Surge Credit Card: Review & 5 Alternatives (2026)

Our Surge credit card review will fill you in on who the card was made for, card details, how to apply for the card, and how to use it to build or rebuild credit. Additionally, we offer some fine alternatives to the Surge card.

Some things in life are absolute; that carton of milk is either good, or it’s really bad. Other things are less binary — like your credit. The FICO credit score can range anywhere from 300 to 850, and everyone seems to have a different definition of “bad credit.”

In general, though, if you have bad credit you tend to know it — particularly when applications for financing get rejected. Being turned down for credit can be a blow, but there are options for obtaining credit and rebuilding your score.

One such option is the Surge Mastercard® credit card. A subprime card with flexible credit requirements, the Surge credit card is an unsecured card available to consumers with bad credit, no matter how you define it.

Review | Application | Check Status | How to Use | More Options (5)

For most people, the best thing about the Surge card is that it will report to all three major credit bureaus. This means that you can use the Surge card to improve damaged credit, provided you maintain your card in good standing.

The Surge card is also unsecured, meaning you won’t need to put down a deposit or pre-load the card to use it. Those at the very low end of the FICO score spectrum who have trouble getting approved for other unsecured cards may have better luck with a Surge card.

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

CardRates Expert Rating

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

4.1/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

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Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

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★★★★★ 4.1/5.0

at Continental Finance'ssecure website

Our Review »

• Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
• See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
• Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
• Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
• Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
• Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
• Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
• Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
• Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) See website for Details

Intro (Transfers) See website for Details

Regular APR 35.90% Fixed

Annual Fee $75 - $125

Credit Needed Bad, Limited, Fair

See Rates & Fees »

Additionally, the credit line should be manageable for most people, and what you are approved for will depend on your credit score.

You’ll want to be sure to completely pay off your Surge card every month. This is good advice for any credit card, but it’s especially important when you consider the super high APR that comes with the Surge card.

You can also expect to see a hefty annual fee show up shortly after you open the card. While waived for the first year, you’ll start to see an additional monthly maintenance fee after the first 12 months.

Applying for the Surge credit card is quick and easy, and can be completed entirely online through the link below.

• Apply for the Surge Mastercard®

If you can’t apply online for any reason, you can call the Surge Customer Service team at: 1-866-449-4514. Customer Care Specialists are available Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This card is not available in CO, WA, WV, or MN.

When applying for a Surge credit card online, most users can expect a decision almost immediately right through the website, with a letter to follow within a few days. If you have an issue with your application, or need to check the status of it for some reason, you can call customer service at:

1-866-449-4514

To check the status of your account at any time, you can use the Continental Finance sign-in portal. The portal is also where you can make online payments on your account as well as choose to receive electronic statements.

To get the most out of your Surge card, you should use it to make a small purchase during the month, then pay your balance in full when your statement arrives. Over time, as you make on-time payments and never miss payments, your credit report should start to reflect your good financial behavior.

Never carry a balance on your Surge card. The sky-high APR on the card means carrying a balance will be very expensive, and should always be avoided. Use your Surge credit card solely to improve your poor credit, not as a way to make purchases you cannot pay off right away.

If it turns out the Surge card is not for you, or you just want to see other options, check out our picks for the top five credit cards for bad credit. Comparison shopping is the best way to ensure you get the best rates — and the lowest fees — for which you can qualify.

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

CardRates Expert Rating

Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

4.1/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.1/5.0

at Continental Finance'ssecure website

Our Review »

• Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
• See if you Pre-Qualify with No Impact to your Credit Score
• Less than perfect credit? We understand. The Surge Mastercard is ideal for people looking to rebuild their credit.
• Unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
• Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
• Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
• Use your card everywhere Mastercard is accepted at millions of locations
• Enjoy peace of mind with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection for unauthorized purchases (subject to Mastercard guidelines)
• Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) See website for Details

Intro (Transfers) See website for Details

Regular APR 35.90% Fixed

Annual Fee $75 - $125

Credit Needed Bad, Limited, Fair

See Rates & Fees »

Milestone® Mastercard®

CardRates Expert Rating

Milestone® Mastercard®

3.8/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 3.8/5.0

at Milestone Mastercard®'ssecure website

Our Review »

• Guaranteed $700 credit limit if approved.
• Apply with Confidence! There is no impact to your credit score if you’re not approved. See terms.
• Don't Have Perfect Credit? No Problem!
• Join over a million consumers who are working on building their access to credit.
• Zero Fraud Liability - Peace of mind that comes with having a Mastercard.
• Get the credit you deserve, even with less-than-perfect history.
• No security deposit, and a path to better credit.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR See terms

Annual Fee See terms

Credit Needed Bad/Limited/Fair

See Rates & Fees »

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

CardRates Expert Rating

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

4.0/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.0/5.0

Our Review »

• 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 at least 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
• Top rated mobile app

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 28.99% (Variable)

Annual Fee $0

Credit Needed Limited, Bad

See Rates & Fees »

PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card

CardRates Expert Rating

PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card

3.0/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 3.0/5.0

at PREMIER Bankcard®'ssecure website

Our Review »

• PREMIER Bankcard credit cards are for building credit.
• Start building credit by keeping your balances low and paying all your bills on time each month.
• When you need assistance our award-winning US-based Customer Service agents are there to help.
• Credit Limit Increase Eligible after 12 months of consistent responsible account management.
• We report monthly to the Consumer Reporting Agencies to help you build your credit.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR See Provider Website

Annual Fee See Provider Website

Credit Needed Fair/Poor

Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard

CardRates Expert Rating

Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard

4.5/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.5/5.0

at Aspire'ssecure website

Our Review »

• Earn Cash Back Rewards* – 3% on Eligible Gas, Groceries, and Utilities, and 1% on All Other Eligible Purchases
• Up to $1,000 credit limit subject to credit approval
• Prequalify** without affecting your credit score
• No security deposit
• Free Access to your Credit Score†
  *See Program Terms for important information about the cash back rewards program.
  ** Prequalify means that you authorize us to make a soft inquiry into your credit history (that will not affect your credit) to create an offer. If you accept an offer a hard inquiry will be made. Final approval is not guaranteed if you do not meet all applicable criteria (including adequate proof of ability to repay). Income verification through access to your bank account information may be required.
  † Your credit score will be available in your online account starting 60 days after your account is opened. (Registration required.) The free VantageScore 4.0 credit score provided by TransUnion® is for educational purposes only. This score may not be used by The Bank of Missouri (the issuer of this card) or other creditors to make credit decisions.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR 36% Fixed

Annual Fee $85-$175 first year, $229 thereafter

Credit Needed Poor, Fair, or No Credit

+See All Credit Card Reviews for Bad Credit

When your milk goes sour, your breakfast options often sour with it; few people really enjoy dry cereal. The same thing can be said of your credit; when your score sours, so too do your credit options. That said, there are options, including the Surge Mastercard®, which can be used to build your credit and improve your score.

Just remember that rebuilding your credit is a journey; it can’t be accomplished overnight. It takes months, or even years, of dedicated work to rebuild a bad credit score — but it is possible. Be diligent, and your score will grow.