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Are you in the market for a new credit card but unsure where to start? Researching and comparing the best credit cards can often be overwhelming. Plus, the unknowns around whether or not you’ll be approved can leave you feeling a little uneasy.
Terms and Conditions may apply to offers and benefits on this page.
This is where pre-approved credit card offers can help alleviate some of the stress. By providing card issuers with some basic information, you can quickly find out which credit cards you may qualify for.
Credit card companies provide pre-approved credit cards as offers to indicate a strong likelihood of approval upon application. Alongside these pre-approved offers, which are typically delivered via mail or email, most prominent credit card companies also enable individuals to pre-qualify for their cards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
In this article, we'll go over some great cards with attractive features that offer consumers potential pre-approval opportunities.
Who offers pre-approved credit cards
Most credit card issuers offer pre-approval on at least some of their cards. However, the information applicants are required to submit will vary from issuer to issuer. Below are some of the major issuers and the information they consider before offering pre-approval.
American Express - American Express will ask you for your first and last name, home address, the last four digits of your social security number, and your total annual income.
Capital One - Capital One will ask you for your first and last name, home address, date of birth, last four digits of your social security number, email address, phone number, employment status, highest level of education, total annual income, monthly rent/mortgage payment, whether you have bank accounts, date of birth, and full social security number.
Chase - Chase will ask you for your first and last name, home address, last four digits of your social security number.
Citi - Citi will ask for your first and last name, home address, email address, and the last four digits of your social security number.
Best credit cards which offer pre approval compared 2023
| Card | Best for | Annual fee | APR | Recommended credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash back | annual_fees | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | credit_score_needed | |
Travel | annual_fees | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | credit_score_needed | |
No annual fee | annual_fees | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | credit_score_needed | |
Average credit | annual_fees | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | credit_score_needed | |
No credit check | annual_fees | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | credit_score_needed | |
Fixed monthly payment | annual_fees | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | credit_score_needed |
Our recommendations for the best pre approval credit card
Best for cash back: card_name
Our pick for the best pre-approved credit card that offers cash back is the card_name. As a new card member, you’ll bonus_miles_full.
While the bonus is nice, the ability to earn cash back is where this card really shines. You can earn:
- 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, and streaming services
- 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 10% cash back on Uber and Uber Eats, plus receive a complimentary Uber One membership through 11/14/24.
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.
- 5% cash back on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The card also comes with a generous introductory intro_apr_rate,intro_apr_duration on purchases and balance transfers. This card has annual_fees annual fee.
Go-To APR: reg_apr,reg_apr_type
BT: balance_transfer_rate; balance_transfer_fees
Best for travel: card_name
If you’re looking to get pre approved for a card that offers travel rewards, the card_name is our top pick. With this card you'll bonus_miles_full.
You’ll earn an unlimited 2 miles per dollar spent on any purchase. Plus, you can earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Capital One offers a flexible redemption policy where you’re not bound to one airline or hotel chain. Simply book the travel that you want, and then apply your miles as a statement credit.
Another perk to having the Capital One Venture Rewards card is that you’ll receive up to a $100 statement credit for Global Entry or TSA Precheck®. Plus, receive 2 complimentary passes each year to a Capital One airport lounge. This card has a annual_fees annual fee.
Best for no annual fee: card_name
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- SPECIAL OFFER: Unlimited Matched Cash Back. Chase will automatically match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year! There is no limit to how much cash back you can earn.
- 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- No annual fee.
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months.
- Additional 5x cash back on travel purchased through the Ultimate Rewards program, 3x on dining, and 3x on drugstore purchases.
- Extra 1.5% earned the first year up to $20,000.
Cons:
- 5% cash advance and balance transfer fees.
- 3% foreign transaction fee.
- Only available for cardholders with a good credit score.
Want to get preapproved for a annual_fees annual fee credit card? The card_name is a great choice. bonus_miles_full.
Additional cashback opportunities include:
- 3% back at restaurants, select food delivery services, and drugstores.
- 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
- 5% back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025.
- 1.5% back on all other purchases.
With this card, you’ll also receive a complimentary membership to Instacart+ and DashPass from DoorDash for 3 months. These benefits must be activated by July 31, 2024, and December 31, 2024, respectively.
Similar to the card_name, this card has an introductory intro_apr_rate,intro_apr_duration on purchases and balance transfers. This card has annual_fees annual fee.
Go-To APR: reg_apr,reg_apr_type
BT: balance_transfer_rate; Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, on transfers made within 60 days of account opening. (then balance_transfer_fees)
Best for average credit: card_name
If you’re looking for a new credit card but only have fair credit, the card_name is a great choice. With this card, you’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% back on every purchase. Plus, you’ll earn 5% cash back on hotels and car rentals when booked through Capital One Travel.
What’s so great about this card is you’re going to have the chance to earn rewards while you continue building your credit. As long as you continue making your payments on time each month, you’ll be eligible to request a credit limit increase after just 6 months. Higher credit limits can lead to lower credit utilization, which means higher credit scores. This card has a annual_fees annual fee.
Best for no credit check: OpenSky® Secured Visa® credit card*
It’s not very often that a credit card issuer doesn’t perform a hard inquiry on your credit report at some point during the application process. That’s not the case with the OpenSky® Secured Visa® credit card. Not only do they not check your credit, but they also don’t require you to have a bank account.
When you open an account, you’ll be required to put down a $200 security deposit which will act as your credit limit. Then as long as you make payments on time each month, you can get a credit line increase every six months. Once your credit has improved and you’re ready to move onto a different credit card, you’ll receive your security deposit back again. This card has a annual_fees annual fee.
Best for fixed monthly payment: card_name
The card_name combines the best features of a credit card with those of a fixed-rate loan. You’ll receive 1.5% cash back on everything you buy. However, instead of earning the rewards when you make the purchase, you receive them after you make a payment on your balance.
Where this card really benefits some cardholders is that your purchases are combined at the end of the statement period and transferred into a fixed-rate loan. This allows you to make set payments each month and avoid variable interest rates. The best part is that you’ll know exactly when your balance will be paid off. Plus, this card has annucal_fees annual fee.
Methodology (How we picked these credit cards)
To select the best possible pre-approved credit cards we looked at dozens of cards and considered several different factors. This included welcome bonuses, reward potential, card benefits, and fees. We also dug into the fine print of each card to make sure all the information was transparent to anyone thinking about applying for a card.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Do pre-approvals hurt your credit score?
When you apply for pre-approval on a credit card, the card issuer will perform a soft inquiry. This will not have any impact on your credit score. However, if you decide to apply for the card, a hard inquiry will be done and your credit score may go down temporarily.
What is the easiest card to get approved?
If you have a poor credit score or limited credit history, the easiest card to get approval for will be a secured card.
Can I apply for a pre-approved credit card if I don’t have a job?
Being unemployed will not make it impossible to gain pre-approval for a credit card. Most issuers are going to ask you for your annual income, however, you can include other sources of income other than a full-time job. Credit cards meant for building credit might be the best fit until you have a steady income.
What is the difference between credit card pre-qualification and preapproval?
Some card issuers will use the terms pre-qualification and pre-approval as though they’re the same thing. With both, the issuer is doing a financial review to make sure you’re a good fit for a card. This will include asking you to submit your name, address, annual income, and social security number. However, pre-approval usually takes things a step further and the issuer will perform a soft inquiry on your credit.
Does pre-qualifying for a credit card guarantee I’ll be approved?
Being pre-qualified for a credit card is a good sign that you’ll be approved but it’s not guaranteed. As part of the actual application process, the issuer will perform a hard inquiry on your credit which will consider your income and payment history.
*Limited Time Offer: $51 funding voucher applied for all new accounts. Get a $200 credit line for $149. Click the "OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card" link to see additional terms and conditions.
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