Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
Credit builder Mastercard with fast pre-qualification and $1,000 unsecured credit
Updated: Mar 20, 2025
The Surge Platinum Mastercard credit card is a starter credit card that many have been waiting for. Imagine a great card offer, reasonable fees, backed by well-recognized names in the financial sector, and even a solid customer service team that stands ready to help, no matter the time or a day? Think it doesn't exist? Rest assured it does - It's the Surge credit card.
ANNUAL FEE
See Terms
ONGOING APR
35.90% Fixed
INTRO APR
N/A
at Surge's Secured website
Apply NowIntroductory APR
N/A
Intro APR Period
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Bad Credit OK
Key Features
- Up to $1,000 Initial Credit Limit
- See if you PreQualify 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.
- An unsecured credit card requires No Security Deposit
- Perfect card for everyday purchases and unexpected expenses
- Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- Access to your Vantage 3.0 Score from Experian (when you sign up for estatements)
- 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)
- Checking Account Required
Our Take
The Surge Platinum Mastercard credit card is a credit-builder credit card issued by Celtic Bank and serviced by Continental Finance Company. It’s either an unsecured or a Surge Secured Mastercard. The credit card issuer decides which type you will get based on your previous payment history, credit score, and average gross monthly income. If you get approved for the secured version, you will have to pay a deposit, which can between $300 – $1,000 (e.g. $300, $500, $750, $1,000).
Who is Surge Credit Card For?
- Being a credit-builder card, it can help people with less than a good credit score or no payment history at all repair, re-establish, or build credit from scratch.
- People who don’t stand a chance of getting a credit card they want, due to bad credit ratings or limited credit history, can use this card to start building and improving their credit.
- If you want an easy-to-get Mastercard that still reports your transaction history to all major credit bureaus, this is a viable option.
What are Surge Mastercard Benefits?
Fast and easy application
The application procedure is very easy, and it takes a very short time to complete. You can do it online on the issuer’s official website. If the system can verify your data on its own, you will get a response via mail within minutes. Some applications take longer (7-10 business days) because human agents have to review and approve them.
Fewer fees for the 1st year
You can use it on all Mastercard payment terminals. During the first 12 months following the credit card activation, you don’t have to worry about monthly maintenance and foreign transaction fees. There is an annual fee for the first year and a reduced one for each consecutive year.
Helps build and repair credit
There are few things that make this credit card a viable option for people who are planning to build or repair their credit. The application, and pre-qualify response time is quite short, which means that you can get to repair your credit ratings really fast.
Credit reporting
The bank reports your payment history to all 3 major consumer credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If you use the card to make small purchases, manage to make payments on time every month, and never carry a balance to the next billing period, you’ll be able to see the positive impact on your credit in 6 months.
RELATED: Credit Reporting Cards Explained
Are There Any Drawbacks?
There are several things that you should take into consideration if you are credit card shopping, though.
High annual fee
The annual fee is significant, and it will be subtracted from your monthly limit of $500 after you activate the card. Also, the variable APR is higher than the industry average.
Maintenance fee
After the 1st year of using the Surge Mastercard, the annual fee drops, but a monthly maintenance fee becomes a thing that you have to take into account. This is quite a significant sum of money on a yearly level.
The high overall cost
You will need to cover the cost of the annual fee and you’ll still have another 12 payments to cover the cost of the monthly maintenance fee. Don’t forget the foreign transaction fee, which also becomes applicable, starting with the second year.
Should You Use Surge Credit Card?
Other than offering people with bad or no credit score an opportunity to get hands-on unsecured credit and start building or improving their credit, the Surge card doesn’t provide anything else. There is no introductory APR, bonuses, cashback, or any other type of incentive to use it. Given that the starter credit card niche is quite competitive, Surge could do better. However, if your credit ratings are bad, or if you have no credit history whatsoever, it will be hard for you to shop for better credit card deals. Due to the low requirements and fast pre-quality, this may be the only option you have to start building and improving your credit.
Surge Platinum Mastercard Competition
Frequently Asked Questions
| Issuer: | Celtic Bank |
|---|---|
| Network: | Mastercard® |
| Category: | Consumer (Regular) |
| Review: | Full Card Review |
| Best Used For: |
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| Rewards: | No |
| Regular APR: | 35.90% |
|---|---|
| Regular APR Type: | Fixed |
| Annual Fee: | See Terms |
| Balance Transfer: | No |
| APR on Cash Advances: | 35.90% |
| Grace Period: | 25 days |
| Late Payment Fee: | See Terms |
| Other Fees: |
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Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Alternatives
Surge® Platinum Mastercard® |
| APPLY NOW |
|
Annual Fee See Terms |
|
Regular APR 35.90% |
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Intro APR N/A |
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Rec. Credit Score Bad Credit OK |
IMPORTANT
*The information provided for Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is believed to be accurate at the time of evaluation or recent update on March 20, 2025. However, we strongly advise visitors to review the card fees and Terms & Conditions on the issuer's website by following Apply Now link to verify the accurancy of the information posted prior to applying for this card offer.
Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
Reviews - (3 User Reviews)
November 12, 2020
Joanna
(26-35) - Cardholder
Income on Application
$34500
Credit Score
Needs Work (300-579)
Credit Limit
$500
Filed for Bankruptcy
No
A bit costly
I applied for this card with a credit score of 310 and got approved instantly! The application process couldn’t be more seamless. I’ve been using the card for about a year now and managed to raise my credit score to 395. So, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone with bad credit.
The annual fees may seem like a deal-breaker, but you have to give something to get something. It’s a small price to pay for improving your credit, especially when you have very few alternatives.
I have to give it to the customer support agents, they were more than helpful every time I needed some questions answered. Love them, and love this credit card. I’ll certainly switch to another once I get my credit where I want it to be, but I’m happy to use it until then.
Fees & Charges:
2/5
Features & Benefits:
5/5
Customer Support:
5/5
Application Process:
5/5
July 7, 2020
Leon
(36-45) - Cardholder
Income on Application
$55422
Credit Score
Needs Work (300-579)
Credit Limit
$500
Filed for Bankruptcy
No
Easy application and all kinds of benefits
I don’t know how people have the energy to stand in line every time they go to the bank. I know I don’t. However, I needed a credit card, so yeah, I looked for one I can apply for online. They say that it’s good for people with bad credit scores, but I don’t know anything about that. All I know is that the card was in my hands 8 days after I applied and that I can get money from family members in Australia without any fees. You can send me some cash too!
Fees & Charges:
3/5
Features & Benefits:
5/5
Customer Support:
4/5
Application Process:
5/5
June 28, 2020
Lindsy
(26-35) - Previous Cardholder
Income on Application
$45788
Credit Score
Needs Work (300-579)
Credit Limit
$0
Filed for Bankruptcy
No
Ok for people with crappy credit score
I had it for six months and got rid of it when I got approved for a better card… When you cancel the card, your credit isn't affected (this is only for people who had the card at least six months). I also cleared the balance before canceling.
To be honest, this is a bad card, but then again, my credit was crap, so I couldn't expect anything better. I got approved with a 520 credit score, and with that, you can't expect good fees. Still, it was useful. I made my payment with it and kept credit utilization low. Now my credit is around 680ish…
Fees & Charges:
2/5
Features & Benefits:
4/5
Customer Support:
4/5
Application Process:
4/5
Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
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