Upgrade Visa Card Review
The Upgrade Visa with cash rewards is one of the most interesting cards out there. It offers you a credit installment at sign-up and 1.5% cashback rewards also it has a fixed APR. Its approach to credit makes it so that you pay the least amount of interest at the fastest possible time. Upgrade will help you to strengthen your credit by reporting to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. And, the main perk of this card is there are no fees associated with it, thus prequalifying for one doesn’t require a hard inquiry into your credit history. Upgrade Visa accepts people with at least a 600 fico score (FAIR) and above.
- What is the Upgrade Visa?
- Upgrade Visa Card Top Features
- The Upgrade Visa Card Offer Summary
- Why do We like Upgrade Card?
- What Are Qualification Requirements?
- How to Apply for Upgrade Visa
What is the Upgrade Visa Card with Cash Rewards?
The Upgrade Visa card with Cash Rewards is a top-of-the-line innovative credit card with 1.5% cash rewards and some distinctive perks and features, making it a viable option for anyone’s pocket. If you’re looking to strengthen your credit up to a remarkable amount, you’re going to adore the fact that there aren’t any fees associated with this card. The minimum credit to apply is FAIR (580-669 score by FICO).
This card is issued by Cross River Bank, a very reliable bank, and is further insured by the FDIC. While other cards might advertise that they have minimal fees, the amount of cards without any penalty rates, foreign transaction fees, and opening fees is minimal – and upgrade is one of them. This card isn’t for people with bad credit or no credit. It is a card for those with Fair credit (600 FICO) and above. It offers you a fee-free experience. The APR is fixed and will depend mostly on your credit score and pre-approval balance.
What makes this card appealing is its acceptance rates, which are good on its own terms. That’s a great option for getting up to $20,000 or even up to $50,000 if combines with a personal loan offer. These things and many more make up the bulk of Upgrades offer – getting a high credit line and making the credit improvement that much easier.
You may also consider getting the Upgrade Personal Loan that has a higher credit line – up to $50,000.
Upgrade Visa Card Top Features
The Upgrade Visa card is ideal for anyone looking for a good credit card for building a credit score. It’s a top-of-the-line card which offers access to cheaper credit through cards and loans. An interesting thing about this card is its approach to paying with credit, which is unique to this card.
- Cash Back Rewards. The Upgrade Visa card with cash rewards offers 1.5% unlimited cash back on all card purchases.
- Reports Your Credit. The card doesn’t have a standard credit limit; rather, it provides policyholders with a pre-approved line of credit specifically made to help the policyholder predict the balance payment amount, all while reporting the spending to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. This card reports to all 3, making it a great option for any credit-improving strategy. While building your credit isn’t going to be easy – through the use of a card like this, the process is significantly simplified.
- Has No Fees. One of the most interesting features that this card brings to the table is the fact that there are absolutely no associated fees with this card. There are no foreign transaction fees, no annual or opening fees – the card even has a fixed APR, which is excellent in its own right.
- High Approval Rates. The amount of APR on your card is going to depend on your prior creditworthiness, which is determined by your prior credit score. You’re very likely going to get accepted to the Upgrade Visa if you have at least Fair credit, as its approval rates are high. The whole card management system is through a gorgeously designed online website, making it easy to access your card and view your spending. Since the card is based on the VISA platform, this application is unrivaled by any other card. VISA is the most popular credit card platform in the world.
RELATED: Card Offers Reporting Credit Explained
The Upgrade Visa Card Offer Summary
Not an Ordinary Credit Card. This card doesn’t function like a regular credit card. After you sign up for the card, you’re going to get a credit line with many different term options. Your credit terms rest anywhere from 12 to 60 months, depending on your prior credit history. That means if you have a solid prior credit history, you’re going to get a better credit payoff option. This card is purposefully built around making purchases and paying off credit, but its complete lack of ATM availability makes it a poor instant cash card. You can transfer all the funds from your Upgrade credit card with cash rewards into any debit or credit card, and pay no transfer fee, which makes the card as viable as any other, but adds the tedious task of constantly having to transfer funds.
Fixed Payments. After each month concludes, your remaining balance will go into an installment plan with a fixed monthly payment amount, which you can pay off depending on your initial credit terms (12-60 months). While this might sound a little bit too good to be true, when combined with the fees associated with this card, of which there are none, this card is a very viable option for anyone.
Innovative Website & App. A great thing about this card is its website. While credit cards have had a tough time adapting to the virtual age, all of the card management and optimization is done through the gorgeous Upgrade website. The website isn’t only slick with its design; it’s a gorgeously designed GUI interface that allows you to navigate it with ease.
Fixed APR. One of the best things about this card is its fixed APR. Most cards usually have a “variable APR rate”. When it comes to this card, the APR is fixed, and if your prior credit history is decent at the least, you’re going to find after the preapproval offer that the APR itself is lower than most competitors.
Has no fees. This card has dedicated itself to cutting down on the number of payments you’re going to make when working with credit. It helps you pay off your credit while paying the minimum amount of interest possible.
Upgrade Visa Card Advantages
- 1.5% Unlimited Cash Back rewards for all card purchases.
- The approval rates of this card are high. They even accept people with FAIR Credit and above.
- There are no fees associated with this card. You don’t have to pay an annual fee, card opening fee, or a foreign transaction fee.
- The card management is done through the Upgrade Visa website, which makes any task associated with this card an enjoyable endeavor.
- Its credit features make paying credit off a breeze and ensure that you’re going to pay off your credit with the least amount of interest at the fastest time possible.
- Most of the aspects of this card are automatic and are all based on your prior credit history.
- The website will notify you about any payments made through this card, and the monitoring capabilities are top of the line – and both of them are free.
- This card has a fixed APR rate, which depends on your prior credit and preapproval amounts.
- The card reports to all three of the major credit bureaus, meaning that improving your credit is as simple as sticking to your credit repair strategy.
Upgrade Visa Card Disadvantages
- Upgrade Card cannot be used at an ATM
- The card is not available to people with bad credit or bankruptcies. Must have at least FAIR credit to qualify.
- No cash withdrawal features
Why Do We Like it?
It is quite difficult not to like a unique card like this. The first thing we like about this card is the sheer fact that there are no fees associated with this card and it gives 1.5% cash rewards on all card purchases. The no-fee policy only makes improving your credit that much simpler.
Strengthening your credit through this card is easy. It’s available to people with fair credit. Through the use of this card, you can improve your credit with ease. It reports to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian, meaning that improving your credit score is done fast. It has many credit options and a fixed APR rate. The credit payment options and APR rates are decided after preapproval and are based on your prior credit score. Applying for this card doesn’t trigger a hard inquiry into your credit history, meaning that it’s not going to tarnish it.
To put everything into perspective, this is a unique credit card, which has focuses on paying credit off with the least financial and strategic effort. It does most of the heavy lifting for you. The dedicated team behind this card has announced plans to include benefits and bonuses into this card, to make it even better for policyholders. This card has immense credit-building potential, and an even better credit payment option.
RELATED: Compare all four Upgrade Credit Cards side by side
What Can Be Better?
Even if there are plans to include bonus features into this card, we can’t fail to mention that there are currently none. It’s a unique card; it does have some faults when it comes to its actual real-life application of it.
Even if there aren’t any fees associated with this card, you can’t actually use an ATM. This card is based on the VISA platform, and the VISA is the most popular credit card platform in the world. You can transfer your funds from your Upgrade account into your other credit or debit card with relative ease, but it’s still a tedious task. This card is a viable option for teaching people about credit and responsibility, but its apparent unavailability for people without any prior credit history and those with bankruptcies. It would be great to have an option for those with bad credit to get approved, too.
This review is set in the current time, and we’re going to point out all the rights and wrongs of this card objectively. Objectively, this doesn’t make a good daily card, even if it can offer up to a $20,000 credit line. Since you can’t draw out instant cash from the ATM, if you’re in desperate need of cash, the upgrade is bound to disappoint. but if want to make a large purchase with credit – it can be a good option.
Where I can Use the Upgrade Card?
This card is an ideal option for people who are looking to strengthen credit scores in the right way. Building your credit score requires an intricate credit-building strategy, and it’s going to require both a credit strategy and a great tool. The Upgrade Visa Credit Card with cash rewards is a good option for a credit improvement strategy while earning cash back.
- It reports to all three major credit bureaus, meaning that credit reparation is streamlined and happens in a timely manner. Its application process is swift, and as long as you have fair or above credit, you’re bound to be accepted into the mists of this card.
- This card is unique, which has an intricate focus on helping people pay their credit off with the minimum amount of fees and APR. It’s APR rate is fixed, but it depends on your prior credit and preapproval amount.
- There are no fees associated with this card, which makes it that much easier on the pocket. This card attempts to minimize fees by excluding them from the card itself and helping you pay off your credit with as minimum fees, interests, and time as possible.
How Easy Is It to Use the Card?
Using this card is fairly easy, but it does have a couple of setbacks. It’s not available for cash withdrawals, making it a poor option if you have to have quick cash. There are no cash advances, either. Although you can transfer all of your funds from this account to any other through a great online platform, the lack of this feature really reflects poorly on the card. Using this card for credit itself, which can be up to $20,000, on the other hand, is the easiest thing in the world. Since most things about the credit, initial APR, and pay-off time are determined automatically on preapproval, you don’t have to do any thinking when you open it. Most of these things are going to depend on your prior credit history, which is a great thing in itself.
Using this card to improve your credit is also top of the line, as it reports to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. All the management, monitoring, and actual optimization of this card are done through the internet, through the online website of the Upgrade Visa Credit card. The website comes with an interactive GUI interface, making the actual usability aspect of this card one of its best features. The best part about the interactivity, monitoring, and alerts that this website gives you? All of them are free of charge and are courtesy of opening an account on the website and using your card.
How to Contact Upgrade Company?
- Customer Support: toll-free line at 1-855-997-3100 (Monday-Friday, 6 A.M. – 6 P.M., Saturday and Sunday 6 A.M. – 5 P.M. Pacific Time)
- Help Center: click here
- Email Address: contact@upgrade.com
| Headquarters | For Standard Mail | For Courier Deposits (FedEx, UPS, etc.) |
|---|---|---|
| Upgrade Inc. Suite 2300 275 Battery Street San Francisco, CA 94111 | Upgrade, Inc. DEPT LA 24576 PASADENA, CA 91185-4576 | Upgrade, Inc. 24576 14005 LIVE OAK AVE IRWINDALE, CA 91706-1300 |
What Are Qualification Requirements to Get Upgrade Card?
This great credit and installment loan card comes with relatively low qualification requirements. It has relatively high acceptance and approval rates, making it a great option for anyone who has a fair credit or above. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to be very available for people without any prior credit history, bad credit, or those with bankruptcies, making it a relatively poor starting credit card. A good thing about the card is that the whole application process is done through the online GUI interface, and it requires minimal information. The full list of qualifications and requirements for these cards is:
- American Citizenship
- SSN number (Offers with no SSN Needed: Secured Sable One, Deserve EDU, Jasper Mastercard)
- Annual income
- Additional annual income
- City, State, Zip Code
- Prior credit history (min 600 FICO to get preapproved for credit)
- Employment history
- Real address ( Not a P.O. box )
How to Apply for Upgrade Visa Card with Cash Rewards
The whole application process is done through the internet, and it’s a very simple process. Unlike many other cards, applying for the Upgrade Visa Card with Cash Rewards is streamlined, and you’re going to see the results faulty quickly. The application process does not induce a hard inquiry into your credit history, meaning that your credit score isn’t going to suffer. If you’re looking to apply for this card, you’re going to make an account on the Upgrade website. You can apply easily online. After getting to the application page, you’re going to have to prove a minimal amount of information to start off the application process.
After you’ve put all your information in, making your account, the only thing left is to wait for a response. Unlike other cards, the pre-approval response will arrive fairly quickly, making sure that all of your expectations are met. Unlike other cards as well, before getting approved for your card, you’re going to get a proposal from the upgrade team. It’s going to give you an APR rating and a credit installment, both of which are based on your pre-existing credit history.
In most cases, both of these are going to be extremely pleasurable. After you accept it, it’s only a matter of time before your card arrives. Since this card is based on the VISA platform, you can use it virtually anywhere that accepts cards. An important thing to note is that you can’t use it to withdraw cash from an ATM. You can, on the other hand, transfer funds from this account into your bank account through the internet, making the process available, but a bit tedious in nature. All in all, the application process is quick, simple, and streamlined.
Am I Safe When Applying for Upgrade Visa?
With every card that has its management, use, and monitoring through the internet, security is a top-of-the-line priority. When it comes to this card in particular, you don’t have anything to worry about. As long as you keep your card to yourself, you’re going to have nothing to worry about. This card’s website is not only gorgeous, but it’s also well protected. It is protected by layers of state-of-the-art encryption, making sure that you’re not only going to have a good time using it, but you’re also going to have a safe time using it. The features of this card are mostly based on the VISA platform, which is renowned for its security standard. If you have any worries about the safety or status of your card, you can contact customer support. The customer support at Upgrade and VISA is helpful and is bound to help you resolve any problem you might run into while using this card.
Offer Recap
This card is a quality one with a unique approach to credit. Its unique features make it ideal for people who are looking for anything from a credit strengthening card, to one which will help them pay their credit off with the least amount of interest out there. This card doesn’t require an excellent credit score; on the contrary – it requires fair credit. As long as you have a fair prior credit history and no bankruptcies, you’re almost guaranteed approval for this card. It will help you strengthen your credit while you earn cash back, as long as you’re responsible for it. This card is a great tool for any credit improvement strategy.
At this current moment, it doesn’t come with any bonuses, but the Upgrade Visa Card with Cash Rewards team has announced plans to include bonuses in the future. At the end of each month, your credit balance is automatically adjusted and put within the prerequisite credit installment. The application process is quick and done through the card website. The application doesn’t induce a hard inquiry into your credit history, meaning that it’s a viable option for anyone, as they have nothing to lose by getting preapproved.
The qualifications for this card are at a fair minimum, which is mandated by federal law. Using the card is as easy as opening an account, receiving a card, and using it anywhere where VISA cards are accepted – which is virtually anywhere in the world. One major drawback of this card is that you can’t use it at an ATM. All in all, this is a powerful card and a great option for anyone looking for a card to supplement their credit limits and credit improvement strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
***Personal loans made through Upgrade feature Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) of 6.95%-35.97%. All personal loans have a 1.85% to 8% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan proceeds. Lowest rates require Autopay and paying off a portion of existing debt directly. Loans feature repayment terms of 24 to 84 months. For example, if you receive a $10,000 loan with a 36-month term and a 17.59% APR (which includes a 13.94% yearly interest rate and a 5% one-time origination fee), you would receive $9,500 in your account and would have a required monthly payment of $341.48. Over the life of the loan, your payments would total $12,293.46. The APR on your loan may be higher or lower and your loan offers may not have multiple term lengths available. Actual rate depends on credit score, credit usage history, loan term, and other factors. Late payments or subsequent charges and fees may increase the cost of your fixed rate loan. There is no fee or penalty for repaying a loan early.
