Credit Cards For a 600, 700, 750, and 800 Credit Score
It’s no secret that it can be challenging to get a credit card if you have a low credit score. Let’s talk about which cards go with which scores. I have scoured all over the internet, reading hundreds of articles, and watching way too many YouTube videos and I got almost nowhere. The truth is you, the consumer, have too many options.
All these hundreds of options do is confuse everyone and certainly, don’t help people figure out the answer to their question; Which credit card should I get if I have a 600, 700, or above credit score?
I’m here to help you with that question by giving you a simple list of one to two cards I recommend for each bracket. If you have a low credit score (600 or under) don’t worry, I have a card for you. On the other end of the spectrum, if you are above 700 or even 750, then I have some awesome picks.
Okay, before I break this down for you score by score, I need to give you a credit card disclaimer.
Credit Card Disclaimer
It’s no secret that I love credit cards and the free rewards that come along with them. But I’d also be doing you a disservice by not issuing a warning on the risk you are taking using a credit card. Based on the last census, on average, a person in America has $5,700 of credit card debt. Yes, I understand you may not have any but your neighbor may be tens of thousands of dollars in debt and you don’t even know it. My point is that you need to understand how to use a credit card. At a minimum, know this rule:
Pay off the full amount of your credit card or charge card every single month with no exceptions.
If you follow that one rule, then you too can reap the benefits of credit and charge cards. Seriously, I just went to Banff, Canada and the whole trip ended up costing me less than $600. If you want to learn more about credit cards then come back to this fancy table I made just for you after you are done reading here.
Credit Cards For Credit Scores Under 600
Do you know what’s hard? Trying to build your credit score up, but not being able to get accepted for a credit card. This barrier to entry is where banks have developed cards that anyone, at any credit score can get accepted for.
These cards have some good advantages like no annual fee, and usually a little cash back. They do have their disadvantages though like your monthly limit is going to be capped pretty low, usually under $1,000. This shouldn’t be a problem though because you are just using this card to get some momentum going on building your credit. After a year or so, you can upgrade to one of the other cards I mention below because your score will have increased.
Of course, only if you followed the golden rule of credit cards.
My Card Recommendation
For anyone’s first credit card or one to help them rebuild their credit, I always suggest the Chase Freedom Unlimited. This is a great starter card that allows people to get a good percentage of cashback (1.5%) while also paying no annual fee.
Some may argue that you should go with a secured credit card first. This type of card is one where you prepay each month and that deposit acts as collateral for you not paying your balance.
I believe you should try to get accepted for a card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited first because if you haven’t ruined your credit in the past, then your odds of getting accepted are high.
I did a full write up and YouTube video on this card here: Why The Chase Freedom Unlimited Should Be Your First Credit Card. Or if you want to click the picture or button below to go directly to Chase’s site to apply today.
Credit Cards For Credit Scores Under 700
If your credit score is under 700, then your options when applying for a credit card open up a bit but not to the level where you should be satisfied. In a perfect world, your credit score will never drop below 700 but this isn’t a perfect world and things happen.
Let’s say that you have been building your credit up for a year using the Chase Freedom Unlimited from above and you are ready to upgrade. The good news is that you have the most options now because most credit scores in the world are between 600 and 750. The bad news is that you don’t have access to the best credit cards out there… yet.
Nothing to be worried about though, because if you keep following the golden rule of credit cards then your score will continue to go up slowly. This process will test your patience but in the end, it will be worth it.
My Card Recommendation
The card I suggest to everyone in this bracket is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. This was actually my first mid-tier credit card and I absolutely loved it. This card took my score from under 700 to now 825 and gave me some huge perks.
The Sapphire Preferred is often referred to as a travel credit card because most of its perks involve traveling. Some specifics are that your Ultimate Reward Points are worth 25% more when you use them on travel and it includes trip cancellation insurance.
I do not want to bore you with the full details of this card so if you want to learn more, I did a full write up here: Why The Chase Sapphire Preferred Is the Best Second Credit Card. Or if you want to click the picture or button below to go directly to Chase’s site to apply today.
Credit Cards For Credit Scores 700 and Above
When your credit score is above 700, then you can almost, emphasis on almost, get approved for any credit card there is. Whether it’s Chase, Bank of America, American Express, or any of the dozens of others you will most likely get approved. This opens you up to a world of possibilities on what card to get and how to use that card.
If your credit score is above 700 then I would suggest looking into getting a couple of credit cards. Yes, you read that right, more than one. This is, of course, assuming you can follow the golden rule which we talked about above.
When choosing between a couple of different credit cards here are some options you should look at:
- The Chase Sapphire Preferred (pictured above)
- The Chase Sapphire Reserve
- The American Express Platinum Card
- The American Express Gold Card (pictured below)
My Card Recommendation
If you have been following Young, Dumb, and NOT Broke?! for any amount of time, you know that this is my favorite current credit card. The American Express Gold Card has everything you may need in a credit card. Especially if you travel. I made a YouTube video on this card that I’ll put below but I seriously can’t recommend it enough.
If you have a low credit score (under 700) then this should be a card you set as a goal to reach in the future. The points multiplier on things like grocery shopping and travel expenses is hard to beat.
I did a full write up on this card here: Why You Need The (Amex) American Express Gold Card. Or if you want to click the picture or button below to go directly to American Express’s site to apply today.
BONUS! My Favorite Airline Credit Card
If you fly frequently, then you should look into adding an airline credit card to your wallet. Whether you fly for personal reasons or business, you might as well get some free stuff out of your time. An airline credit card can help you with that.
We’ve all heard of rewards programs like American Airlines Advantage or Delta Skymiles but all of these same airlines have partner credit cards. These cards allow you to book your flights and earn those same points but in addition, you get other perks like priority boarding or miles boost. Just like any other credit card, which card you apply for is going to dictate what perks you get.
When choosing between a couple of different credit cards, here are some options you should look at:
- Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card (pictured below)
- Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card
- United℠ Explorer Card
- Blue Delta SkyMiles Credit Card
My Card Recommendation
Full disclosure, the only airline credit card I have used so far is the Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card from American Express. As I stated in this YouTube video one of the only reasons I got the card was the signup bonus was just too good to turn down. If you aren’t into credit card churning (most people aren’t) but you travel more than the average person, then I would check out this card. Especially if you fly Delta frequently.
As I eluded to above, this card offers a signup bonus of 60,000 Skymiles when you spend over $2,000 in the first three months. That equates out to be about $720 worth of value. Easy picking if you ask me.
Some other benefits of this card include:
- 2x Skymiles on all Delta related purchases
- First checked bag free
- No annual fee the first year ($95 after that)
- 20% in-flight savings
I did a full write up on this card here: Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card – Best Airline Credit Cards. Or if you want to click the picture or button below to go directly to American Express’s site to apply today.
The Bottom Line
Building your credit score up over time takes years, I’m not going to sugar coat it. On the other side of things, crashing your credit score takes only one or two bad decisions. By getting a credit card, you start the timer of building your credit score up which will literally save you thousands in the future.
I’m usually not a fan of people using the word literally but in this case, that is the truth.
When you go into the bank and try to get approved for a mortgage or car loan and your credit score is over 700 or even 800, you will be forever thankful that you took this seriously. By starting out with a starter credit card or even a charge card, you will be taking a step in the right direction.
I’m going to restate it again because I feel like I have to; if you can not pay off your credit card in full each and every month then do not even bother getting one. By missing those payments you are only hurting yourself and making the hole even harder to get out of.
Apply for a card, follow the golden rule of credit cards, and repeat for a couple of years and you too can have a great credit score.
If you have any questions on which cards you should apply for or other general questions, then feel free to reach out. You will notice that there is a small blue box in the bottom right side of your screen. You can either use that to contact us here at YD&NB or you can go through the Contact Us tab.
As always, we’re an open book that wants to help you in any way possible.
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