Building credit is an essential part of life. Some of us do it easily, others have trouble. Whether you are far along in building credit or are working to improve your score, it is essential to know which credit cards can help you the most.
Thousands of credit cards are on the market, and it is hard to weed through them all to find the best one for you. Most credit-building cards have insanely high annual fees that most people want to avoid. Others have ridiculously high APRs. If you are looking to build or rebuild your credit, I’ve done the research for you. Here are my top three:
Winner: Ultra VX Visa
Annual fee: None
APR: 19.5 percent
Reports to all three major credit bureaus: Yes
Credit needed: Bad
The Ultra VX Visa card takes first place. With this card, you get instant approval when you apply online; there’s no credit check, and you don’t need a bank account. The reason this card is my top pick are the rewards it offers. You can get rewards to Amazon, iTunes, Barnes and Noble, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, US Air, American Airlines, Marriott Hotels, Hilton Hotels, and more, with no restrictions.
First Runner-up: Public Savings Bank Classic Visa
Annual fee: None
APR: 0 percent for six months, then 11.24 percent
Reports to all three major credit bureaus: Yes
Credit needed: Bad
The Public Savings Bank Classic Visa card came in second place. This card has no annual or monthly fees and doesn’t have any credit, income, or employment requirements to qualify. It offers free fraud protection in case there is unauthorized use of your card, and there is no penalty APR. You can choose your credit limit ($200–$1500). The card can be used anywhere you see a Visa or Mastercard logo (which is pretty much everywhere).
