- Annual Fee = $0
- Monthly Membership Fee = $24.95 or $6 - Benefits include Roadside Assistance, Universal RX, Legal Assistance and Free Credit Report
- Purchase APR = 0%
- Reports to Equifax
- Starting Credit Limit = $500 with track record of credit line increases of up to $3,000
- No Credit Checks or Employment Checks - only need valid debit card for guaranteed approval
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No Annual Fee | Can only be used at www.thehorizonoutlet.com |
| 0% APR | |
| Reports to Equifax | |
| Track Record of Credit Line Increases |
What is the Horizon Gold Card And Who Is It For?
The Horizon Gold Card is useful for the following type of rebuilders:
- Those who cannot afford another hard inquiry - Because Horizon Gold does no check checks and no employment checks, those of you who have been denied of a credit card constantly will find the guaranteed approval very helpful.
- Those who want to increase their overall credit limits and decrease their credit utilization ratio - Though Horizon Gold Card starts you off with a $500 unsecured credit limit, they have a track record of credit line increases up to $3,000. This is very helpful for rebuilders because many subprime cards have very small credit lines that do not increase over time.
Note: Horizon Gold Card is now Focus Gold Card
Horizon Gold Card has now been discontinued by Horizon Card Services and is replaced by Focus Gold Card. They have exactly identical features except that the monthly fee is lower at $9.77 a month and there is no option to downgrade to the starter membership level.The Horizon Outlet (TheHorizonOutlet.com)
Card Details
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular Membership Plan | $24.95/month - New Principal Platinum is now $14.77/month |
| Starter Membership Plan | $6/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 (new Principal Platinum initial credit limit is increased to $750)
Credit Bureau Reporting: Reports to One Credit Bureau - At this moment, it is Equifax
Membership Fees: $24.95 a month (the new Principal Platinum fee is now lower at $14.77). 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
Regular Membership Plan and Benefits
My Roadside Assistance
Under this program, you are allowed 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 can 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
Card members of Horizon Gold Card 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.Starter Membership Plan
In their terms and conditions, it states that there is a monthly fee of $6/month that is "waived" as long as you are "a member of the Horizon Card Services". What this means is that as long as you pay your $24.95 a month membership fee, the $6/month fee is waived.
What is actually interesting is that you can "downgrade" from the "membership level" to a "basic starter membership plan" and just pay $6/month monthly fee. You will get all the benefits of the regular Membership Plan except for the Roadside Assistance.
Their terms and conditions also states that if you fail to make three consecutive payments on your regular membership fees, you will be automatically downgraded to the "basic starter plan". I would suggest that if you are not concerned about having Roadside Assistance as a benefit, you should call Horizon to downgrade to the start plan as it cost much less. Rebuilders should definitely that this route.
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 Horizon Gold.
Competition
| Card | Monthly Fees | Annual Fee Fee | Credit Reporting | Credit Lines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Gold Card | $24.95 or $6 | $0 | Equifax | $500 |
| Freedom Gold Card | $14.77 | $0 | Equifax | $750 |
| Net First Platinum | $14.77 | $0 | Equifax | $750 |
| Focus Gold | $9.77 | $0 | Equifax | $550 |
| Merit Platinum | $14.77= | $0 | Equifax | $750 |
| Pulse Platinum | $19.95 | $0 | TransUnion | $1,000 |
| Unique Platinum | $19.95 | $0 | TransUnion | $1,000 |
Horizon Gold Card vs New Terms of Horizon Card Services Cards
Horizon Gold is issued by Horizon Card Services and they also issue a few other cards that are very similar to Horizon Gold. Examples include the Freedom Gold Card and Net First Platinum. Just when Horizon Gold Card was discontinued, they introduced the Principal Platinum Card and lowered the monthly fee of not just Principal Platinum, but all other Horizon Card Services cards from $24.95 to $14.77. Furthermore, instead of starting you off with a $500 credit line, they now offer $750 unsecured credit limits for all their cards. That is a $250 increase in starting credit limits. However, Horizon Card Services has just discontinued the Principal Platinum Card and both the Horizon Gold and Principal Platinum have been replaced by the Focus Gold Card. It is similar to the Horizon Gold Card in most ways except that the monthly fee is much lower at $9.77 rather than $24.95. However, there is no option to downgrade membership to the $6 a month starter membership level.Horizon Gold Card vs Unique Card Services Cards
Horizon Gold's main competitor is Unique Card Services, who have their own online store and issues cards that are similar to Horizon Card Services. An example is Unique Platinum. Cards from Unique Card Services have a monthly membership fee of $19.95. This used to be lower than the $24.95 that cards like Horizon Gold used to charge. But now, all Horizon Card Services cards fee have been lowered to $14.77. Furthermore, you can downgrade your membership to a starter level for only $6 a month. So from a monthly fee perspective, cards like Principal Platinum and Merit Platinum now have a leg up. Like Horizon Gold Card, cards from Unique Card Services also have the equivalent of My Roadside Assist, My Universal RX, My Legal Assistance and Credit Hawk Credit Report Service.As far as starting credit lines go, cards from Unique Card Services like Unique Platinum have starting credit limits of $1,000. The Horizon Gold Card (along with other cards from Horizon Card Services) used to having a starting credit limit of $500. They now offer a $750 unsecured credit limit to start so they have caught up.
As far as credit bureau reporting goes, the Horizon Gold Card and all other cards from Horizon Card Services claim to report to one major bureau. We know that at this moment it is Equifax. Though cards from Unique Card Services does not explicitly guarantee that they will report to any credit bureau, we know that they report to TransUnion.
What We Like - No Credit Checks, 0% APR
- 0% APR On Purchases - You will not be charged any interest rate on your purchases. However, as mentioned earlier, you will have to pay a minimum payment that is the greater of either 10% of the purchase price or $25. But you will not accrue interest over time so that is a good thing compared to making a purchase on a credit card and carrying a balance.
- Unsecured $500 Credit Limit - When you are approved for the card, you will be given at least $500 credit line that is unsecured. However, from consumer feedback, it appears you can get up to $1,500 in starting credit lines. $500 to $1,500 is a much higher starting credit line than most subprime credit cards.
- No Credit Checks - Guaranteed Approval - Horizon Gold does not check your credit report or your income so you will not experience a hard pull. You do need a debit card or a checking account to pay your membership fees. As long as you have a debit card, you will be approved.
- Reports to Equifax - On their terms and conditions page, Horizon Gold says they report to at least one credit bureau. In the past, cardholders have reported that they report to TransUnion. Recently, it appears that they are now reporting to Equifax.
- Can Downgrade $24.95/month Membership to $6/month Standard Membership - This is a little known secret for Horizon card. The terms and conditions states that if you fail to pay the $24.95 per month membership fee for three months, you will be "downgraded" automatically to the $6/month basic membership plan. The plan is essentially the same as the Regular Membership Plan except that it has no Roadside Assistance Plan. It turns out you can also call them to switch to the starter plan. This makes carrying the card much cheaper.
What We Don't like
- Can Only Be Used At thehorizonoutlet.com - You can only use this card at Horizon's online store www.thehorizonoutlet.com. Unlike a regular Visa or Mastercard, you cannot use it anywhere else.
Horizon Gold Card Can Jump Start Your Rebuilding Efforts
While it may not be the most ideal card to get, it does not perform any credit or income checks so approval is guaranteed as long as you have a debit card or checking account. You have to be aware that you can only use it at The Horizon Outlet and that you have to pay a monthly membership fee. However, they do report to at least one credit bureau and as far as we understand, it is presently Equifax. Though they starting credit limit is officially $500, there are folks who have gotten approved for $1,500 in credit lines.
If you have experienced many denials and do not want another hard pull on your credit report, then the Horizon Gold Card is something worth considering to jump start your rebuilding efforts.
Pro Tip
Like we mentioned before, when you get approved for the card, you will automatically be enrolled in their $24.95 a month membership plan. After a couple of months, you can actually call Horizon to downgrade to the basic starter plan and just pay $6 a month in fees. This is much cheaper and most of you should consider this.Fast Online Application
On the next page, you will have to fill in your name, address, phone number, monthly pay, how often you are paid, your next pay date, your credit score range and whether you receive direct deposit. Once you submit this information, you will get the offer and confirmation. You will be instantly approved (within 60 seconds) once you submit your online application.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does Horizon Gold Report to Major Credit Bureaus?
Does Horizon Gold Report to Major Credit Bureaus?
According to Horizon Gold, they do report to one major credit bureau. At this moment, it is Equifax.
How does using Horizon Gold help my credit?
How does using Horizon 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 Horizon Gold report to the credit bureau?
How often does Horizon 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 Horizon Gold Card
Can I do cash advance with Horizon Gold Card
No. Horizon Gold Card is an online store catalog card and not a Visa or Mastercard.
Which credit report does Horizon pull when we apply?
Which credit report does Horizon pull when we apply?
Horizon does not do any credit hard pulls. Every applicant is approved for an unsecured $500 credit line.
When can I get a credit line increase?
When can I get a credit line increase?
Horizon says that you can be eligible for a credit line increase after three months. You should be on time in your monthly membership fee payment.
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.
How do I pay back my balance on the card?
How do I pay back my balance on the card?
You can pay online at www.thehorizonoutlet.com.
What is the minimum payment?
What is the minimum payment?
You either have to pay $25 a month or 10% of the balance.
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 Horizon Gold Credit Card anywhere?
Can you use the Horizon Gold Credit Card anywhere?
No, you can only use it at their online store www.thehorizonoutlet.com.
How do I use the Roadside assistance?
How do I use the Roadside assistance?
Simply call 1-800-251-6144.
How do I use Legal Assistance?
How do I use Legal Assistance?
Call 1800-251-6144.
How do I use the Universal RX benefits?
How do I use the Universal RX benefits?
You just have to take your membership card to your local pharmacy. You will receive the lowest price if it is covered under your membership.
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
P.O. Box 1275
Indiana, PA 15701
Customer Advocacy
1-800-837-49975 days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 p.m
Cancel Membership
1-800-251-6144Monday 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.
