December 2, 2025
Written by Jamie Cattanach
Certified Financial Education Instructor®
Certified Financial Education Instructor®
Jamie Cattanach, CFEI®, is a freelance writer who's been working in the personal finance space for almost a decade. She's written for TIME Stamped, CNBC Make It, USA TODAY Blueprint and many other popular personal finance verticals, as well as working with fintech companies like LendingTree, SoFi and Capitalize. She is based in Portland, Oregon.
A credit card through Chime allows you to build your credit scores, even if you have low or no credit.
The money you add to your secured deposit account also acts as your credit limit.
Chime offers a secured credit card with optional automatic payments, making it easy to build credit over time.
With Chime, you also get free access to your FICO® score1, rent reporting, and more.
Building your credit scores is more than just a smart money move – it can help you unlock financial progress™.
Getting your credit scores in shape can help you qualify for better rates on car loans and mortgages, and help you get approved for apartments, homes, and sometimes even jobs.2
Chime makes it easy for members to safely build credit3 with everyday purchases using a secured credit card – one that doesn't even require a credit check. Here's how it works.
A secured credit card is one that's "secured" by a cash deposit. That means almost anyone can qualify and start building credit.
With Chime's secured credit card, the steps are simple. All you have to do is:
Manage money in your accounts. With Chime Card™, you have a Chime checking account, a Secured Deposit Account (SDA), and a secured line of credit, which is your Chime Card4. Money added to your Chime account automatically transfers to your Chime Card Secured Deposit Account.5
Spend money. When you look at your Chime app, you'll see a single account view of your "Available" balance.5 Your Available balance includes funds in your SDA that you can spend using your debit card or Chime Card.
Safely build your credit. Whenever you spend using your debit card or Chime Card, the transaction amount is deducted from the Available balance that you see in the app. At the end of a billing period, the total amount you used your Chime Card for is the balance you owe. You can then use the funds that are still in your secured account to pay the amount you owe. Chime reports your payments to the credit bureaus, so paying your Chime Card promptly can pay off. Voila! You're building credit history.
When used properly, Chime's secured card helps you build credit just by making the everyday purchases you were already planning on.3 Here's what makes it even easier:
Automatic payments. On-time payment is a crucial aspect of building credit. In fact, payment history accounts for more than a third of your credit score.6 If you turn it on, our Safer Credit Building feature will automatically use the money in your secured account to pay your monthly bill.3 If you choose to pay manually, you'll receive a monthly notification that it's time to pay.
Build credit with your own money. Secured credit cards make it easy to avoid big, revolving balances that can potentially come with unsecured credit cards. Just keep the amount you spend less than the amount you've already put in your secured account.
Improve your credit scores over time. The longer your credit history, the better – it's another factor that affects your scores.6 By regularly spending on your credit card and making on-time payments, you'll increase your average credit age and show lenders that you're a responsible spender.
While Chime's secured card can do a lot for your credit, there are other helpful features in the Chime app that can also help you build and manage credit with confidence.
Check your FICO® score1 for free. It's easy to see your progress in the app.
Improve your credit scores with Experian Boost®.7 We've teamed up with Experian® to offer a free and easy way to help raise your FICO® Score with eligible bills you're already paying through Chime.
Build credit monthly with rent reporting.8 Soon, you will be able to report your on-time rent payments in the app to help build your credit score.
Get credit tips tailored to your journey. The Chime app knows your finances and offers personalized advice to help you unlock financial progress™.
Chime reports your payment history to the three major U.S. credit bureaus: Experian®, Equifax®, and TransUnion®. That's why it's important to pay on time – and why we recommend turning on Safer Credit Building.3
We also report the age of your account, which can increase the length of your credit history.
Chime does not report credit utilization or your credit limit.9 Here are some more details on how credit reporting works with Chime.
Building credit isn't instant, but if you make regular purchases and on-time payments, you may be surprised at how quickly you see your credit grow. The credit bureaus generally update consumer files at least monthly, and some people see jumps in just a month or two.10
In other cases, though, it may take several months or longer to see significant credit jumps. It's also normal to see some dips along the way, especially right after you open a new account.
Just focus on using your card and making on-time payments every month. Over time, you should see your credit scores improve. Some Chime members have seen increases to their credit scores up to 71 points with on-time payments.†
Are you ready to start building credit safely3 with Chime? Signing up for a Chime Card™ only takes a few taps – and signing up won't impact your credit score.
If you're new to Chime and want to apply for a Chime Card, you'll need to open a Chime checking account. Learn how to get a Chime Card today!
The Chime Card will become available to all existing members over the coming weeks and months. When available, current Credit Builder cardholders can upgrade directly in the app.
Yes, secured cards can help you build credit if the card issuer reports payment history and other factors to the major credit bureaus. Chime reports payment history as well as your account age to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This is why Chime is a great choice to build and level up your credit.3
Yes! Chime can help you build credit with a secured credit card and other features like rent reporting and Experian Boost®. To make the most of Chime's credit-building features, make your payments on time every month. Enabling Safer Credit Building makes payments automatic.
Yes, overdrafting is possible – but we have a tool to help you navigate it!
SpotMe® covers debit and credit card transactions and cash withdrawals made with your Chime cards up to your SpotMe limit, if you're eligible and have the feature enabled in your app.11
If you use SpotMe, Chime will deduct the negative balance from your next direct deposit or transfer funds into your Chime Card Secured Deposit Account, whichever comes first.
Your SpotMe limit is shared between both your Chime Card and your virtual Chime Visa® Debit Card. This applies to both purchases and ATM withdrawals. Note that using SpotMe with Chime Card doesn't affect your credit scores or credit reporting.
Chime Card is the newest version of the secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card, now with the added bonus of cash back rewards.12 You can still get cash at more than 47,000+ fee-free ATMs13 – more than the top 3 national banks combined14 – including ATMs at popular retail stores like Walgreens®, CVS®, and more.
Learn more about the Chime Card and how to unlock the perks of credit and the best of banking.
Yes! Chime offers a secured credit card to its members. You may have heard of Chime's Credit Builder, which has a new and improved upgrade called Chime Card. Chime Card offers the same easy credit-building opportunities, along with some fun new cash-back rewards.12 You can even use it to get cash at the ATM.
In a world with many options to choose from, the best secured credit card depends on your needs and goals. To ensure your card successfully helps you build credit, check that the card issuer reports payment history and account age to the three major credit bureaus – and be sure to make your payments on time each month.
Chime® is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
Chime is not FDIC-insured. The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A. are the FDIC-insured members. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply. FDIC deposit insurance limit is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category.
Chime Checkbook: While Chime doesn’t issue personal checkbooks to write checks, Chime Checkbook gives you the freedom to send checks to anyone, anytime, from anywhere. See your issuing bank’s Deposit Account Agreement for full Chime Checkbook details.
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Opinions, advice, services, or other information or content expressed or contributed here by customers, users, or others, are those of the respective author(s) or contributor(s) and do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A. (“Banks”). Banks are not responsible for the accuracy of any content provided by author(s) or contributor(s).
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This guide is for informational purposes only. Chime does not provide financial, legal, or tax advice. You should check with your legal, financial, or tax advisor for advice specific to your situation.
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Licenses
Chime Capital, LLC, Nationwide Multistate Licensing System ("NMLS") ID 2316451
Chime Payments, Inc., Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (“NMLS”) ID 2538752
Address: 101 California Street, Floor 5, San Francisco, CA 94111, United States.
No customer support available at HQ. Customer support details available on the website.
© 2013-2026 Chime Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chime® is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.