The 5 Best Instant Approval Credit Cards of April 2024
Best for Cash Back at Grocery Stores
Blue Cash Preferred® Card
- 6% cash back on food
- $250 statement credit
$0 (intro)
Annual Fee
Best for Premium Rewards
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- 60K bonus points
- 1-3% cash back
$95
Annual Fee
Best for Amazon Prime Members
Amazon Store Card
- $60 Amazon gift card
- 5% cash back
$0
Annual Fee
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If time is of the essence and you have good (or better) credit, an instant approval credit card could be within reach. With these types of cards, you get fast approval and can often use them right away, regardless of whether you have the physical credit card in hand or not.
Here’s our picks for the best instant approval credit cards, including card details, credit requirements and more.
The 5 Best Instant Approval Credit Cards
- Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Best for Cash Back on Groceries
- Apple Card | Best for Apple Pay Shoppers
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | Best for Premium Rewards
- OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card | Best for Rebuilding Credit
- Amazon Store Card | Best for Amazon Prime Members
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from AmEx
- $0 intro annual fee
- Earn a $250 statement credit
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 12 months
To earn the $250 statement credit, you’ll need to spend $3,000 in eligible purchases in the first six months. Cardholders can also take advantage of perks like 6% cash back on groceries and select streaming services. After the introductory, first-year rate of $0 for the Blue Cash Preferred Card, the annual fee rises to $95. If you complete the application for this card on the AmEx site, you’ll be able to find out if you’re approved before impacting your credit score.
Rate & Fees and Terms Apply.
Apple Card
- 1-3% cash back
- $0 annual fee
- No foreign transaction or late fees
Goldman Sachs, the large financial services company, is the credit card issuer for the Apple Card. On top of cash back, there’s also Apple Card Family, which allows participants to foster healthy financial habits with set spending limits and credit-building opportunities. You can apply for the card — which can take as little as 60 seconds — and access your credit limit and interest rate offer without dinging your credit score.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- 60K bonus points eligible
- 1-3% cash back
- Travel and purchase coverage
To get the 60,000 bonus points — that equals about $750 toward travel costs if you book through Chase Ultimate Rewards — you need to spend $4K on eligible purchases in the first three months of opening the account. You’re also eligible for an anniversary statement credit of $50 when you purchase hotel stays through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can apply for the card in minutes on the Chase website.
OpenSky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
- No credit check to apply
- Low annual fee
- Good for rebuilding credit
While this card doesn’t offer perks like cash back, it offers fraud protection, email alerts and a low annual fee. OpenSky reports to all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — so as you regularly pay your bills, you can help fix your credit score. You can apply for the card online in as little as five minutes and typically get notice of acceptance between 24 and 48 hours
Amazon Store Card
- $0 annual fee
- $60 Amazon gift card
- 5% cash back for Prime members
To get the $60 welcome bonus, you just need to apply and be approved for the card — from there, it will be added to your Amazon wallet. As a Prime member, you can earn 5% cash back on eligible items at Amazon.com, which will be credited to your account within one to two billing cycles. You can see if you’re prequalified for credit card, or apply outright, on Amazon.com.
What Is an Instant Approval Credit Card?
An instant approval credit card is a card that a consumer is approved for in a short period of time. Like the name suggests, a credit card issuer will quickly review an application and approve it. In some, but not all, cases, a person who’s been approved for an instant approval credit card will be able to use it right away.
Instant Approval vs. Instant Use Credit Cards
Many (if not most) credit issuers allow you to apply online for a credit card. After submitting your application, which can take as little as a few minutes, you’ll receive a response — essentially, You’re approved or You’re not approved. However, this instant approval doesn’t always mean you can use the card right away.
Some cards do not release your credit card number or other pertinent details over the phone or on the web, even if you create an online account. (I had this exact experience a couple of years ago when I applied for a 0% intro APR credit card to fund a purchase and ended up using another card when it didn’t arrive in time.)
However, with an instant use credit card, you can begin using the card shortly after being approved for it. You can typically reach out to the credit issuer to get your credit card information to begin using it before you get the physical card. In some cases, it’s immediately added to your online account so you’re able to access it.
Bottom line: An instant approval means you’ve been approved for a card, but you might not be able to get it or use it for a short while. With an instant use credit card, you’ll be able to make purchases with it right away (say, through an instant credit card number added to your account) after you’ve been approved and before the physical card arrives.
Is Instant Approval the Same as a Prequalified Offer?
No, instant approval is not the same as a prequalified offer. The latter means you possess the qualities of someone who would likely qualify for a credit card based on your creditworthiness. However, you still need to apply and be officially approved for a particular card.
What to Look for in a Low-Interest Credit Card
When shopping around for a low-interest credit card, here are some considerations to keep in mind. For instance, does the card:
- Offer instant approval or instant access?
- Have a sign-up bonus, cash back or other perks?
- Have annual or hidden fees?
- Offer balance transfers?
- Require a credit check — and from there, do you need fair credit, good credit or excellent credit to qualify for the card?
- Have a digital wallet, mobile app or other online banking tools?
- Offer a higher credit line or credit line increase after a certain amount of on-time payments?
Look for card details pertinent to how you plan to use the card as well. For example, if you’re going out of the country, you’d want to be mindful of getting a card with high foreign transaction fees. Or, if you have no credit history, you’d want to expand your search into a secured card with near-guaranteed approval.
Also, if you have good to excellent credit and pay off your card at the end of each statement cycle, consider cards beyond those that offer low-interest APR — you’ll usually find cards with better terms and perks.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Instant Approval Credit Cards
Here are some frequently asked questions about instant approval credit cards.
Many instant approval cards require good to excellent credit scores (above 670), especially those that offer perks and favorable conditions. However, with poor credit or no credit, you can qualify for certain credit cards as well. Just know that they’ll have their own regulations and might offer fewer (or next-to-no) perks. With that said, in the case of a secured credit card, being able to rebuild your credit is a solid perk in itself.
Many big-name credit card issuers, such as American Express, Synchrony and Chase, offer instant approvals. A reminder, though, that an instant approval is not the same as instant use. An instance use credit card allows the holder to begin charging before a physical card arrives. These are more difficult to come by.
There is no one easiest card. If you have good to excellent credit (above 670) and an overall solid record of creditworthiness (you pay your bills on time, have a long credit history, etc.), you should be approved fairly easily for any instant approval cards that you apply for, especially online. If your credit (or lack thereof) is less than stellar and you need to bypass a credit check, you can sign up for a secured credit card that reports to the three major credit bureaus.
Yes, you can get approved for a credit card in one day. And in some cases, you can get approved in minutes. Depending on the credit card you’ve set your sights on and the quality of your credit report, you could be approved for many different instant approval credit cards in a short period of time (though we wouldn’t recommend that).
Contributor Kathleen Garvin (@itskgarvin) is a personal finance writer based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and former editor and marketer at The Penny Hoarder. She owns a content-writing business and her work has appeared in U.S. News, Clark.com and Well Kept Wallet.
The Penny Hoarder has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. The Penny Hoarder and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
