Zolve Azpire Credit Builder Card + Checking Account Review
Zolve Azpire offers a no-annual-fee card that is great for building credit with an integrated checking account. There are flexible requirements, allowing you to open an account even if you do not have a Social Security Number.
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Key Features
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- There's no credit check nor Social Security number required for approval.
- You can be upgraded to the Zolve Credit Card in as little as four months with responsible use.
- Pay no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
- This is a solid option for building credit, but if you have a Social Security number and are able to qualify for a traditional secured credit card, you may be able to find one that earns rewards.
Building and having credit is an integral part of the American financial system. Your credit score and history affect everything from the rates you’ll get on mortgages and home loans to your insurance prices to whether you’re approved for a lease to, in some cases, whether you can get a job.
But building credit isn’t necessarily easy to do for people who have none, have damaged theirs or who don’t have Social Security numbers. Enter the CardName, a no-annual-fee credit building product that works like a credit card in that you "make payments" to the card and, therefore, can build credit, but protects you like a debit card from spending more than you’re able to pay.
How does Zolve Azpire work?
Zolve Azpire starts with a Zolve checking account. That account becomes the basis for your card and its balance functions as your credit limit, putting you in control of your "limit"; it’s only as high as the amount you deposit to your account.
Because it’s a deposit account situation, there is no credit check required for application. In fact, Zolve says the Azpire card is "pre-approved for everyone" (within their established criteria, of course).
Throughout the month, you can make purchases with your Zolve Azpire card just as you would with any credit card (Zolve Azpire is a Mastercard so it’s accepted anywhere Mastercard is). At the end of the billing cycle, you pay your card balance from the balance in your deposit account. For people who are new to credit products, the safety net here is that you can’t spend more than what you have in your account. You also won’t pay an APR or late fees because on your balance because the expectation is that you pay your balance in full each billing cycle.
This entire setup differs from a secured credit card in that your deposit can be used to pay your balance, unlike with a secured card where your deposit is simply held by the issuer as collateral. With a secured card, you can still rack up interest charges because there’s no requirement to pay the balance off in full each statment period.
Does Zolve Azpire build credit history?
Yes, the Zolve Azpire card can help you build credit. Even though the card works similarly to a debit card in that you can only spend what’s available in your account, you officially make payments to the card, so you can demonstrate responsible payment practices. Importantly, Zolve reports your payments to the main credit ratings agencies (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) which means you can spend your own money, without the danger of credit card debt, to build credit.
Conversely, use of debit cards connected to your regular checking account do not help your credit score as there are no payments being made against a loan.
Essentially, living within your means and using the Azpire card for your normal purchases, can help build your credit score.
Additionally, your initial Azpire card works in conjunction with your Zolve deposit account; however, in as quick as four months, you can be upgraded to the Zolve Credit Card with a limit as high as $5,000. No longer tied to your debit account, this is an unsecured card based on your creditworthiness, which Azpire helps you build.
The Zolve Credit Card features rewards like 1% unlimited cash back, 5% back on five brands of your choosing and up to 10% cash back at thousands of outlets.
Does Zolve Azpire require a credit check?
Zolve Azpire does not require a credit check as part of the application process. The Azpire card functions like a debit card and you’re technically borrowing against your own money, so no credit check is required.
A hard credit pull will, at least temporarily, ding your credit, so it’s a perk that Zolve Azpire doesn’t require one. When trying to build credit, it’s always good to avoid credit checks whenever possible, though they are sometimes necessary to open the accounts you need to build your credit – it’s a bit of a Catch-22. Zolve Azpire allows you to avoid this, though.
Is Zolve Azpire good for international students
Because the Zolve Azpire card does not require a Social Security number as part of the application process, it is a great choice for people coming to America to live, work or study. It boasts a five-minute application process so you can apply in your home country then arrive in the U.S. ready to go.
To apply, applicants without a Social Security number can use their passports plus a valid U.S. student or work visa and proof of address (within 90 days of opening the account). Applicants with a Social Security number will need that number and a valid photo ID.
Interestingly, Zolve Azpire allows you to fund your deposit account via a variety of methods including domestic bank transfers (wire and ACH); a direct salary deposit; using a digital wallet (Venmo, CashApp/PayPal/Zelle); or via international wire transfers. That means you can fund your account before ever arriving in the U.S. as long as you have the approrpriate documentation to get started.
Potential downsides of the card
The Zolve Azpire card could be a good option for certain people, particularly those without a Social Security number and therefore no ability to apply for most U.S.-based credit cards.
If you do have a Social Security number, however, you may find that building credit with a traditional secured credit card is a better fit for you. In a number of cases, secured cards even offer the opportunity to earn rewards as well as a path to an unsecured card upgrade after demonstrated responsible use.
How does Zolve Azpire compare to other cards
Zolve Azpire vs. CardName
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Introducing Credit Builder (effective 10/28/24, members can apply for Credit Builder without $200+ direct deposit requirement), to apply for Credit Builder, you must have an active Chime® Checking Account. Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. The secured Chime Credit Builder Credit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see the back of your card for its issuing bank. Note: Visa exception: If the actual card is shown, we can remove “pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit/credit cards are accepted.”
The CardName also functions with a deposit account. Officially, there’s no minimum security deposit on an ongoing basis but you do need to have an active Chime® Checking Account to qualify for the card. From there, you’ll move money – the amount is up to you – into your secured card account and that becomes your credit limit.
Similarly to Azpire, the money held in that secured card account can be used to pay off your card2 each billing cycle, meaning you won’t encounter interest charges or the opportunity to go into debt.
Chime doesn’t charge an annual fees, foreign transaction fees or interest1.
Zolve Azpire vs. CardName
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The CardName is a traditional secured credit card available to people with poor or limited credit. You establish your initial line of credit with a minimum $200 security deposit. That amount will be held by the card issuer until you either close your account with it in good standing or are upgraded to an unsecured product.
The real benefit with this card is that it allows cardhodlers to earn rewards. Earn 1.5% cash back on all your purchases, a not-too-shabby amount for a secured card.
Like the Zolve Azpire card, this one doesn’t charge foreign transaction or annual fees. It does, however, have a more traditional application process that requires applicants to supply a Social Security number.
Zolve Azpire vs. CardName
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The CardName is another credit-builder product that starts with a deposit account. In the case of Self, however, you fund the account for a period of time and then decide what portion of that account balance will be used as your security deposit/collateral for your Self Secured Visa® Credit Card.
As with the Zolve Azpire card, your credit builds as you make payments into your initial Self credit buildier account (which works a lot like the Zolve Azpire account) and, in fact, you have to make at least three monthly payments on time and have saved more than $100 in your account in order to qualify for the Self secured credit card.
Azpire is not a secured card, so you don’t have to worry about going into debt – you can only spend what’s in your account. With the Self card, however, you won’t be able to use your collateral deposit to pay off your Self each month, so it is possible to carry debt and rack up interest charges with the Self card.
Lastly Self does charge an annual fee: AnnualFees. It’s also only available to U.S. citizens and those with a Social Security number.
Is Zolve Azpire a good card
All things considered, the Zolve Azpire card is a welcome addition to the credit builder product universe. Building credit while using what amounts to a debit card is a win/win. The opportunity to upgrade will be huge for a lot of users whose low scores or out-of-country residency limit their options for credit cards.
As with all credit cards, consumers should take care, if using the Azpire credit card, to make the minimum monthly payments. If using the Azpire debit card, be sure to have money in your account that you can debit. Setting up direct deposit for your paycheck is allowed, but not required.
1Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and OTC advance fees may apply. View the Bancorp agreement or Stride agreement for details; see back of card for issuer. 2Money added to Credit Builder will be held in a secured account as collateral for your Credit Builder Visa card, which means you can spend up to this amount on your card. This is money you can use to pay off your charges at the end of every month.
Our Methodology
Survey methodology: CardRatings commissioned Op4G in September 2023 to conduct surveys among 1,869 cardholders nationwide. CardRatings website analytics from Jan. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2023 were used to determine a selection of the most popular cards and additional cards were included to add survey breadth. Responses to each of nine questions were given on a scale of 1-10 and respondents’ scores were then averaged under broad topics. To determine the overall score, responses from questions 1-8 were summed and the answer to "How likely are you to recommend this card to a friend, coworker or family member?" was double weighted. Current Scores reflect scores from the most recent survey (2023); “Past Scores” reflect scores from the 2022 survey.
Disclaimer:The information in this article is believed to be accurate as of the date it was written. Please keep in mind that credit card offers change frequently. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this article. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain accurate information. See the online credit card application for full terms and conditions on offers and rewards. Please verify all terms and conditions of any credit card prior to applying.
This content is not provided by any company mentioned in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed here are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any such company. CardRatings.com does not review every company or every offer available on the market.
