What Is a Good Credit Score to Get Approved for a Credit Card?

The question most people search for is “what is a good credit score?” The better question is: good enough for which card?

A 670 is a solid score. It also won’t clear the Chase Sapphire Preferred’s underwriting threshold. A 720 is excellent by most standards and still borderline for the Amex Platinum. The number that matters isn’t an abstract definition of “good.” It’s the floor for the card you actually want.

Here’s what I’d actually tell a friend who asked me this: credit card issuers don’t think in terms of abstract score categories. They work from tier minimums, and the tier you’re in right now determines which card categories are available to you.

This guide maps those tiers directly to the cards available at each level. It also covers what issuers look at beyond the score, because a 720 can still get declined. And it lays out the fastest path from wherever you’re starting to the card you’re actually aiming for.

Credit Score Ranges: What Each Tier Actually Unlocks

The short answer is that FICO scores run from 300 to 850, and the tier you fall into is the most practical indicator of which cards you can realistically apply for right now.

A few things worth noting before moving on.

The average FICO score in the US is 714, which puts most Americans squarely in the Good tier. About 48% of Americans have a FICO score of 750 or higher. If you’re sitting between 670 and 730, you’re in the range of most creditworthy borrowers, and the cards worth having are within reach.

Credit Karma and similar apps show VantageScore, not FICO. Good on VantageScore starts at 661, versus 670 on FICO. The two scores typically track closely, but use the FICO scale above for planning. Most card issuers pull FICO, not VantageScore. For a full breakdown of which services show which score, see Free Credit Monitoring: Which Services Are Actually Worth Using.

One distinction that matters and most guides skip: having no US credit history is not the same as having bad credit. Immigrants, recent graduates, and anyone new to the US system show up as “thin file,” not negative. A thin file typically means the bureaus can’t generate a score at all, rather than generating a low one. The path from thin file to 670+ is usually faster than recovering from actual derogatory marks. For a full explanation of what goes into your score, see How Credit Scores Are Calculated in the USA.

What Credit Score Do You Actually Need, by Card Category

The thresholds below are the realistic approval minimums by card category. Apply these as planning benchmarks, not guarantees. Individual applications depend on your full credit profile, not just the score.

No file or 300+ (Secured, no check required)

These cards are built for people starting from zero. The OpenSky Secured Visa and Chime Credit Builder Card don’t check your credit at all; they only need a deposit. Others in this tier, like the Discover it Secured, Capital One Quicksilver Secured, and BofA Secured, do run a credit check but are designed specifically for thin files and sub-600 scores. The deposit becomes your credit limit, and after 6 to 12 months of on-time payments, most of these cards automatically review you for an upgrade to an unsecured card.

For a full list of options at this tier, see Best Secured Credit Cards for 2026 and Best Credit Cards for Building Credit in 2026.

580 to 669 (Starter Unsecured)

No deposit required, but rewards are limited and APRs run high. At this tier, the point of the card isn’t the rewards. It’s the credit history. Pay in full every month, keep utilization under 10%, and most people move up a tier within 12 to 18 months.

Two cards worth knowing at this level: the Chase Freedom Rise, which works best if you already have a Chase checking account, and the Capital One QuickSilverOne, which earns 1.5% on everything with no deposit required. These aren’t just credit-builder tools. They’re real cards with real rewards that happen to be accessible before 670.

I’ve held the QuickSilverOne since my first year in the US. When I arrived in December 2022, I had a blank US credit file. Not bad credit, just nothing. No score, no history, no presence in the system. The QuickSilverOne was the card that got me in, and I didn’t apply for anything else for the first 12 months. One card, paid in full, utilization kept low. That’s the whole strategy at this stage.

Full reviews: Capital One QuickSilverOne Review and Chase Freedom Rise Review.

670 to 699 (Mainstream Rewards)

This is where the cards most people actually want start becoming available. Flat-rate cash back cards with 1.5% to 2% on all purchases, no annual fee, and real reward value. Chase Freedom Unlimited, BofA Unlimited Cash Rewards, and Capital One Quicksilver all land at this tier. If your goal is a solid everyday card with no complexity, 670 is the realistic floor.

700 to 719 (Entry Travel Rewards)

Chase Sapphire Preferred and Amex Gold Card both typically become accessible in this range. These are the cards with meaningful sign-up bonuses, transferable points to airline and hotel partners, and real long-term value. Most people building toward travel rewards have one of these two as their target. Eighteen months after starting with the QuickSilverOne, I crossed 700 and qualified for both.

Full review: Chase Sapphire Preferred Review.

720 and above (Premium Travel)

Capital One Venture X, Chase Sapphire Reserve, and Amex Platinum are all in this tier. Annual fees run from $395 to $695. Issuers are stricter here, not just about the score but about the entire credit profile. Clean payment history, low utilization, and at least two years of established credit age all carry significant weight at this level.

Full review: Capital One Venture X Review.

What Issuers Actually Look At Beyond the Score

This is the section most guides skip, and it explains why a 720 can still get declined.

The score is a filter, not a guarantee. Once your score clears the minimum threshold, issuers evaluate the full credit profile. Getting denied despite a solid score almost always comes down to one of the following.

Credit utilization

If your score is 700 but your existing cards are running at 70% of their limits, most premium issuers will decline. They want to see utilization below 30% overall, and ideally under 10% on each individual card. Paying down balances before applying can shift the underwriting outcome meaningfully. For a detailed explanation of how this works, see How Credit Utilization Works.

Too many recent applications

Chase is the most explicit about this. The informal 5/24 rule means Chase typically declines applicants who have opened five or more new accounts in the past 24 months, regardless of score. Other issuers apply similar logic without stating it publicly. Spacing applications at least 90 days apart reduces the risk significantly.

Account age

A 700 score with eight months of credit history looks different to an underwriter than a 700 with four years. Premium cards tend to want established history, typically two or more years of accounts in good standing, before approving applicants.

Income

Issuers are required by law to assess your ability to repay. A lower income applying for a card with a $550 annual fee will likely trigger additional scrutiny. There’s no published hard cutoff, but income is a factor underwriters weigh alongside the credit profile.

Derogatory marks

A late payment or collection stays on your report for seven years and carries significant weight, even if your score has recovered. Most premium issuers prefer a clean payment history with no late payments in at least the past 12 months.

The practical takeaway: if you’re getting declined despite a score above 700, check your utilization and application frequency first. Those are the two most common causes of denial for otherwise-qualified applicants.

How to Find Out Your Score Before You Apply

Never apply cold. A denied application costs you a hard inquiry on your credit report, which typically drops your score a few points and stays on file for two years.

Three reliable ways to check before applying:

Free monitoring services, like Credit Karma, Capital One CreditWise, and Chase Credit Journey, are free, require no credit check, and update weekly. They show VantageScore, not FICO, which is useful for tracking direction but not for precise pre-application planning.

Free FICO score is available through Experian’s free tier (FICO 8) and Discover Credit Scorecard (FICO 8, open to non-Discover cardholders). Use one of these before applying for any premium card. This is the number that actually matters in underwriting.

Official free credit reports are available at AnnualCreditReport.com. No score is shown, but you get full reports from all three bureaus. Run this at least once a year to catch errors that could be dragging your score down without your knowing it.

For a detailed breakdown of which services are worth using and how to get your actual FICO, see Free Credit Monitoring: Which Services Are Actually Worth Using.

The Upgrade Path: From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

This isn’t a grind. It’s a two-stage process with predictable timelines.

Stage 1: 580 to 670 (6 to 18 months)

Start with one secured card or one starter unsecured card. Pay the full balance every month, no exceptions. Keep utilization under 10%. Don’t apply for anything else during this period. At 12 months, request a credit limit increase on your existing card, which is typically a soft pull and won’t affect your score. By 18 months with one card in good standing, most people in this cohort reach 670.

One shortcut worth knowing: Experian Boost lets you add utility, phone, and streaming payment history to your Experian credit file. The impact can show up in a single day. The boost only applies to scores pulled from Experian, but it’s free and takes about five minutes to set up.

Stage 2: 670 to 700+ (6 to 12 months)

At 670, add one flat-rate cash back card, something like the Capital One Quicksilver or Chase Freedom Unlimited. This lowers your utilization on your first card and adds a second account to your credit mix. Pay both in full every month. At 12 months, check whether you qualify for a travel card. Chase Sapphire Preferred is usually the realistic target at this stage.

When I moved from a blank file to 700+ in about 18 months, the QuickSilverOne was my first and only card for the first year. That’s not the most exciting advice, but it’s what actually works. One card, paid in full, nothing else. The score follows.

For options specifically designed for people starting with no US credit file, see Best Cards for Immigrants in the US.

Where This Leaves You

The score range that matters isn’t “good” in the abstract. It’s good enough for what you’re actually aiming at. A 670 is excellent if your goal is a no-fee cash back card. A 720 is the realistic floor for premium travel rewards.

The path is consistent regardless of starting point: one card, pay in full, keep utilization low, and don’t apply for anything else for 12 months. The score follows.

Once you’re above 670, the question shifts from “can I get approved” to “which card actually earns the most for how I spend.” That’s a better problem to have, and one worth thinking about carefully before you apply.