rewrite this title Credit-Builder Cards With Monthly Fees – NerdWallet

Credit cards with monthly fees — usually from smaller financial technology companies — have become readily available to those seeking to build or rebuild their credit. These cards tend to offer safeguards to prevent debt and make budgeting easier, since the fee is predictable and, when broken out monthly instead of annually, perhaps a little easier to manage.

They have varying terms and functions, but many work like a charge card. This means you typically can’t carry a balance; it must be paid in full each month, hence there’s often no APR. But even without interest, these cards can end up being more expensive than traditional credit cards for beginners or second-chance seekers. With a traditional credit card, you’ll never owe interest anyway if you pay your bill in full each month — but with a no-interest card that charges a monthly fee, you’ll owe that fee every billing cycle, regardless of whether you’re using the card or keeping it in a drawer.

True, these newer fintech cards can help your credit because they often report your payments to some or all of the major credit bureaus. But there’s usually a drawback here, too: Once you work your way up to better credit, there’s often no path to upgrade to a no-fee option. You’ll either have to keep paying the fee or cancel the card — which could negatively impact the credit you just worked so hard to improve.

But if you’ve exhausted other options, here are some credit cards with monthly fees to consider.

The Neu Card 1 has a monthly fee of $84 ($7 monthly fee), and it doesn’t charge interest because you’re not allowed to carry a balance on the card from one month to the next. It earns 3% cash back on air travel purchases, which could be hit or miss depending on how much you travel — but rewards are less important when your goal is to build credit.

With that in mind, this card reports payments to only two of the three major credit bureaus as of January 2026. If you can qualify for an option that reports to all three and keeps the monthly fee low, that’s a better offer. The Neu Card 1 may still be a good fit for international applicants because it doesn’t necessarily require a U.S. credit history or Social Security number.

The Grow Credit Mastercard requires a monthly membership fee ranging from $3.99 to $12.99. It doesn’t charge interest because you can’t carry a balance, and your purchasing options are limited. You can only use the card to pay for qualifying subscription services like Netflix, Spotify, etc. The more expensive plans offer higher spending limits, which allows for more subscriptions to be paid. Payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus. There’s no credit check to apply, but you’ll have to link an existing bank account through a third-party service (Plaid) to qualify.

The Super.com Card is a secured card that requires a Super+ membership that costs $15 per month. The membership includes discounts and other perks. The card itself doesn’t charge a monthly fee, interest or require a credit check. Connecting your debit card or bank account is required to fund your Super.com deposit account, which sets your credit limit. The card earns some rewards and reports payments to the three major credit bureaus.

Unlike the other options on this list, the TD Clear Visa Platinum Credit Card is offered by a traditional bank and not a startup or fintech. Instead of charging interest, the card requires a predictable monthly fee of either $10 or $20. The higher fee qualifies you for a higher credit limit. It doesn’t earn rewards, so you won’t have that option to defray some of the cost. You can save on late payment fees or foreign transaction fees, since the card doesn’t charge them. Aim for on-time payments, though, to maintain healthy credit.

The Ava Credit Builder Card is linked to a membership service that offers access to Ava products for $8 per month ($96 annually) if you pay upfront. Otherwise, it’s $10 per month. It doesn’t charge interest, since you can’t carry a balance. There are limits to consider, as you can only use the card at the Ava store and with Ava-approved merchants, up to a certain amount. Your payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus.

The Kikoff credit card is a secured card that requires a Kickoff Premium plan ($20 per month) or Ultimate plan ($35 per month) to qualify. It doesn’t charge interest. These subscription plans offer credit-building features, including reporting your payments to all three major credit bureaus if you meet the minimum deposit requirement. You’ll need to link an eligible account to fund the card in the amount that sets your credit limit. The card also earns rewards in the form of online deals and card-linked offers.

The Atlas Card charges $8.99 per month or $89 annually, and no interest charges apply. This card is integrated with a handful of services that include a built-in subscription manager, a deposit account with early paycheck access and tax-filing services. It also earns up to 10% cash back when you shop with select merchants, up to 5% cash back on eligible subscription services and up to 3% cash back on daily essentials. You can also earn more with Lucky Swipes, a feature that offers the chance to win cash back on purchases. You’ll have to connect a bank to fund the card with your credit limit. This card reports payments to all three major credit bureaus.

As of January 2026, the Possible Card is available by invitation only. There’s no credit check and no interest charges, but it does require a fee of $8 per month for a $400 credit limit, or $16 per month for an $800 limit. You won’t earn rewards to help offset that cost either.