Discover it Secured Credit Card
Building or rebuilding credit while earning rewards
Annual feeNone
Who qualifiesNew / rebuilding credi…
MarketUSA
By credit score · 580–639 · 3 cards ranked
Best Credit Cards for a 600 Credit Score 2026
Fair-credit cards ranked for a 580–639 score: which approve, which pay rewards and which to avoid, with the route to a prime card in a year.
Score range580 – 639
Rewards availableUp to 1.5% cash back
Annual fee (ranked cards)$0 – $39
Next tier670+ in ~12 months
Advertiser disclosure: we may earn a commission when you apply through links on this page. Rankings are editorial and not influenced by compensation. How we make money · How we rank
Discover it Student Cash Back
College students building credit while earning rewards
Annual feeNone
Who qualifiesFair to Good (limited…
MarketUSA
Capital One Platinum Secured
People building or rebuilding credit
Annual feeNone
Who qualifiesLimited / Rebuilding
MarketUSA
The guide
How to choose: Credit Cards for a 600 Credit Score
A 600 score is the awkward middle: too low for most rewards cards, high enough that you should never pay fee-harvester prices. Several mainstream issuers target exactly this band with cards that pay 1%–1.5% back, charge nothing or a small fee and review your limit within six months. We rank them here on cost, rewards and how quickly they move you up.
The cards that define this tier
Capital One QuicksilverOne (1.5% back, $39 fee) is the benchmark for rewards at fair credit. Capital One Platinum drops the rewards and the fee. Petal 2 uses bank-account data instead of just your score and charges nothing. Discover it Secured remains the strongest choice if you can fund a deposit — its rewards beat most unsecured fair-credit cards.
Pre-qualify before you apply
Capital One, Discover, Petal and Mission Lane all offer soft-pull pre-qualification. At 600 every hard inquiry counts, so only apply where the pre-check is positive.
Using the card to reach 670
Keep the reported balance under 10% of the limit, pay in full by autopay and avoid new applications. Accept limit increases — they cut utilisation. Most people reach the "good" band within a year and can move to a no-fee 2% card, keeping the first card open for its history.
Frequently asked questions
What credit card can I get with a 600 credit score?
Capital One Platinum and QuicksilverOne, Petal 2, Mission Lane, Discover it Secured and Chase Freedom Rise all approve applicants around 600. Use pre-qualification first.
Can I get a rewards card with a 600 score?
Yes — QuicksilverOne pays 1.5% cash back and Discover it Secured pays 2% on gas and dining. Premium rewards cards will have to wait until 670+.
Is 600 a bad credit score?
It is "fair" under FICO (580–669). Lenders see it as elevated risk but not disqualifying, which is why fair-credit cards exist.
Guides for this ranking
Credit Card Requirements Explained: Income, Score, Age
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What Credit Score Do You Need for a Credit Card?
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Documents Needed to Apply for a Credit Card
The details every US card application asks for, the ID, proof of address and proof of income an issuer may request, why verification happens and how to send documents safely.
Credit Card Eligibility for Students & First-Timers
No credit history? Here's how students and first-time applicants can qualify for their first credit card and start building a strong score.
Minimum Income Requirements for Credit Cards
Why most cards do not publish a minimum income, how the federal ability-to-pay rule works, what you can count as income, the under-21 rules and how issuers verify it.
FICO vs VantageScore: Why Your Credit Scores Are Different
FICO vs VantageScore explained for US readers: who builds each score, the versions lenders use, why your numbers differ and the habits that raise both.