Credit Card with a 500 Credit Score:
What Are Your Actual Options?
Most lists of "credit cards for bad credit" include cards that will reject a 500 score in practice. This one doesn't.
A car-secured credit card like Yendo uses your vehicle equity — not your FICO score — to determine your credit limit. That means a 500, 480, even a 420 score doesn't automatically disqualify you. It's the most realistic path to a real revolving Visa card with a high limit if you have poor credit and own a car.
Check If My Car Qualifies →Soft inquiry only · Affiliate link · No score impact
What a 500 Score Actually Means for Approval
A 500 FICO score falls in the "poor" range (300–579). Most major credit card issuers set their minimum somewhere between 580 and 640. That puts a 500 score below the threshold for most cards — including many that market themselves as "for bad credit."
That doesn't mean there are zero options. It means the standard path (apply for a credit card, get approved) is closed. You need to use a different path — one that either bypasses the credit check entirely, uses collateral instead of your score, or requires a cash deposit.
Ranked Options at a 500 Score
Yendo uses your car's equity as collateral instead of your credit score. No cash deposit. No minimum FICO. You keep driving your car. The limit is based on your vehicle's value, not your financial history. Highest potential limit of any option available to 500-score applicants.
Check If I Qualify →OpenSky does no credit check at all. You deposit $200 or more, and that becomes your limit. The $35/year fee is the main cost. Reports to all three bureaus. A reliable option if you don't have a car or can't qualify for Yendo.
No hard credit check. No interest. No annual fee. You move money into a secured account and spend against it. Requires a Chime spending account with direct deposit. If you're OK banking with Chime, this is an efficient option.
Not a credit card — it's a secured savings loan that builds credit history. You pay a small monthly amount, money goes into savings, you get the savings back at end of term. Slow but methodical path to building a credit file.
Why a Higher Limit Matters More Than You Think
Credit utilization — how much of your available credit you use — accounts for roughly 30% of your FICO score. If your only card has a $200 limit and you spend $150/month on it, you're at 75% utilization. That actively hurts your score.
If your car qualifies you for a $5,000 credit line and you spend the same $150, you're at 3% utilization. That actively helps your score. The size of the limit isn't just about spending power — it's a key lever for credit building.
Use Your Car to Skip the Score Barrier
No credit score requirement. No deposit. Keep driving. Check eligibility in under 5 minutes.
Check My Car's Eligibility →Affiliate link · Soft inquiry only · DriveCredit is not a lender