The Upgrade Select Visa may be a good option if you’re looking for a credit card that won’t nickel and dime you to death in fees or interest.
In this Upgrade Select Visa review, I’ll help you understand how this credit card/personal loan works and how it can help improve your credit when used correctly.
Overview of Upgrade Select Visa
Most credit cards require a minimum payment and charge interest that compounds until you pay your balance in full.
The Upgrade Select Visa works differently and is open to people with bad credit.
How it Works
The Upgrade Select Visa is part credit card and part personal loan. You can use the card anywhere Visa is accepted, like a credit card. Like any credit card, you can pay it in full or carry the balance forward. This is where the card differs.
Upgrade will set a fixed monthly payment and interest rate if you carry a balance. This gives you predictable monthly payments, and you know exactly when you’ll pay off the balance.
This is unlike credit cards that carry the balance for a much longer period because interest continues to accrue when you have a balance.
Upgrade Select Visa Features
Credit Limit
The Upgrade Select Visa offers credit limits of $500 to $2,000 without a security deposit. You can use the card anywhere Visa is accepted.
Annual Fee
The Upgrade Select Visa has a $39 annual fee that you pay yearly, even if you don’t use the card. They split the fee into 12 equal payments (no interest), and it reduces the amount of your available credit line accordingly.
Regular Purchase APR
Cardholders pay 21.96% to 29.99% on regular purchases. The APR you’re charged is based on your credit score. Like any credit card, the better your score, the lower the rate.
However, Upgrade works a little differently. Instead of paying compounded interest on your balance, you get a fixed payment and interest rate at the end of each cycle, so you know exactly when you’ll pay off your purchases without getting in over your head in debt.
Late Fee
Unlike most credit cards, the Upgrade credit card doesn’t charge a late fee. While we don’t encourage paying your credit card late as it can hurt your credit, it’s nice to know you won’t get hit with a hefty fee if you miss a payment by a day or two.
Balance Transfer Fee
If you transfer a balance to your Upgrade card, you’ll pay up to a 5% balance transfer fee. That’s $5 for every $100 spent.
Foreign Transaction Fee
If you use your Upgrade card abroad, you’ll pay up to a 3% foreign transaction fee or up to $3 for every $100 spent.
Return Payment Fee
If you make a mistake and your payment is returned, you don’t have to worry about getting further into debt with a returned payment fee, as Upgrade doesn’t charge one.
Welcome Bonus
Upgrade offers a $200 welcome bonus if you open a new Rewards Checking Plus account as part of your Card application process*. See terms and conditions on their website.
Cashback Rewards
The Upgrade Select Visa also offers up to 10% cash back with Upgrade Shopping. You must activate offers in your account dashboard and shop online through Dosh or at stores, using your Upgrade card.
Pros and Cons
It’s important to consider the pros and cons of the Upgrade Select Visa to determine if it’s the best choice for you.
Pros
- Attractive welcome bonus
- Flexible qualifying requirements
- Predictable payments that keep interest costs down
Cons
- Has an annual fee
- The maximum credit line is low
Eligibility
Most credit cards require great credit and make it challenging to qualify. The Upgrade Select Visa card has more flexible underwriting requirements, allowing applicants with credit scores as low as 580 to qualify for this unsecured credit card.
When you apply online, you can see if you qualify in seconds, and it doesn’t hurt your credit score.
Application Process
You can apply for the Upgrade Select Visa card online in a matter of seconds.
Simply complete the online application with your name, address, birth date, and annual income, and you’ll have an answer quickly regarding your eligibility.
Compare Upgrade Select Visa With Similar Credit Cards
It’s important to consider your options when looking for a credit-building credit card. Here are some other options.
Petal 2 Visa
The Petal 2 Visa issued by WebBank is a credit card made for people with bad credit. In addition to its credit-building services, it offers 1% – 1.5% cashback on everyday purchases and an automatic credit line increase after six months of on-time payments. Like the Upgrade Select Visa, there are no late or returned payment fees, but the APR varies from 18.24% to 32.24%.
Chime Secured Visa® Credit Card
The Chime Secured Visa® credit card is for people with bad credit who want to build credit for free. This secured credit card doesn’t charge an annual fee and doesn’t charge interest. To be eligible, you must have a Chime checking account. The money you move from your checking account to the Chime Secured Visa® is your credit line. Each time you use the card, it helps you build credit with your on-time payments.
FAQs
The Upgrade Select Visa may help you get an unsecured credit card with bad credit. Here are some questions people have about it.
How Can I Qualify for the $200 Rewards Checking Plus Bonus?
To get the $200 Rewards Checking Plus Bonus*, you must open a Rewards Checking Plus account, make three debit card transactions within 60 days, and apply for the Upgrade Select Visa.
Can I Adjust My Credit Limit With the Upgrade Select Visa?
Upgrade doesn’t offer automatic credit limit increases. With a good payment history and regular use, though, you may be able to request an increase.
Does Upgrade Select Visa Do a Hard Pull?
To prequalify for the Upgrade Select Visa, your credit score isn’t affected. However, if you accept the offer and move forward, they will do a hard credit pull, which could temporarily affect your credit score. If you use the card responsibly, though, you may improve your credit score with the card.
Is Customer Support Available 24/7 for the Upgrade Select Visa?
Upgrade doesn’t have 24/7 customer service, but they are available during normal business hours for customer support.
How Does the Upgrade Select Visa Help Build or Improve Credit?
Your payment history is the largest component of your credit score, and with the Upgrade Select Visa, you pay fixed monthly payments to pay down your balance. If you make your payments on time, it will help build or improve your credit score. In addition, paying your balance down faster decreases your credit utilization rate, which is also good for your credit score.
Is It Easy to Get Approved for the Upgrade Select Visa?
The Upgrade Select Visa has more flexible underwriting guidelines than most credit cards. Even though it’s unsecured, you may be eligible even with a credit score as low as 580.
The Bottom Line
As you can see in my Upgrade Select Visa review, this is a different type of credit card. You should use it with caution, like any credit card, and pay your balance off as quickly as possible. With its low annual fee and proper use, though, this card may help you build your credit without a security deposit or crazy high fees.
*Welcome Bonus Disclosure: To qualify for the welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Rewards Checking Plus account through Upgrade and make 3 qualifying debit card transactions from your Rewards Checking Plus account within 60 days of the date the Rewards Checking Plus account is opened. If you have previously opened a checking account through Upgrade or do not open a Rewards Checking Plus account as part of this application process, you are not eligible for this welcome bonus offer. Your Upgrade Card and Rewards Checking Plus account must be open and in good standing to receive a bonus. To qualify, debit card transactions must have settled and exclude ATM transactions. Please refer to the applicable Upgrade VISA® Debit Card Agreement and Disclosures for more information. Welcome bonus offers cannot be combined, substituted, or applied retroactively. The bonus will be applied to your Rewards Checking Plus account as a one-time payout credit within 60 days after meeting the conditions.
