Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

This device is too small

If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.

Skip to main content
Advertiser Disclosure Many of the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which The Motley Fool receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear) and may influence which products we write about, but our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. We do not include all companies or offers available in the marketplace.
    |    Accessibility Options

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card Review: Great for a Low Security Deposit

Review Updated
Elizabeth Aldrich
Author: Elizabeth Aldrich
Elizabeth Aldrich
Elizabeth Aldrich
Elizabeth is a personal finance writer specializing in credit cards, debt repayment, and small business. Her work has appeared on The Motley Fool, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider. She’s an avid credit card points collector and perpetual traveler currently living in Costa Rica.

See Full Bio

| 2 others [ + ]
Robin Hartill, CFP
Reviewer: Robin Hartill, CFP
Robin Hartill, CFP
Robin Hartill, CFP
Writer

Robin Hartill, CFP®, is Motley Fool Money’s Head of Product Ratings and has worked for The Motley Fool since 2020. Her work has appeared in various national publications, including NerdWallet and CNET Money. She previously wrote The Penny Hoarder’s syndicated “Dear Penny” personal finance advice column. She is based in St. Petersburg, Florida.

See Full Bio

Eric McWhinnie
Fact Checked: Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

See Full Bio

Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

When it comes to secured credit cards, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is without a doubt one of the very best on the market today. This card boasts no annual fees and a low deposit requirement, making it a top pick if you want to open a secured card account without breaking the bank. In the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card review below, we'll cover the pros and cons, and more.

Ratings Methodology

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Great for: Flexible security deposit

Apply Now for Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: New/Rebuilding Under(579)
Apply Now for Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

On Capital One's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

New/Rebuilding Under(579)

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: N/A

Regular APR

29.99% (Variable)

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer Circle with letter I in it. N/A

N/A

  • Comes with a low initial security deposit and no annual fee, making it a top pick if you want to open a secured card account without breaking the bank.

    • No annual fee
    • Low minimum deposit amount
    • Can graduate to an unsecured card
    • No minimum credit score required
    • No rewards
    • High APR
    • No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
    • Building your credit? Using the Capital One Platinum Secured card responsibly could help
    • Put down a refundable security deposit starting at $49 to get a $200 initial credit line
    • You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
    • Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
    • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
    • Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
    • Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking to access your account from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Full Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card review

This credit card is a good fit for: Consumers taking the first steps toward improving their credit who want a secured card with a small starting deposit.

Top perks

No annual fee

This card already has a big leg-up on many of its peers because it doesn't have an annual fee. Considering that some secured credit cards have annual fees and monthly maintenance fees that can add up to more than $200 per year, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is a compelling bargain due to the fact it doesn't have either of these things.

Low deposit requirement

The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card has three different deposit requirements, depending on your creditworthiness. To get a $200 credit limit, you will have to deposit $49, $99, or $200, depending on your income and credit score. You can also increase your line of credit by depositing up to $1,000.

Many other secured cards require you to deposit an amount equal to your credit line ($200 for a $200 credit line, for example) regardless of your creditworthiness. The potential to get started with a smaller deposit than other cards makes this a top choice.

You can graduate to an unsecured card

After you demonstrate responsible card usage, you may be able to graduate to an unsecured Capital One Platinum Credit Card. When this happens, Capital One will refund your security deposit. Other card terms will remain the same. 

Credit score monitoring

Capital One offers an app known as CreditWise®, which allows you to track your credit score over time. This is an important feature for a credit card in this category.

LEARN MORE: Best No Annual Fee Credit Cards

What could be improved

No 0% intro APR period

Given that you have to make a security deposit to get a secured credit card, it would be nice if that secured card offered a 0% intro APR period on purchases. Admittedly, this feature is rare with secured cards, so it's hard to criticize the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card for not offering it.

No cash back rewards

Rewards aren't a make-or-break feature for secured cards, considering so few actually have rewards programs, but a cash back rewards program would be a welcome addition to the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card.

High APR

Ideally, you'll pay off your credit card balance in full each month so the card's annual percentage rate (APR) won't affect you. However, if you need to carry a balance, it's important to know that many of the top secured credit cards offer lower APRs than the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card.

Find the best credit card for your needs
Image of reviewer

Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

Compare cards

Suggested credit score

Even if you have no credit history or bad credit (usually defined as a FICO®  Score below 580), it's likely you can qualify for a secured credit card. The deposit you put up to open a secured credit card protects the card issuer in the event you fail to repay your balances. 

Your income may be the only limitation to getting approved, as the terms and conditions for the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card state that your monthly income must exceed your monthly rent or mortgage payment by at least $425. You could also be denied if you have another Capital One card that's over the limit or past-due, you've had a Capital One account charged off in the past year, or you have a bankruptcy that hasn't yet been discharged.

LEARN MORE: Best Capital One Credit Cards

The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is right for you if:

Used correctly, a secured card can help you build toward excellent credit. But used irresponsibly, a secured card can harm your credit score and result in costly fees and interest on your balances. If all of the following statements apply to you, then the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card should make the short list of credit cards to apply for:

  • You have bad credit or no credit and/or limited income.
  • You have $49 to $200 to open an account.
  • You will always pay on time and in full.
  • You won't overspend.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • No, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is made of plastic.

  • No. The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card will look the same as other Capital One cards and won’t contain the word "secured."

  • The initial line of credit is $200; however, you can get a limit of up to $1,000 by depositing additional funds.