/images/2018/01/23/navina-side-hustle-mid_MPfEDfV.jpg)
/images/2019/12/06/smart_strategies_to_save_money_on_car_insurance.jpg)
/authors/ben_walker_updated.png)
/authors/melinda-sineriz-financebuzz.jpg)
The Tomo Credit Card is a charge card that’s a good option if you want to build your credit score but don’t have any credit history. It doesn’t require a credit check for approval, has a $0 annual fee, and provides World Elite Mastercard benefits such as cell phone protection. But there are better credit card offers available if you want to earn rewards.
Check out our Tomo Credit Card review to dig into its card details and see whether this card makes sense for you.
Build Credit: No Credit Check Required
/images/2022/08/23/tomo-credit-card.jpg)
Tomo Credit Card
Current Offer
Build credit without a credit check or Social Security number
Annual Fee
$0
Who should get the Tomo card?
The Tomo Credit Card is designed for credit building, so it makes sense for people who want to increase their credit score but can’t qualify for most credit products because they have no credit history or a bad credit score.
Tomo doesn’t require a credit check or a security deposit. It’s an unsecured credit card that uses linked bank account information and other factors to determine your creditworthiness. Your Tomo payment history is reported to all three major credit bureaus, including Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
Tip
Note that the Tomo Credit Card is a charge card. This means your balance has to be paid off in full each month. You won’t be charged any interest if you don’t pay off your balance because the Tomo Credit Card has 0% APR. But your card account will be frozen until your previous balance is fully paid off.Card basics
| Credit card issuer | Community Federal Savings Bank |
| Credit card network | Mastercard |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Recommended credit score | Bad, Poor |
| APR | 0% |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
Tomo card benefits and perks
- No credit history required: The Tomo Credit Card doesn’t check your FICO credit score or credit history like most traditional credit card applications. Rather, Tomo uses alternative underwriting methods. This could include reviewing your account balance on a linked bank account such as a checking account or savings account.
- $0 annual fee: The Tomo card has a $0 annual fee.
- 0% APR: There’s 0% APR since you can’t carry a balance on the Tomo card.
- Up to $10,000 spending power: Receive between $100 to $10,000 in spending power upon approval. The amount of spending power you receive depends on your bank account information and other factors that Tomo reviews when you apply.
- Credit reporting: Your credit activity reports to Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, which could help increase your credit score.
- Cell phone protection: Nearly all the additional benefits of the Tomo Credit Card are World Elite Mastercard benefits. This includes cell phone protection in the form of up to $1,000 for eligible stolen or damaged phones.
- Lyft benefits: Receive a $5 monthly Lyft credit for each month you take three Lyft rides.
- DoorDash benefits: Receive three free months of DashPass and $5 off your first DoorDash order each month.
- HelloFresh benefits: Receive discounts on your first five boxes plus free shipping.
- Fandango benefits: Receive a $5 reward for every $20 you spend on Fandango or Vudu.
- ShopRunner membership: Receive a complimentary ShopRunner membership that offers free two-day and return shipping at over 100 online stores.
- Global emergency services: Access emergency assistance for card-related needs (including lost or stolen cards) while traveling.
- World Elite concierge: Access a 24/7 concierge service that can help with a variety of services, including making dinner reservations, finding event tickets, or helping with travel plans.
Drawbacks to the Tomo card
- No sign-up bonus: The Tomo Credit Card doesn’t typically offer any sort of sign-up bonus to new cardholders.
- No earning potential: You don’t earn any rewards with the Tomo Credit Card. There are better alternatives if you want a credit card with a rewards rate that offers points, miles, or cash back on purchases. Check out our dedicated page to compare credit cards and find the best rewards card for you.
- Doesn’t work with all financial institutions: You have to link one or more bank accounts using a service such as Plaid for Tomo to determine your creditworthiness. This is in place of Tomo doing a credit check. Unfortunately, Tomo has had issues with certain financial institutions, including Capital One, Charles Schwab, and American Express.
Tomo FAQs
Does Tomo credit card do a hard credit pull?
No, Tomo Credit Card doesn’t do a hard credit pull. Applying for the Tomo Credit Card doesn’t affect your credit score at all, whether your application is approved or rejected. This is because Tomo uses bank account information, such as your current balance, rather than your credit score to help determine your creditworthiness.
Is Tomo credit card secured or unsecured?
The Tomo Credit Card is an unsecured credit card. This means that you don’t have to put down a minimum security deposit to open the Tomo credit card. You also receive between $100 to $10,000 spending power upon approval.
Is Tomo a real credit card company?
Yes, Tomo is a real credit card company and startup that’s based out of San Francisco. Tomo has a mission to help people access affordable credit without any credit history. Eligibility isn’t based on being a U.S. citizen or having a good credit score. But you do need a Social Security number or ITIN and a government-issued ID.
What is the Tomo card limit?
The Tomo Credit Card has a potential card credit limit (spending power) of up to $10,000. Tomo determines your spending power by taking a look at your linked bank accounts and other factors. Tomo recommends linking all your bank accounts or your account with the highest balance to help obtain the most spending power possible on the Tomo Credit Card.
What is Tomo’s APR?
The Tomo Credit Card has a 0% APR, which means it doesn’t charge any interest. This is because you can’t carry a balance on the Tomo Credit Card or your card will be frozen until the previous balance is fully paid off. Not staying on top of your weekly or monthly payments could result in a delinquent account and potentially impact your credit score.
Other cards to consider
The Tomo Credit Card makes sense if you want to build credit, but have no credit history. But if you want to earn rewards or you don’t qualify for the Tomo Credit Card, consider other credit cards such as the OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card and Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card.1
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
The OpenSky Secured Visa is a secured credit card that requires a refundable security deposit and comes with a $35 annual fee. There’s no credit check required for approval, so it’s possible to be approved with a poor credit score or no credit history at all.
Having no credit check is similar to the Tomo Credit Card application process, but there’s no need to link a bank account to apply for the OpenSky Secured Visa. This eliminates the chance that you might not qualify if your financial institution has issues being linked.
Check out our OpenSky Secured Visa review for more details.
Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
The Petal 2 Visa Credit Card is an unsecured credit card with a $0 annual fee.1 It might be harder to qualify for the Petal 2 compared to the Tomo Credit Card because the approval process requires a credit check. But you can typically qualify with at least a fair credit score.
If you qualify, you’ll be eligible to earn cash back on purchases, which the Tomo Credit Card doesn’t offer. The Petal 2 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.
Read our Petal Visa credit cards review to learn more about the Petal 2 Visa Credit Card.
Build Credit: No Credit Check Required
Tomo Credit Card
Why We Like It
Build credit without a credit check or Social Security number
See how these cards compare:
/images/2023/08/06/opensky_secured_visa.png)
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
- Credit limit defined by your refundable deposit
- Choose your limit between $200 and $3,000
- No credit check when applying
/images/2022/08/16/petal-2-cash-back-visa.jpg)
Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
- Earn 1.5% unlimited cash back on all eligible purchases after 12 on-time payments
- 2% to 10% cash back on select merchants
- Great for those with little to no credit history
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee