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Building your credit?
This Chime card could help.

This card has no annual fee, or APR⁴ and there is no credit check required to apply – making it easier for you to focus on building your credit

This card really shines with its adjustable credit limit

Most secured credit cards require a cash security deposit, which is typically equal to your credit limit. You can get that money back when you move up to a regular credit card.

But the Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Card does things a little differently. Instead, you can transfer however much money you choose from your Chime Checking Account to your Credit Builder Secured Account.

See all the nerdy numbers

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on Chime's website

NerdWallet Rating
  • The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, 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.
  • No credit check to apply, no annual fees or interest⁴, and no minimum security deposit required.³ No stress! Additional terms apply.
  • Use your secured Credit Builder card everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted, including on everyday purchases, such as gas and groceries.
  • Help build your credit history with your own money. The money you move into the Credit Builder secured account is the amount you can spend on your card (no minimum deposit required!).³ Turn on Safer Credit Building² and have your monthly balance automatically paid on time. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®, Experian®, and Equifax®.
  • Increase your credit scores by an average of 30 points, with regular, on-time payments.¹
  • Turn on transaction notifications to receive real-time transaction alerts. Then, use Chime’s instant in-app disable card feature to help prevent unauthorized activities.
  • Live support 24/7 to assist you around the clock.
  • Now you can use your Credit Builder card fee-free at over 60K+ in-network ATMs at retailers like Walgreens®, CVS®, and more! Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at Moneypass ATMs in 7-Eleven® locations, or any Allpoint® or Visa Plus Alliance ATMs.
  • Apply for a secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card once you sign up for a Chime Checking Account and receive a qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more. See www.chime.com to learn more.
See card details
  • The secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, 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.
  • No credit check to apply, no annual fees or interest⁴, and no minimum security deposit required.³ No stress! Additional terms apply.
See card details
Securely with Chime

Annual Fee

$0

Bonus Value

N/A

Intro Purchase APR

n/a

Ongoing APR

N/A

Recommended Credit Score

300 - 669

Poor -
See NerdWallet's pros & cons

Here’s how it works

Open a Chime
Checking Account
Your Chime Checking Account is used to move funds into the Secured Account that is linked to the credit card.
Move funds to your Credit Builder Secured Account
Transfer however much money you choose from your Chime Checking Account to your Credit Builder Secured Account. This amount is now your credit limit — how much you’re able to spend on your credit card.
Adjust your credit limit
whenever you want
Just deposit and transfer more funds to your secured account, and voila! A higher limit. And since the money is yours to begin with, you pay no interest⁴ on your credit card balance.

Plus, you can max out your card with absolutely zero penalties

Here’s another way the Chime card stands out: You can use 100% of your available funds without hurting your credit score.

With standard credit cards and even most secured cards, our nerdy experts recommend that you only use up to 30% of your available credit; any more than that, and your score will start to dip. But since the funds for your Chime Secured Credit Builder card are already yours, Chime doesn’t report your credit utilization to the three main credit bureaus. Which means you can use every cent of your available funds without a hitch.

Why build your credit? A good credit score could save you (potentially lots of) money.

A better credit score could help you borrow money with less interest, qualify for better credit cards with perks like cash back rewards, pay less for insurance, and much more.

For example, according to interest rate data from Informa Research Services, someone with a FICO score of 620 who takes out a $200,000 mortgage can expect to pay $65,000 more over 30 years than someone with a score of 760. For a five-year, $30,000 auto loan, it's $5,100 more. And on a 15-year home equity loan of $50,000, it's $22,500 more. Those savings can really add up fast.

Start building your credit today with this Nerd-approved Chime card.

Building credit takes time — so start today

Showing a consistent, long-term record of on-time payments is what building credit is all about. Payment history is the single biggest factor in your credit score — which is why it’s so important to get started ASAP on building your credit.

Whether you’re rebuilding after a financial setback, a student without credit history, or just looking to build credit, credit-building cards (like the Chime Secured Credit Builder card, and more) can be a big-time help — especially if you use this credit-building tool in a savvy way. Plus, credit-building cards are typically easier to qualify for than standard credit cards.

Looking ahead: Practice these healthy credit habits

Since secured cards operate a little differently than standard credit cards, the same rules don’t always apply. Even so, the goal of a secured card is always to graduate to a standard credit card. When that happens, practicing these healthy habits can continue to help raise your score over time:

• Pay your bill on time every month. Pay in full when possible to avoid interest, but always pay at least the minimum.
• Keep your balance low — below 30% of your total credit limit is great, and below 10% is ideal.
• Avoid applying for multiple credit accounts in a short span of time.
• Keep your card account open — at least until you've established a solid credit history.

No matter where you are in your credit-building journey, regularly check your credit report to make sure there aren’t any errors that could be bringing down your score. (Signing up for a NerdWallet account can help you stay on top of that.)

Disclaimers

The Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Card is issued by Stride Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted.

To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.

1Based on a representative study conducted by Experian®, members who made their first purchase with Credit Builder between June 2020 and October 2020 observed an average FICO® Score 8 increase of 30 points after approximately 8 months. On-time payment history can have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score.

2On-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Chime will report your activities to Transunion®, Experian®, and Equifax®. Impact on your credit may vary, as Credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus based on a number of factors including the financial decisions you make with other financial services organizations.

3Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.

4Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over the counter advance fees may apply. See here for details: Chime Credit Card Agreement