Monthly Archives May 2021

OpenSky does not require a credit check when you apply for the OpenSky® Secured Visa® credit card, which means you can get approved and start rebuilding your credit, regardless of your current credit score or history. In exchange, you’ll pay an annual fee of $ 35 and need to secure your line of credit with a cash deposit.

In one look

• No credit check required
• Reports to the three credit bureaus
• Refundable security deposit (minimum $ 200, up to $ 3,000) required
• $ 35 annual fee
• 17.39% variable APR

Additional card details

This card is above all a credit building tool. It does not offer any rewards or benefits beyond access to credit for people with bad or no credit history.

The main benefit of OpenSky Secured Visa is the ability to get approved and start building credit without a credit check, which can be a major barrier to accessing credit for people with less than credit. stellar – even among other bad or secure credit cards. credit card.

OpenSky offers a few additional tools to help you on your credit building journey, including a mobile app where you can track your payments and credit card bill, and a dedicated Facebook group with other OpenSky cardholders. you can reach for help while you are working. towards your financial goals.

Should you get this card?

Since the OpenSky Secured Visa credit card does not require applicants to undergo a credit check, it is a solid option to consider if you have a very low credit rating, have recently filed for bankruptcy, or are you do not have a checking account (in this case you can request and submit your security deposit by money order or Western Union).

Many issuers may deny your application if you have filed for bankruptcy or encountered other financial problems, even if you are willing to deposit money as collateral in a secure card account.

While a credit check is not required for approval, that does not mean approval is guaranteed. In addition to submitting a deposit, here are some criteria you must meet to Eligibility for OpenSky:

• You must be a U.S. citizen at least 18 years of age with a valid Social Security number or Individual Tax Identification Number (TIN).
• You should have more monthly income than your monthly expenses.
• You cannot have applied for a Capital Bank credit card four or more times in the past 60 days or have at least two credit card accounts open with Capital Bank, and any current or previous accounts with Capital Bank must be in good standing. (Capital Bank is the bank that owns OpenSky)

A big downside to this card is its annual fee. Not only will you be required to submit at least $ 200 as a refundable security deposit, but you will be paying $ 35 each year you own the card. Other secure cards, such as the Discover it® Secured Credit Card or Capital One Secured Mastercard® Credit Card, charge no annual fees and the same minimum (or lower) deposit.

Before applying, consider other cards you may qualify for that offer more benefits or credit building tools than this card. For example, some secure card issuers will automatically review your account after a certain period of time to determine if you are eligible to upgrade to an unsecured card or increase your credit limit.

How to use the OpenSky secure Visa credit card

Since the OpenSky Secured Visa credit card is primarily used to create credit, you should make sure that you use it responsibly and wisely.

Charge only what you can afford to pay, and pay your credit card bill earlier or on time each month to ensure that the information reported to all three credit bureaus has a positive impact on your score. If you don’t pay in full and on time, not only will it negatively affect your credit score, but you will end up paying a lot more over time thanks to this card’s high variable APR.

With a low credit limit, you’ll also need to be careful about your reported credit usage or how much balance you owe against your credit limit. This is the second factor with the most impact on your credit score after payment history. Experts recommend keeping your usage rate at least below 30% for the best credit score results.

If you deposit $ 200 when opening the account, that means you will need to keep your balance below $ 60 each month to maintain a healthy ratio. OpenSky allows you to deposit up to $ 3,000, so you can increase your limit if you have the money to fund it.

While it may take some time, the goal of using a card like the OpenSky Secure Visa Credit Card should be to build your credit score enough that you can switch to an unsecured credit card. Since the issuer does not offer automatic account reviews to determine if you are eligible to upgrade to an unsecured card option, you will need to monitor your credit progress yourself. And when you’re ready to upgrade, you can get your deposit back by closing the account in good standing, with your balance paid in full.

Secure OpenSky Visa credit card compared to other cards

Final result

If you are looking to rebuild your credit or have no credit history, you can get started without a credit check with the OpenSky Secured Visa credit card. Regular reports to the credit bureaus can help you establish a positive payment history as long as you pay in full and on time, but you’ll need to pay an annual fee of $ 35 and a minimum security deposit of $ 200 to get started.

But before you apply, consider other secure credit cards that might better meet your credit needs, including no annual fees, no rewards, and easier routes to an unsecured card.

Frequently Asked Questions