1. Credit Cards
2. Insights
3. AvantCard

Image: Image of the AvantCard

1198 reviews from verified cardholders

4.4

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Image: hands-thumbs-up

Great for building a credit history

Image: cash

Annual fee: $39

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Member stats

Updated: November 1, 2023

Image: low-utilization

62.3%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

Image: meetup

45 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

Image: cash-give-1

$71,586

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Card highlights

Image: yes

Quick and easy application process

Image: yes

Chance to see if you qualify without affecting your credit scores

Image: yes

No penalty APR

AvantCard review: A solid starter credit card

Updated July 24, 2023

This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.

Written by: Aja McClanahan

Pros

• Quick and easy application process
• Chance to see if you qualify without affecting your credit scores
• No penalty APR

Cons

• The purchase APR is on the high side
• No rewards

What you need to know about AvantCard

Let’s get one thing out of the way: AvantCard likely won’t dazzle you with its rewards. You won’t find any points or miles here, but if used carefully, this no-frills, no-thrills credit card may give you a big boost when it comes to building credit. Here are the card’s highlights.

A solid first step in your credit journey

Though AvantCard doesn’t offer much in the way of rewards, it can be a valuable tool on the path to better credit.

Whether you’re just starting to build your credit, or you’ve fallen behind and want to climb back up, your options may be limited. Chances are, you won’t have access to some of the more appealing card offers that come with cash back rewards, travel points or other perks. That’s just the nature of the credit game.

Reports to the three main consumer credit bureaus

Like many other credit cards that cater to first-timers, AvantCard reports your credit card activity to the major consumer credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. So as long as you pay off your bill on time and don’t rack up more debt than you can manage, you could see a positive impact on your credit health over time.

On-time payments may bring higher credit line

You may be eligible for an automatic credit line increase with AvantCard, according to the website, if you’ve demonstrated a history of on-time payments.

Even if you don’t necessarily need more credit, a higher credit line can still be a good thing.

One of the high-impact factors that make up your credit scores is your credit card utilization ratio. This refers to how much of your available credit you’re using at any given time.

Most experts recommend keeping your overall credit card utilization below 30%, which generally suggests to creditors that you are maintaining a manageable balance of credit to debt.

If you keep spending and paying off the same amount but see your credit line increase, that translates to lower credit card utilization — not a bad thing when you’re trying to build credit.

See if you qualify with no damage to your credit

Checking to see if you qualify for an AvantCard will result in a soft inquiry on your credit. This is the same type of inquiry that happens when you check your credit scores from Equifax and TransUnion for free on Credit Karma, and it won’t affect your credit scores.

Once you see if you qualify and submit your application, you’ll be able to see the credit line and annual fee you qualify for based on your credit profile.

Though prequalification can be a helpful tool to minimize your risk when applying for a credit card, actually applying for a card typically triggers a hard inquiry. It’s important to understand the difference between hard and soft credit inquiries before applying for any credit card.

What else you should know about AvantCard

Nothing in life is perfect, and AvantCard is no exception. Here are some details you’ll want to be aware of before you apply.

• Potentially high regular variable purchase APR — You should know that AvantCard is targeted toward individuals who may not have a long or pristine credit history. For this reason, the regular variable purchase APR, at 31.24%, is pretty high. (You might see different terms on Credit Karma.)
• Annual fee — You’ll want to think about the annual fee of $39 (you might see different terms on Credit Karma) in light of the fact that this card offers no rewards or points-based perks. But if you don’t have other choices because of your credit history or credit health, the card’s modest annual fee could be more of an investment than an inconvenience.

Who this card is good for

AvantCard isn’t a rewards credit card, so don’t treat it like one. Instead, try to think of it as a sort of credit lifeline if you’re just starting (or restarting) a journey toward improving your credit.

AvantCard probably wouldn’t be the best credit card to ever grace your wallet, but it could be a valuable stepping stone to a card with more-favorable terms. With that in mind, keep your balance low to avoid steep interest charges and a high credit utilization ratio.

Member reviews

Updated: November 8, 2023