Posted by: Adam McCann

Online store credit cards with guaranteed approval don’t exist. No credit card company can guarantee approval for every single person who applies for one of its cards, as there are always some minimum standards to meet (some cards are from WalletHub partners). You also need to be a U.S. resident with a U.S. mailing address and either a Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) to be eligible, in most cases. Being in active bankruptcy will automatically disqualify you for most cards, too.

Store credit cards do tend to be easier to get than cards you can use anywhere, though. Most require fair credit or better, including those for online retailers such as Amazon.com and Overstock.com. But there are some credit cards, including one prominent online store credit card, with good approval odds for people with bad credit.

Credit Cards with (Nearly) Guaranteed Approval:

• Best Overall: Fingerhut Credit Account
• Best for Airline Miles: Aeromexico Secured Credit Card
• Best for Hotel Benefits: Best Western Secured Credit Card
• Best for Motorcycle Lovers: Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card

Below, we'll go through your top options in greater detail as well as provide tips for how to improve your credit standing and get approved for better credit card offers.

Online Store Credit Cards for Bad Credit

The best online store credit card for high approval odds is the Fingerhut Credit Account. It's one of the easiest credit cards to get overall, as Fingerhut advertises that they often say "yes" even to people who have been turned down for credit. Plus, if you don't get approved, you can join their FreshStart program, which gives you an installment loan and lets you graduate to a credit card after paying it off on time.

That's pretty much the only card tied to an online retailer that offers high approval odds to people with bad credit. But a few other credit cards for bad credit are affiliated with popular brands, allow you to apply online, and provide online perks. Let's compare them.

Here are the best credit cards for nearly guaranteed approval:

	SponsoredFingerhut Credit Account	SponsoredOfficial NASCAR® Credit Card from Credit One Bank®	Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card	Aeromexico Secured Credit Card	Best Western Secured Credit Card
Annual Fee	$0	$0 - $99	$0	$25	$29
Rewards Bonus	N/A	N/A	N/A	3,500 miles + Companion certificate	5,000 points
Rewards Rate	N/A	1 - 2% Cash Back	1 point / $1	1 - 2 miles / $1	2 - 3 points / $1
Purchase Intro APR	Not Offered	Not Offered	Not Offered	Not Offered	Not Offered
Transfer Intro APR	Not Offered	Not Offered	Not Offered	Not Offered	Not Offered
Regular APR	29.99% (V)	17.49% - 25.49% (V)	24.49% (V)	24.49% (V)	22.49% (V)
Editors’ Rating	4.7 / 5	N/A	5.0 / 5	N/A	N/A
Details, Rates & Fees	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More	Learn More
Winners	Fingerhut Credit Account		Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card

All of these cards are fairly easy to get, and all but the Fingerhut Credit Account can be used anywhere. The Fingerhut card can only be used to make purchases from Fingerhut, online or by phone. But if you want to aim for something a little higher than these choices, you should work to get your credit into the fair credit range, where you’ll have access to more Online Store Credit Cards.

How to Improve Your Online Store Credit Card Approval Odds

The higher your credit score is, the higher your approval odds for a credit card will be and the more options you’ll have. Improving your score from bad to fair, for example, will give you a good shot at getting most store credit cards. You can check your latest credit score for free on WalletHub to see where you're starting from. And you can learn how to take it to the next level below.

Here's how to guarantee online store credit card approval:

1. Get a secured credit card. Secured cards have the highest approval odds of any credit cards because they require a refundable security deposit, the amount of which serves as your credit line. This ensures the issuer won't be left with an unpaid balance and makes the cards fairly easy to get. Plus, secured cards have just as much credit-building potential as unsecured cards. Some of your best options are the Capital One® Secured Mastercard®, Harley-Davidson® Secured Credit Card, and Discover it® Secured.
2. Pay bills on time. Payment history is the biggest ingredient in a credit score, and it's one of the most controllable, too. So make sure to schedule automatic payments from a bank account for at least the minimum amount due each month. If you pay on time, every time, you should see your score rising in no time.
3. Keep utilization low. Using less than 30% of your credit line each month will help improve your credit score.
4. Pay down your debt. The more you owe other creditors, the less you have left over for a new credit card's monthly payments. So giving you more spending power would be a risky proposition for a lender. As a result, chipping away at amounts owed improves your chances of approval by making your ability to pay more obvious.
5. Boost your income & savings. You can't get approved for a credit card if the issuer thinks you won't be able to pay the bills. And the higher your income is, the higher you can expect your limit on an unsecured credit card to be. Working a little overtime, searching for a higher-paying job, or asking for a raise could make a difference.
6. Have funds available. Whether it's a savings account, checking account or other type of deposit account, you'll need a way to make monthly bill payments if you want to get a credit card.

By following these tips, you should be able to get your score into the fair credit range before long. You can also get advice tailored to your specific situation by checking out WalletHub's free personalized credit analysis.

Image: Visual Generation /Shutterstock

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