Citi Secured Mastercard

The Citi Secured Mastercard is a plain credit builder: no annual fee, no rewards, and nothing to manage beyond paying on time. Ranked #4 on our Best Secured Credit Cards list, its appeal is the absence of cost rather than anything it hands back to you. The APR is a flat 25.99%, which only matters if you carry a balance, and on a card meant to build credit you should not be carrying one. It also charges foreign transaction fees, so it is not the card to take on a trip. Put one small recurring charge on it, pay in full every month, and plan to graduate to a rewards card once your credit supports it.