Best Credit Cards for a 600 Credit Score
A 600 FICO limits you to credit-builder and secured cards, plus a short list of unsecured options that specifically target fair credit. Avoid any card with a monthly fee or processing fee at this tier. A disciplined 6-12 months with the right card commonly moves you to 670+.
10 cards realistically approvable at this score.
Top picks for 600 Credit Score
Discover
Discover it Secured Credit Card
Best for: Building credit while earning real rewards
$0
1%–2%
cashback
$75 value
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1%–2%
Intro Offer
$75 value
Discover
Discover it Cash Back
Best for: Those who enjoy maximizing rotating categories
$0
1%–5%
cashback
$300 value
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1%–5%
Intro Offer
$300 value
Capital One
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards
Best for: Students studying abroad or international students
$0
1.5%
cashback
$50 value
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1.5%
Intro Offer
$50 value
Not sure which card is right for you?
Answer 5 quick questions — we'll match you with your best card.
Capital One
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards
Best for: Credit builders wanting flat-rate rewards
$0
1.5%
cashback
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1.5%
Intro Offer
N/A
Capital One
Capital One Platinum Secured
Best for: Building or rebuilding credit
$0
None
cashback
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
None
Intro Offer
N/A
Discover
Discover it Student Chrome
Best for: College students building credit
$0
1%–2%
cashback
$100 value
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1%–2%
Intro Offer
$100 value
Goldman Sachs
Apple Card
Best for: iPhone users wanting a seamless, no-fee cashback card
$0
1%–3%
cashback
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1%–3%
Intro Offer
N/A
Navy Federal Credit Union
Navy Federal More Rewards American Express
Best for: Military families who want low APR and solid rewards
$0
1x–3x
points
0% APR / 12 mo
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
1x–3x
Intro Offer
0% APR / 12 mo
Capital Bank
OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card
Best for: People rejected everywhere else who need to start building credit
$35
None
cashback
N/A
Annual Fee
$35
Rewards
None
Intro Offer
N/A
TD Bank
Target REDcard Credit Card
Best for: Frequent Target shoppers
$0
0%–5%
cashback
N/A
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards
0%–5%
Intro Offer
N/A
Approval odds by issuer at 600-629
| Issuer | Approval odds |
|---|---|
| Capital One (Platinum) | Strong |
| Discover (it Secured) | Strong |
| Petal (Petal 1) | Strong |
| Chase | Very Low |
| American Express | Very Low |
Odds reflect typical approval patterns at this score band — individual approvals also depend on income, utilization, and recent application history.
Card types to target at this score
Strategy for a 600 credit score profile
- 1Discover it Secured is the strongest pick — it earns 2% cash back on gas/dining and graduates to unsecured.
- 2Capital One Platinum is unsecured with no annual fee and approves at 600 routinely.
- 3Use the card for one small recurring charge (Netflix, Spotify) and autopay the full balance — never carry a balance at this score.
- 4Check your credit report at annualcreditreport.com and dispute any collection older than 7 years.
What to avoid at 600-629
- ✕Never accept a card with a monthly 'maintenance fee' — these trap you in debt.
- ✕Don't take a 'guaranteed approval' card that charges an upfront processing fee.
- ✕Avoid applying for 3+ cards in a 90-day window — denials stack without benefit.
Compare top cards for 600 credit score
Comparing the best cards
| Credit Card | Best For | Annual Fee | Rewards | Intro Offer | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discover it Secured Credit Card Discover | Building credit while earning real rewards | $0 | 1%–2% | $75 value | 4.6 |
| Discover it Cash Back Discover | Those who enjoy maximizing rotating categories | $0 | 1%–5% | $300 value | 4.7 |
| Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Capital One | Students studying abroad or international students | $0 | 1.5% | $50 value | 4.4 |
| Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Capital One | Credit builders wanting flat-rate rewards | $0 | 1.5% | — | 4.3 |
| Capital One Platinum Secured Capital One | Building or rebuilding credit | $0 | 0% | — | 4 |
| Discover it Student Chrome Discover | College students building credit | $0 | 1%–2% | $100 value | 4.3 |
| Apple Card Goldman Sachs | iPhone users wanting a seamless, no-fee cashback card | $0 | 1%–3% | — | 4.3 |
| Navy Federal More Rewards American Express Navy Federal Credit Union | Military families who want low APR and solid rewards | $0 | 1x–3x | 0% / 12 mo | 4.3 |
| OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card Capital Bank | People rejected everywhere else who need to start building credit | $35 | 0% | — | 3.9 |
| Target REDcard Credit Card TD Bank | Frequent Target shoppers | $0 | 0%–5% | — | 4 |
Frequently asked questions
What credit cards approve at 600?⌄
Capital One Platinum (unsecured), Discover it Secured, Petal 1, OpenSky Plus, and Chime Credit Builder all approve at 600 routinely. Each reports to all three bureaus and helps rebuild credit.
How long from 600 to 700?⌄
Typically 6-15 months with clean habits. The two biggest levers are paying utilization below 10% and stacking 6+ months of on-time payments. Older derogatory marks weaken each month.
Should I get a secured or unsecured card at 600?⌄
Unsecured if possible — Capital One Platinum and Petal 1 approve at 600 without a deposit. Go secured (Discover it Secured, Capital One Platinum Secured) only if you've been denied unsecured.
Will closing old collections raise my score?⌄
Paid collections stay on your report but have less impact over time. Disputing errors (wrong amount, wrong date) can remove them. After 7 years, collections fall off automatically.
Can I get approved after a recent bankruptcy at 600?⌄
Yes. Most secured cards explicitly accept post-bankruptcy applicants. Capital One and Discover both have strong track records with Chapter 7 dischargees.