Secured credit builder · United States

Chime Card (Credit Builder) review: fees, limits and how it works

People with thin or damaged credit

Quick answer: The Chime Card is a secured Visa credit card that reports to the credit bureaus. You fund it from Chime Checking, and it has no annual fee and no interest, so normal use costs $0 a month. A Chime Checking account is required and there's no credit check. It suits people building or rebuilding credit.

ProviderChime (The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.)
NetworkVisa
Monthly feeNone. No annual fee and no interest.

Best for: People with thin or damaged credit

Pros

  • No credit check
  • No interest or annual fee
  • 1.5% cash back on rotating categories with qualifying direct deposit

Cons

  • Requires a Chime Checking account
  • Not a traditional credit line
A person holding a credit card in front of a machine — using the Chime Card (Credit Builder)
Photo: Nathana Rebouças / Unsplash

What the Chime Card (Credit Builder) costs per month

If you…Monthly costHow it adds up
Moves money in from Chime Checking and pays each statement$0The card has no annual fee and charges no interest, so funding purchases and paying them off costs nothing.
Card purchases plus withdrawals at in-network ATMs$0No annual fee or interest, and ATMs in Chime's fee-free network don't charge. Out-of-network ATM fees may apply.

Who it suits

Good fit if

  • People with thin or damaged credit
  • Existing Chime Checking customers
  • Building credit without paying interest or an annual fee

Skip it if

  • You don't want to open a Chime Checking account
  • You want a traditional credit line to borrow against
  • You already have good credit and want bigger rewards

Fees

Monthly feeNone. No annual fee and no interest.
OtherOut-of-network ATM fees may apply

How to get and load it

Apply in the Chime app. A Chime Checking account is required. No credit check.

  • Move money from Chime Checking into Credit Builder
  • MyPay advances can go to Credit Builder

Activation

Activate in the app. See our step-by-step activation guide.

Deposit protection and credit building

Protection: Secured funds are held at Chime's partner banks, Members FDIC.

Credit building: Yes. It's a secured credit card that reports payment history to the credit bureaus.

Chime Card (Credit Builder) FAQs

Does the Chime Card (Credit Builder) have a monthly fee?

Monthly fee: None. No annual fee and no interest.. Other charges to check: Out-of-network ATM fees may apply.

How do I activate the Chime Card (Credit Builder)?

Activate in the app.

Is money on the Chime Card (Credit Builder) insured?

Secured funds are held at Chime's partner banks, Members FDIC.

Does the Chime Card (Credit Builder) build credit?

Yes. It's a secured credit card that reports payment history to the credit bureaus.

How do I add money to the Chime Card (Credit Builder)?

You can load it by move money from Chime Checking into Credit Builder, MyPay advances can go to Credit Builder.

Official Chime (The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.) site

Sources: www.chime.com · help.chime.com. Fees change; confirm on the official fee schedule.