First Digital Mastercard Review
Using the First Digital NextGen Mastercard® Credit Card to improve your credit or establish your credit history from scratch can come in really handy, but it definitely comes at a price. The costs and fees that follow this card are higher than average. However, since anyone with a bad or nonexistent credit score can get approved, holding this card can be quite beneficial. You should understand that you may build good credit with your First Digital NexGen credit card, but you can also hurt your score if you’re not a responsible cardholder. We advise you to look carefully into all your options and features of this card, consider all the fees and costs, and only then make a choice that’s right for your needs. If you can’t afford current fees or you don’t think you can provide full, on-time payments before the end of each billing cycle, you might want to consider another card. You also might want to think about applying for a secured credit card that comes with lower fees but does require a security deposit, albeit refundable.
What is First Digital NextGen Card?
If you have a poor credit score or no credit history to speak of, you can use the First Digital Mastercard® credit card to build up your credit. But how good is this card really? This in-depth card introduction will answer all your burning questions about this card and help you decide whether or not it is the right fit for you. Whether you have a poor or nonexistent FICO score, you certainly know how challenging it can be to get approved for a credit card. Most banks will conduct a full credit check to determine whether or not you are eligible for their offers, and they will simply deny your application if you don’t meet all the requirements.
But the more inquiries you make, the more your credit score (which may already be very low) suffers the consequences. Each inquiry takes a few points off your score, so you can quickly find yourself in a deep rabbit hole, with ever-decreasing chances of finally seeing that coveted “Approved” status. Fortunately, there is a solution. The First Digital Mastercard® provides people with a less-than-perfect credit score with an opportunity to build good credit. It is actually designed specifically for those looking to improve their credit or establish one from scratch, so it has very low approval requirements.
First Digital Starter Credit Card Details
The First Digital Mastercard® is issued by Synovus Bank, which is insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation). This means it’s reliable and highly secure, so you can rest assured knowing your finances are always in safe hands.
- Designed for Applicants with Bad Credit. This particular offer is aimed at people struggling with a low credit score or having no credit history at all, which means that almost anyone can get approved. The approval requirements are very low, and you can get approved even if you have been denied elsewhere. You need to have a checking account, but you don’t need to have perfect credit to apply. After all, it is a card for improving limited credit or rebuilding bad credit.
- Unsecured, Starter Credit Card. This is an unsecured credit card, so it doesn’t require a security deposit. It gives you an initial credit limit of $300, but you may be eligible to increase it after you’ve been a responsible cardholder for at least 12 months. That is – if you have stayed within your limit and provided on-time payments for the previous six billing cycles. Make sure you check this with Synovus Bank and ask about the other requirements to better understand how you may become eligible for increasing your line of credit. Keep in mind that raising the limit imposes a credit increase fee.
- Easy Online Application. If you do want to get pre-approved for this particular unsecured credit card, you can easily apply online. You don’t even need to spend days waiting to see if you’ve been approved. The Synovus Bank will send you a reply in about a minute to inform you of your approval status. You can contact the bank’s online customer center that is available 24/7 If you encounter any issue with your application. Bear in mind that it will take 3 weeks at the most to process your application if you get approved.
- Helps to Build Credit History. If you do get approved, you can quickly start building good credit or raising your existing credit score, because the bank will send monthly reports of your activity to all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. If you prove to be a responsible cardholder, your score will quickly start going up. Using your card responsibly means providing every single monthly payment in full and on time. It’s even better to pay off your balance a few days earlier instead of waiting for the due dates. Running late on payments or maxing out your card paints a picture of someone who doesn’t know how to handle their finances or is in serious financial trouble. Credit bureaus wouldn’t appreciate that kind of a look on your credit report. Not only would you lower your score that way, but you would also face even higher charges, such as late payment fees. Using your card responsibly also means keeping a low credit utilization ratio. If you always maintain it below 30% of your credit limit (and do all that “full, on-time payments” stuff), you can quickly start building up your credit.
First Digital NetGen Offer Summary:
- Credit card for poor credit
- Low approval requirements
- No security deposit needed
- Checking account required
- Easy and secure online application
- Instant decision card
- Reporting to all major credit bureaus
- Possibility of credit limit increases
Why Do We Like It?
The First Digital offer might not be the most favorable on the market, but it does have its good sides. There are several reasons why we really like it.
- No Security Deposit Needed. The best part about this offer is that it doesn’t require a security deposit. The fact that you don’t need to deposit any money to open your new account makes this card very convenient. You can decide to put down a deposit later on to increase your line of credit, given that you meet the eligibility requirements.
- Anyone Can Get Approved. Another great part is that you can get approved even if everyone else denied your application. The Synovus Bank will get you approved as long as you meet the necessary low requirements. It doesn’t matter how low your FICO score is, or if you have no prior credit history. If you’re a legal US resident and you meet the other few requirements, opening your First Digital account will be a piece of cake.
- Monthly Credit Reporting. And that’s what we absolutely love about this offer. Even if you have a terrible credit score, you can build it up with this card. The Synovus Bank will send monthly reports of your activity to all three major credit bureaus. If the bureaus see your good behavior on your credit report, they will quickly improve your credit score.
- Fast Online Pre-Qualification. Let’s not forget that you can quickly and easily apply online with just a few simple clicks. You will get an instant response, without having to wait for days to see if you have been approved.
What Could Be Better?
No credit card is ideal, and First Digital NextGen Mastercard® is not an exception. Although it’s aimed at those with less-than-perfect or even terribly low credit scores (or those with no credit history at all), we can’t help but wonder if it’s really good for those consumers.
- Low Initial Unsecured Credit. The best part about this offer is also its worst part, depending on the way you look at it. Not putting down a security deposit means that you can’t control your initial credit limit, which greatly depends on your credit score and general creditworthiness. But the initial spending limit you get is low, which we think could definitely be improved. With a limit of $300, you get to spend less than $90 a month to maintain a good credit utilization ratio and manage to improve your score. For the first month of usage, after you pay for all the fees, you have even less money at your disposal.
- High Fees. And there we are – the fees. The fees with this card are so high that you’re left with very little money to spend on a monthly basis. That’s the biggest drawback to getting this particular unsecured card – facing higher fees.
- No Rewards or Bonuses. Finally, we think that the offer could be a bit more appealing if it provided sign-up bonuses or reward points. New and existing cardholders currently don’t have the luxury of enjoying any kind of rewards or additional perks by using this card. All its features are aimed solely at building good credit.
The NextGen Card Usage & Applications
- First Digital NextGen is a starter credit card for improving poor credit or building one from scratch. As such, its usage is quite limited. You can use it only as a tool for building or repairing credit and nothing more. Since you have a very low initial credit limit, you can’t use the card for any bigger purchases. And you need to keep your credit utilization ratio low if you are to build up your credit. The best way to do it is to keep it below 30% and always provide full payments on time. Also, don’t carry a balance because your interest rate would quickly go up.
- We highly recommend you never miss a payment. A single missed payment can take 90-110 points off your credit score and stay on your credit report for 7 years. Keep in mind that it usually takes 7-10 days for the bank to process your payment, so try and make all your payments well before their due dates. The card also doesn’t allow transactions in foreign currencies, meaning you can’t make a purchase in foreign currency either online or outside the US. If you do, the bank will use the exchange rate either selected by Mastercard® or mandated by the government to charge you a high foreign transaction fee.
- But all of these usage limitations don’t mean that the First Digital card is not a good offer, because it is. It’s designed to help you build good credit, and that’s all it does. It may be a little, but it can mean a lot if you use it responsibly and solely to get your credit score up. After all, that is its primary purpose.
Does the First Digital Offer Rewards Program?
The First Digital NextGen Mastercard® does not offer rewards.
What Are Costs & Fees of First Digital Card?
Every credit card comes with its share of costs and fees, and this one is not very favorable in that regard. As we have discussed many times throughout this article, the fees that come with this offer are very high and might be enough to deter you from applying. Before making any commitments, make sure you contact Synovus Bank to learn everything about this card’s rates and fees. Once you do, think long and hard about whether or not you can actually afford it. If you miss any payment or don’t use your card wisely, you would face higher interest rates and additional fees.
List of First Digital Mastercard® Fees
- One-time processing fee for activating your account
- Annual fee (billed annually for the first year and monthly for all subsequent years)
- Monthly servicing fee (starting the second year)
- Variable APR for purchases (depending on your balance)
- Variable APR for cash advances
- Cash advance fee
- Late payment fee
- Returned payment fee
- Foreign transaction fee
- Additional cardholder fee
Is It Convenient to Use This Card?
Using the First Digital card is very easy and convenient. The Mastercard® network is incredibly wide – its cards are accepted in more than 210 countries around the globe. This means that every single store (both online and offline) that accepts Mastercard® will accept this card. However, bear in mind that using it outside the US borders might not be a very smart idea. This is because your foreign purchases (whether abroad or from foreign merchants operating online) would incur high foreign transaction fees. You don’t want to worry about such fees when you’re trying to get your finances in order. Use this card only for what it was designed – establishing good credit. That means using it for small monthly purchases that wouldn’t come with high fees that would later prevent you from paying off your balances in full and on time.
What Are Key Requirements to Pre-Qualify for First Digital Card?
One of the many reasons why this offer is attractive to many consumers looking to improve bad credit is that its approval ratings are very high. Anyone with bad credit is welcome to apply, even those with no credit history at all. This means that almost anyone can get approved.
- The legal US Resident. To qualify for the First Digital card, you need to meet very low application requirements. You need to be a legal US resident (with a valid, current US address), which means you need to be at least 18 years old to apply. If you’re from Alabama, you need to be 19 years old or older.
- Active Checking Account or a Debit card. You also must have an active checking account in your name. This is necessary if you become eligible later on to increase your initial spending limit if you so wish. To do so, you would need to make a deposit to your checking account. If you don’t have one before applying, your application will be denied.
How to Apply for the First Digital NextGen Card?
Applying for this Mastercard® card couldn’t be easier. You don’t have to physically go to the nearest branch of Synovus Bank to submit your application. You can quickly and easily apply online here. The online application is very fast and secure. All you need to do is fill out the online form.
List of Required Information for Application
- Your legal name
- Date of birth
- Valid, current US address
- Email address
- Social Security number
- Phone number
- Employment information
- Income information
The bank may require you to provide additional documents to verify all the necessary information about you, which is why it’s imperative that you get in touch with them prior to applying. Once you’ve completed your application process, the bank will almost instantly notify you of your approval status – in as little as 60 seconds. Don’t worry if you don’t happen to get an immediate response. The bank might just need a bit more time to verify everything and make sure it makes a sound decision about you being its cardholder.
If your application gets approved, you would need to wait about 3 weeks for the bank to process your new account. In case, you don’t hear from them in more than three weeks, be sure to contact the online customer center to find out if any problem may have occurred. If your application gets denied, the bank will let you know why it didn’t approve. You can also give them a call to find out exactly what went wrong.
How to Contact the First Digital Mastercard® Company
- Customer Service Phone: 1-844-358-0074
- Account Login: Login to your First Digital Mastercard® Account.
- Find Your Application: Search your application by ID or email – click here
Correspondence Address
First Digital Card
PO Box 85650
Sioux Falls, SD 57118
Similar Digital Cards
First Digital Credit Card Offer Recap
The First Digital offer is aimed at anyone struggling with a poor credit score or having no credit history at all. This means that almost anyone can get approved, as long as they meet the necessary requirements. To apply for this card, you need to be at least 18 years old (19+ if you’re from Alabama) and have a valid, current address in the US. You also need to have an active checking account. You can apply online with just a few simple steps. The online application form is highly secure and prompts an immediate response regarding your approval status.
This is an unsecured credit card, which means no security deposit is required, but it also means higher APR and fees. You get a low initial spending limit, but you may become eligible for an increase after the first year of being a responsible cardholder. The Synovus Bank that issues this card reports monthly to all three major credit bureaus, which means that you can quickly start building good credit. This is, of course, if you always use it responsibly – paying off your balance in full and on time every month and keeping your credit utilization ratio below 30%.
