A good fit if you
- You are building credit from zero or fixing past damage
- You want an unsecured card and no deposit tied up
- You want a card accepted at 40 million locations online, in app and in store
- Reporting to all three bureaus matters to you
Home / Credit cards / Milestone
Milestone Mastercard: unsecured, a limit of up to $1,000, built for credit rebuilding
A genuine Mastercard for imperfect credit. Deposit: none. Bureau reporting: all three. Reviewed by FastFundPro.
- Limit on approval: up to $1,000
- Security deposit: none
- Bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion
- Accepted at 40 million locations online, in app and in store
Apply Nowon the issuer's secure site
Target user: new to credit, or rebuilding it. The Milestone Mastercard is unsecured, so no refundable deposit is required. Approval opens a line of up to $1,000. It runs on the Mastercard network wherever Mastercard is taken. Monthly data feed: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. On-time payments therefore land in the files lenders check.
The spec verdict
Scope: one task, handled well. Its job is to put an unsecured Mastercard in the hands of someone with a thin or damaged file, and no cash is needed up front. Two specs stand out. First, there is no deposit. Second, every account reports to Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, so a run of on-time payments lands where future lenders look.
Cost is the trade-off. Annual fee: $250 for year one, $99 per year after. From year two, a $19.25 monthly fee stacks on top, for $231 per year. Purchase APR: 35.9%. Rewards: none. Intended use: building a payment history, not financing a balance. Keep charges small and regular, clear every statement, and let the three bureau reports carry the record.
Process: three steps
- Read the terms Open the offer. Check three numbers first: annual fee, monthly fee, APR. This takes a couple of minutes, and every term is on screen before you commit.
- Apply with the issuer The issuer reviews the application and may obtain your credit report. Approval is never certain, and the issuer sets your line, up to $1,000.
- Pay on time If approved, keep charges small and pay by each due date. All three bureaus receive the account data, so steady payments build a month-by-month record.
Fee schedule
| Annual fee | $250 (year one); $99 (every later year) |
| Monthly fee | Year one: $0 ($0 billed per month). Year two onward: $231 per year ($19.25 billed per month) |
| Purchase APR | 35.9% (see terms) |
| Credit limit | Up to $1,000 on approval |
| Deposit | None; unsecured |
| Rewards | None |
Pricing targets the rebuilding market, so fees sit well above prime-card levels. Your exact fee and terms follow your credit profile. This link's offer can differ from other Milestone offers. Full terms: on the issuer's site. Review them before submitting.
Fit check
Maybe not if you
- You can already get a low-fee card or a rewards card
- You want cash back, points or miles
- Paying an annual fee is a dealbreaker
- You plan to revolve a balance at a high APR
on the issuer's secure site
Questions about Milestone
Q.01Does applying affect my credit score?
The issuer reviews each application and may obtain your credit report. If you are approved, your report shows the new account and the inquiry, as normal.
Q.02Is a security deposit required?
No. The card is unsecured, so there is no refundable deposit of the kind a secured card needs. The issuer assigns the line at approval, with $1,000 as the ceiling.
Q.03What credit does it take?
Built for less-than-perfect credit. Each application goes through issuer review, which can include pulling your credit report. No outcome is certain. Recent Milestone Mastercard applicants and current cardholders may not be approved.
Q.04Is the account reported to the bureaus?
Yes: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Pay by each due date and hold the balance low. Over time, that pattern can strengthen your payment history.
The Milestone Mastercard is issued by The Bank of Missouri (tbom) pursuant to a license from Mastercard and serviced by Concora Credit Inc. Applications are subject to issuer review (which may include obtaining your credit report) and approval. Annual fees, APRs, and credit limits vary by applicant; read the full terms on the issuer's site before you apply. If you have recently applied for or already have a Milestone Mastercard, you may not be approved. This offer may be unique and can only be guaranteed when using the link provided; other offers for this card may feature different terms and conditions.
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Check if the Milestone Mastercard fits
Limit: up to $1,000. Deposit: none. Reporting: all three bureaus. Application: a few minutes on the issuer's secure site.
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