Secured Mastercard with no credit check and straightforward approval. Choose your deposit ($200-$2,000). Reports to all 3 bureaus. Three card tiers with annual fees from $29-$49. Issued by Synovus Bank.
Editorially reviewed by Harvey Brooks
First Progress offers three secured Mastercard credit cards designed for consumers with damaged or no credit history. All three cards require no credit check for approval — decisions are based on your ability to make the security deposit and your identity verification, not your credit score.
The three tiers are: Platinum Prestige ($49/year, lowest APR), Platinum Select ($39/year), and Platinum Elite ($29/year, highest APR). All three cards have identical features except for the APR and annual fee trade-off. The Platinum Elite is the best choice for consumers who plan to pay their balance in full each month since the APR doesn't matter.
All First Progress cards report to all three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) monthly. The minimum security deposit is $200 and the maximum is $2,000, which becomes your credit limit.
First Progress is issued by Synovus Bank, an FDIC-insured bank headquartered in Columbus, Georgia. Synovus has $60+ billion in assets, making it a substantial regional bank.
The card is a Mastercard, accepted worldwide. There are no rewards, cash back, or special perks — this is purely a credit-building product. Online account management is available through the First Progress website.
First Progress is a good choice for consumers who have been denied by Discover or Capital One due to poor credit history and want a no-credit-check alternative. It is less feature-rich than OpenSky (which also requires no credit check but offers more technology features) and lacks the rewards of Discover it Secured.
Secured credit cards are one of several tools in the credit-building toolkit. Consumers may also consider credit builder loans, which report positive payment history to all three bureaus while building savings, or rent reporting services that add on-time rent payments to credit reports. For those dealing with existing negative items, credit repair services can help dispute inaccuracies that drag down scores. Credit monitoring helps track progress over time, and personal loans for bad credit become accessible as scores improve. Many credit rebuilders find that combining a secured card with other strategies — monitoring, disputes, and responsible borrowing — produces faster results.
Our editors ranked the best secured credit cards of 2026 based on fees, approval odds, bureau reporting, and graduation policies.
Yes. First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard Secured is a registered company headquartered in Columbus, GA, founded in 2008. They hold a A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and are BBB-accredited.
First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard Secured plans start at $29.00 per month with no setup fee. No money-back guarantee is offered.
Approval typically within minutes. Card arrives 7-14 business days. Credit bureau reporting begins after first billing cycle. Score improvements typically visible within 3-6 months of responsible use.
CreditDoc Diagnosis
A straightforward no-credit-check secured card for consumers who have been denied elsewhere. Less feature-rich than OpenSky or Discover but gets the basic job done: reports to all 3 bureaus, builds credit history. The $29-$49 annual fee and lack of rewards make it a Plan B, not a first choice.
Secured Visa credit card with no credit check and 87% approval rate. No bank account required. Reports to all 3 bureaus. Issued by Capital Bank, N.A. (FDIC insured).
Best for: People with no credit history who need to build credit from scratch, Consumers rebuilding credit after bankruptcy, collections, or charge-offs
Secured credit card with 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000/quarter) and 1% on everything else. No annual fee. Reports to all 3 bureaus. Automatic graduation review at 8 months.
Best for: Consumers with fair credit (550-650) who want to rebuild while earning rewards, People who want a secured card that will automatically upgrade to unsecured
Secured card from a major bank with no annual fee, automatic credit line reviews, and potential for higher credit line than your deposit. Reports to all 3 bureaus. Possible approval with deposit as low as $49.
Best for: Consumers who want a secured card from a major national bank, People who may qualify for a credit limit above their deposit
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Read guide →New to credit and lending? Here are the key terms used on this page, explained in plain language with real-number examples.
A 3-digit number (300-850) that summarizes how reliably you've handled borrowed money. Higher scores mean lower risk to lenders and better loan terms for you.
Your credit score determines whether you get approved and at what rate. A 100-point difference can mean thousands of dollars more or less in interest over a loan's life.
Example
On a $250,000 30-year mortgage: a 760 score gets you 6.2% ($1,536/month). A 660 score gets 7.4% ($1,729/month). Over 30 years, the lower score costs you $69,480 more.
The percentage of your available credit that you're currently using. If you have $10,000 in credit limits and owe $3,000, your utilization is 30%.
Utilization is the second-biggest factor in your credit score (after payment history). Keeping it below 30% helps your score; below 10% is ideal.
Example
You have 3 cards with a $15,000 total limit. You're carrying $4,500 in balances (30% utilization). Paying down to $1,500 (10% utilization) could boost your score by 20-50 points.
The variety of credit accounts you have — credit cards (revolving), auto loans (installment), mortgage, student loans, etc. Having multiple types shows you can manage different kinds of debt.
Credit mix accounts for about 10% of your FICO score. Having only credit cards isn't as strong as having a card, an installment loan, and a mortgage.
Example
Borrower A has 3 credit cards. Borrower B has 2 credit cards, a car loan, and a student loan. Even with the same payment history and utilization, Borrower B's score is typically higher.
The maximum amount a credit card company allows you to borrow on a single card. Going over this limit can trigger fees and hurt your credit score.
Your credit limit directly affects your utilization ratio. A higher limit with the same spending means lower utilization and a better score. You can request limit increases.
Example
Card A: $3,000 limit, you spend $1,500 = 50% utilization (bad). Card B: $10,000 limit, you spend $1,500 = 15% utilization (good). Same spending, different impact on your score.
Want to learn more? Read our Financial Wellness Guides for in-depth explanations and practical advice.
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