[ad_1] Conventional wisdom may lead you to believe that if you have bad credit, you should swear off credit cards. However, if you want to improve your credit score, you’ll have to prove you can handle credit responsibly, and one way to do that is—you guessed it—to have a credit card. When used responsibly, having and using a credit card can actually be a helpful tool to assist in rebuilding bad credit. While a low credit score might limit which credit card you can qualify for, luckily, there are a whole host of products catered to people in this situation. These cards often come with higher interest rates and lower spending limits; however, they can be a good starting point to re-establishing a respectable credit score. This in turn will help you get approved down the line for loans, a line of credit or even a mortgage. Some of these cards even earn you rewards, too. Find your next credit card* See cards tailored for you from over 12 banks and card issuers No impact to your credit score Get an answer in under 60 seconds Find my perfect card You will be leaving MoneySense. 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Secured vs. unsecured vs. prepaid credit cards A poor credit history will limit the cards available to you, but that’s not to say you don’t have much choice. For starters, when using a credit card to rebuild your credit score, you’ll first need to choose between a secured and an unsecured card. A secured credit card is offered on the condition that you “secure” it with collateral, usually in the form of a refundable deposit that can be claimed by the lender if you default on your payments. These cards are marketed directly to those with bad credit, so they have an easier approval process and come with no frills. And lenders report back your activity to the credit bureau, which builds up your score as you continue to repay responsibly. With a prepaid card, the credit limit is directly based on the holder’s deposit. While not generally available to those with bad credit, unsecured cards are occasionally offered to consumers with “fair” credit scores—generally in the 600 to 650 range. As the name suggests, an unsecured card doesn’t require a deposit. Plus, unlike secured cards, many unsecured cards offer rewards (think points or cash back, which is a nice perk, isn’t it?). That said, they can command tougher approval requirements than unsecured cards. And like all contracts, it’s always a good idea to read the fine print when selecting your card. Best overall secured credit card for people with bad credit Plastk Secured Visa Credit Card* At a glance: The Plastk Secured Visa offers users with poor credit a tidy package with a welcome bonus, the ability to earn rewards, credit tracking features and a below-average interest rate. Although the $48 annual fee is modest, users will have to pay $6 monthly to maintain their account, bringing the total annual cost to $120. Annual fee: $48, plus a $6/month maintenance fee Interest rate: 17.99% on purchases and 21.99% on cash advances Minimum deposit: $300 Income requirements: None Welcome offer: 0% interest rate for the first 3 months and 5,000 rewards points (a $20 value) Additional benefits: Earn referral credits; comes with zero fraud liability Pros Earn points which you can use to pay off your credit card bill. Earn 1,250 points (a $5 value) when you make a referral. Get a 0% interest rate on purchases for the first 3 months, which gives you extra time interest-free. The purchase interest rate of 17.99% is lower than with most regular cards. Cons The monthly maintenance fee on the account is an additional $72 annually, so along with the $48 annual fee, users pay $120. This card charges a 4.5% currency conversion fee on purchases made in foreign currencies. Most regular cards charge between 2.5% and 3%. If you fail to make the minimum payment for two consecutive months or twice in a calendar year, your interest rate increases to 29.99%. Get more details about Plastk Secured Visa Credit Card* Go to Site Best secured credit card for rewards Neo Financial Mastercard* At a glance: You can start using the no-annual-fee Neo Financial Mastercard with a deposit of as little as $50, and it has a cash back program that can get you an average of 5% cash back for purchases at partner businesses. You can subscribe to optional “Bundles” that give you the ability to make your Neo card more suited to your spending habits, with boosted rewards and various perks like insurance. Annual fee: