Petal Visa Credit Card Review
March 24, 2020

Best for: Building credit if you don’t have a credit score
The Petal® Visa® credit card is unique among unsecured credit card options. Designed by startup fintech firm Petal, this card offers a credit-building, cash back option for applicants who don’t have an established credit score. The card also does away with common credit fees including annual and late payment fees and comes with a mobile app to help you track and manage credit spending.
While the Petal® Visa® credit card is fairly new to the market, it’s attracted the attention of more than 50,000 cardholders and established itself as one of the best credit card options for first-timers looking to build credit, manage spending and boost their cash back earnings over time.
“The Petal Card is designed for people on the journey to financial success who are looking to establish or build their credit in a modern way,” Petal CEO Jason Gross said. “We attract a lot of first-time credit users, as well as many others establishing credit that are seeking a better experience.”
The basics
Standout features
Best way to use this card
The biggest benefit of Petal comes from its no-score application process. If you’re just starting to build credit history and don’t want to deal with the deposits necessary for a secured credit option, this card offers easy access to a decent interest rate and reasonable credit limit to help manage your money over time. To get the most from your Petal® Visa® credit card, use the companion mobile application as much as possible. From budgeting and interest calculation tools to credit score access and balance checks, the Petal app can help ensure you’re not spending too much too quickly while also keeping monthly payments on track and on time.
This ties into the secondary benefit of Petal cards: Tiered cash back. When your account opens, you’ll automatically earn 1% cash back on all purchases. Once you make six monthly payments on time, you’ll get 1.25% back on every purchase, and after 12 months of paying on time, you’ll earn 1.5% cash back. It’s worth setting up automatic payments through the Petal app to make every payment on time and reach the top cash back tier as quickly as possible.
While the Petal® Visa® credit card does have some drawbacks — there’s no introductory offer and no cash advance or balance transfer options — this card occupies a unique space between unsecured and secured credit cards by giving applicants with no credit history the ability to access on-demand credit and cash back without the need for a security deposit.
In a nutshell
The Petal® Visa® credit card is a great fit if you’re looking to build your credit score, but want to avoid the pitfalls of large credit limits and the restrictions of deposit-based cards. While the card’s tiered cash back options can’t compete with the reward rates of bigger market players, Petal’s real value comes from its incredibly useful mobile app.
Using the app, cardholders can easily track and manage their spending, keep tabs on their credit score and make sure every payment is on time. Extra security features like encrypted data and biometric access help keep financial information safe, while instant account freezes and 24/7 support give cardholders total control if something doesn’t seem right.
Simply put – Even if your credit doesn’t have deep roots, Petal can help it grow.