| Last updated on September 23rd, 2023
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
- 27.24% (Variable) Regular Purchase APR
- 27.24% (Variable) Balance Transfer APR
- 29.99% (Variable) Cash Advance APR
At a Glance
The Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a basic secured credit card that provides all the benefits of a Mastercard credit card but with the credit building security of a cash deposit. The card features no annual fee or maintenance fees.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- The Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a no annual fee credit card that helps you build your credit when used responsibly
- Unlike a debit card, it helps build your credit history with monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus. Once available, you will also have free access to your FICO score online
- Use your card anywhere Mastercard® is accepted - worldwide
- A security deposit is required. Once approved, your credit limit will be equal to your security deposit (minimum of $200)
- Get help staying on track with Auto Pay and account alerts
- With Flexible Payment Due Dates, you can choose any available due date in the beginning, middle or end of the month
- Manage your account 24/7 online, by phone, or in our mobile app
- Regular Purchase APR: 27.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer APR: 27.24% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer Transaction Fee: Either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
- Cash Advance APR: 29.99% (Variable)
- Cash Advance Transaction Fee: Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
- Penalty APR: Up to 29.99% variable based on your creditworthiness and the Prime Rate
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Late Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $41
- Return Payment Penalty Fee: Up to $41
- Minimum Deposit Required: $200
- You have no credit history and want to start building up your credit score
- You want free fraud monitoring and the ability to track your expenses online 24/7
- You do not want to pay an annual fee
- You want a card that reports to the major credit bureaus
Citi® Secured Mastercard® Review
As critical as it is to have decent credit when buying big-ticket items such as vehicles and real estate, it’s good to know that there are cards like the Citi® Secured Mastercard® to help you get on the right path to your goals.
The Citibank secured card foregoes the convoluted category selection prevalent in the majority of credit cards in favor of a streamlined approach that helps new cardholders build up their credit history and learn the responsible behaviors that will benefit them in their financial future. Upon approval, simply make a deposit between $200 and $2,500 to secure your credit line, pay the balance in full each month, and watch your credit score soar.
Citi conducts regular account reviews to see if cardmembers can graduate from a secured card to an unsecured Citi Platinum Card. To qualify for an upgrade to an unsecured credit card, Citi Secured Mastercard holders must have their account open, active, and in good standing for at least 18 months.
Citi Secured Competition
The Citi® Secured Mastercard® faces tough competition in the bad credit market, which is teaming with excellent card offers. Here is how the Citi secured credit card compares to other leading offers from our partners:
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
- Monthly reporting to the major credit bureaus
- $200 minimum deposit
- No annual fee
- Build credit while learning with OpenSky Knowledge Base
- Monthly reporting to the major credit bureaus
- $200 minimum deposit
- $35 annual fee
- Monthly reporting to the major credit bureaus
- $200 minimum deposit
- Credit line doubles to $400 with on-time payments – with no additional deposit
- $36 annual fee
Full Mastercard and Citibank Features
The Citi Secured Mastercard might require a security deposit – but don’t mistake this card for anything other than a full-fledged Mastercard credit card. This means cardholders can use it anywhere the Mastercard logo is accepted. Mastercard can be used in over 212 countries worldwide – more than American Express, Visa, or Discover.
Users can anticipate a full suite of Mastercard safety protections, including:
| Zero Liability Protection | Mastercard Global Services | ID Theft Protection |
Cardholders also gain access to Citi Entertainment. This program provides exclusive access to entertainment, concerts, sporting events, and dining purchase opportunities. Through this benefit, cardholders can buy concert pre-sale tickets before they go on sale to the general public, VIP packages that are exclusive to Citi®, and they can even earn complimentary movie screening passes.
Cardholders also have free access to their FICO® score and a suite of online money management tools to help keep tabs on expenses.
How to Get the Most Out of the Citi Secured Card
Secured cards offer many of the same features. As such, there are some basic rules for getting the absolute most out of cards like the Citibank Secured Mastercard. These rules include using the card to make small purchases, making regular payments each month, and always trying to pay your balance off in full.
Following these tips, your credit score can rise quickly, allowing you to graduate to other credit card offers from Citi – or even another card issuer.
FAQs About the Citibank Secured Mastercard
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the Citi Secured credit card:
- Yes – sort of. The Citi Secured Mastercard is a secured credit card, meaning it requires a security deposit to open. That security deposit also acts as the credit line.
- Secured card credit lines are not the same as prepaid, as the minimum due on the credit limit must be repaid each month. Prepaid cards, on the other hand, are replenishable and don’t require repaying.
- Citi helps build credit history with monthly reporting to all 3 major credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
- Yes. With responsible use a Citi Secured Mastercard may be upgraded to another Citi personal credit card. Keep in mind that upgrading from secured to unsecured will result in a refund of your initial deposit (minus any outstanding payments). Additionally, you will not be eligible for any sign-up or welcome offers with your new card.
- Citi issues credit cards upon approval, meaning successful applicants can expect their new Citi credit card to arrive within 14 business days, but more realistically, between 7 and 10 days.
Card Availability
Citibank credit, debit, and banking products are available in all 50 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia.
Citibank Ratings
How does the Citi Secured Card stack up? Here are a selection of expert reviews for the card, as well as an overview of Citi as a bank:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
4/5 |
4/5 |
3/5 |
Should You Apply for the Citi® Secured Mastercard®?
Overall the Citi® Secured Mastercard® is a solid choice for those looking to either establish their credit for the first time or repair a less-than-stellar credit score.
Other cards to consider include options from First Progress, OpenSky, Discover, and Capital One. The First Progress Platinum Prestige Mastercard® features an exceptional 9.99% APR and requires a minimum deposit of $200. Popular options from major banks include the Citi Secured Mastercard and the Capital One Platinum Secured Card.
The information related to Citi® Secured Mastercard® has been collected by BestCards.com and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.
Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards.com's reviews, articles, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author(s). These opinions do not reflect those of any card issuer or financial institution, and editorial content on our site has not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless noted otherwise. Further, BestCards.com lists credit card offers that are frequently updated with information believed to be accurate to the best of our team's knowledge. However, please review the information provided directly by the credit card issuer or related financial institution for full details.