Best Credit Cards for Low Income Earners of April 2026

• No annual fee
• Uncapped 1.5% cash back
• $200 welcome offer

• No cash advances

• $200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Preferred account and making 3 debit card transactions*;
• 1.5% unlimited cash back on every purchase;
• No annual fee;
• See if you qualify in seconds with no impact to your credit score;
• Combine the flexibility of a card with the predictability of a personal loan;
• Enjoy Visa Signature benefits, like Roadside Dispatch, Price Protection, Extended Warranty Protection, and more;
• Shop smarter with Upgrade Shopping! Get exclusive savings at stores, restaurants, and more;
• Contactless payments with Apple Pay® and Google Wallet™;
• Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere;
• Use your card anywhere Visa is accepted;
• Relax knowing that you are protected in case of unauthorized transactions with Visa’s Zero Liability Policy.

Welcome Bonus Disclosure: *To qualify for the welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking Preferred account through Upgrade and make 3 qualifying debit card transactions from your Rewards Checking Preferred account within 60 days of the date the Rewards Checking Preferred account is opened. If you have previously opened a checking account through Upgrade or do not open a Rewards Checking Preferred account as part of this application process, you are not eligible for this welcome bonus offer. Your Upgrade Card and Rewards Checking Preferred account must be open and in good standing to receive a bonus. To qualify, debit card transactions must have settled and exclude ATM transactions. Please refer to the applicable Upgrade Visa® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information. Welcome bonus offers cannot be combined, substituted, or applied retroactively. The bonus will be applied to your Rewards Checking Preferred account as a one-time payout credit within 60 days after meeting the conditions. This one-time bonus is available through this Upgrade Card offer and may not be available for other Upgrade Card offers.

• Low eligibility requirements
• Reasonable credit limit
• No Security deposit

• High extra fees
• High APR
• Foreign Transaction Fee
• No reward program
• No Sign up Bonus

• $400 Initial Credit Limit;
• Less than perfect credit? We understand. The FIT Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit;
• Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit;
• Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses;
• Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus;
• Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations;
• Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines).

• No maintenance fees
• Excellent credit limits
• Welcome bonus

• Neither cash advances nor balance transfers are allowed
• High credit demands. Especially lower APRs require a fairly good credit rating

• $200 bonus after opening a Rewards Checking Preferred account and making 3 debit card transactions*;
• 3% unlimited cash back on every purchase in Home, Health, and Auto categories;
• No annual fee;
• Enjoy Visa Signature benefits, like Roadside Dispatch, Price Protection, Extended Warranty and more;
• Shop smarter with Upgrade Shopping! Get exclusive savings at stores, restaurants, and more;
• No touch payments with contactless technology built in;
• See if you qualify in seconds with no impact to your credit score;
• Great for large purchases with predictable payments you can budget for;
• Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere;
• Use your card anywhere Visa is accepted;
• Relax knowing that you are protected in case of unauthorized transactions with Visa’s Zero Liability Policy.

*Welcome Bonus Disclosure: *To qualify for the welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking Preferred account through Upgrade and make 3 qualifying debit card transactions from your Rewards Checking Preferred account within 60 days of the date the Rewards Checking Preferred account is opened. If you have previously opened a checking account through Upgrade or do not open a Rewards Checking Preferred account as part of this application process, you are not eligible for this welcome bonus offer. Your Upgrade Card and Rewards Checking Preferred account must be open and in good standing to receive a bonus. To qualify, debit card transactions must have settled and exclude ATM transactions. Please refer to the applicable Upgrade Visa® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information. Welcome bonus offers cannot be combined, substituted, or applied retroactively. The bonus will be applied to your Rewards Checking Preferred account as a one-time payout credit within 60 days after meeting the conditions. This one-time bonus is available through this Upgrade Card offer and may not be available for other Upgrade Card offers.

• Low entry barrier. This provides a straightforward way to atone for your past mistakes.
• Credit limit may be doubled automatically.

• Large annual fee. It ranges from $75 - $125, which many low earners will find a significant burden.
• Monthly fees. This pushes the total annual expenses even higher.
• Consistently high APR. Unlike more general credit solutions, it does not depend on your credit score.
• No cash back mechanism.

• Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit;
• See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score;
• Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit;
• Responsible use can lead to a Credit Limit Increase offer in as few as 6 months;
• Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit;
• Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses;
• Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus;
• Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations;
• Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines).

• Low Requirements

• Annual Fee
• High Regular APR
• No Intro APR period
• Extra Fees

• $0 fraud liability;
• Reports monthly to all three major credit bureaus;
• Manageable monthly payments;
• Select your favorite card design for free.

• Low application requirements
• Low foreign transaction fee
• Reports to three major credit bureaus

• Annual fee
• Additional fees and high APR
• No rewards system

• Greater access to credit than before - $1,000 credit limit;
• Get a Mastercard accepted online, in store and in app;
• Account history is reported to the three major credit bureaus in the U.S;
• $0 liability for unauthorized use;
• Access your account online or from your mobile device 24/7.

• Low APR for Purchases
• No Minimum Credit Score Required
• Reports to Three Major Credit Bureaus
• Suitable Range of Credit Limit

• High Annual Fee
• High Transaction Fees on Cash Advance
• High Penalty Fees
• Foreign Transaction Fees

• Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards with First Progress Prestige;
• Apply now and fund your security deposit over 90 days with the option to make partial payments;
• You Can’t Rebuild credit with a Debit Card. Try First Progress Today;
• Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
• All credit types welcome to apply;
• Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.

• Up to $3000 credit limit
• Reports to three major credit bureaus
• You don’t need a bank account to apply
• Access to FICO score
• Low APR

• No rewards or intro offers
• $200 minimum deposit
• Extra fees
• $36 annual fee

• Monthly Reporting to the 3 Major Credit Bureaus;
• $0 Fraud Liability;
• Low interest;
• FICO® Score for Free Each Month.

• No credit history required
• No Minimum Credit Score needed
• Low Annual Percentage Rates

• Annual Fee
• Foreign Transaction Fee

• Get a First Progress Select Card and Earn 1% Cash Back Rewards;
• Secure your credit line with your refundable security deposit – choose from $200 - $2,000 - with the ability to increase up to $5,000 over time;
• Choose the First Progress Select Card for a lower annual fee;
• All credit types welcome to apply;
• Build your credit history across 3 major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion;
• Cardholders who keep their balance low and pay their credit card bill on time every month typically do see an increase in their credit score.

• No monthly fees
• Prior bankruptcies are acceptable
• Liability protection
• No security deposit required

• No reward
• High-interest rates
• No mobile app
• Credit limit

• Mastercard® benefits;
• Fraud protection;
• Reports to all three major credit bureaus.

• Customizable rewards. You define on your own what to save more on.
• Long bonus period with 0% APR.

• Requires good credit rating.
• Capped rewards beyond the basic 1%.

• 3% Cash Back in your choice category;
• 2% Cash Back at grocery stores & wholesale clubs;
• 1% Cash Back on all other purchases;
• $200 cash rewards bonus;
• $0 Fraud Liability;
• Overdraft Protection;
• Digital Wallets;
• FICO® Score for Free.

• No annual fee. This is a huge advantage over its competitors like Surge.
• No foreign transactions fee. Frequent travelers will especially appreciate this point.
• Credit limit automatically doubles in six months.
• Contactless chip. You can pay instantly and conveniently on terminals.

• APR is above the market average. If your credit score permits it, you may find better luck elsewhere.
• No rewards program.

• No Foreign Transaction Fees;
• $0 Fraud Liability;
• ATM Location Services;
• Emergency Card Replacement;
• Autopay;
• 24/7 Customer Service.

• Support for contactless payment.
• $0 foreign transaction fee.
• Consistent 1.5% reward rate.

• High APR. This applies even to customers with flawless credit.
• Moderate annual fee.

• 1.5% Cash Back;
• No Foreign Transaction Fees;
• Autopay;
• $0 Fraud Liability;
• Card Lock;
• ATM Location Services.

• Up to 5% cash back.
• Introductory benefits, including 15 months without interest and higher reward rates.

• High credit requirements.
• Cap on some bonuses.

• $200 Bonus;
• 5% Cash Back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards;
• 3% Cash Back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services;
• 3% Cash Back on drugstore purchases;
• 1% Cash Back on all other purchases;
• Zero Liability Protection;
• Extended Warranty Protection;
• Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance;
• Cell Phone Protection;
• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver;
• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services.

• Consistent 2% rewards rate. You get one half of that at the time of purchase and another at payment.
• 18-month-long interest-free period for balance transfers.

• Good credit is a prerequisite.
• 3% fee on foreign transactions.

• Citi Entertainment;
• $200 Cash Back;
• 2% Cash Back on every purchase;
• Fraud Protection;
• The Lost Wallet Service;
• $0 Liability for Unauthorized Charges.

• Few barriers to entry. Open even to people with bad credit.
• No monthly fee, unlike some competitors.
• Low foreign transaction fee.

• Potentially high annual fee.
• No reward options.

• A low foreign transaction fee of 1 percent;
• $1,000 credit limit;
• Choice of Card Image;
• Fraud Protection;
• 24/7 Account Access;
• Extended warranty coverage.