24 Credit Cards That Use Experian for Approval (Reportedly)

In a world of countless credit card offers, it’s easy to get quickly get overwhelmed when trying to figure out which card offer is a good fit for you. You’re also trying to avoid getting dinged for too many credit inquiries. A great strategy is to target cards that are more likely to approve your application. This isn’t easy, or foolproof, but you may improve your odds of acceptance by targeting card brands that match with your highest credit bureau FICO score. If your highest credit score is on your Experian credit report, keep reading to find out which credit cards might tip the odds in your favor.

What Is Experian?

Experian is a multinational credit bureau responsible for vetting the creditworthiness of millions of people. It is one of the ‘Big Three’ bureaus that credit card companies report to regularly — the other two being TransUnion and Equifax. Whenever you apply for a credit card, the bank or financial institution issuing the card will request your FICO credit score from at least one of the three credit reporting bureaus.

How Can I Find out If My Experian Score Is the Best Between All Agencies?

Each credit reporting bureau has its own method of calculating your FICO score, which is why your credit score often differs from one bureau to the next. It’s important to know what’s included in your credit report. Fortunately, you’re entitled to a free copy of your credit report from all three credit reporting bureaus annually through AnnualCreditReport.com, the only authorized website for free credit reports, according to the FTC. You can also request your free credit report by contacting them at (877) 322-8228.

Your free credit report will not include your credit score, but it will include all information reported to the three credit bureaus. If you notice any discrepancies on your credit report, it is important to immediately contact the appropriate credit bureau to dispute the information. Inaccurate information on your report can result in a lower credit score.

If you notice that the information reported to Experian is more positive than the other bureaus, your score may therefore be higher. However, if you want to know your FICO scores through Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax, you can purchase them through the appropriate company. Many credit cards also provide customers with their credit score, free of charge.

Can I Be Guaranteed That the Credit Cards on This List Use Only Experian?

Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that the credit cards listed here will only and always use Experian when determining creditworthiness for an applicant. Therefore, we cannot make a claim or guarantee that you’ll be approved for any specific credit card on this list. However, Experian provides a list of over two dozen credit card choices on its website. Since there’s no way to know if your Experian report is pulled for your application, your initial credit check may be done by Experian, Equifax or TransUnion. Consider taking steps to improve your score with all three agencies to better your chances. Meanwhile, you can use this information to make decisions about whether to proceed with an application or avoid the hassle.

Although there is no absolute guarantee that the following banks and financial institutions are going to rely exclusively on Experian reports, this information can improve your odds of getting approved for a credit card if your FICO score is best through Experian. Good luck!

The List of Credit Cards That Use Experian for Approval

Follow the link provided in the table for further details.

1. Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard

• Credit Needed: Excellent (720+)
• APR: 18.24%, 22.24%, or 25.24%; Variable
• Annual Fee: $89 (waived the first year)
• Balance Transfer Fees: $5 or 3%, whichever is greater
• Rewards: Earn 70,000 bonus miles per year after spending $5,000 in the first 90 days
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 0%
• Apply

2. Chase Freedom Unlimited

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: $0 for the first 15 billing cycles; 15.74% to 24.49% afterward; Variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: $5 or 5% for each transfer
• Rewards: $150 bonus after $500 spent on purchases within the first three months; earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• Apply

3. Chase Freedom Visa

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: $0 first 15 billing cycles; 15.74% to 24.49% afterward; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: $5 or 5% for each transfer
• Rewards: $150 bonus after $500 spent on purchases within the first three months; earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories per quarter, earn 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• Apply

4. Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 16.74% to 23.74% on creditworthiness; variable
• Annual Fee: $0 the first year; $95 per year afterward
• Balance Transfer Fees: $5 or 5% for each transfer
• Rewards: 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first three months; Earn 2x the points for dining and travel
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

5. Chase Slate

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: $0 for the first 15 billing cycles; 15.74% to 24.49% afterward; Variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: $0 for first 60 days of account; $5 or 5% afterward for each transaction
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• Apply

6. Credit One Bank NASCAR Visa Credit Card

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 20.24% to 26.24% on creditworthiness; Variable
• Annual Fee: $0 to $75 for the first year; $0 to $99 afterward, fee divided into 12 equal portions, billed monthly; $19 authorized user participation fee (only if applicable)
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: 1.0% to 1.1% cash back on eligible purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% or $1.00 of each transaction
• Apply

7. Credit One Bank Platinum Visa Credit Card

• Credit Needed: Fair (550-639) to Good (640-719)
• APR: 20.24% to 26.24% on creditworthiness; variable
• Annual Fee: $0 to $75 for the first year; $0 to $99 afterward, fee divided into 12 equal portions, billed monthly; $19 authorized user participation fee (only if applicable)
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: 1.0% to 1.1% cash back on eligible purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% or $1.00 of each transaction
• Apply

8. Discover It (18-Month Balance Transfer)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 11.74% to 23.74%; Variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: $0 for 18 months
• Rewards: Dollar-for-dollar match for all earned cash back at the end of the first year
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

9. Discover It (Cashback Match)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 0% for first 14 months; 11.74% to 23.74% on creditworthiness; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: Earn 5% cash back in rotating categories; Unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

10. Discover It (Chrome)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719)
• APR: $0 for first 14 months; 11.74% to 23.74% afterward; Variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter, plus an additional 1% cash back on other purchases; automatic cash back matches on all earned cash back at end of the first year
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

11. Discover It (Miles)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 0% for first 14 months; 11.74% to 23.74% on creditworthiness; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: Unlimited 1.5x miles for each dollar spent on eligible purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

12. Discover It (NHL)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 0% for the first 14 months; 11.74% to 23.74% afterward; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transaction
• Rewards: Earn 5% cash back in rotating categories; Unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases; automatic cash back match on all earnings during the first year
• Foreign Transaction Fees: N/A
• Apply

13. Discover It (Secured)

• Credit Needed: Bad (Below 500), Poor (500-549), Fair (550-639), to Good (640-719)
• APR: 23.74%; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: Earn 2% cash back on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter; earn 1% cash back on other purchases; automatic cash back match on all earnings during the first year
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

14. Discover It (Students)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 0% for first 6 months; 13.74% to 22.74% afterward; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: Earn $20 cash back each school year for a 3.0 or higher GPA for up to 5 years; 5% cash back in rotating categories; Unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases; dollar-for-dollar end of year cash back match
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

15. Discover It (Students Chrome)

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 0% for first 6 months; 13.74% to 22.74% afterward; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: $20 cash back each school year for a 3.0 or higher GPA for up to 5 years; 2% cash back in rotating categories; Unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases; dollar-for-dollar end of year cash back match
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

16. First Access Visa

• Credit Needed: Bad (Below 500), Poor (500-549), to Fair (550-639)
• APR: 29.99%; fixed
• Annual Fee: $75 for the first year; $48 afterward; $89 one-time processing fee
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: You may not use your Card outside the United States
• Apply

17. First Progress Platinum Elite Mastercard Secured

Note: Not available in the following states: Arkansas, Iowa, New York, and Wisconsin.

• Credit Needed: None
• APR: 19.99%; variable
• Annual Fee: $29
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction
• Apply

18. First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard Secured

Note: Not available in the following states: Arkansas, Iowa, New York, and Wisconsin.

• Credit Needed: None
• APR: 9.99%; Variable
• Annual Fee: $49
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: N/A
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction
• Apply

19. First Progress Platinum Select Mastercard Secured

Note: Not available in the following states: Arkansas, Iowa, New York, and Wisconsin.

• Credit Needed: None
• APR: 13.99%; variable
• Annual Fee: $39
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction
• Apply

20. JetBlue Mastercard

• Credit Needed: Good (640-719) to Excellent (720+)
• APR: 12.74%, 20.74%, or 25.74% on creditworthiness; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: $5 or 3% for each transfer
• Rewards: Earn 5,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases; Earn 3x points on JetBlue purchases; Earn 2x points on groceries and restaurant purchases; Earn 1x points on other purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

21. JetBlue Plus Mastercard

• Credit Needed: Excellent (720+)
• APR: 0% for the first 12 billing cycles; 12.75%, 20.74%, or 25.74% afterward; variable
• Annual Fee: $0
• Balance Transfer Fees: 3% or $5 for each transfer
• Rewards: Earn 30,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases; Earn 6x points on JetBlue purchases; Earn 2x points on groceries and restaurant purchases; Earn 1x points on other purchases
• Foreign Transaction Fees: $0
• Apply

22. Merrick Bank Secured Visa

• Credit Needed: Bad (Below 500), Poor (500-549), to Fair (550-639)
• APR: 18.20%; variable
• Annual Fee: $36 for the first year; billed $3 per month afterward
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 2% of each transaction
• Apply

23. Reflex Mastercard

• Credit Needed: Bad (Below 500), Poor (500-549), to Fair (550-639)
• APR: 29.99%; Variable
• Annual Fee: $125 for the first year; $96 afterward
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction
• Apply

24. Total Visa

• Credit Needed: Bad (Below 500), Poor (500-549), to Fair (550-639)
• APR: $29.99%
• Annual Fee: $75 for the first year; $48 afterward; $89 one-time setup fee
• Balance Transfer Fees: N/A
• Rewards: None
• Foreign Transaction Fees: You may not use your Card outside the United States
• Apply

In Summary

Your respectable Experian FICO score may allow you to get approved for one or more of the credit cards on the list. While there’s no way to guarantee that the credit cards we’ve compiled will always pull your Experian credit report over TransUnion or Equifax, we’ve done extensive research that we hope will up your odds of being approved for a credit card.

Suggested Articles: Credit Cards That Reportedly Use TransUnion Only and Credit Cards That Reportedly Use Equifax Only