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477 reviews from verified cardholders

2.7

⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

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Great for access to unsecured credit

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Annual fee: $75 the first year; $99 thereafter

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

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64.7%

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.

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45 years

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

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$70,172

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

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Geared toward people with less-than-perfect credit

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Offers the option to apply for prequalification

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No security deposit required

Indigo® Mastercard® review: A chance to rebuild credit, with plenty of costs

Updated September 11, 2023

This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.

Written by: Eric Freeman

Pros

• Geared toward people with less-than-perfect credit
• Offers the option to apply for prequalification
• No security deposit required

Cons

• Low credit limit with no option for an increase
• Purchase APR is high
• High annual fee with no rewards to offset the cost

What you need to know about the Indigo® Mastercard®

The Indigo® Mastercard® can help you build credit, but there are several things to watch out for before you decide if it’s right for you.

A chance to rebuild credit

The primary draw of the Indigo® Mastercard® is that it’s geared toward people who want to rebuild credit without requiring a security deposit. Unlike secured credit cards, you won’t have to put down money upfront to secure the account.

The bank doesn’t list the exact credit requirements for approval, but it does say the card is for “those with less-than-perfect credit.” While not everyone will qualify, that language suggests that your chances of approval might be better than with many other cards.

Better yet, you can apply for prequalification for the card, which means you can have your eligibility assessed without placing a hard inquiry on your credit reports. And while prequalification isn’t a guarantee that you’ll be approved for the card, it can give you an idea of whether you might be approved if you were to formally apply.

A high annual fee with no rewards

While the issuer’s willingness to work with people in need of credit is a plus, you’ll find yourself paying a fair amount just to use this card.

First, the Indigo® Mastercard® has an annual fee of $75 the first year and $99 after that (you might see different terms on Credit Karma). That’s not an uncommon annual fee for a credit card, but it’s high for a card that doesn’t offer any rewards to help offset the upfront cost. Essentially, you’ll be paying every year just for access to credit.

The low credit line could limit you

While the Indigo® Mastercard® is available to people with different kinds of credit profiles, it’s not guaranteed to work for all budgets. That’s because the card offers a credit limit of just $300 (which is immediately decreased by the amount of the card’s annual fee). Other cards meant for building credit might also come with a low initial limit, but a fair number of those cards will review accounts periodically for potential credit-line increases. This card, however, doesn’t offer that.

In addition to limiting your potential buying power, that low credit line could also hurt your ability to build credit. The amount of available credit you use — your credit utilization rate — is a major factor in determining your credit scores. And with a $300 limit (terms might be different when you apply through Credit Karma), you could find that you’re using that entire credit limit fairly often.

It’s recommended to keep your credit utilization under 30%, which might be a challenge with this card. Other cards meant for building credit might offer you a similarly low credit limit but also promise regular reviews for potential credit line increases.

You could pay even more if you carry a balance

If you carry a balance on the Indigo® Mastercard®, it’s going to cost you. The card comes with a variable purchase APR of 24.9%, which is pretty high for a credit-building card (you might see different terms on Credit Karma).

And if you make a late payment, you could face a late fee of up to $41 (you might see different offers on Credit Karma). Missed payments can happen for any number of reasons, so that’s a serious risk for your account.

Who this card is good for

The Indigo® Mastercard® could be a good choice for people struggling to get approved for other cards, but we don’t recommend it if you have other options for building credit.

While the ability to get approved (and apply for prequalification) with a less-than-perfect credit history is a clear positive, the high annual fee and purchase APR mean you might end up paying a fair amount just for access to credit. Add in the relatively low credit line, and your purchasing power and ability to improve your credit might be limited.

Instead, we suggest looking at a card with no annual fee that allows you to access more features over time. These cards may not look as attractive right now and might even require an initial security deposit, but they offer more opportunities to improve your credit over the long term.

Member reviews

Updated: November 7, 2023