Horizon Gold Card Review

Updated: Jun 10, 2023

Advertiser Disclosure

Meet the Horizon Gold Card – A Store Credit Card to Build Credit

The Horizon Gold Shopping Credit is not perfect, but if used the right way, it can help you to build a credit history. The card is made for people with poor credit who don’t have a lot of options available to them. With Horizon Gold Card you will be able to harness various benefits when shopping at the Horizon Outlet online store and most important you can improve your credit score. All the other benefits that come with this card can be useful as well. If used the right way, you will only have to cover your monthly fee and nothing else.

Horizon Gold Merchandise Credit Card
Horizon Gold Merchandise Credit Card

698 User Ratings

at Horizon Gold secure site

Card Details

Intro APR

N/A

Ongoing APR

0% Fixed

Balance Transfer

No

Annual Fee

See Terms

Credit Needed

Accepts All

Snapshot of Card Features
  • 7-day Risk-Free Trial
  • Instant $750 Credit Line*
  • No Credit Check
  • Fast Online Application
  • Bad Credit Accepted
  • Credit reporting
  • Cancel anytime

Open Details +

Making multiple financial decisions can lead to dropping your credit score down. Even though this might not seem like a big deal, it can limit you in so many ways. A bad credit score can make it difficult for you to get a brand-new credit card. On the other hand, it might create problems when getting a personal loan or a student loan, and you will often be given higher interests or rates because the creditors won’t trust you. If you had a lot of credit checks or you were late with payments, your credit might be damaged. Repairing your credit score as quickly as possible will make your life a lot easier. If you are having these kinds of issues, make sure to do this as quickly as possible. The Horizon Gold card issued by Horizon Gold Card Services can help you do this.

RELATED: Credit Card Basics

Horizon Gold Card Offer Details

The Horizon Gold card is not a traditional credit card. It’s a store credit card cardholders can get for buying products at the Horizon Outlet website store. The card is issued by the company, and it’s designed for its frequent customers. Even though it’s not a typical credit card, almost anyone will get approved for this card. People who often shop at the Horizon Outlet website and have bad credit can make great use of this card. Simply put, this card is meant for an ultra-specific group of people, and it can work for them only. If you don’t have a habit of shopping at the Horizon Outlet, then getting this card would be a wrong move.

This card comes with some special rewards or bonuses. At the same time, getting approved for it is quite easy. The application doesn’t involve any employment or credit checks, which means that your current credit score is completely irrelevant for getting this card. The fact that this is a shopping credit card means it cannot be used anywhere. It isn’t an open-loop card, and holders can use them strictly when shopping online at Horizon Outlet. The Horizon Gold is an unsecured card, which means that it doesn’t require any deposits.

RELATED: Shopping Merchandise Cards Explained

This shows that it’s meant for people who don’t have lots of money and cannot afford to pay for deposits but would like to build their score. The card also has a 0% APR and offers benefits like “My Legal Assistance”, prescription medicine discounts, and roadside assistance.

It also has a credit limit set at $500, which is quite nice, especially compared to similar cards. The approval for this card is almost instant, and we suggest getting this card if your credit score ranges from less than 300 up to 670.

However, due to all of these benefits, the card has a higher annual fee, which can go up to $299.4. All the activity on the card is reported to one of the three major credit bureaus each month. That’s why this card can be valuable in building up your credit score.

Horizon Gold Card Main Highlights

  • Closed-loop shopping credit card
  • No employment check
  • No credit check
  • Basically, anyone can get it
  • Good for Horizon Outlet customers
  • Credit card activity reports to major credit bureaus
  • High annual fees (paid monthly) (See No Annual Fee Cards)
PRO Tip
If you don’t have the money to get a credit card that requires a security deposit, but you like shopping at the Horizon Outlet, their card will be a good addition to your shopping experience. It will make your shopping easier while helping you build your credit score.

Horizon Gold Advantages

Horizon Gold Disadvantages

  • High annual fees
  • The card can only be used for online shopping at Horizon Outlet
  • No signup bonuses
  • $5 activation fee

Why do we Like Horizon Gold Card?

We rarely come across shopping credit cards designed for building credit scores. When reviewing this card, we were a bit surprised. However, we think that it’s genuinely a good idea to offer this kind of card. It has a good system built around it that helps both the issuer and the users while giving equal benefits. Let’s face it – every credit card issuer is looking to either make money on the card or engage cardholders to interact with their brand. Simply put, they aren’t doing it just to be nice. But this shopping card is well-balanced, and even though it requires monthly payments, it gives value in return.

Easy to get approved. First of all, we love how easy it is to actually get approved for this card. A lot of credit card issuers offer cards for people with bad credit but won’t approve them if their score is under 600. On the other hand, we were able to get the Horizon Gold unsecured card with a credit score of 310, and you won’t come across this very often.

No security deposit is required. What’s also great about these cards is that they don’t require a security deposit, and the limit is set at $500. People with bad credit scores don’t often come across an opportunity to get an unsecured card. Still, this doesn’t mean that you should go wild and use it irresponsibly.

Improves Credit history. Simply put, the brand has found a way to help its customers improve their credit scores while shopping at their online store. A cardholder won’t have to change his or her habits – they will just have to use the card with each purchase. At the same time, they will have one major added benefit – all their activity will be reported, and their credit will improve.

PRO Tip
If you are already spending a lot of money at the Horizon Outlet shop, adding this card to your account will give you lots of benefits.

What Can be Better?

  • The Horizon Gold Shopping Credit Card can only be used at its dedicated store, and this is a major downside. However, the card is not marketed as an open-loop credit card that can be used anywhere by anyone. Still, one of the things that could definitely be better is the annual fees.
  • The total annual fee comes up to $299.4, and this is really one of the most expensive unsecured cards out there. Additionally, there are some additional fees like card issuance and activation fee that is $5, and $3.5 signature verification fees for outlet store delivery.
  • The company could also be more transparent about which credit bureaus they report to. We looked for this information everywhere, and there is nothing official about the bureaus. This should be made public as users have the right to know which credit record to check to see how they are progressing.
  • This goes hand in hand with their customer service. Simply put, we think that the company hasn’t prepared itself for all of the challenges of issuing their own shopping credit card. However, we expect this to be better in the future.
PRO Tip
If you have anything unclear about the card, make sure to contact customer support and ask for clarification. Be patient and wait for their reply. It’s never a good idea to get into something without knowing all the facts.

Horizon Gold Usage and Applications

After getting approved for this card, there are certain things you should keep in mind. The card is only good if you use it the right way. If not, you could end up with an even worse credit score.

  • First of all, be absolutely sure to make all the payments on time. Chances are you’ve seen this everywhere with various cards, but in this case, doing this is absolutely crucial if you want to achieve the end goal – improve your credit score. First of all, being late with your payments means that you will be added interest. Pilling up interest means that you will have to spend even more on this card, and this is something you should avoid. On the other hand, missing payments will put stains on your credit reports, and they will negatively affect your credit score.
  • Also, make sure to take into account your credit utilization (a percentage of the credit balance that you are using compared to the limit of your card). Be disciplined and use an app or a calculator to keep track of all your purchases and balance. Remember that sometimes payments take time to get processed, and you can easily end up forgetting about them and make other purchases. That way, you will know how much you owe at all times.
  • Additionally, every time you add to your balance, make sure to put cash away for making the payment at the end of the month before the balance transfer. Think about all of your purchases and always make sure that you have the “collateral” for them.

Other Benefits and Perks of Using Horizon Gold

Horizon Gold shopping credit card comes with some additional benefits that most store and credit building cards don’t offer. As soon as the card is activated by the cardholder, they get enrolled automatically and get a membership benefit plan, which costs $24.95 each month.

Apart from having 0% APR, no application fees, this card comes with 4 important perks:

  1. Roadside Assistance. The roadside assistance that comes with the Horizon Gold credit card can be really useful. When you find yourself in a difficult situation with a flat tire, engine problem, or an accident, you can get free towing or some other kind of help. The card gives you three service towing calls with a maximum length of 15 miles. If not, you can get three services equal to the value of $50. Any additional mileage or services will have to be paid by the cardholder.
  2. My Legal Assistant. The Legal help perk that comes with the card gives cardholders the option to get a free consultation with a legal professional either online or via phone call. Horizon connects their users with a lawyer that is nearby in their area so that they can have additional meetings if needed.
  3. My Universal RX. Discount for pharmacy products (My Universal RX) is a perk for buying prescription medications at Horizon Outlet. Card owners can use this perk at any pharmacy that is within the Horizon chain. However, you will have to prove that you have your prescription. In case you do, you will get up to 40 % off on all of your medications.
  4. Privacy Protection Plan. This plan gives all cardholders a single free credit report per year. Simply put, you will be able to see the information the credit bureaus have on you and how well you are doing with your card use.

What are Costs and Fees?

Horizon Gold can be a really useful card that helps you get positive financial reports each month. However, its downsides are its fees. You need to know what to expect if you are to use this card properly. First of all, this card comes with an annual fee that totals $299.40 per year.

This fee is paid monthly, which comes down to $24.95 per month. However, these fees are if you are using the benefits plan. It’s possible to downgrade to a basic plan which costs $6.95 per month with an added cost of $6 for monthly maintenance.

This plan is pretty much the same as the regular one, except you won’t have the perks like roadside assistance. If you have a benefit plan and fail to pay your fees, it will be automatically switched to a basic account.

Given the fact that Horizon Gold card is, in fact, a store card, it comes with some additional fees. These fees are related to handling and processing. For example, there is a $2 fee for all residential deliveries and a delivery signature verification in the amount of $2.50.

When you get the card, you will have to activate it. For each user that activates their first account comes a $5 fee. The APR interest is 0 % in all situations, but if you don’t pay your credit card and carry a big balance, you will get some APR.

However, there is a minimum monthly payment required on the card, and it’s 10% of the total limit, which means that you will have to spend at least $25 each month with the card. If you have a lower balance, you will have to clean it completely.

PRO Tip
If the benefits account is too expensive, you can lower it. To reduce your monthly fees, you can switch to the basic account after a month. Simply contact the provider and ask for your account to be downgraded.

Is it Convenient to Use Horizon Gold Card?

Using Horizon Gold Shopping Credit is quite straightforward. It’s just like any other store credit cards, but it can only be used online. You simply go to the site of the Horizon Outlet, and when you get asked to choose your payment method, choose your store credit card – it’s as simple as that. Remember that this card can be used in Horizon Outlet only and nowhere else. Depending on your purchase, bear in mind that you will get fees for residential deliveries and signature verification.

What are Qualification Requirements?

One of the biggest advantages of the Horizon Gold Card is that everyone can qualify for one. It’s really difficult to get rejected for this card. Given the fact that the issuer doesn’t care about your current employment status or your current credit score simply shows that they are willing to give the card to basically anyone. The only real requirement for this card is to be at least 18 years old. Other than that, it’s pretty standard basic personal and financial information. It doesn’t require any initial payments except the $5 activation fee, and that’s it. Anyone shopping at the Horizon Outlet can get this card. There is no need for a checking account or anything like that. The account you get from Horizon is completely independent, and they can track your information directly on it.

PRO Tip
Don’t be afraid to apply for this card due to credit inquiries. The issuer doesn’t do them, and even if you are rejected for some reason, there won’t be a record on your credit history.

How to Apply for Horizon Gold Card?

The process of applying for the Horizon Gold Card is also very simple, and it takes a total of 2 minutes to get everything done. Just go to Horizon Gold’s official site and apply for your card. After you’ve clicked the button, you will be asked to add basic personal details like your full name, current location, phone number, email, and so on. You will also be asked to give some financial information like monthly income, current employment status, and so on. However, as far as we can see, all of these things are just a formality, and they don’t actually mean anything as anyone can get the card.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should lie on your application. It’s a felony, and you shouldn’t take the company’s trust lightly. After completing the application, you will be notified if it was successfully submitted or not. After that, you will have to wait a couple of days for your application to be processed. Given the fact that this is a store credit card meant for a very specific group of people and there are no big checks on applicants, you can expect to get an answer in two workdays. After being approved, you will have to activate your account, and you are good to go.

How To Cancel Horizon Gold Card?

In order to cancel the Horizon Gold Card, you should call Horizon Card Service customer service at 1-800-251-6144 and tell them that you want to cancel your Card. If you request cancelation within 30 days of your billing circle, you may get a partial refund of your membership fee for that particular month.

Many people reported that the Horizon customer support representative will try to offer you a reduced rate of $6.95 per month membership instead to keep the merchandise card active. This offer has fewer benefits but still allows you to make purchases with your Horizon shopping card on the Horizon Services website. If you do not want to take that special reduced rate offer, you may cancel your card.

PRO Tip
Write down the name and if possible an ID of the customer support you have spoken with before you hang up. Also, make sure you get and write down a confirmation number in order to verify if the card has been canceled.

How to Contact Horizon Gold Customer Services?

  • Customer Service: 1-800-251-6144 (Monday through Friday 8:30AM to 9:00PM EST, Saturday 9AM to 4PM EST)
  • Online Contact Form: click here

Correspondence Address

Horizon Outlet
PO Box 1275
Indiana, PA 15701

Horizon Gold Offer Recap

Horizon Gold Shopping Card is available to everyone who is at least 18 years old. It’s meant for people who have really bad credit scores, ranging from 600 down to 300 or even lower. At the same time, it can also be useful to people who don’t have any credit history whatsoever. This is not a traditional credit card, and it’s more of a store credit card as it cannot be used anywhere else than in the Horizon Outlet. The application process is very simple and lasts around 2 minutes. It’s almost impossible not to get approved for this card as the issuer doesn’t run any credit or employment checks. With the use of this card, you can send out positive financial reports to credit bureaus each month. The card doesn’t come with any interest, but it has an annual fee that you will have to pay monthly.

Frequently Asked Questions



×

Advertiser Disclosure

Market Pro Secure® is an independent payment card comparison service supported by advertisers, a complete list of which can be seen in our Editorial Guidelines. Even though some of these advertisers are financial product providers and credit card issuers, our paid partnerships don't affect card ratings or the Best Card Picks on our website. We don't post any content that is provided or commissioned by any of our partners. However, our paid partnerships may affect how and where products appear on our site, including the order in which they are presented within listing categories. This order may also be affected by our website rules, as well as the likelihood of the applicant’s credit approval. We can't offer any warranty for the accuracy of the credit card information we share on our website, even though we do our best to keep the Terms and Conditions, rates, and other credit card details up-to-date. For more accurate information, click "APPLY NOW" to get transferred to the credit card issuer's official website. Market Pro Secure® doesn't include all available payment cards in the marketplace.