- Annual Fee = $0
- Monthly Membership Fee = $9.77 a month
- Purchase APR = 0%
- Reports to Equifax
- Starting Credit Limit = $500 with track record of credit line icnreases of up to $3,000
- No Credit Checks or Employment Checks - only need valid debit card for guaranteed approval
- Benefits: CREDIT HAWK, MY UNIVERSAL RX Prescription Discount Plan, MY LEGAL ASSISTANCE and MY ROADSIDE PROTECTION Plan
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No Annual Fee | Can only be used at www.thehorizonoutlet.com |
| 0% APR | |
| Reports to Equifax | |
| Track Record of Credit Line Increases | |
| No Credit Checks or Employement Checks |
At A Glance
The Horizon Outlet (TheHorizonOutlet.com)
Card Details
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular Membership Plan | $9.77/month |
| Regular APR | 0% |
| Minimum Payment | $25 or 10% of Balance |
| late Fee | $20 |
| Outlet Store Delivery Signature Verification | $3.50 |
| Outlet Store Residential Delivery | $2.00 |
| Credit Bureau Reporting | Reports to Equifax |
APR: 0% - You do not pay an interest if you carry a balance after you buy a product.
Annual Fee: $0.
Initial Credit Limits $500. Your credit limit can be raised in the future and possibly up to $3,000.
Credit Bureau Reporting: Reports to Equifax
Membership Fees: $9.77 a month. You will get benefits like My Road Assistance, My Legal Assistance, My Universal RX and Credit Hawk - a credit monitoring and ID theft service (more on these later).
NSF Check Fee: $25
Outlet Store Delivery Signature Verification: $3.50
Outlet Store Residential Delivery: $2.00
Benefits
- My Roadside Assistance - The Roadside Assistance plan allows you up to 1 service per month. The tow distance has to be within 15 miles and the cost must not exceed $50 (you have to pay any amount above that). You are allowed up to 3 service calls within a 12 month period.
- My Universal RX - You get unlimited local participating pharmacy access and receive up to 40% off of covered prescription medications.
- Credit Hawk Free Credit Report and ID Theft Protection - You get access to credit hawk which gives you access to your credit report and also offers ID Theft Protection.
- My Legal Assistance - You get Toll free and Internet access to Legal resources. Your plan entitles you to one free 30-minute consultation with a legal professional in your area specializing in your area of law interest. Criminal cases are not covered.
Purchase Payments Explanations
The minimum payment you have to make is the greater of either 10% of the balance when you first made the purchase or $25. The minimum payment does not decrease over time. If your purchase is $25 or less, then you have to pay in full.
You can set up auto-payments with the Focus Gold Card.
Competition
| Card | Monthly Fees | Annual Fee Fee | Credit Reporting | Credit Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus Gold Card | $9.77 | $0 | Equifax | $500 |
| Freedom Gold Card | $14.77 or $6 | $0 | Equifax | $750 |
| Net First Platinum | $14.77 or $6 | $0 | Equifax | $750 |
| Merit Platinum | $14.77 or $6 | $0 | Equifax | $750 |
| Pulse Platinum | $19.95 | $0 | TransUnion | $1,000 |
| Unique Platinum | $19.95 | $0 | TransUnion | $1,000 |
Horizon Gold Card vs Other Horizon Card Services Cards
The Focus Gold Card is the latest card from Horizon Card Services, which happens to have a few other cards as well. Examples include Merit Platinum, Freedom Gold Card and Net First Platinum. They are identical is all aspects except two things. Firstly, the Focus Gold Card has a slightly lower starting credit limit at $500 versus $750 for the others. However, it has a lower monthly fee of $9.77 vs $14.77. So it is a trade off between starting credit limit and monthly fee.Horizon Gold Card vs Unique Card Services Cards
Focus Gold Card also competes with cards from Unique Card Services (which is the rival to Horizon Card Services), which has cards like Unique Platinum. There are three main differences between Focus Gold and Unique Platinum. The first is that Unique Platinum has a higher starting credit limit at $1,000 versus $500 for Focus Gold. However, the Focus Gold Card has a lower monthly fee at $9.77 vs $19.95 for Unique Platinum. The last difference is they they report to different credit bureaus. The Focus Gold Card reports to Equifax whereas cards from Unique Card Services like Unique Platinum report to TransUnion.Pros - What We Like
- 0% APR On Purchases - When you make a purchase from www.thehorizonoutlet.com with the Focus Gold Card, there will be no interest charged even if you carry a balance. However, you will have to pay a minimum payment that is the greater of either 10% of the purchase price or $25.
- No Credit Checks - Guaranteed Approval - Focus Gold does not check your credit or perform any hard inquiries so you will definitely be approved as long as you have a debit card.
- Track Record of Credit Limit Increases - Though the starting credit limit is only $500, Focus Gold has a track record of credit limit increases up to $3,000.
- Reports to Equifax - Focus Gold Card reports to Equifax, which will help rebuilders rebuild their credit.
Cons - What we do not like
- Can Only Be Used At thehorizonoutlet.com - Focus Gold Card is not a Visa or Mastercard and cannot be used elsewhere except their own store.
Our Take: For those who cannot afford another hard inquiry
However, if you keep getting denied for unsecured rebuilder credit cards, then you might want to consider a merchandise card like the Focus Gold Card as a stepping stone to rebuild your credit. It is far from an ideal card since you are limited to where to you use the card. But from a credit building perspective, it reports to Equifax. Furthermore, you will definitely be approved as long as you have a debit card to pay the monthly membership fees. This saves you another hard inquiry which might ding your score a few more precious points.
The best way to use the card is to just either buy a couple of items occasionally and pay in full or just keep the card in the drawer. Having a trade line on your credit report itself will boost it. Once your score has improved (and that can happen quickly), then you might want to try your luck on a regular rebuilder card. I would say that you should hold on to this card for a year and you should be able to ditch it once you get better cards.
How to apply?
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How does using Focus Gold help my credit?
How does using Focus Gold help my credit?
Horizon Gold reports a positive entry every thirty days as long as your account is open and in good standings.
How often does Focus Gold report to the credit bureau?
How often does Focus Gold report to the credit bureau?
Once every thirty days.
Can I use my Horizon Gold Card at Walmart?
Can I use my Horizon Gold Card at Walmart?
No you cannot. It can only be used at thehorizonoutlet.com.
Can I do cash advance with Focus Gold Card
Can I do cash advance with Focus Gold Card
No you cannot.
When can I get a credit line increase?
When can I get a credit line increase?
You can be eligible for a credit line increase after three months.
When will I get my card after I get approved?
When will I get my card after I get approved?
Normally within 7 business days.
Can I make payments for my benefits online?
Can I make payments for my benefits online?
Yes, you can. You have to go to www.memberbenefitaccess.com. You have to login using your Member ID and Zip Code. You then go to the "account" tab and "make a benefits payment".
Can you use the Focus Gold Credit Card anywhere?
Can you use the Focus Gold Credit Card anywhere?
No, you can only use it at their online store www.thehorizonoutlet.com.
Where do I go for the credit monitoring service?
Where do I go for the credit monitoring service?
The website that you will be using is www.credit-hawk.com. You will first have to enroll through the members benefits page. After that, you can log in using your username and password.
Customer Service Information
Customer Advocacy: 1-800-837-4997
5 days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m
Cancel Membership: 1-800-251-6144
Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST (excluding holidays)
Or online at www.memberbenefitaccess.com.
Roadside Assistance: 1-800-251-6144
Legal Assistance: 1-800-251-6144
