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5 min read Published January 03, 2024
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If your credit score is in the 600s, that’s an indicator that your credit-building journey is on the right track. A 600 on the FICO scale means your credit score is fair and could be good soon if you keep up positive credit habits. The higher your score, the better access you have to the best credit cards. But even if you don’t have excellent credit, plenty of competitive options are available to help you keep up your credit-building efforts.
Compare the best cards you can get with a 600 credit score
| Card name | Reward highlights | Fees | Bankrate review score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa® | 1.5 percent unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment | $0 annual fee | 4.2 / 5 |
| Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Unlimited 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases Unlimited 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) | $39 annual fee | 4.0 / 5 |
| Mission Lane Cash Back Visa® Credit Card | Unlimited 1 percent or 1.5 percent for all qualifying purchases | $0 annual fee | 4.5 / 5 |
| Capital One Platinum Credit Card | N/A | $0 annual fee | 4.2 / 5 |
| Discover it® Secured Credit Card | 2 percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1 percent) 1 percent back on all other purchases | $0 annual fee $200 minimum security deposit and $2,500 maximum deposit | 5 / 5 |
Credit cards you can get with a 600 credit score
We’ve rounded up the best credit cards available to people with a 600 credit score. You have more options to consider among our best credit cards for fair credit if you don’t find your best match here.
Best for low interest
Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa
Rating: 4.2 stars out of 5
4.2
Best for travel rewards
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4
Best for flat-rate cash back
Mission Lane Cash Back Visa Credit Card
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
4.5
Best for credit line increase
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Rating: 4.1 stars out of 5
4.1
Best secured card with rewards
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5
How to choose a credit card for a 600 credit score
You don’t want too many credit card accounts in a short time, which can negatively affect your credit score, so choosing the best card when you have a 600 credit score at first is important. Here are some tips for picking the best card for your credit score.
Search for cards that incentivize you to keep building credit, not spending to earn rewards. Many cards offer credit line increases, FICO score snapshots and other tools that can also help you keep track of your efforts.
As your score gets better, cards start to get cheaper by eliminating security deposits, annual fees and more. Start looking at cards that don’t have unnecessary fees. And if you tend to carry balances, look for cards with lower ongoing APRs.
If you already have a secured or student card, consider calling the issuer to upgrade your credit card. Many issuers, like Discover and Capital One, have secured and student card versions of other flagship cards. If you upgrade your card, you may avoid a hard credit pull on your credit report, which can protect your score.
Read next: How to choose the right card for you
How to go from fair to good credit
You’ve already had to set a solid foundation to get a fair credit score. The best way to get good credit is to continue practicing positive credit habits.
- Look for pre-qualified offers: One way to get a better sense of what cards you could be approved for is to use online tools like CardMatch™ to determine your options without causing a hard pull on your credit.
- Don’t open too many new accounts at once: Applying for and opening too many cards can negatively impact your credit. Learn the importance of waiting to open a new credit account and how credit inquiries affect your score overall.
- Don’t close your old credit card right away: Your credit history is another major factor in your credit score, and the longer it is, the better. Even if you don’t use your starter credit card anymore, keeping it open could add vital length to your credit history and boost your score over time.
- Keep your credit use in check: By keeping your credit utilization ratio at or below 30 percent, you’ll signal to lenders that you don’t use too much of your available credit, which could lead to a boost in your score over time.
- Pay on time and in full: This credit habit is arguably the most important to maintaining and building your credit score. As long as you’re making consistent, on-time payments, you should be able to maintain or increase your score.
Frequently asked questions on cards for a 600 credit score
Yes, many cards are available to people with a 600 credit score. While you probably won’t get approved for a top-tier card, you can almost certainly get a modest, unsecured credit card.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is one of the best secured cards that offers rewards, and it’s available to people with limited or no credit. You’ll have to put down a security deposit, but then you may be able to upgrade to the Discover it® Cash Back and get your deposit back once your credit improves.
Cards for good credit tend to have more benefits like rewards, intro APR offers, welcome bonuses and cardholder perks. Some cards for fair credit may still have annual fees or security deposits, though less often than with credit cards for bad credit. Credit cards for a 600 credit score may also have less impressive rewards programs.
The bottom line
Reaching the fair credit range gives you more breathing room when it comes to letting go of extra fees and brings the potential for earning rewards. Try not to let these extra freedoms distract you from your goals. Continue paying your balances on time and in full whenever possible to avoid added interest that can reduce your new reward
