Credit cards for bad credit

Compare bad credit credit cards with Think Cards

If you have a bad credit history or have struggled to get credit in the past, a bad credit credit card deal could be what you're looking for.

Using your new credit card properly will demonstrate to future lenders that you are a responsible borrower - so it could be a doorway to better credit card offers, or even something like a mortgage or a personal loan.

Compare the best credit cards for bad credit and other special offers with our simple credit card comparison table.

Adverse credit card deals

Many people struggle to find a good credit card deal because they have a poor credit rating. If you find yourself in this situation, you may need to find a deal aimed at borrowers with adverse credit.

There are plenty of credit cards available for people with adverse credit. These aren't as hard to obtain as most other cards, but they often carry a much higher interest rate, and don't tend to come with promotional offers (such as a 0% interest period).

However, if you repay your balance in full before the deadline each month, you'll never pay any interest at all - so if you're organised and disciplined, you'll be able to use your card without paying a penny more than you've borrowed.

Credit builder cards

We all have to start somewhere. If you don't have much experience with borrowing money, a 'credit builder' or 'credit repair' credit card deal could help you to build up your credit rating over time.

The more you use your credit card - and the more you repay your debts on time - the more you'll be doing to prove yourself as a responsible borrower. This will be reflected in your credit history, meaning that you could find it easier to borrow money in the future.

This could be especially helpful if you're thinking about taking out a bigger loan in the future - a mortgage, for example.

As well as helping people who have never borrowed money before and need to get some experience, they can also help people who have a poor credit history and want to build their credit rating back up again.

Advantages
'Bad credit' credit cards are easier for people with a poor credit rating to get hold of than other cards. If you're worried about applying for a credit card because you've struggled in the past, you may have a better chance of being offered this type of card.

Using your card correctly will enable you to build your credit rating up, which could improve your chances of getting better deals in the future.

Disadvantages
The interest rate on credit cards for bad credit tends to be much higher than with other credit cards. This means if you don't pay off your balance in full each month, you could end up paying a lot of interest.

Calls may be recorded for training and quality purposes. Calls from UK landlines are usually free, but you should check with your network provider for full details of your service. Credit card deals are based on our external partners available deals. Cards are provided by third parties and are subject to eligibility, status and terms and conditions. Applicants must be UK residents aged 18 or over