Surge Mastercard Credit Card Reviews 2022
You know — you’re living a stress-free life; it’s all fun and games until the realization hits you — you have bad credit!
And once you have bad credit, it would take every ounce of effort left for you to be able to get rid of your bad credit. It reduces the chances of getting loans from potential creditors because they might judge you by your negative credit score!
The Surge Mastercard is a popular credit card among those trying to rehabilitate their credit. The Surge Mastercard®, a subprime card alternative, accepts applicants of all credit kinds. We’ll review some of the card’s features and benefits in this post. We’ll also look at what other people have to say about the card and consider potential alternatives.
Surge Mastercard Credit Card
Continental Finance and Celtic Bank jointly offer the Surge Mastercard® Credit Card*, an unsecured credit card for customers with bad credit or limited credit history. Since it’s an unsecured card, you won’t have to deposit. But, the continuing costs associated with this card might rapidly pile up.
You should demonstrate responsible credit use with any card for credit building. Monthly reports of your Surge Credit Card usage and on-time payments are sent to the three credit bureaus. This may help you improve your credit score over time.
The Surge Mastercard is a costly credit card for those with bad credit that is unlikely to be viable in the long run. You may save even more money by putting down a security deposit on a secured credit card. With a strong payment history, you’ll be able to receive your money back.
The $99 yearly cost and potential monthly maintenance fees ranging from $0 to $10 will never be refunded if you use the Surge Mastercard. Fees alone can cost up to $219 every year, and you’ll spend even more if you pay interest.
What Makes Surge Mastercard Different?
The card is primarily intended to assist people with terrible credit in obtaining new credit and re-establish their credit profiles. The card sends information to each of the three main credit agencies.
The initial credit limit is $300 to $1,000, slightly greater than other credit cards in this category. After as little as six months, you may be eligible for a credit limit increase of $2,000.
You don’t have to pay the fee for the first 12 months after you create your account. Surge Mastercard Credit Card is thus one of the more affordable alternatives – at least for the first year.
You’ll have your VantageScore 3.0 accessible and an immediate credit limit increase after making many on-time payments and reporting to all three credit agencies.
Pros & Cons Of Surge Mastercard
The Surge Mastercard comes with its pros and cons;
Pros:
1. Unsecured Card Access:
If you’ve got bad credit, you may need to start with a secured card, which requires a security deposit. Although you may be eligible for an unsecured credit card with a credit line of $300 – $1,000 and that in case you apply for the Surge Mastercard.
2. Reports to Three Major Bureaus:
The major credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—report your Surge Mastercard account payments each month. Using the Surge Mastercard to make payments on time will help you steadily improve your credit score.
Cons:
1. High Fees:
While the Surge Mastercard is accessible to those with bad credit, it comes with many costs, including a $75-$99 annual fee. The cost is withdrawn from your available credit line in the first month.
2. Additional Card Fee:
You’ll be charged $30 if you add a user to your account.
3. Late Payment Fee:
You might be fined up to $40 if you miss a payment.
4. Monthly Maintenance Fee:
The amount is $120, payable monthly at $10, and charged at the beginning of your payment cycle.
5. Foreign Transaction Fee:
Each transaction in US dollars outside the US will cost you somewhere around 0.00 to 3.00 percent.
6. Returned Payment Fee:
You might be charged up to $40 if a payment is returned.
7. Security Deposit:
Customers who do not meet the requirements for the Surge Mastercard without the need for a security deposit have to pay a refundable security deposit. Your creditworthiness determines the amount you receive. The Surge Mastercard’s key advantage is an unsecured alternative for persons with bad credit. This card’s value is negated if you don’t qualify for it without a security deposit.
8. Higher APR:
The Surge Mastercard’s APR on purchases is 29.99 percent, which is much higher than the national average for all interest-bearing credit cards. While many cards for bad credit applicants have high-interest rates, holding a load with such a high APR might lead your balance to rise over time.
9. No rewards:
You won’t get any cashback or points with the Surge Mastercard because it doesn’t have any incentives. Although this isn’t unusual for a credit card for those with bad credit, a few outliers offer important incentives.
Additional Card Details:
Because the Surge Credit Card is designed for those with bad credit or no credit history, it doesn’t come with many perks other than monthly credit reporting to the three major credit agencies.
You do not have to put down a cash deposit as you would with a secured credit card because it’s unsecured. This is useful if you know you’ll be able to make on-time payments each month but don’t have the appropriate funds to put down a deposit.
Before applying for this card, the most crucial thing to know about this card is the cost structure. You will be charged an annual price of $75 to $99, but they may as well charge you a monthly maintenance fee after the first year. This charge is determined by the issuer, depending on your creditworthiness. It can cost anything from zero to ten dollars every month, potentially adding $120 to your annual bill.
Should You Opt For Surge Mastercard?
There are several better secured and unsecured credit-building choices than the Surge Credit Card. Even if you utilize pristine credit and never submit balances to this card’s high APR, you may pay considerably more over time, even if you avoid the deposit necessary with a secured credit card.
If you have bad credit on your credit report and want an unsecured credit card, the Surge Credit Card might be a good fit, especially if you apply for the cheaper annual cost and no monthly maintenance charge. This card can help you establish credit by allowing you to use it responsibly, which can help you be approved for better credit cards in the future. However, it should not be your first choice. Check your preapproval offers on the issuer’s website to see what terms you could qualify for before committing to an application and undergoing a rigorous credit check.
The Surge Mastercard® Credit Card is for people who need to build credit for the first time or who want to enhance their credit profile by using their card responsibly. It is a real credit card choice for clients looking to increase their spending power and grow their credit, even though it does not give any incentives for purchases.
Consumers should be aware that the Surge Mastercard includes a high annual fee and a high APR in the first year of card membership, making it crucial for cardholders to make on-time, full monthly payments. With so much competition in the subprime credit card industry, alternative unsecured or secured credit cards with cheaper rates and fees may be worth investigating.
