Petal 1 Visa® Credit Card review: Good for those new to credit
Great for no annual fee
Annual Fee: $0
This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.
Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card or similar cards.
% of members by credit limit range
The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $1,516, with $1,000 being the most common.
Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card or similar cards.
% of members by credit score range
The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 599, with 568 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.
Member stats
Updated daily
54.7%
Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.
41 years
Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.
$75,803
Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.
Pros and cons
Image: yesLender may consider more than credit scores
Image: yesNo security deposit required to build credit
Image: yesOffers cash back at certain retailers
Image: ConDoesn’t earn cash back on all purchases
Image: ConHigh purchase APR
Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card review
Updated November 5, 2024
This date may not reflect recent changes in individual terms.
Written by: Ben Luthi
Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card: The gist
The Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card offers limited rewards, but it has a $0 annual fee and several helpful features to help you build credit.
If you’re thinking of applying, here are some of this card’s biggest features to keep in mind.
Petal considers more than just your credit scores
If you’re interested in seeing if you qualify for the card, you have the ability to prequalify without affecting your credit. When you’re ready to submit your formal application, the card’s issuer, WebBank, will run a hard credit check which may show up on your credit report.
If you don’t have enough of a credit history for the credit card issuer to make a decision, Petal will ask you to connect your bank account so it can develop what it calls a “cash score” for you. In creating your cash score, Petal will look at factors like how much you earn and your spending habits to determine your overall cash flow and financial responsibility.
This may mean that you don’t have to worry about the Catch-22 that can occur when you have a limited credit history but want to apply for a loan or credit card — you can’t build a credit history without credit, but it’s tough to qualify for credit without a credit history.
And for a card that doesn’t always require a credit score, it’s impressive that the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card doesn’t require a security deposit. As a result, you don’t have to lock up a few hundred dollars or more with your card issuer like you do with secured credit cards. That said, you may not qualify if you have low credit scores.
You can earn cash back rewards, but it’s limited
The Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card offers 2% to 10% cash back rewards via the Petal Offers platform when you make eligible purchases at certain retailers.
Unfortunately, if the retailers featured on the Petal Offers platform don’t align with your spending, you’ll earn little to no rewards with the card. But if they do, it could be an excellent opportunity to get more value while you build credit.
Not a lot of fees
Petal doesn’t charge a ton of fees. If you don’t pay at least the minimum on time, it could cost you up to $40 for a late fee. Returned payments will cost you up to $29 a pop. But that’s it — there’s no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
One area where the card doesn’t shine is its variable purchase APR, which ranges from 29.49% - 34.49%. It’s common to see an APR that high for this type of card, but if you’re thinking of getting the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card, make it a priority to pay your bill on time and in full every month.
What else you need to know about the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card
If you’re still on the fence about the Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card, here are some other features to consider in your decision-making process.
- Petal reports your payments to all three major credit bureaus.
- Petal’s mobile app allows cardholders to set a budget and track spending.
- With the app, you can view how much interest you’ll pay based on your planned monthly payment.
- The Petal app shows you select merchants in your area that offer cash back.
- You can use the app to see what you’re paying for recurring subscriptions and to see how to cancel the ones you don’t need.
Who this card is good for
The Petal® 1 Visa® Credit Card is an excellent choice for someone who’s brand new to credit and wants to establish a credit history. If you manage your money relatively well, you can connect your bank account to help get approved.
The card isn’t the only unsecured credit card for people who are new to credit. But if you like the idea of paying few to no fees and having a handy app that provides tools to help you manage your money so you can make on time payments, this card could be for you. Just be sure to pay on time and in full to avoid late fees and interest charges.
If you’ve already spent some time building your history and have fair or good credit, though, you could get better perks and features with a different card.
Not sure this is the card for you? Consider these alternatives.
- Petal® 2 Visa® Credit Card: This card is good for people who like what Petal offers but have already started building their credit history.
- Capital One Platinum Credit Card: This is a good option for people looking to build credit and get access to higher credit limits quickly.
Member reviews
Most helpful positive review
August 8, 2023
Don’t listen to the others
— Credit Karma Member
Petal 1 does not have a fee. That’s Petal 1 Rise. Essentially, your application begins with a pre approval for both Petal 1 and Petal 1 Rise. If you aren’t approved for the Petal 1, you are approved for Rise automatically, because the main difference is that the latter has a fee that was put in place to guarantee your odds. While you do pay $69 a year (I think, might have been $59), you get a way higher credit limit than most other cards offer to beginners. I have no Experian credit score (which is what Petal 1 relies on and isn’t shown in Credit Karma) but I was approved for a limit of $550, which will definitely help out a lot. Once the limit gets reported my scores will go through the roof. Imo paying that fee is worth it until you can upgrade to the better line.
Most helpful negative review
July 7, 2023
Wasted 2 years
— Credit Karma Member
If you are proud of making leaps with this card, get ready for them to take you back to the beginning to start over and pay fees. I will not recommend this card to anyone just for the simple fact of how they treat longtime cardowners with a flawless payment history. I had no second thoughts about closing this account. This company does not deserve to benefit from any fees. Ungrateful to say the least, dont be like me. I can assure you will one day be wasting your time writing a review about the same regretful outcome. You have been warned by the Petal 2 cardholders that made leaps and credit limit increases just to be downgraded to fees.