Bad Credit

Financial Solutions for Bad Credit

A low credit score doesn’t have to hold you back. Whether your score is 300 or 669, there are legitimate lenders, credit cards, and strategies designed to help you borrow responsibly, rebuild your credit, and improve your financial health.

Your Options by Credit Score

Score Range Rating Loan Options Credit Card Options
580 – 669 Fair Upgrade, Avant, LendingClub Capital One Secured, Credit One
500 – 579 Poor OneMain Financial, Universal Credit OpenSky Secured, First Progress
Below 500 Very Poor OneMain (secured), Credit unions Chime Credit Builder, OpenSky

How to Rebuild Your Credit

  1. Check your credit report for free — dispute any errors (can boost 20-100+ points)
  2. Get a secured credit card — small deposit, reports to all 3 bureaus
  3. Keep utilization below 30% — use less than a third of your available credit
  4. Pay every bill on time — payment history is 35% of your FICO score
  5. Use Experian Boost — add utility and streaming payments for instant points
  6. Consider a personal loan — adds credit mix diversity and builds payment history

What to Avoid

  • Payday loans — APRs of 400%+ create a debt trap
  • Title loans — risk losing your vehicle
  • “Guaranteed approval” scams — no legitimate lender guarantees approval
  • Upfront fee loans — real lenders never charge before disbursement
  • Multiple applications at once — each hard inquiry drops your score 5-10 points

Read our guides on bad credit loans, credit-building strategies, and improving your score below:

Scroll to Top