Top Credit Card Issuers in the US
- Chase: Offers strong personal and business cards like Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business, backed by the powerful Ultimate Rewards platform.
- American Express (Amex): Known for premium cards like Platinum® and Blue Cash Preferred®, offering excellent perks and customer service.
- Capital One: Offers accessible credit builder cards (e.g., Platinum Secured, Quicksilver) and travel cards with flat-rate rewards.
- Discover:Known for cash-back cards, rotating categories, no annual fees, and strong U.S.-based support.
- Navy Federal Credit Union: Tailored to military communities with low APRs and dependable credit-building tools.
Major Bank Credit Cards
Credit cards from banks like Chase, Citi, and Bank of America offer sign-up bonuses, reward categories, and 0% intro APR offers. They typically require good to excellent credit and are optimal for monthly full-payment users who want to maximize value from travel, dining, and everyday spend.
Current Build Visa Credit Card
The Build Card is a secured charge card tied to your Current account balance. You simply add funds to your Current account—you don’t lock funds in a separate deposit—and use the card like a regular credit card. Your payments are automatically covered via AutoPay from your reserved funds, and payments are reported monthly to all three credit bureaus.
Fintech or Online‑Only Credit Card Issuers
Fintech cards like Petal, Chime, Grow Credit, and others use alternative underwriting (banking activity rather than credit scores), often with no fees, digital-first features, and reporting to major bureaus—ideal for credit building without traditional requirements.
Secured Credit Cards for Building Credit
Other options like Discover it Secured, Capital One Platinum Secured, and OpenSky Secured Visa require refundable deposits, report to all three bureaus, often offer cash-back rewards or upgrade paths, and may support credit-building with broader utility.
Retail Store Credit Cards
Store-only cards (e.g. Amazon, Target) may offer retail perks but come with limited acceptance, high APRs, and low impact on broader credit building. General-purpose cards are more versatile and effective long-term.
How Credit Tools Impact Your Finances & Credit in the US
Building credit responsibly involves key steps: keep your credit utilization low and make on-time payments consistently—especially critical with the Build Card since balances must be paid in full each month. That avoids compound interest and keeps your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) healthy. Reporting to all bureaus strengthens your credit history, enabling score gains early. Since no hard credit inquiry is involved, approval and impact are friendly for new or poor-credit users. Always read the terms, avoid fees, and aim to transition to unsecured or rewards cards once your credit improves.
