Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Credit Card Review [2023]: Build Credit with No Credit Check

The Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Credit Card^{6 7} is a secured credit card that has a $0 annual fee, doesn’t charge interest¹ , and doesn’t require a credit check. This makes it an excellent option if you have a poor credit score or limited credit history³ and want to build your credit with a low-risk card² .

Let’s dig into the details of the Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card, including its benefits and drawbacks, to see whether it makes sense for you.

Key takeaways

• The Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Credit Card is a secured credit card that doesn’t require a credit check for approval. It is a low-risk option that could help you build positive credit history with responsible use.
• While the Chime Credit Builder offers benefits such as payment protections, it doesn’t provide rewards or a welcome offer. If you're looking for a credit card with rewards, you may want to consider one of the best rewards credit cards.
• The Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card has a $0 annual fee and doesn’t charge interest.
• To apply for the Chime Credit Builder, you need to open a Chime® Checking Account and make a $200 qualifying direct deposit.

What is the Chime Credit Builder?

The Chime Credit Builder is a secured credit card. This type of credit card extends credit to you by securing it using the money you deposit.

The Chime Credit Builder has a $0 annual fee and doesn’t require a minimum deposit ⁴ .

This means you can choose your credit limit when you create a Chime Credit Builder. Your credit limit would be $200 if you deposit $200. Once your account is open, you can use your Chime Credit Builder to make purchases. Responsibly using your card and making on-time payments for the credit you borrow could help you build up your credit history over time.

Chime Credit Builder Credit Card basics

Card type	Secured
Credit card issuer	Stride Bank
Credit card network	Visa
Annual fee	$0
Features	No credit check nor minimum security deposit required
Recommended credit score	Bad, Poor
Foreign transaction fee	None

How does the Chime Credit Builder work?

Here’s how the Chime Credit Builder works in four simple steps:

1. Apply for the card: To be eligible, you need to open a Chime Checking Account and receive a direct deposit of $200 to your checking account. There is no credit check requirement for the Chime Credit Builder.
2. Transfer money to your Chime Credit Builder secured account: Your credit limit is determined by the security deposit you put into your secured account.
3. Use your card for everyday purchases: You can use the Chime Credit Builder Secured Visa Credit Card online and in-store everywhere Visa is accepted. You can also use it to pay bills, subscriptions, and other ongoing costs.
4. Pay your balance on time each month: You can pay manually or turn on the Safer Credit Building² function automatically pay your monthly balance in full. The three main personal credit bureaus should receive a payment history record from Chime®⁵ , which might reflect on your credit report.

The Chime app allows you to track your progress and monitor changes to your credit score. You can also adjust your payment preferences from the app.

Why we like the Chime Credit Builder: benefits and perks

• Build credit: You can build your credit score with this card by using it on everyday purchases and making on-time payments. Your credit activity is reported to your credit reports with TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
• Payment protections: You can opt to turn on the Safer Credit Building feature to automatically pay your monthly balance. You also can’t overdraft your account, as the Credit Builder card doesn’t offer overdraft services.
• $0 annual fee: Avoid the annual cost with a $0 annual fee. Check out our list of the best no-annual-fee credit cards for more options.
• No minimum security deposit: You typically have to put down a minimum amount of money as a deposit for a secured credit card, but the Chime Credit Builder doesn’t have this requirement.
• No interest charges: There’s no interest rate to worry about on this card, but you likely still want to avoid late payments if you’re trying to build your credit and want to keep your payment history intact.
• You decide your credit limit: Your card’s spending limit is attached to how much money you deposit into your Credit Builder secure account, so you could potentially have much more credit compared to other secured cards. This sets it apart from more traditional credit cards.
• No foreign transaction fees: The Chime Credit Builder isn’t necessarily a travel credit card because it doesn’t have any rewards or travel-related benefits. But it has no foreign transaction fees, which could be handy if you’re traveling abroad.

What we don't like about the Chime Credit Builder: drawbacks

• No welcome bonus: There’s no sign-up bonus available on the Chime Credit Builder. This isn’t surprising for a secured credit card, but it could still make other cards more appealing if you qualify for a welcome offer.
• No rewards: You don’t earn any points, miles, or cash back with this card. This is a bit disappointing because you can earn rewards on other similar credit-building cards.
• Need to open a bank account with direct deposit: You have to open a Chime Checking Account and receive a $200 qualifying direct deposit to be able to apply for the Chime Credit Builder credit card, which might not be possible for everyone. Most secured credit cards don’t have this type of requirement.

Who should get the Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card?

The Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card makes sense if you don’t qualify for better credit cards and need to build your credit. This is a no-frills credit card that provides almost no benefits and has no rewards program. But there’s no credit check to apply, so having poor or bad credit isn’t an obstacle to approval.

And the Chime Credit Builder doesn’t charge interest and has no minimum security deposit. This means it’s a low-risk card for building credit, especially because it reports your credit activity (other than credit utilization, which can be a good thing) to all three major credit bureaus.

But this card doesn’t make sense if you aren’t interested in opening a Chime Checking Account and making a $200 direct deposit. This is a requirement to apply for a Credit Builder account, which could present a hurdle for some potential cardholders. Chime® is fairly flexible on what it will accept as a direct deposit, however. Options include deposits from employers, bank transfers, and peer-to-peer transfers from services such as PayPal and Venmo.

How to get a Chime Credit Builder Credit Card

To get a Chime Credit Builder Credit Card, you need to:

• Have a Chime Checking Account
• Receive a direct deposit of at least $200 to your Chime Checking Account
• Have your personal information ready, including your name, email, date of birth, phone number, address, and Social Security number (SSN)

Even though your SSN is required, Chime doesn’t put a hard inquiry on your credit file.

Once you’re ready to apply, you can do so online or in the Chime app. No minimum security deposit is required, but you need to transfer money from your Chime Spending Account to your Credit Builder secured account to use your card.

Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card FAQ

Other cards to consider

If the Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card doesn’t make sense for you, compare credit cards to find a better fit. Here are a few credit card offers we recommend.

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is a secured credit card with a $0 annual fee. What might make it more appealing than the Chime Credit Builder is that you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; plus unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Learn more in our Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

The Petal^® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa^® Credit Card has a $0 annual fee, reports credit activity to all three credit bureaus, and provides unlimited 1% cash back on eligible purchases; after 6 on-time payments, earn 1.25% cash back; after 12 on-time payments, earn 1.5% cash back.

Check out our Petal Cash Back Visa Card review.

Chime Credit Builder: bottom line

The Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Credit Card is a no-frills option if you’re looking to build your credit history without a credit check. With a $0 annual fee, no interest charges, and the ability to determine your credit limit, it offers a simple approach to building credit with responsible use.

However, the Chime Credit Builder offers no rewards on purchases and requires opening a Chime Checking Account, which may not be suitable for everyone. If you don’t want to open a Chime account, you can find more options in our list of the best credit cards for bad credit. You can also explore the best secured credit cards.