refundable. Plus, some secured credit cards feature "upgrade paths" to unsecured cards, which can offer even more value in the form of incentives or rewards.
It's worth noting, too, that the Petal cards underwent multiple changes prior to Empower's acquisition, including the unexpected downgrading of credit cards for select holders and the addition of monthly fees for others.
While any credit card can adjust its rewards, benefits and fee structure at any time, newer cards from startup financial technology companies are particularly prone to significant changes as they find their place in the market.
