Credit Cards for Fair Credit
The below are credit card offers chosen by the CompareCards.com editor team which reflect the most consumer value for fair credit applicants.
- Compare the best credit cards for fair credit from major credit companies
- Independent ratings and reviews for credit cards for average credit
- Secure and immediate online application process
Capital One® Cash Rewards Average Credit
- Intro APR 0% until March 2013
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- 50% bonus on the cash back you earn every year
- 1% cash back on all purchases
- Earn unlimited cash back that doesn’t expire
- Redeem cash back anytime for any amount, even set automatic redemptions
- Personalize your card with an image of your choice
- 0% intro APR on purchases until March 2013
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% until March 2013 | N/A* | 17.90-22.90% (Variable)* | $39.00* | Average |
Capital One® Classic Platinum Credit Card
- Intro APR 0% until March 2013*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- 0% intro APR on all purchases until March 2013
- $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
- Enjoy Platinum benefits, including 24-hour roadside assistance and extended warranty protection
- Pick an image for your card—choose the one shown here, any of the hundreds in our collection, or add your own
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% until March 2013* | N/A* | 17.90-22.90% (Variable)* | $39.00* | Average |
Capital One® Platinum Credit Card
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $19 after that
- Image Card - personalize your card with an image of your choice
- $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
- Monitor your spending with free text message alerts
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 24.90% (Variable)* | $0.00 1 year, then $19.00* | Fair |
Discover® Student Card
- Intro APR 0% for 6 Months*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- Experience Discover's great reward program. Earn $20 Cashback Bonus®* when you make your 1st purchase within 3 months of approval
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 12.99% - 18.99%*
- % Cashback Bonus®* in categories that change like gas, groceries, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy
- $0 Fraud Liability- you will not be responsible for unauthorized charges
- No Annual Fee
- Text and Email alerts
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% for 6 Months* | N/A* | 12.99-18.99% (Variable)* | None | Fair |
Discover® Student Card - Monogram Collection
- Intro APR 0% for 9 Months*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 12.99% - 18.99%*
- 5% Cashback Bonus®* in categories that change like gas, groceries, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy
- $0 Fraud Liability- you will not be responsible for unauthorized charges
- No Annual Fee
- Text and Email alerts
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% for 9 Months* | N/A* | 12.99-18.99% (Variable)* | None | Fair |
Discover® Student Clear Card
- Intro APR 0% for 9 Months*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 12.99% - 18.99%*
- 5% Cashback Bonus®* in categories that change like gas, groceries, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy
- $0 Fraud Liability- you will not be responsible for unauthorized charges
- No Annual Fee
- Text and Email alerts
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| 0% for 9 Months* | N/A* | 12.99-18.99% (Variable)* | None | Fair |
JourneySM Student Rewards from Capital One®
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- Designed to help students build good credit with responsible use
- Access to your monthly credit score, plus an interactive tracking tool to help monitor your credit
- Customizable text and e-mail alerts to help keep you on track
- Get 1% cash back on all purchases, plus a 25% bonus each month you pay your bill on time
- No annual fee
- $0 Fraud Liability if your card is lost or stolen
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 19.80% (Variable)* | None | Fair |
Capital One® Cash Rewards for Newcomers
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- A card designed to help those new to the U.S. establish credit and earn cash back
- Build credit with automatic reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Get 2% cash back on travel purchases
- Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
- No foreign transaction fees
- No annual fee
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 24.90% (Variable)* | None | Average |
Capital One® SparkSM Classic for Business
- Intro APR N/A*
- Intro BT APR N/A*
- Enjoy no annual fee
- Build business credit with eligibility for an automatic credit line increase
- Earn 1% cash back on every purchase, every day
- Separate business expenses from personal expenses
- $0 Fraud Liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
- Enjoy business benefits including Year-End Summaries, up to 25 employee cards at no additional cost, and experienced small business customer service
| Intro APR: | Balance Transfer: | Regular APR: | Annual Fee: | Credit Needed: |
| N/A* | N/A* | 22.90% (Variable)* | $0.00* | Average |
Updated by Chris Mettler on
Credit Card Offers for Fair Credit
If you have fair credit, or have had some credit history dings or other problems but are not yet in the bad credit category, then you should be able to apply for and get an a credit card for fair credit. Those with bad credit generally have no choice but to apply for a secured or prepaid card, but in your case having average or fair credit qualifies you to be responsible for adhering to a credit limit and carrying a balance over from one month to the next if you decide to do that. That also means that you’ll have a great chance to improve your credit score and credit history – which will entitle you to even better rates, credit cards, and cardholder privileges.
It’s a good idea to shop for a fair credit credit card with the most manageable fees and interest rates, because that will make it much easier for you to manage your budget and card payments. Cards with no annual fee, for example, are cheaper – and so are ones that have a lower APR. Use the info in the reviews in this section – and crunch the numbers using this site’s credit card calculators and other tools – to help you make a wise pick of the best fair credit card for your situation. FICO ranges for fair or average credit typically range from 620 to 680.
Try to use not more than 25-30% of your allowed limit each month, because that will look better on your credit report. Soon you may be offered a higher credit limit and as your credit score rises from fair to good it will be possible to shop for even more attractive and competitive interest rate card.
Disclaimer: FICO scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator of the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any credit card product.
