Key takeaways
- Continental Finance offers unsecured credit cards tailored for people with limited or poor credit, emphasizing accessibility and credit-building opportunities.
- Even though Continental Finance’s roster of cards can certainly help you get on the right path toward building better credit, it’s hard to ignore the downsides, such as high fees and interest rates, as well as low credit limits.
- There are plenty of alternative options to consider, such as secured cards, credit-builder cards, alternative cards like Tomo and student cards.
If you have a low credit score or no established credit, turning to a subprime credit issuer might help you with credit card approval. One company to consider is Continental Finance, which offers a handful of cards available to those with poor credit.
Take the time to learn more about Continental Finance credit cards, weighing the pros and cons of each card, before deciding whether its cards are right for you.
What is Continental Finance?
Continental Finance is a credit card company that specializes in offering cards targeted for consumers with low credit scores or no credit at all. A subprime credit issuer, the company markets itself as offering accessible financial products to underserved consumers, helping them rebuild or establish their credit.
“Continental Finance typically targets individuals facing challenges in obtaining traditional credit cards due to past financial issues,” says Baruch Silvermann, founder of The Smart Investor. “They focus on providing a pathway to responsible credit usage, supporting customers in improving their creditworthiness over time.”
Its consumer underwriting, marketing and servicing platform is designed to provide a variety of services to consumers when other financial institutions will not accommodate them. The company claims to have managed more than 2.6 million credit cards since its founding in 2005, and it boasts an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.
Continental Finance credit cards
Continental Finance offers several unsecured credit cards for people with limited or bad credit, typically those with FICO scores of 300 to 669.
Each of Continental Finance’s credit cards reports monthly to the three major credit bureaus, which helps establish and boost credit. Plus, with Mastercard Zero Liability Protection, you aren’t held responsible for unauthorized charges on your card. You also get a free monthly credit score when you enroll in e-statements.
Still, Continental Finance’s cards do have downsides.
While these cards have different names and slightly different terms, they all follow the same blueprint. They have low credit limits, charge hefty fees and do not offer rewards.
— Ted Rossman, Bankrate Senior Industry Analyst
Breaking down Continental Finance cards
| Credit card | Issuing bank | Annual fee | Initial credit limit | Other fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cerulean Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | $125 annual fee | $300 to $1,000 initial credit limit | No monthly fee |
| FIT Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | $99 annual fee | $400 initial credit limit | One-time $89 fee $6.25 monthly maintenance fee — or $75 annually — after 12 months |
| Reflex Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | $75 to $125 for first year, then $99 to $125 annually after | $300 to $1,000 initial credit limit | Up to $12.50 monthly fee after 12 months |
| Revel Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | $75 to $125 for the first year, then $99 to $125 annually after | $300 to $1,000 initial credit limit | Up to $12.50 monthly fee after 12 months |
| Surge® Platinum Mastercard®* | Celtic Bank | $75 to $125 for the first year, then $99 to $125 annually after | $300 to $1,000 initial credit limit | Up to $12.50 monthly fee after 12 months |
| Verve Mastercard®* | Celtic Bank | $75 to $175 for the first year, then $49 to $175 annually after | $300 to $1,000 initial credit limit | Up to $12.50 monthly fee after 12 months |
| Today Card® Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | – | – | – |
| Matrix Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | – | – | – |
| Build Mastercard®* | Bank of Missouri | – | $500 initial credit limit | – |
Please note that the credit card information, including interest rates, annual fees, and other terms displayed in the table, may not be fully up-to-date or accurate. This is because Continental Finance typically provides access to specific rates and fees for certain cards only after an individual applies for a credit card and is approved. Therefore, we recommend verifying the most current and accurate credit card terms directly with the issuer before making any financial decisions.
Benefits of Continental Finance credit cards
With each of these cards, the main benefits boil down to access to credit and building credit.
“You get access to credit, although probably with a low credit limit, and you can build your credit up if you use your card responsibly,” Rossman explains. “Continental Finance pledges to double your credit limits after you make your first six monthly payments on time. Plus, these are unsecured credit cards, so you don’t need to put down a security deposit.”
Silvermann also points out that these cards boast higher approval rates than many expect, and they offer account management tools that provide users with convenient ways to track their progress.
“The long-term advantages of these cards lie in the opportunity to improve your credit scores, enabling cardholders to ultimately access better financial opportunities in the future,” says Silvermann.
Drawbacks of Continental Finance credit cards
Even with the potential benefits, you can’t ignore the downsides — namely the high fees.
“The annual and monthly fees are significant, especially for products that don’t offer credit card rewards,” adds Rossman. “Also, since the credit limits on these cards are relatively low, your purchasing power is limited.”
In addition, count on paying high interest rates, as the APRs on many of these cards were up to 35.90 percent as of April 2025, and were previously up to 29.99 percent as of November 2023 — a nearly 6 percent increase in less than two years.
While designed for those with limited credit, the risk of falling into a cycle of debt with these higher interest rates remains, especially if you don’t manage your spending responsibly.
— Baruch Silvermann, Founder of The Smart Investor
Should you get a card from Continental Finance?
If you want to build or rebuild your credit, your credit card options will be limited. Continental Finance does offer options. That said, don’t jump at the first card offer you see for people with bad credit.
Carefully evaluate your means of paying off credit card balances promptly and avoiding high-interest charges. Also, ponder whether the possible credit score improvement justifies the fees attached, which are significant with Continental Finance cards.
“It’s also crucial to understand the terms and conditions applicable, including your credit limits and any potential penalties for late payments,” Silvermann advises.
Alternatives to Continental Finance credit cards
These cards are far from your only options when you have low or no credit.
“There are plenty of better credit cards out there for people looking to build or rebuild credit,” Rossman says. “It would probably be better to put down a $200 deposit on a no-annual-fee secured credit card and get your $200 back once you upgrade or close the card, as opposed to paying hundreds of dollars in annual and monthly fees to Continental Finance and not getting that money back.”
Rossman recommends the following options:
The bottom line
Continental Finance offers several credit-building cards that can look enticing if you have limited or no credit. But they aren’t your only choices worth considering, and the fees and high interest rates charged coupled with the lack of rewards can make these cards especially unattractive.
Hunt around for different options and see if you can qualify for a secured credit card or other credit product that doesn’t require you to pay annual or monthly fees.
*Information about the Cerulean Mastercard®, FIT Mastercard®, Reflex Mastercard®, Surge® Platinum Mastercard®, Revel Mastercard®, Verve Mastercard®, Today Card® Mastercard®, Matrix Mastercard®, and Build Mastercard® has been collected independently by Bankrate. Card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
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