Key Highlights
- Regular APR = 0%
- Annual Fee = $0
- Membership Fee = $14.77/month which include benefits like Roadside and Legal Assistance, Pharmacy RX Plans
- Starting Credit Limit of $750 - which has a track record of increasing up to $3,000
- No Credit Check, No Employment Check - all you need is a valid debit card
- Reports to Equifax
- Easy and Quick Application and Fast Guaranteed Approval
At a Glance
Ideal For
- Those with damaged credit and have been denied other credit cards, even secured credit cards.
- Those of you who do not want to incur another hard inquiry on your credit report (no income or employment checks and you only need a debit card to get approved)
- Those of you who need to improve your credit utilization ratio (as this card starts with a $750 limit but has a track record of credit limit increases)
Card Can Be Used At Horizon Outlet
Buying and Paying with Merit Platinum
Card Details
| Annual Fee | $0 |
| Regular Membership Plan | $14.77/month |
| Regular APR | 0% |
| Minimum Payment | $25 or 10% of Balance |
| Credit Bureau Reporting | Reports to One Credit Bureau |
Annual Fee : $0
Monthly MembershipFee : $14.77
Interest Rate (Regular APR) : 0%
Minimum Payment : $25 or 10% of balance.
Membership Plan Benefits
- Free roadside assistance - Members are eligible to receive up to 1 service call or towing request every 30 days and no more than 3 within a twelve-month period.
- My Universal RX - You can receive up to 50% discount on prescription drugs.
- My Legal Assistance - Free 30 minute consultation with legal professional in your area (it does not include criminal defense).
- Credit-Hawk Free Credit Report - You can get a free credit report (called Credit-Hawk) with this program (and you can access it any time).
Comparables and Comparison With Other Cards
| Card | Details |
|---|---|
| Group One Platinum Card | Monthly Fee=$14.77 Upfront Fee=N.A. APR=0% No Credit Check Reports to 1 Credit Bureau Starting Limit=$750 |
| Merit Platinum | Monthly Fee=$14.77 Upfront Fee=N.A. APR=0% No Credit Check Reports to 1 Credit Bureau Starting Limit=$750 |
| Net First Platinum | Monthly Fee=$14.77 Upfront Fee=N.A. APR=0% No Credit Check Reports to 1 Credit Bureau Starting Limit=$750 |
| Freedom Gold Card | Monthly Fee=$14.77 Upfront Fee=N.A. APR=0% No Credit Check Reports to 1 Credit Bureau Starting Limit=$750 |
| Unique Platinum | Monthly Fee=$19.95 Upfront Fee=N.A. APR=0% No Credit Check Reports to 1 Credit Bureau Starting Limit=$1,000 |
| Opensky Secured Visa | Monthly Fee=$0 Upfront Fee=N.A. APR=See Website* No Credit Checks Reports to 3 Major Bureaus Starting Limit=$200-$2,000 |
Group One Platinum competes with other online store cards that guarantee approval. Most of them are from two issuers, Horizon Card Services (which issues Group One Platinum) and Unique Card Services. And there are also a couple of secured credit cards that do not do any hard inquiry.
Compared to Other Horizon Card Services Cards
Horizon Card Services issues Group One Platinum and other cards like Merit Platinum and Freedom Gold Card. If you look at the table above, you will see that they have identical features and fees. They all come with a monthly fee of $14.77 and start you off with a $750 credit line. They also report to Equifax from the 10th to 15th of each month. So for all intents and purposes, there is no difference between these cards from Horizon.Compared to Cards from Unique Card Services
Horizon Card Service main competitor is Unique Card Services. The most issued card is the Unique Platinum. It is identical to those from Horizon Card Services except for two things. The first is that they have a higher monthly membership fee ($19.94 vs $14.77). Secondly, cards from Horizon Card Services report to Equifax while cards from Unique Card Services report to TransUnion.No Credit Check Secured Credit Cards
Aside from online store credit cards, there are a couple of secured credit cards which offer guaranteed approval (ie no hard inquiries or credit checks). You do have to put down a deposit and pay an annual fee but you can use them anywhere where credit cards.The two examples I gave in the table above are cards from Opensky and First Progress Secured. Secured credit cards are appropriate for you if you can afford the security deposit needed to secure your credit limit.
What We Like About Group One Platinum - No Credit and Employment Checks, Reports to Equifax
- 7-Day Free Trial - Group One Platinum will give you a free 7-day trial before charging you the monthly membership fee. You can cancel anytime before 7 days.
- Unsecured $750 - $1,500 Credit Limit - Group One Platinum gives you a very generous $750 unsecured starting credit line. Many folks have gotten credit lines anywhere between $750 and $1,500. Having a large credit lines help in maintaining a low credit utilization ratio.
- 0% APR On Purchases - Group One Platinum is a "buy now pay later online store" credit card and hence, your APR is 0%. That means that you do not accrue an interest charges even if you do not pay in full for your purchases immediately. 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. If you buy something that is $25 or less, then you have to pay in full.
- No Credit, No Employment Check- Guaranteed Approval - There are no hard inquiries or proof of income required. You will definitely be approved for the card as long as you have either a debit card or checking account to pay for your monthly membership fee.
- Reports to Equifax - Group One Platinum reports to at least one credit bureau and at this moment, it is Equifax (according to cardholders).
What We Do Not Like About group One Platinum - Can Only Be Used at TheHorizonOutlet.com
- Can Only Be Used At thehorizonoutlet.com - You can only use this card at Horizon's online store www.thehorizonoutlet.com and cannot be used elsewhere like a regular Visa or Mastercard
- Membership Fee - As mentioned earlier, you do have to pay a $14.77 a month membership.
Our Take: Group One Platinum Is For Those Who Have Been Denied Every Card
It may not be the ideal card in the sense that you are restricted to where you can use it. However, your main concern should be rebuilding your damaged credit and have a trade line reporting in your credit report. A card like Group One Platinum can help bridge the gap between now until your scores improve for you to be able to get a regular Visa or Mastercard.
Group One Platinum is also appropriate for those of you who cannot seem to get credit limit increases from your existing cards (you know how difficult that can be) and your credit utilization is high. A card like Group One Platinum with a $750 starting credit limit and a track record of increasing limits up to $3,000 could be ideal to improve your overall credit limits and credit utilization ratio.
To sum up, based on our evaluations, we give the Group One Platinum a 3.5/5 ratings. It is not a card for all rebuilders. But some of you might find this card appropriated given your rebuilding situation. I would use this card for a year or slightly longer until your credit score improves. At that point, you can then upgrade to a better secured or unsecured credit card/
Application Page
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. 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.
FAQS 
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.
