Jennifer Doss is a credit card analyst and the executive editor of CardRatings.com. She has worked as both a print and online journalist and has over a decade of experience in the media industry. Her published work has covered a broad range of topics, from finance and technology to travel and dining. Through extensive travel experiences and her personal interest in food, she has come to appreciate the unique rewards and benefits of responsible credit card use, and enjoys helping people understand the ins and outs of the industry. As a finance expert, she strives to provide user-friendly online resources that help everyday people get the most out of their credit cards.
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Credit cards, or at the very least, debit cards, are a necessity for online shopping. While debit cards can certainly get the job done, credit cards are widely considered a safer option thanks to the security benefits they offer. But what about for people with bad credit? Can you get a credit card for online shopping if your credit is a little shaky?
The good news is that, yes, you can. In fact, there are quite a few credit cards designed for people with bad credit. That said, the credit cards designed for people with bad credit tend to not come with a lot of perks in the way that credit cards for people with excellent credit scores often do. For instance, while some credit cards for people with bad credit have rewards, many are secured credit cards, which require you to put down a refundable deposit before you can establish a line of credit and use the card.
Still, if you want to do online shopping, or any shopping, and you have bad credit, you can definitely find credit cards to apply for. Use that card responsibly when you’re shopping online or in-person and you should see your credit score improve over time. That improved score could open the door to even better cards in your future.
For now, let’s take a look at some of our favorite credit cards for bad credit for online shopping:
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.”
Jennifer Doss
CardRatings Executive Editor
Jennifer Doss is a credit card analyst and the executive editor of CardRatings.com. She has worked as both a print and online journalist and has over a decade of experience in the media industry. Her published work has covered a broad range of topics, from...Read more
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