Want to get a credit card but don’t want anyone looking into your spotty credit history? Not to sound like a used car salesman, but have we got an option for you! OpenSky issues secured credit cards to those with bad credit — or even those with no credit history at all. They’re so unbothered by low credit scores that they won’t even check yours. As long as you’ve got enough income to cover your expenses, you may be eligible to get approved.
You will have to put down some cash up front to access OpenSky’s product, though. That’s just how secured cards work. But if you use this card responsibly, it could help you build or rebuild your credit score so you can start getting approved by other more traditional lenders.
A higher credit score can also help you secure an apartment or other housing rental. In some cases, a better credit score can even mean getting a better job.
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How does OpenSky Secured Credit Card work?
The OpenSky credit card is a secured card. You might want to use a secured card if you have a rocky past with credit. It can also help you if you’re building credit for the first time.
Instead of starting out by borrowing money from the bank via your credit card, you’ll put down a security deposit. Then you borrow against your security deposit, paying back any money you “borrowed” from it every month.
While you can make minimum payments, you’ll be charged interest on any remaining balance. That makes it better to pay your balance off in full every month so you won’t incur any extra charges.
As you make payments, OpenSky will report them to the credit bureaus. If they’re on-time payments, this may help your credit score go up. OpenSky will also report if you’re late, though, which could hurt your already damaged credit report. So be sure to pay on time.
OpenSky boasts an approval rate of 85%.
OpenSky approves 85% of applicants. That’s good news for those with bad or zero credit. There’s not even a credit check involved. The biggest thing that could get you denied is not making enough money to cover your monthly expenses.
So while this card is built for those with poor credit, if you have an income problem, you might need to address it before you can get approved.
OpenSky Credit Card comes with a lot of fees.
While OpenSky has nearly nonexistent credit requirements, there is a trade-off: you’ll pay a fair amount in fees.
First is the $35 annual fee. While an annual fee on a secured card isn’t unheard of, it also isn’t common. You might want to take a look at other secured credit cards for those with bad credit. Some of the other secured cards might require a hard inquiry on your credit, though.
Then there are the foreign transaction and cash advance fees. These aren’t terribly out of line with industry norms, but they are both expenses that are generally wise to avoid.
Late fees ($38) and returned payment fees ($25) also are fairly in line with industry standards.
While no singular fee is outrageous, the fact that there’s so many of them is a little outside the norm.
You won’t earn rewards with the OpenSky Credit Card.
Only a few secured cards offer rewards, so the fact that you can’t get them with the OpenSky secured card isn’t unusual. But if you want a shot at earning cash back or other benefits, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
TIP: While OpenSky doesn’t issue any rewards, technically anyone who holds a Visa card is eligible for deals and discounts through the Visa Offers + Perks program. And OpenSky is a Visa card.
The minimum security deposit is low — but not nonexistent.
There are innovative secured credit card products that allow you to get an account without putting down a security deposit. However, OpenSky isn’t one of them. But their minimum security deposit is still pretty low for a secured card. You’ll only have to put up $200.
The easiest way to pay your security deposit is with a debit card at the time of application. If you’re unbanked, though, you can send a check, money order, or Western Union deposit.
You can request a credit limit increase at any time.
Usually you have to wait a while to request a credit limit increase on credit cards. But with OpenSky, you can request one at any time.
Bear in mind that an increased line of credit will also require additional funding for your security deposit. So while you might be able to up your credit limit from $200 to $3,000, you’ll have to give OpenSky the extra $2,800 to hold onto until you close your account.
Increasing your credit limit can lower your credit utilization if you’re using your card responsibly. A lower credit utilization rate may help increase your credit score.
You’ll get your security deposit back when you close your account.
If you’ve been using OpenSky to build your credit and you’ve seen a meaningful increase in your credit score, you might want to start applying for traditional, unsecured credit cards. You might do this because you want travel rewards, cash-back rewards, or you simply want to get your security deposit back in your pocket.
Another reason you might want to close your OpenSky card is if you’re using it but you’re not paying it off in full every month. You’re actually losing a ton of money to interest if you find yourself in this pattern and don’t have the self-discipline to stop spending (no shame — knowing yourself is a good thing.) If it gets too out of control and you can no longer afford even the minimum payments, it could start hurting your credit score rather than helping.
Remember: a secured card is just a tool. Whether it hurts or helps you is all in how you use it.
TIP: Opening and closing credit accounts can have an impact on your credit score.
OpenSky Credit Card FAQs
How do I pay my OpenSky credit card online?
You can pay your OpenSky credit card online or through the OpenSky app. First, you’ll log in to your account. Once you’ve logged in, you should be able to see the total amount due and navigate to payment options.
How do I cancel my OpenSky credit card?
OpenSky certainly doesn’t make closing your account easy! You won’t be able to do it online; you’ll actually have to call a customer service rep at 1-800-859-6412. While customer service is available 24/7, it usually takes somewhere around four weeks to get your security deposit back. In some cases, it can take up to eight weeks.
How do I withdraw money from my OpenSky credit card?
When you withdraw money from a credit card (even a secured card), it’s known as a cash advance. Cash advances are even more expensive than credit card purchases, as the APR starts accumulating right away. You don’t have the opportunity to skip interest by paying it off by the statement due date like you would with regular purchases.
There are also extra fees. Not only will you pay 21.64% APR, but you’ll also pay the greater of 5% or $6 in cash advance fees. Let’s say you took $200 out via a cash advance. On top of interest, you’d pay a fee of $10, or 5%.
While cash advances can be better than payday loans, they’re still generally not a good idea if you have any other options available. That said, if you’re going to do it anyways, you can take out a cash advance at any ATM or bank location that deals with Visa cards.
You may incur extra charges from the bank or ATM owner. For the lowest odds of incurring ATM owner fees, check out the SUM ATM network. This is the network Capital Bank is a part of, and Capital Bank owns OpenSky.
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