No Credit Check Credit Cards With Instant Approval and No Deposit: Which Combinations Exist
You can get a card with no credit check, or a card with no deposit, but a mainstream card that offers both with no strings is hard to find. Cards that skip the credit check are almost always secured, so your own money backs the line. Cards with no deposit check your credit. “Instant approval” is a separate question that depends on the issuer’s decision process, not the card type.
Wish 1: No Credit Check
These issuers say on their own sites, as of October 2026, that they don’t run a credit check or a hard inquiry:
- OpenSky Secured Visa Credit Card: no traditional credit check, $200 minimum deposit, $35 annual fee.
- OpenSky Plus Secured Visa Credit Card: no traditional credit check, $300 minimum deposit, $0 annual fee.
- Secured Self Visa Credit Card: no hard inquiry to apply. You build a $100 minimum deposit through a Self Credit Builder Account first, and must meet income and expense requirements. $0 annual fee the first year, then $25.
- Chime Card: no credit check, $0 annual fee and 0% APR, but you need a Chime Checking Account.
- Current Build Card: Current says there’s no credit check or credit history required. It’s a secured charge card issued by Cross River Bank, with no annual fee, and you need a Current account.
“No credit check” usually means no hard inquiry with the credit bureaus. These companies still verify your identity, and some look at your income or bank account activity.
Wish 2: No Deposit
A card with no deposit is unsecured, and unsecured cards check credit. Two examples, with terms from the issuer sites as of October 2026:
- Avant Credit Card: checking if you qualify won’t affect your credit score, and Avant says your limit depends on factors like your credit history and ability to repay. Its APR runs 29.99% to 35.99%, with an annual fee of up to $125 and a monthly fee of up to $10.42 ($0 to $75 a year if you apply on Avant’s site).
- Capital One Platinum Credit Card: $0 annual fee and a 29.24% variable APR, aimed at people with fair credit.
Credit-builder cards like the Chime Card and Current Build Card fall in between. There’s no security deposit as such, but you can only spend money you’ve moved into their account, so it isn’t free credit.
Wish 3: Instant Approval
Many online card applications return a decision in minutes. Capital One says you may know in as little as 60 seconds, and Discover says as little as 90 seconds. Both note that some applications need more review. No issuer promises an instant yes, and a fast decision isn’t the same as a card you can use today. That difference is covered on our instant credit cards page.
Which Combinations Actually Exist
As of October 2026, based on the issuer sites above:
| Combination | Exists? | Examples | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| No credit check + refundable deposit | Yes | OpenSky Secured Visa, OpenSky Plus Secured Visa | $200 or $300 up front |
| No credit check + no separate deposit | Yes | Chime Card, Current Build Card | You must open their account, and your limit is money you move in |
| No hard inquiry + deposit built over time | Yes | Secured Self Visa | You complete a Credit Builder Account first |
| No deposit + credit check | Yes | Avant Credit Card, Capital One Platinum | Approval depends on your credit; fees vary |
| No credit check + no deposit + no account with the company | Not found among issuers checked | None | Read the fine print on any offer claiming this; it may be a prepaid card |
| Any of the above + guaranteed approval | No | None | Every issuer verifies identity and ability to pay |
Upfront Cash vs. First-Year Fees
Here’s what each route asks of you in year one, using the terms above. A refundable deposit comes back to you; a fee doesn’t.
| Card | Money tied up at the start | First-year annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| OpenSky Plus Secured Visa | $300 deposit | $0 |
| OpenSky Secured Visa | $200 deposit | $35 |
| Secured Self Visa | $100, built over time | $0 |
| Chime Card | Whatever you choose to move in | $0 |
| Avant Credit Card (applied on Avant’s site) | $0 | $0 to $75 |
At the top of Avant’s range, $75 on a $300 starting line equals 25% of the line, the most the CARD Act allows in first-year fees. Our comparison of cards for bad credit explains that cap.
Examples for illustration only, not an offer. Your actual APR and fees are in your cardmember agreement.
If You Need Cash Instead of a Card
Every option above needs either money up front or a credit review, and none puts cash in your hand. If you need $200 to $5,000 for an urgent bill, LendUp is an online loan-matching service where every credit score is welcome to apply. For other quick options, see our emergency cash guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Credit-builder cards such as the Chime Card and Current Build Card skip the credit check and don’t require a separate security deposit. The catch is that you must open their bank account and can only spend money you’ve moved in.
OpenSky says you can open an account without a traditional credit check. You do need a refundable deposit of at least $200 for the OpenSky Secured Visa or $300 for the OpenSky Plus Secured Visa.
They can. Chime, Self, Current and OpenSky all say they report to the three major credit bureaus, so on-time payments can help your history.
Many online applications return a decision in about a minute, but no issuer promises one. Some applications go to manual review or need extra documents.
Many are, but check whether the product is really a credit card and not a prepaid card. Also look at the fees, and confirm the issuer reports to all three bureaus.