The First premier credit card is an unsecured card option for people with no or poor credit history, but we do not recommend it as a credit-building tool. There are a lot of better credit cards out there for building credit cards — cards that don’t charge long fees and ridiculously high interest rates, like PREMIER Mastercard.
At first glance
- Build credit by maintaining a positive payment history
- One-time plan fee between $55 and $95 upon account opening
- Annual fee $75-$125 for the first year, then $45-$49
- Monthly cost between $6.25 and $10.40
- The fee for increasing the credit limit is 25% of the increased amount
- 36% APR for all cardholders.
Pros
- First PM reports positive payment history to credit bureaus
- Unsecured card option for people with poor or no credit
Cons
- Expensive, with much more fees than other credit cards
- High APR (more than double the national average).
Add-on Card Details
When you submit your credit card application, First Premier allocates your credit limit based on your credit level, and your approved limit determines your credit card fee schedule.
These fees are composed like this:
| CREDIT LIMIT | PROGRAM FEE | ANNUAL FEE | MONTHLY FEE | FIRST YEAR FEE TOTAL | SUBSEQUENT YEARLY FEE TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $300 | $95 | $75 first year, then $45 | $0 first year, then $6.25 per month | $170 | $120 |
| $400 | $95 | $100 first year, then $45 | $0 first year, then $6.25 per month | $195 | $120 |
| $500 | $95 | $125 first year, then $49 | $0 first year, then $10.40 per month | $220 | $173.80 |
| $600 | $75 | $79 first year, then $49 | $5.85 per month first year, then $8.25 per month | $224.20 | $148 |
| $700 | $55 | $79 first year, then $49 | $8.00 per month first year, then $10.40 per month | $230 | $173.80 |
Both the one-time program fee and the annual fee for the first year are automatically deducted from your credit limit when you open an account. So if you were assigned a limit of $500 based on your credit history, your original available balance would actually be only $375.
However, that’s not all when it comes to fees. There is also a fee each time you are approved to increase your credit limit. First Premier may begin reviewing your account for a credit increase after 13 months, and if you are eligible and approved for a credit increase, the fee will be calculated automatically.
This fee is 25% of the salary increase amount. In other words, if your credit limit increases from $500 to $600, you will pay $25 for the $100 increase, unless you take the time to call the bank and ask for the increase to be listed within 30 days of receiving the denial where the charge is placed .
Should you get this card?
You should not have received this card.
First premier credit card , you’ll be hard-pressed to find a card with an APR higher than the 36% APR currently charged by First Premier. If you’re using this card to build credit, you should still avoid keeping a balance, but such high interest rates mean that any late or missed payments will not only hinder your loan progress, but quickly lead to high-interest debt.
The biggest downside to this card, however, is the sheer amount of fees. Not only is the fee schedule difficult to understand, but fees alone can cost you over $200 in the first year of ownership.
If you have so much cash on hand and want to fix a bad credit score, you’re better off putting $200 on a secured credit card with no fees and a low APR. Consider secured cards like the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card or the Citi Secured Mastercard, both of which require a deposit of $200 or less. Also, if you close your account or upgrade to the unsecured card option, your deposit will be refunded – not the same as what you paid with First Premier.
How to use PREMIER Bank Card Mastercard Credit Card
Before applying for the PREMIER Bank Card Mastercard, consider other options for bad or no credit history. The Indigo Platinum Mastercard* or Capital One Platinum credit cards are both unsecured options for those with bad or limited credit, offering a clearer and more cost-effective path to good credit.
If you still want to apply or already have this card, make sure you never have any funds on you. Not only can you avoid accruing 36% interest on your recurring balance, but you can also build your balance for other, better credit card options. When First premier credit card reports your credit card usage to the credit bureaus, you just want to fully demonstrate a positive history of timely payments.
If you’re using this card to improve your credit score, you should also pay attention to your credit utilization. Experts recommend keeping your utilization (the amount of credit you use versus the amount you have available) below 30% for the best chance of improving your score. Getting a $300 credit from First Premier means you should keep your monthly balance under $90 to maintain ideal usage — including any charges that will be deducted from your credit.
Bottom line
First premier credit card charges expensive fees and extremely high APRs in exchange for a small line of credit and standard reporting to credit bureaus.
If you’re just starting out with a credit card or looking to fix a bad credit score, there are better cards out there, both secured and unsecured. Choose a credit-building tool that can help you build good credit habits and build a strong payment history with credit bureaus without costly fees getting in the way of your progress.
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