Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit (FICO 580-669) and How to Move Up

With fair credit, a FICO score of 580 to 669, your best options are no-fee unsecured cards such as Capital One Platinum, low-fee rewards cards such as Capital One QuicksilverOne, and secured cards from Discover and Capital One. Choose a card without monthly fees, pay it in full and you can qualify for a better card within a year. Below are the cards, what they cost and a plan for moving up.

What credit score counts as fair?

FICO, the company behind the most widely used US credit score, classes 580 to 669 as fair. Below 580 is poor, 670 to 739 is good, 740 to 799 is very good and 800 and above is exceptional. Most mainstream rewards cards are aimed at the good band and above, which is why a fair score narrows your choice rather than closing it off.

FICO also publishes what drives the score: payment history accounts for 35%, amounts owed for 30%, length of credit history for 15%, new credit for 10% and credit mix for 10%. The first two are the ones you can change fastest, and they shape the plan later in this guide. Our guide to understanding your credit score goes into each factor.

Which credit cards can you get with fair credit?

The cards below either state fair credit as the target or are built for people rebuilding or starting out. Terms were checked on each issuer's website in September 2026; APRs are variable and depend on your application.

Capital One says checking your eligibility does not affect your credit score, so start with its pre-approval tool before you submit a full application. Chase Freedom Rise is designed for people with little or no credit history rather than a damaged one, so it suits a thin file better than a file with recent late payments.

The QuicksilverOne fee is worth doing the math on. At 1.5% back, you need to spend $39 / 0.015 = $2,600 a year before the rewards cover the fee. If you expect to spend less than that, the no-fee Capital One Platinum costs you less.

Should you get a secured or unsecured card with fair credit?

Choose a secured card if you can spare the deposit and want the easiest approval; choose an unsecured card if you need to keep your cash. A secured card uses a refundable deposit to guarantee the credit line. The CFPB notes that if you pay on time every month you may be able to move to an unsecured card after about six months, depending on the lender.

Both secured cards above can graduate. Capital One says responsible use could earn your deposit back and move you to an unsecured Platinum card. Discover says it begins automatic account reviews at seven months to see whether it can return your deposit and convert the account. With an unsecured card you skip the deposit but start with whatever limit the issuer offers, which may be low. See our guide to the best secured credit cards for more options.

Which credit cards should you avoid with fair credit?

Avoid any card that charges more than a modest annual fee, especially cards with program fees, monthly maintenance fees or setup fees. Federal law caps the fees you are required to pay in the first year at 25% of the starting credit limit, but that ceiling is still expensive: on a $300 limit, up to $75 of required fees would be legal, and late fees and returned-payment fees are not included in the cap.

Before applying, read the pricing table for every fee, not just the annual fee. If a no-fee secured card from a major issuer will approve you, it is almost always the better deal than a fee-heavy unsecured card. A credit builder product linked to a bank account, such as the Chime Credit Builder card, is another low-cost route if you bank with the provider.

How do you get from fair to good credit in 12 months?

Pay on time every month, keep your reported balance low and avoid new applications. A realistic 12-month plan looks like this:

1. Month 0: Pull your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com, which now offers free weekly reports from all three bureaus, and dispute any errors. Then check pre-approval with one or two issuers and apply for a single card.
2. Months 1-6: Put one small recurring bill on the card and set autopay for the full statement balance. Payment history is the largest part of your score, and one missed payment undoes months of progress.
3. Every month: Keep the balance that appears on your statement low. The CFPB cites the common advice of using no more than 30% of your limit; on a $300 limit that means $90 or less, and lower is better.
4. Month 6-7: Capital One reviews for a higher credit line from six months and Discover starts graduation reviews at seven. Accept increases, but do not spend more because of them.
5. Months 7-11: Avoid new applications. The CFPB warns that applying for a lot of credit in a short period can look like financial trouble to lenders.
6. Month 12: If your score is 670 or higher, compare no-annual-fee cards aimed at good credit, such as Citi Double Cash. Keep your first card open to preserve the age of your credit history.

Our guide to building credit with a credit card covers each step in more depth.

What keeps a fair credit score from improving?

Late payments and high balances are the most common reasons a score stays in the fair band. According to the CFPB, most negative information, including late payments, can stay on your credit report for seven years, so preventing new ones matters more than anything else.

• High utilization. A $250 balance on a $300 limit reads as 83% utilization, even if you pay it in full after the statement closes. Paying before the statement date lowers the reported balance.
• Missed payments. Set autopay for at least the minimum as a safety net, then pay the rest manually.
• Too many applications. Each application usually means a hard inquiry, which has a small negative effect on its own and a larger one when several arrive together.
• Collections. FICO says collections reported as paid in full are disregarded by FICO Score 9 and the FICO Score 10 suite. Older versions still used by many lenders may count them, so paying helps with some lenders but not all.

Once you reach good credit, our list of the best no annual fee credit cards shows where to go next.