Which kinds of credit cards fit your credit score band
Edited by Moe Ameen · Published
Card issuers group cards by credit level, and the labels line up loosely with FICO's bands. Secured cards are built for poor, limited or no credit. Fair credit, 580 to 669 on FICO's scale, is where issuers aim some unsecured cards. Most rewards, balance transfer and 0% intro APR cards are aimed at good or excellent credit, which Experian puts at 670 or higher. Treat the label as a rough guide, because each issuer sets its own criteria.
Key takeaways
- There's no single minimum score for a credit card. Each lender sets its own criteria.
- Secured cards are designed for poor credit or no credit history.
- Rewards, balance transfer and 0% intro APR cards typically go to scores of 670 and up.
- By law, an issuer must look at your ability to pay, from income or assets and your current debts.
- Under 21, you need your own income or assets, or a cosigner or joint applicant who is 21 or older.
What does a card's recommended credit level mean?
It's the issuer's rough guide to who the card is built for. It isn't a published minimum, because each lender sets its own criteria.
myFICO says no single minimum credit score applies across lenders. Each one sets criteria based on its risk tolerance and the type of credit, and weighs income, debt and credit history along with the score [2]. Capital One says the same about cards: issuers have their own criteria for deciding who gets which card [5].
Issuers use their own words for the levels. Capital One, for example, tags cards "Fair Credit" or "Rebuilding Credit" on its card list [6]. Those words don't always map to an exact score, so compare them with FICO's bands below.
Which kinds of cards fit each FICO score band?
Secured cards fit poor or no credit, fair credit adds some unsecured cards, and most rewards and 0% intro APR cards are aimed at good credit or better.
| FICO Score | Band | Card types aimed at this band |
|---|---|---|
| Below 580 | Poor | Secured cards [3]; closed-loop store cards [3] |
| 580 to 669 | Fair | Secured cards and some unsecured cards [5]; rewards cards with more limited rewards [4]; a few balance transfer options [3] |
| 670 to 739 | Good | Most rewards cards, balance transfer cards and 0% intro APR cards [3][4]; open-loop store cards [3] |
| 740 to 799 | Very good | The same types as good [3][4] |
| 800 and above | Exceptional | The same types as good; Experian says the most valuable perks sit closer to 850 [4] |
Student cards don't fit the table neatly. Experian says some want a little credit history and some want none [3]. See student credit cards. For what each band means, see what is a good credit score.
Can you see which cards you might get without hurting your credit?
Many issuers have online check tools that use a soft inquiry, which doesn't affect your scores. Submitting the actual application usually means a hard inquiry.
Capital One says you can check for its card offers with no risk to your credit scores, because a soft inquiry doesn't affect them [7]. A hard inquiry happens when a lender checks your credit after you apply, and hard inquiries can stay on your reports for up to two years, though FICO counts only those from the last year [7].
The check isn't the application, and the issuer decides only once you apply. Read the tool's own wording on what it does and doesn't promise. More on how inquiries count in hard inquiries.
What is the ability-to-pay rule for credit cards?
Federal law bars an issuer from opening a card or raising a limit without considering your ability to make the minimum payments, using income or assets and current debts.
Regulation Z section 1026.51 requires card issuers to consider your income or assets and your current obligations before opening an account or raising a credit limit [8]. Issuers must keep written policies for this, and those policies must look at at least one of three measures: debt-to-income ratio, debt-to-asset ratio, or the income left over after debt payments [8].
That's why issuers ask about income. A high score with little income can still fall short of an issuer's ability-to-pay test.
Can you get a credit card if you're under 21?
Yes, if you can show your own ability to make the minimum payments, or a cosigner, guarantor or joint applicant aged 21 or older signs on.
Under section 1026.51(b), an issuer can't open a card for someone under 21 without a written application and either financial information showing an independent ability to pay, or the signed agreement of a cosigner, guarantor or joint applicant who is at least 21 [8]. That person agrees to be liable for the debt [8].
The rule covers limit increases too. Before you turn 21, an increase needs proof that you can pay on the higher limit, or the older co-signer's written agreement to take on the extra liability [8]. Being an authorized user on a parent's card is a separate route.
Glisten check
Where each card type is aimed, on one FICO scale
| Card type | Poor (below 580) | Fair (580 to 669) | Good and above (670+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secured card | Yes [3] | Yes [5] | - |
| Closed-loop store card | Yes [3] | Yes [3] | - |
| Rewards card | Limited rewards [4] | Limited rewards [4] | Yes [4] |
| Balance transfer card | - | A few options [3] | Yes [3] |
| 0% intro APR card | - | - | Yes [3] |
Is this right for you?
Best for
- Narrowing down which card types are worth looking at before you apply.
- Understanding why a card application asks about your income.
Not ideal for
- Predicting a decision on a specific card. Issuers weigh income, debt and history too.
- Picking a card for you. We don't recommend specific cards; read each issuer's own terms.
Frequently asked questions
What credit score do I need for a credit card?
There's no single number. myFICO says each lender sets its own criteria and looks at income, debt and credit history too [2].
What credit score is fair?
On FICO's scale, 580 to 669 is fair [1].
Does checking an issuer's offers hurt my credit?
Capital One says checking for its offers uses a soft inquiry, which doesn't affect your scores. Applying brings a hard inquiry [7].
Can I get a rewards card with fair credit?
Some exist. Experian says more limited rewards are available on cards for fair and bad credit [4].
Why does the application ask for my income?
Federal law requires issuers to consider your ability to pay, based on income or assets and current obligations [8].
How we know this
On November 2, 2026 we read myFICO's score-band and minimum-score pages, Experian's guides on which cards fit which credit levels, Capital One's fair-credit guide, card list and inquiry guide, and Regulation Z section 1026.51 on the CFPB site. We cross-checked the no-single-cutoff point against NerdWallet's application guides, which agree.
- What is a FICO Score?, myFICO. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Credit scores, myFICO. Checked November 2, 2026.
- What credit card should I get?, Experian. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Do you need good credit to get a rewards credit card?, Experian. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Credit cards for fair or average credit, Capital One. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Credit cards for fair and building credit, Capital One. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Soft inquiry vs. hard inquiry: What's the difference?, Capital One. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Regulation Z § 1026.51 Ability to pay, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Checked November 2, 2026.