The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The Chime Card is a secured Visa credit card tied to a Chime Checking Account. Your spending limit is the money you have deposited, not a credit line Chime extends based on your income or credit history. Chime says there is no annual fee, no interest and no credit check to apply. The card can help build credit only if the account is reported and paid on time, and its rewards and airport lounge access depend on which Chime membership tier you hold. The details below are based on Chime’s published Help Center pages, product pages and membership terms as they stood on October 7, 2026.
How the card’s spending balance is funded
Chime Card is not a traditional credit card where you borrow against a limit set by the issuer. Every purchase draws on money you have already put into the account, which is why it is described as secured.
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- Money you add to your Chime account is generally deposited into Checking first.
- That money is then automatically transferred to the Secured Deposit Account (SDA).
- Funds in the SDA appear as your Available balance, and this is the amount both Chime Card credit purchases and Chime debit purchases draw on.
- Cash deposited at a retailer for the card goes directly to the SDA rather than through Checking.
- Money sitting in Savings is not part of the Available balance until you transfer it.
The practical consequence is that the card’s spending power is capped by what you have deposited. If you want a card with a $1,000 spending capacity, you need to hold $1,000 in the SDA. The card does not report a credit limit to the bureaus, so the usual calculation of how much of your limit you are using does not apply here (more on that below).
Fees, eligibility and who can apply
Chime states that the card carries no interest, no annual fee and no credit check at application. Those are the headline costs, but they are not the whole cost picture.
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- Required account: You need an active Chime Checking Account in good standing. The card is not offered as a standalone product.
- Possible fees: Some out-of-network ATM withdrawals and over-the-counter cash advances can carry fees. Chime’s Help Center page describes these as possible charges, so check the fee schedule in the app before you rely on cash withdrawals away from Chime’s network.
- How to apply: New customers can apply in the Chime app while opening a Chime Checking Account.
- Existing customers: Existing Checking customers or Credit Builder members may be offered the card. It is an offer, not a guarantee, so eligibility varies by account.
Because approval is not presented as universal, a rejected or missing offer should not be read as a problem with your credit file. It is simply a product eligibility decision made by Chime.
How payment history is reported to the credit bureaus
Chime says it reports applicable card activity to TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. The main credit-building benefit is that a secured card with on-time payments creates a payment record that lenders and scoring models can see. A record only exists if the bureaus receive it, so confirm reporting on your own file after a few months.
According to Chime’s Help Center page on how the card builds credit, the reported fields include:
- Amount past due
- Payment status
- Account age
- Current balance
- Date of last payment
- Highest or original amount
Chime also states that credit limit and utilization are not reported. That matters because utilization, the share of your limit in use, is one of the most common factors in many scoring models. A secured card that reports no limit cannot improve your score through a lower utilization ratio in the way a standard card can. Any score benefit has to come from the payment history and the account’s age.
What on-time and late payments do
Chime’s disclosures state: “On-time payment history may have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score.” Chime also notes that any score change is not guaranteed, takes time to appear, and is determined by the credit bureaus, not by Chime.
The 71-point figure in context
Chime’s disclosures cite a study by Experian, conducted in September 2025, in which the top 10% of members showed a 71-point increase in FICO Score 8 after approximately eight months. The study covered members whose first purchase with Credit Builder, an earlier version of the Chime Card, occurred between April and August 2024. It is a selected top-performing subgroup, not an average result and not a forecast for a new cardholder.
Chime’s credit page also mentions a 28-point average gain over about eight months. The published disclosure describing the Experian study does not give the same basis for that number, so the two figures should not be combined or treated as what a typical cardholder will see.
Rewards: Plus and Prime compared
Rewards are available only to members who hold Chime Plus or Chime Prime, and only on purchases in a category you select each month. The rates below come from Chime’s current product terms and membership criteria.
| Feature | Chime Plus | Chime Prime |
|---|---|---|
| Cash back on eligible purchases in the selected monthly category | 2% | 5% |
| Qualifying direct deposits required | One direct deposit of at least $200, or at least $400 total in qualifying direct deposits in the preceding 34 days | At least $3,000 in qualifying direct deposits in the preceding 34 days |
| Monthly eligible-purchase cap | Up to $1,500 in eligible purchases per month in the selected category | Up to $1,500 in eligible purchases per month in the selected category |
| Category rollover | Categories do not roll over | Categories do not roll over |
| Priority Pass Select lounge access | Not included in the membership terms effective October 2026 | 12-month membership for eligible cardholders, subject to issuer-determined eligibility |
The 5% rate is not a universal or uncapped rate. Even at the Prime tier, the most you can earn in a month in a given category is based on $1,500 in eligible purchases. Rewards also depend on maintaining the qualifying deposit level, so a month with lower direct deposits may leave you on a lower tier or without the bonus rate, depending on how Chime applies the criteria.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Airport lounge access
Chime’s membership terms effective October 2026 state that eligible Chime Card holders with Prime status receive a 12-month Priority Pass Select membership. Eligibility is determined by the card issuer. The terms are not a promise that every cardholder will receive the membership.
- Complimentary visits: The membership includes two complimentary airport lounge visits per membership year.
- Charges after two visits: After the two complimentary visits are used, the card is charged $35 per person per visit, including guests.
- Facilities vary: Lounge facilities and services vary by location, and some services may carry additional charges at the lounge.
- Network is not a guarantee: Priority Pass membership gives access to a network of lounges, but the number or location of lounges at any given airport is not a guarantee that a specific lounge will be available to you on a given trip.
For a traveler, the value depends on how often you fly and whether your home airport and destinations have lounges in the network. If you expect to use the lounge more than twice a year, the $35 per-person charge adds up quickly for families or groups.
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New Credit Builder accounts are no longer available. Existing Credit Builder users can keep their current card, or they may be offered an upgrade to Chime Card. Chime says that once you convert to Chime Card, you cannot revert to Credit Builder. Before accepting an upgrade, decide whether you want the rewards and the other features that come with Chime Card, because the change cannot be undone.
Who the Chime Card suits, and what to check first
The card is most useful for someone who wants a secured credit card with no annual fee, does not need a credit limit to be reported, and is willing to hold the deposit as a spending cap. It is a poor fit if you want to borrow above the money you deposit, or if you need lounge access and cash-back rewards without being able to meet the Prime deposit threshold.
Before you rely on the card, confirm four things in the Chime app and on the bureau report you receive:
- Whether your offer to apply is available to you, and whether it is a new or upgraded product
- The current fee schedule for out-of-network ATMs and cash advances
- Your monthly qualifying direct deposits, if you want rewards or lounge access
- Whether the card’s payment activity appears on your TransUnion, Experian and Equifax reports after the first statement cycles
The product terms described here were checked against Chime’s published pages, not through an independent application, card use, customer service contact or lounge visit. Current offers and lounge access can change, so the membership terms and in-app details control.
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