About Good Credit Cards
What is good credit?
At Credit Sesame, a good credit score is typically between 640 – 719. This is based on a VantageScore 3.0 model provided by TransUnion and may not be the credit scoring model used by the financial institutions presenting offers on the Credit Sesame website. Your credit score may vary from what you see elsewhere based on the credit bureau, date of the credit report, and credit scoring model. Credit card issuers and other financial institutions use a variety of different types of credit scores and other criteria to make credit and lending decisions so, having a credit score in a particular range is not a guarantee that you will be approved for a credit card or approved for the terms you applied for.
Why choose a good credit credit card?
If you have good credit, leveraging it to get the best deal on a credit card makes sense. Not only can you build an even better credit score with responsible use, you may be eligible for a rewards card so you can earn rewards on the purchases you already make. With good credit, you can probably qualify for an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) toward the middle or low end of the range offered by the issuer. Some credit cards also give you the opportunity to pay down existing high interest debt at a low rate or even 0% introductory APR. If you have debt or sometimes carry a balance, a lower APR means you’ll pay less in interest.
What's in a credit card for good credit?
Compared with credit cards offered to individuals with poor credit, those offered to individuals with good credit tend to have better features and benefits. On some credit cards, the main highlight could be a rewards program. On others, the main selling point may be a lengthy 0% introductory APR period for purchases or balance transfers.
The common thread is that these are products for people who have demonstrated that they can handle credit responsibly, and they present less of a credit risk to the lender.
Will applying for a credit card hurt my good credit?
Credit scores are influenced by several factors, including how often you apply for new credit. When a hard inquiry (meaning a lender views your credit history in response to your application for credit) shows up on your credit report, your score can drop by a few points. If you are approved for the new credit card, though, your credit score can rise. That’s because if you have existing credit card debt, your utilization ratio will go down when the new credit limit is reported (assuming you don’t add new debt).
Damage caused by an inquiry diminishes over time, and after one year, the inquiry is no longer factored into your score. Damage from a single credit application is usually negligible. If you apply for a credit card once every 12 to 18 months, you may not notice the effect much or at all. On the other hand, if you apply for several credit cards within six months, you could see a significant drop in your score. Also, many credit card issuers may deny your application if your report shows more than two or three inquiries in the past six months.