There are finance companies and establishments that feature easy to get cards with no credit checks and instant approval. They are ideal for Canadians with a history of late and missed payments, excessive borrowing, and delinquencies. Such customers are considered high risk by traditional providers.
Credit Cards Canada Instant Approval
Some companies and financial institutions feature products with instant approval, including Canadian Tire and Home Trust.
Home Trust features a Secured Visa card that allows customers to book a vacation and make in-store and online purchases. The best part is that anyone gets approved. The limit is equal to the deposit made, which can be as high as $10,000 and as low as just $500.
- Interest rate: 14.99 percent
- Annual fee: $59
Canadian Tire also advertises instant decision for customers who fill in the application for approval. The Triangle MasterCard® allows customers to earn rewards that can be redeemed at Atmosphere, Mark’s/L’Équipeur, Sport Chek, and Canadian Tire. There is a host of benefits for holders, including access to exclusive events and offers, no-receipt returns, and 5 – 7 ¢ per litre in cash back in CT Money when making debit or cash purchases. Weekly flyer bonuses are also available. Like other instant approval credit cards, customers who are retired or employed, are of legal age, and are Canadian citizens are eligible to apply. Applicants are asked to provide details such as address and name of current employer, annual income, and previous address. (*Note that customers have reported that approval process may take 2 weeks.)
- Interest rate on cash transactions: 22.99 percent
- Purchase interest rate: 19.99 percent
- Annual fee: none
- Grace period: 21 days or longer
- Grace period for residents of Quebec: 26 days or longer
Cards with No Credit Checks
The Bank of Nova Scotia and Refresh Financial feature products that target customers with bad or no credit.
Scotiabank offers the Scotia Momentum® No-Fee VISA which is a great option for newcomers to Canada – no credit history is needed for newcomers to Canada. This card goes with perks such as discounts on car rentals, optional protection, and the option to add a family member or а friend as a supplementary holder. Customers earn 1 percent cash back on recurring bill payments, drug store and grocery store purchases, and at gas stations. All other purchases earn 0.5 percent money back. As an added benefit, the bank offers a low promotional rate of just 7.99 percent during the first 6 months. (*Note that customers have reported credit checks being done.)
- Minimum credit limit: $500
- Cash advance rate: 22.99 percent
- Standard rate: 19.99 percent
- Annual fee: none
- Grace period: 21 days or longer
If looking for no credit checks credit cards, the Refresh Secured Visa is a great option for borrowers with blemished scores because no credit check is required. Applicants are asked to make a security deposit but there are benefits such as free financial education, easy approval, and the opportunity to rebuild credit. The Financial Intelligence Training program by Refresh Financial offers customers the chance to learn how to create a personal brand, set financial goals, build personal wealth, save money, and more. Customers are offered free short videos on a wealth of different topics. Refresh Financial also features useful guides and tools such as advice on building credit after bankruptcy or consumer proposal , ways to improve one’s financial literacy.
- Interest rate: 17.99 percent
- Annual fee: $48.95
Guaranteed Credit Card Canada
Some issuers advertise guaranteed credit card approval , among which Capital One and Home Trust. Capital One features three such products – Low Rate Guaranteed, Guaranteed Secured, and Guaranteed MasterCard.
Low Rate Guaranteed MasterCard® requires a security deposit and goes with added incentives such as travel assistance, baggage delay insurance, and common carrier travel accident insurance. Other perks include emergency cash advances and card replacement and extended warranty. All applicants qualify provided that they do not have an account at the bank which was not in good standing and are of legal age.
- Cash advance interest rate: 19.8 percent
- Balance transfer and purchase rate: 14.9 percent
- Annual fee: $79
- Credit limit: $300 to $7,000
The Guaranteed MasterCard® is another option for customers who are looking for a guaranteed credit card. This product comes with travel and everyday benefits such as car rental collision waiver, extended warranty, and others. Customers benefit from legal referrals, lost luggage assistance, lost ticket and documents replacements, medical referrals, and others.
- Interest rate: 19.8 percent
- Annual fee: $59
In general to get approved for a guaranteed credit card Canada based customers must make a security deposit which serves as a guarantee of repayment.
Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit Canada
Getting an unsecured card is a great idea provided that security deposit is not required. Scotiabank and Capital One offer products that are designed for customers with tarnished scores.
The Scotiabank Value® Visa is one product to look into, which also targets newcomers to Canada. There is an option to transfer and consolidate high-interest balances to make payments more affordable. Additional perks include optional protection, discounts on car rentals at Budget and Avis locations in the USA and Canada, Visa payWave.
- Interest rate: 11.99 percent
- Annual fee: $29
- Credit limit: $500 or higher
Capital One also offers an unsecured bad credit card that is ideal for customers who are considered high risk. The Secured MasterCard® is easy to get and features benefits such as price protection, 24/7 roadside assistance, travel assistance, travel accident and auto rental insurance, and more. Identity theft resolution services are also available. Customers are free to choose a preferred payment method and monthly due date and are offered three security deposit options ($200, $99, and $49).
- Interest rate: 24.99 percent
- Cash advance rate: 24.99 percent
- Annual fee: none
Easy to Get Credit Cards
Different financial institutions feature cards that target borrowers with fair and average scores, including BMO, Home Trust and Scotiabank.
The Preferred Rate MasterCard® by BMO® is one option to look into, which comes with a low intro rate of 3.99 percent. This rate applies to balance transfers during a 9-month promotional period. There are add-ons such as balance protection and roadside assistance. BMO also advertises security features such as MasterCard SecureCode, zero liability, and chip technology. Customers are eligible to apply provided that they did not file for bankruptcy during the past seven years and are of the age of majority in their territory or province of residence. They are asked to bring photo identification such as their territorial or provincial health insurance card, certificate of Canadian citizenship, Permanent Resident Card, driver’s license, Immigration Canada Documents, etc. When applying for a card, customers are asked about their housing status, address, monthly payment, years of employment and employment information, income details, and more.
- Cash advance rate: 11.9 percent
- Interest rate: 11.9 percent
- Annual fee: $20
- Grace period: 21 days or longer
The Vancity enviro Secured Visa is also a good choice for customers with fair and tarnished scores, those with past financial problems, and recent immigrants. Those who deposit $500 or more in their TFSA, Jumpstart High Interest Savings Account or Vancity Term Deposit are offered an enviro Visa. The amount deposited determines the limit. The card goes with multiple benefits such as Visa payWave and Checkout, stolen and lost card protection, recurring payments, lost and delayed baggage insurance, travel accident insurance, and more. Optional coverage includes trip interruption, trip cancellation, and travel medical insurance as well as critical illness, life, and accidental dismemberment insurance. An added benefit is the option to set up automatic payments to avoid late and missed payments. Customers also have access to their online account information, including statement data, transactions, and current balance. Customers can apply by visiting a local branch.
- Low interest rate: 11.25 percent
- Regular interest rate: 19.5 percent
- Annual fee: none
Toronto Dominion features the TD Cash Secured Credit Card which requires a deposit made into a TD Simple Savings Account. The deposit serves as collateral and can be as low as $500. On the good side, this card allows holders to earn money back on regular purchases, purchases at grocery stores, and dining. Holders earn 1 percent back on regular purchases, 2 percent on groceries, and 3 percent on fine and casual dining. Additional benefits include instant card replacement, chip technology protection, and digital wallet that allows customers to add their card to their phone. *Please note that this card is no longer available.
- Balance transfer APR: 24.74 percent
- Variable purchase APR: 24.74 percent
- Cash advance APR: 26.99 percent
- Foreign transaction fee: $0
- Annual fee: $29
- Credit limit: $500 – $5,000
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce also offers secured cards to newcomers, Canadians trying to rebuild or build credit, and international students. Applicants are asked to make a security deposit which is held in an interest-bearing investment instrument. Newcomers to Canada can choose a card that is tailored to their requirements provided that they have another borrowing or banking product in good standing, including a mortgage, line of credit, loan, or savings or chequing account. A security deposit is not required, and customers with no credit history qualify provided that they meet the criteria.
There are plenty of options for customers who are looking for guaranteed and secured credit cards but in most cases, finance companies and banks require that borrowers provide proof of employment and income and make a security deposit. The reason is that customers with tarnished scores may have poor credit and money management skills, which often results in having delinquent accounts. The good news is that by making regular and timely payments on secured cards, customers manage to rebuild credit over time and are offered a wealth of borrowing options.
It looks like Capital One are the biggest player In the market that offers guaranteed credit cards. Would they give me a credit card, considering that my credit hovers around 500?
Probably you can get a credit card with them with a very low limit, but that is a start.
Wouldn’t give me one. Well, they would do a secured card, meaning I would have to put 300 on it upfront, so it is essentailly a pre-paid card.
My credit is about 482.
Start with the secured creditcard for $300. Pay in full every month. Rebuild your credit scores this way. I started with 530 Transunion last year in March and went for the Capital One secured Mastercard though my security deposit was $75. After 6 months of paying in full, I was offered an credit limit increase to $2800. Meanwhile my credit score went up continuously.. Now my credit scores are 690 with Borrowell and 706 Transunion and I hold 2 more creditcards of $3000 credit limits. Don’t get disheartened. Rebuild your credit and after 6 months to a year, you’ll be able to get new creditcards ..
Great response. We all get disappointed at some point. Capital One is a good credit card to start.
It’s not a prepaid, I started with Citibank like that, prepaid cards dont report to credit agencies. But secured credit cards do. Just pay your balance in full for 6 months straight and they will increase your credit limit, capital one is good like that
You may need to put a deposit down but if you pay your card on time you will get deposit back quickly. I went bankrupt and got a card , I put $300 deposit but in 6 months I had my money back and a $1500 increase
I went bankrupt and just got discharged 5 days ago. I applied for the capital one Gold MasterCard and was instantly approved with unsecured at $1000 limit. They are pretty good.
Yes Jason, Capitol One will definitely accept your application. it might be something like 300$ credit limit but if payments are made on time and you don’t go over the limit for at least 6 months, they will raise your limit to 1000$ after you approved such a raise to your credit card account
They gave me one and because of a nasty ex my perfect credit is horrible now I believe I am about the same. All they can say is no right lol
I was able to with a score a little over 500. Credit limit of $300 and I didn’t have to make a deposit.
i wish to have a credit card please
It’s funny how much people on here with scores lower than 650 are applying for credit. Maybe fix your habits that got your scores so low first? Cause guarantee you will mess it up all over again. I’ve heard all the lame excuses before..
Maybe they didnt have ANY “nasty habits” to begin with! Maybe they are just building their credit!!! Think before you allow such ignorant things come out of your mouth!
I agree!
You are a f$&!ing idiot. You have no idea what challenges some people face in life.
How presumptuous to make such a narrow-minded statement such as that. Get outside if your bubble and learn the world doesn’t exist merely as you see it. You pretty much deserve all of the snide remarks aimed your way Scooby.
i well like to have this credit card please thank you very much
Then apply for one? Are you hoping that some bank is going to just hunt you down and give you one because you asked in a forum that they have nothing to do with? Maybe you should stick to paying with cash for a while 🙄
I’ll take the BMO card please
I’d suggest applying to BMO lol not posting on a comment🙄
Sad how she wasn’t the only one to post that 🙄 Imagine their reaction when a bill comes in the mail! Will they post on here, “I don’t have money to pay for that”? 🤣
Which credit card can i get that isnt secured with a bad credit besides capital one.
I think Capital One will be your best bet. What’s wrong with getting a secured credit card?
Capitol One is the best bet, not secured. The others i have been turned down so i just going to sit back and build my credit up through Capitol One
I had a credit card from capitol one, for ten years. one day I tried to use it and it would not work, lucky for me I had another means of paying., to make a long story short, they would not unlock my card. I phoned them and wrote them, with no response, the phone call was a waste of time. I closed my account with them. and moved on. and I owed them nothing at the time.
It’s true that when you need $ most, they won’t give you a second thought & when you need it least,they throw it at you like it’s candy!! But if you want to have credit cards with decent limits, you have to work for it. There is no way around it, but thru it!
About a year & 1/2 ago, my credit was pretty bad and while I started with a SECURED Cap One credit card, i worked diligently to always make on time pymts. I also found using free credit monitoring (such as Borrowell) to keep an eye out on my credit file also helped me continue to build my credit by applying for credit/loans that they rated me having a ‘high’ chance of getting approved for (not once denied for any applied for that way). The higher my credit climbed, the more (& better) offers I received! but the fastest & easiest way i found to increase my limits on my cc’s (without having to even ask) is to put a portion of my $ on my cc’s & use THAT to buy groceries, pay bills, etc… Within a year, I had gone from a $500 secured Cap One card and now I’m at a $5,000 limit…and not once did I have to ask😊 Does that mean I never use any of my limit? Of course not! But i have learned as long as I keep my utilization rates low, my #’s continue to rise & so do my limits! I have now started to receive mortgage offers & my dream of home ownership that I thought would never happen…is becoming a real possibility for me!
If you’re willing to WORK 4 it & CHANGE bad habits….you can turn it around faster than you think😊
Thank you for sharing your personal accomplishments! Your 100% right nothing is going to happen unless you work for it and take the steps to curve your bad habits! No one is going to batter your life for you you have to do it yourself. 6 months is no time at all and it’s worth it just thinking about where I could be in a year is enough motivation for me! Question – where did you learn the best way to build ie putting money on your card and using that for gas etc? Just curious 🙂 thanks again
My credit was mid 500, I applied for a Canadian Tire MasterCard. Was approved at $300. This was 3 months ago. Each month I paid it off. Today I was given an increase of $1500. It can be done.
Im looking into Canadian tire as well, but credit score is just 575 🙁 I have 2 small amounts in collections… is your story similar?? maybe ill try to apply 🙂
The Triangle they advertise? Did you apply online and get a response that day ? Or wait 2-6 weeks to find out ?
I tried getting a Scotiabank card, but got denied, even though my credit is average. I guess they have changed their underwriting rules, bevause I have a friend with credit worse than mine who got the same card last year.
i have no idea what my credit score is like but its probably not the best anyway i just recently about 8 months ago got my very first legal job im changing my life around slowly and i think getting a credit card to repair my credit would be a great thing
Hard to get a secured card when you dont have money to deposit, the whole idea of getting a card is to rebuild my credit, if i had $300 cash to deposit, i wouldn’t need the card id use the cash to pay what i wanted to put in credit, so the whole idea of getting a secured card to me is ridiculous, i need the card as i dont have the cash to pay what i need to pay im not gonna tie up the cash on a security deposit when i need it asap.
You miss the point of credit. You shouldn’t spend on credit what you can’t afford to pay back.
Exactly! Hence the security deposit!
Well, save up the money you would use to pay your card and get it once you have what’s required. Would you lend money to someone who is flat broke and panics at the thought of having to fork over a couple hundred bucks? There’s “high risk” and then there’s “LOW Risk”, which I think the latter applies to you (meaning low risk of ever getting their money back).
I would like the Canadian Tire Triangle Card please. How do i apply?
Hi Shelley, you can go to any Canadian Tire store and apply.
Seriously? Go on their website and click “Apply Now”? Is your next question, “What happens if I can’t pay the minimum balance”?
I’ve had the secured Capital One card for 1 full year and it has a $2500 limit that is backed by a deposit by me of $2300. There were some R9’s in my credit related to a business I had a few years back. If you have current debt that still on your bureau, your credit will not go up until those have been cleared. Once those were cleared off my score began to rise.
Another key my thing to remember is that secured or unsecured, your “debt utilization” level plays a big factor. If the card is reported with a balance greater than 60-70% of your total limit, you will not see your score increase, and quite possibly see a decrease. I make a point to pay my card off every month and wait to charge anything until the balance is reported on the 20th of each month.
And lastly, be patient. It takes time to fix bad credit. Borrow whenever or wherever you can, keep total utilization low, and ALWAYS pay in time.
I would like to know what kind of credit card I could get with a score of 615
I’m trying to get a No Credit, unsecured credit card.
I have debt with Rbc, TD, Capital one and don’t have money to deposit on a card but need at least $500. I live in a small town and no car and don’t have good history with BMO either because of bad decisions with them and above and being scammed.
Is there a card for me ? With that history lol
Ive been with capital 1 for 3 years. I have auto pay through my bank so cards paid in full everymonth the only bill on the card is my daughters cell phone. So my utilization is very low my scores at only 640 and they still tell me as its a SECURED card they can not raise the limit. I need to cancel the card and apply for an unsecured card.. but ive now read 4 people saying they have incresed the limit on a SECURED card ?? Makes no sence. Also i dont want to cancell as i like to show the card history in good standing.
The Triangle MasterCard from Canadian Tire is definitely not “instant approval”. Just applied for it and afterwards they said it could take up to two weeks to be approved.
Steve, could that be a backlog issue because of the COVID-19 situation?
Hello Sam, I was told the same thing back in April and still haven’t heard anything.
I started with a capital 1 secured with 300 every payday I increased it by 100 eventually I had a limit of 2000 kept it for 2 years closed it out applied for canadian tire options and the gas card got approved for both my score on my credit is now a 651
Definitely not? Maybe stick to commenting only on your individual occurence. I got mine approved instantly. If your score is low or there is another reason you were flagged (they don’t just go by your credit score alone) then they take the time to gather more information before they make a decision.
I got approved for a card but the didn’t get my signature so they told me to apply again and I was refused. Go figure
I got approved right off 3000.00 my credit score is 550
If you have bad credit, I’d be cautious about applying to major banks (e.g. BMO, Scotia). These financial institutions are very risk adverse. You’ll likely be denied, but still have a hard pull ding your credit score. However, some of these banks offer secured cards that require a deposit, which they do not advertise online. You will need to go into a branch to inquire about secured products.
Capital One hands out unsecured cards like candy. I had negative history with Capital One, but they still approved me for an unsecured card (Transunion & Equifax around 590). It started at $300, but gave me a credit limit increase of $2,500 in 7 months.
Canadian Tire is also very easy to get. I got instant approval with a $3,000 about 9 months after getting and responsibly using the Capital One card. Furthermore, I called Canadian Tire after 7 months for a credit limit increase, which they granted to $5,500.
Around the same time, I applied and was instantly approved for a MBNA card. I was approved for $3,500 and ended up with the World card with some surprising perks. I think MBNA is relatively relaxed with giving credit.
With damaged credit score of 595, I managed to gain this credit and significantly improved my credit around 18 months. With damaged credit, I would not bother with big lenders unless you have at minimum 24 months of positive credit history.