Petal 1 Credit Card review: An accessible credit-building card

The Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card * The information for the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (issued by WebBank) doesn’t have much to offer in the way of rewards or flashy perks, but it is a great option for those with no credit history looking to build their scores.

Editor’s note: This article contains updated information from a previously published story.

About the Petal 1 Credit Card

With few rewards opportunities or extra perks, the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card * The information for the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. doesn’t seem particularly exciting at first glance. But where this card shines is in its opportunity for cardholders with poor or no credit history to build their credit scores. 

The Petal 1 card is available to those with less than stellar credit, and it doesn’t require a  security deposit to open. This can be a big boon to those trying to break into the credit card game without a few hundred dollars to drop. The card also doesn’t charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees. 

The Petal 1 card is designed to promote healthy credit card habits and build your score. Once you open an account, you’ll be able to track your credit score in the app, as well as access tools to help you determine the best payment strategy for your needs. On-time payments are reported to all the major credit bureaus so you get credit for your hard work. Plus, you’ll be automatically enrolled in Petal’s Leap program, which lets qualifying cardholders earn a credit limit increase after six months of on-time payments.

Unfortunately, the card doesn’t offer any sort of introductory APR, and its ongoing APR is steep. It also doesn’t offer a straightforward rewards program, though you will be eligible for Petal Perks, which offers between 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants. 

All in all, this card is best for those getting started with building credit, or trying to rebuild after a fall. Read on to learn more about what else the Petal 1 card has to offer. 

Petal 1 Credit Card basics

• Annual fee: $0.
• Welcome bonus: None.
• Rewards: 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants.
• Credit limit: $300 to $5,000, depending on creditworthiness.
• APR: 25.24% to 34.74% variable APR.
• Other perks and benefits: Earn a credit limit increase after six months of on-time payments; no foreign transaction fees.
• Does it report to all three credit bureaus? Yes.
• Does the issuer offer a pre-approval tool? Yes.
• Recommended credit score: No credit history.

Petal 1 Credit Card other details

Petal 1 Credit Card rewards

The Petal 1 card does not offer a traditional rewards program. Instead, cardholders are automatically enrolled in the Petal Perks program, where you can earn between 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants. The program is run by third-party service Dosh, and therefore works like other card-linked offer programs. 

You can redeem cash back as a statement credit, deposit into another account, or receive via check. There is no minimum amount of rewards required to redeem for a statement credit, but you must have earned at least $20 to redeem for a check or direct deposit. 

Petal 1 Credit Card rewards potential

Using government data and other publicly available information, Blueprint estimates that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has an annual income of $84,352 and $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card.

If the household made half of their credit card purchases with the Petal 1 Credit Card at a merchant offering 2% cash back, they would earn about $251 in cash back per year. 

Petal 1 card APR

The Petal 1 card has a 25.24% to 34.74% variable APR, depending on creditworthiness. This is steep, certainly, but not uncommon among credit-building cards. We recommend paying your balance in full whenever possible to avoid racking up interest.

Petal 1 card pros

• Payment strategy calculator: To help you establish positive payment habits, the Petal 1 card offers a calculator to help you visualize what different payment amounts will do to your total balance, including how much interest you’d accumulate. 
• Credit limit increase after six months: Eligible cardholders who demonstrate on-time payments for at least six months can qualify for an automatic credit limit increase. 
• No foreign transaction fees: If you travel abroad, you won’t have to worry about incurring foreign transaction fees when you pay with this card. 

Petal 1 card cons

• Limited rewards: The Petal Perks program offers some cash back, but there is no standard rewards offer on the Petal 1 card.
• No introductory APR: You’ll be charged the steep 25.24% to 34.74% variable APR on this card from the get-go— there is no introductory APR.
• No welcome bonus: This card doesn’t offer any sort of introductory bonus for signing up and meeting a spend threshold. 

How the Petal 1 card compares to other credit-building credit cards 

Petal 1 card vs. Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card * The information for the Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Petal also offers a card that does include rewards, called the Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card * The information for the Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (issued by WebBank). With this card, you’ll also have the opportunity to build your credit with similar features to the Petal 1, but you’ll earn 1% cash back right away and up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. Plus, earn 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants.

Petal 1 card vs. Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If credit building is your goal, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. is also a great option. Available to applicants with fair credit, the QuicksilverOne doesn’t require a security deposit. Plus, it offers a generous 1.5% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. This is more than you’ll earn on most cards available to those with fair credit. On the downside, this card charges a $39 annual fee. 

Petal 1 card vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

For those trying to build a credit score from scratch who are also students, there are quite a few competitive rewards cards available on the market today. One such option is the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . This card offers a generous 10% cash back on Uber & Uber Eats through 11/14/2024, 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The card is available to all students, regardless of if you attend a four-year institution or community college.

Should you get the Petal 1 Credit Card?

The Petal 1 card can be a great option for those with no credit history or those who need to rebuild their credit. It doesn’t offer rewards in the typical sense, but that is not uncommon among these kinds of credit building cards. Plus, it has plenty of benefits that can help you boost your score, including a payment calculator and the opportunity to increase your credit limit after six months of on-time payments. Best of all, it doesn’t require a security deposit, like many other credit building cards, so you won’t need to part with savings to get started.

Petal 1 card summary

PETAL 1 CARD SUMMARY DETAILS
Rewards	2% to 10% cash back at select merchants
Annual fee	$0
APR	25.24% to 34.74% variable APR
Foreign transaction fees	None
Major perks/benefits	Earn a credit line increase after six months of on-time payments; Payment strategy calculator

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