Yes, you can get a credit card with a 600 score, but your options are limited to secured cards and subprime issuers
A 600 credit score falls into the "poor" or "fair" range depending on which scoring model is used. Most mainstream credit card issuers — Chase, Capital One, American Express — require a score of 650 or higher. However, secured credit cards and a handful of subprime lenders will work with a 600 score. The trade-off is higher annual fees, higher interest rates, and lower credit limits. Your goal at this score is not rewards or perks; it is rebuilding your credit history so you can move to better cards later.
Key Takeaways
- Secured credit cards are the most common option at a 600 score and require a cash deposit that becomes your credit limit.
- Subprime credit cards exist for poor credit but charge annual fees of $75 to $150 and APRs of 24% to 36%.
- Your credit score will improve if you keep your balance below 30% of your limit and pay on time every month.
- After 6 to 12 months of on-time payments, you may be able to move to a better card or graduate your secured card to unsecured.
Secured credit cards: the most realistic path at 600
A secured credit card requires you to deposit cash into a savings account held by the card issuer. That deposit becomes your credit limit — if you deposit $500, your limit is $500. You use the card like any other card, and your monthly payments and balance are reported to the credit bureaus. After 6 to 18 months of on-time payments, the issuer may convert your account to a regular unsecured card and return your deposit.
Secured cards at a 600 score typically charge an annual fee of $0 to $50 and an APR of 18% to 24%. The Discover Secured Card, Capital One Secured Mastercard, and OpenBank Secured Visa are commonly available at this score range. Check the issuer's website or call their customer service line to confirm your score is within their range before you apply — each issuer sets its own minimum.
The advantage of a secured card is that it reports to all three credit bureaus and genuinely rebuilds your score if you use it responsibly. The disadvantage is that your deposit is tied up and you are paying interest on purchases if you carry a balance.
Subprime credit cards: higher cost, faster approval
Subprime issuers like Milestone, Indigo, and Surge specialize in poor-credit borrowers and will often approve a 600 score instantly or within days. However, these cards are expensive. Annual fees range from $75 to $150, and APRs typically run 24% to 36%. Some charge additional fees for late payments or going over your limit.
Subprime cards do report to the credit bureaus, so they can help rebuild your score — but the high fees mean you are paying more for that rebuild. If you carry a $500 balance on a subprime card with a 30% APR and a $99 annual fee, you will pay roughly $250 in interest and fees over a year. A secured card with the same balance and a 20% APR costs roughly $100 in interest and no annual fee.
Subprime cards make sense only if you need a card immediately and cannot save the deposit required for a secured card. Otherwise, the secured route is cheaper and more effective.
What happens when you apply
Most issuers will run a hard inquiry on your credit report when you apply. This temporarily lowers your score by a few points. If you are rejected, do not apply to multiple cards in quick succession — each application adds another hard inquiry and further damages your score.
Secured card issuers typically approve or deny within 1 to 3 business days. Subprime issuers often give a decision the same day. Once approved, you will need to fund your deposit (for secured cards) or set up your first payment. The card usually arrives within 5 to 10 business days.
How to rebuild your score from 600
Your credit score is built on five factors: payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), credit mix (10%), and new credit (10%). At a 600 score, you likely have late payments or high balances on your report. A new credit card alone will not fix this, but it can help if you use it correctly.
Keep your balance below 30% of your limit — if your limit is $500, stay below $150. Pay the full statement balance on time every month, or at minimum pay more than the minimum payment. Do not close the card once you have rebuilt your score; keeping old accounts open helps your credit history length. After 6 to 12 months of on-time payments and low balances, your score should rise into the 650 to 700 range, and you will have access to better cards.
Check your credit report for errors at annualcreditreport.com, which is the only free source authorized by the federal government. If you find a mistake — a late payment that was not yours, a closed account still showing as open — dispute it with the bureau. Removing errors can raise your score faster than on-time payments alone.
Alternatives if you cannot get approved
If you apply for a secured card and are rejected, your score may be lower than 600, or the issuer may have other concerns. Before you apply again, request your credit report and score from annualcreditreport.com and check for errors or accounts in collections. If you have recent late payments or high balances, paying those down will help more than applying to another card.
A second option is a credit-builder loan from a credit union or online lender. You borrow a small amount (usually $300 to $1,000), which is held in a savings account. You make monthly payments, and once the loan is repaid, you get the money back. Credit-builder loans report to the bureaus and cost less than subprime cards, but they take 6 to 24 months to complete.
A third option is becoming an authorized user on someone else's credit card. If a family member or friend with good credit adds you to their account, their payment history and balance may be reported under your name, which can raise your score. This works only if the primary account holder has a good history and low balance.
Comparing secured and subprime cards at a glance
| Feature | Secured Card | Subprime Card |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit required | Yes, $200–$2,500 | No |
| Annual fee | $0–$50 | $75–$150 |
| APR | 18%–24% | 24%–36% |
| Approval timeline | 1–3 days | Same day to 1 day |
| Upgrade to unsecured | Often, after 6–18 months | Rarely |
| Best for | Rebuilding credit long-term | Immediate card access |
Frequently Asked Questions
Will applying for a credit card hurt my 600 score?
Yes, each application triggers a hard inquiry that lowers your score by a few points. The damage is temporary — the inquiry falls off your report after 12 months and stops affecting your score after about 6 months. Apply to only one or two cards at a time, and wait at least 30 days between applications.
Can I use a secured card to build credit faster?
Not faster, but more reliably. A secured card reports to all three bureaus and builds credit at the same rate as any other card — roughly 30 to 50 points per year if you pay on time and keep your balance low. The speed depends on your starting score and how many other negative items are on your report.
What if I cannot save a deposit for a secured card?
A credit-builder loan is a better option than a subprime card. You borrow a small amount that sits in savings while you make payments, and the loan costs less in fees. Credit unions often offer these at rates under $50 total cost for a $500 loan.
Do I have to pay interest on a secured card?
Only if you carry a balance. If you charge $200 to your secured card and pay the full $200 by the due date, you pay no interest. Interest applies only to the unpaid balance, just like a regular card. To rebuild credit fastest, charge small amounts and pay the full balance monthly.
How long until I can move to a regular credit card?
Most issuers review secured accounts after 6 to 18 months. If you have made all payments on time and kept your balance low, they will convert your account to unsecured and return your deposit. Some issuers are faster than others — check your card's terms or call customer service to ask about their timeline.