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Milestone Mastercard review: up to $1,000 of unsecured credit while you rebuild

This is a working Mastercard built for credit that has seen better days. You keep your cash, because there is no deposit, and your line can go up to $1,000 if the issuer approves you. A RiseCashToday review.

  • A credit line of up to $1,000, should the issuer approve you
  • Nothing to put down as a security deposit
  • Your payment record goes to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion
  • Accepted at 40 million locations online, in app and in store
Apply Nowon the issuer's secure site

Some cards want a deposit before they will trust you. The Milestone Mastercard is not one of them. It is an unsecured card for people whose credit file is thin, new or bruised, and if the issuer approves you it can set a line as high as $1,000. Use it wherever Mastercard is taken. Each month your activity is passed to the three major bureaus, so an on-time habit is recorded where lenders actually look.

Where we land

The Milestone Mastercard has a narrow purpose, and it serves it. Someone with a short or damaged credit history gets a real, unsecured Mastercard without handing over cash first. Two things earn our attention. One is the absence of a deposit. The other is the reporting: every on-time payment is sent to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, which is the whole point of a card like this for a person whose credit is still fragile.

What you give up is money. Year one carries a $250 annual fee, and it drops to $99 from year two onward. Starting in the second year there is also a monthly fee of $19.25, which comes to $231 across the year. Purchases are charged around 35.9% APR, and the card earns no rewards at all. So treat it as a way to build a payment record, not as a place to park a balance. Buy something small each month, clear the statement in full, and let the reporting to the bureaus do the quiet work.

What the process looks like

  1. Read the terms first Open the offer and look over the annual fee, the monthly fee and the APR before deciding. A couple of minutes is enough, and nothing is agreed until you have seen the terms.
  2. Send the application to the issuer The issuer looks over what you submitted and may pull your credit report while doing so. No one can promise a yes, and the issuer sets your line, up to $1,000, when it approves you.
  3. Pay by the due date, month after month If you are approved, spend lightly and settle the bill on time each month. Because the account reports to all three bureaus, that steady record is captured every single month.

The fees and the rate

Annual fee$250 for the first year, then $99 a year
Monthly feeFirst year: $0 (charged as $0 a month). After that: $231 a year, charged as $19.25 a month
Purchase APRAbout 35.9% (check the terms)
Credit limitAs much as $1,000, if approved
Security depositNone; the card is unsecured
RewardsNone

Milestone is priced for people who are rebuilding, which means its fees sit well above what a prime card charges. The exact fee and terms you are offered depend on your own credit profile, and the offer tied to this link may not match other Milestone offers you find elsewhere. Read the full terms on the issuer's site before you apply.

A good match, or not

A good fit if you

  • Your credit file is brand new, or it needs repairing
  • You would rather not lock cash into a deposit
  • You want a card that works online, in app and in store wherever Mastercard is accepted
  • Having your payments reported to all three bureaus is important to you

Maybe not if you

  • A lower-fee or rewards card is already within your reach
  • Earning points, miles or cash back is the goal
  • An annual fee is a deal-breaker for you
  • You plan to carry a balance, which is costly at this APR
Apply on the Issuer's Site

on the issuer's secure site

Milestone, answered

01What does applying do to my credit score?
The issuer reviews every application and may obtain your credit report as part of that review. If you are approved, the new account appears on your report like any other card.
02Is a security deposit part of the deal?
No. This is an unsecured card, so the refundable deposit a secured card would ask for never comes into it. If the issuer approves you, it sets your credit line, which can reach $1,000.
03Whose credit is this card meant for?
It is built for credit that is less than perfect. Each application is reviewed by the issuer, and that review may include a look at your credit report. Nobody is promised a yes. If you already carry a Milestone Mastercard, or applied for one not long ago, the issuer may turn you down.
04Which bureaus receive my payment history?
All three of them: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Paying on time and keeping the balance small each month builds a steady record, and over time that record can help your payment history.

The Bank of Missouri issues the Milestone Mastercard, and Concora Credit Inc. services the account. Every application is reviewed by the issuer, a review that can include obtaining your credit report, and is subject to approval; the issuer must be satisfied on creditworthiness, on ability to pay and on identity verification before it approves anyone. Anyone who already holds a Milestone Mastercard, or who applied for one recently, may not be approved. This offer may be specific to this page and is only assured when you use the link provided here; other offers for the same card may carry different terms and conditions. Annual fees, APRs and credit limits differ from one applicant to the next. RiseCashToday is a free referral and comparison service. We are not a lender and not a card issuer. We may be paid when you apply, and that payment never changes the terms you are offered. This page is an advertisement.

RiseCashToday is a free loan-request and comparison referral service. We do not lend money, issue cards or write insurance, and we may earn a fee when you apply through a link on this page. This page is an advertisement.

A small card for an early start

Up to $1,000 in credit, nothing to deposit, and your payments reported to all three bureaus. Every on-time month is recorded where lenders look.

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