By : 
Mr Credit Card
Mr Credit Card
Below are a list of credit cards that will give you up to $1,000 credit limits or more. Some may start you off at a $1,000 limit whilst others will increase your credit limit over time until you get there. A couple of cards in our list also guaranteed approval. A $1,000 credit limit is what you should strive for when you are using an unsecured credit card to rebuild your credit because you would have enough spending power and yet be able to maintain a low credit utilization ratio. Below are our recommended credit cards that offer you the chance to get either a $1,000 starting credit limit or over time. They include both secured credit cards and unsecured credit card.
Unsecured Credit Cards with $1,000 Limits
Reflex Mastercard Description - The Reflex Mastercard is one of the few subprime unsecured credit cards that could give you a $1,000 starting credit limit. For this card, you have to go through a pre-aproval process and if you are pre-approved, you could be offered either a $300, $500, $750 OR $1,000 starting credit limit. If you get offered the $1,000 starting credit limit, I would take the offer because this version only charges an annual fee ($125). In fact, the $750 limit version also has the same annual fee and I would recommend getting that version too if you were offered. I would avoid the $300 or $500 version because they charge both an annual fee and monthly fee and these fees add up. The maximum credit limit you could get is $4,000 so the potential upside is there.
Why People Like This Card - Many people like the Reflex credit card because of their customer service (they get good ratings on TrustPilot and BBB), their mobile app and they also accept debit card payments over the phone. Typical complaints involve payment holds of up to 5 days.
Requirements
- Average approval score for $1,000 version : Vantage score of 650, FICO score of 610
- Average Income of Applicants: $79,000
Annual Fee: Varies with different offers (see review)
Regular APR: 35.90%
Starting Credit Limit: $300 - $1,000
Surge Platinum Mastercard - The Surge Platinum Mastercard is from Continental Finance and is identical with the Reflex Mastercard. You go through a pre-approval process and may be offered 4 versions - one with either $300, $500, $750 or $1,000 credit limit. Both the $750 and $1,000 credit limit version charge an annual fee of $150 and if you get offered either of those, you should take it. The $300 and $500 limit versions have both an annual fee and monthly fee and I would suggest you skip those. The maximum credit limit you could get on the card is $4,000 so there is more credit limit upside.
Why People Like This Card - One of the things many Surge cardholders are happy about is that they can pay with a debit over the phone. Customer service also appears to be a strong feature of Continental Finance as they have good ratings on both BBB and TrustPilot. Their mobile app is also constantly improving.
Requirements
- Average Score Approved for $1,000 version: 650 Vantage, 600 FICO
- Average Income of Applicants: $79,000
Annual Fee: Varies with different offers (see review)
Regular APR: 35.99%
Starting Credit Limit: $300 - $1,000
Brightway Mastercard Description - The Brightway Card from One Main Financial will give you a starting credit limit as high as $2,000. More importantly, you are rewarded with credit limit increases or APR reductions if you pay on time. If you pay on time for 6 months, Brightway considers that a milestone and you will be given either a credit limit increase or an APR reduction. If you reach 4 milestones, you will be upgraded to the Brightway Plus Card which does not have any annual fee. The maximum credit limit for this card is up to $15,000. You will get an annual fee ranging from $0 - $89 though most get one somewhere between $35 and $75.
Why People Like This Card? - People like this card because there is a clear pathway to getting the no annual fee version and you could potentially also get a very decent credit limit compared to other similar cards.
Approval Criteria - The average approval FICO score is between 590 - 620.
Annual Fee: $0 - $89
Regular APR: 33.99% or 35.99%
Starting Credit Limit: $300 - $2,000
No Hard Inquiries - The Arro Mastercard is is a unique unsecured credit card that does not rely on FICO scores to approve you. The maximum credit limit you can get on the card is $2,500 though it is more likely that you get a lower limit to start off.
Approval Requirements - Arro does not rely on FICO scores to approve you and there is no hard inquiry. You need an monthly income of $1,000 and a minimum bank balance of $150. You also have to link your bank account to PLAID. Your credit limits will be based on the cash flow in bank cash account. The higher your bank balance and income and positive cash flow in your bank account, the more likely you are to get a $1,000 starting credit limit. If you barely meet the minimum requirements, then your starting credit limit is likely to be anywhere between $50 - $200.
Credit Limit Increase Within Your Control - However, unlike other credit cards, credit limit increases with Arro is totally within your control. Arro has financial literacy courses in their app and when you complete each course, you will either get a credit limit increase or an APR reduction.
Why People Like and Recommend This Card? - People who have poor credit scores but a decent income and bank account love Arro because you can get approved despite not having the best scores. People also like the fact that credit limit increases is totally within your control.
Fees - $1/month for the first year, then $3/month.
Regular APR - 16%.
Credit Limit - $50 - $200, maximum credit is $2,500.
FICO score needed - Arro does not look at FICO scores. You need a minimum monthly income of $1,000 and a minimum positive bank balance of $50.
Upgrade Select Visa - Loan in a credit card - The Upgrade Select Visa is a loan within a credit card. When you use the card to purchase something, Upgrade considers it a "draw" or a small loan given to you. And you will pay it back in equal installments over a couple of years at a fixed interest rate (rate and maturity will be determined when you apply). The maximum credit limit is $2,000 though you are likely to get a starting credit limit between $500 - $1,000.
Requirements - Applicants who get approved for the Upgrade Select Visa have FICO scores ranging from 580 to 640.
Why We People Like Recommend This Card? - People like the Upgrade Select Visa because it acts like a loan and forces you to pay a fixed installment every month for a fixed period until it is paid off. With a credit card, you might get away with paying the minimum but you run the risk of racking up more debt. Because Upgrade Select acts like a loan, it is reported as one. So even if you use your full credit line, it will have no impact on your credit utilization ratio.
Annual Fee - $39
Credit Limit - $500 to $2,000
FICO Score Needed - 580-660. You would need a FICO score of at least 580 to get approved.
$1,000 Limit Secured Credit Cards
Self Secured - No Hard Inquiry - The Secured Self Visa credit card is a secured credit card that does not perform any hard inquiries. They do charge a $25 annual fee and though the minimum security deposit is very low at $100, you can depposit up to a amximum of $3,000 to get a $3k limit. Obviously, you need a $1k security deposit to get a $1,000 limit.
Requirements - Though Self does not perform any hard inquiries, they do have income and expense requirements which they do not reveal. Your income has to exceed your expense and they check that by requiring you to link your main bank account via PLAID to them. You also have to deposit at least $100 to get your account going. If you have no bank account, then Self will get you on their credit builder program to start.
Why People like this card? - People like this card because there is no hard inquiry and the minimum deposit is very low. Self is also very reputable and famous because of their credit builder program.
Annual Fee: $25
Regular APR: 28.24%
Credit Limits - Minimum of $100 and a maximum of $3,000.
No Hard Inquiry - The Opensky Plus Credit Card has a solid reputation among rebuilders as a secured credit card that does not rely on FICO scores to approve you. You will definitely be approved. Cardholders may get a chance to graduate to the Opensky Gold Unsecured Visa in as little as 6 months. Though the minimum security deposit is $300, you deposit $1,000 to get that credit limit.
Requirements - No credit checks. Will definitely be approved though you do need to fund your security deposit before the card will be delivered to you.
Why People Like This Card? - People like the Opensky Plus for it's very easy approval (and basically guaranteed), decent mobile app. It has built a solid reputation among rebuilders who have been denied other secured credit cards but instead got approved for Opensky.
Annual Fee - $0
Regular APR - 29.74%
Requirements - No credit checks. You will be approved but you need to fund your security deposit.
Credit Limit - $300 - $3,000
Bottom Line: Why Aim for $1,000 Credit Limit
Many of the cards that we recommend above also do not rely on FICO scores and so you should have no problems getting approved for one or two of them. Just remember that with an unsecured credit card especially when you have bad credit, you would have to pay an annual fee on the card. If you are unwilling to pay an an annual fee, many good secured credit cards have to no annual fee at all.