FRESH START Updated May 2026

Build Credit

Turn your financial situation around with cards designed to improve your score.

STUDENT
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Compare Credit Building Cards

Comparing results based on your preferences.

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$
Annual Fee $180
Purchase 19.99%
Cash Adv. 22.99%
Neo Financial Neo Financial
Best For [ Travel Rewards ] [ Secured Cards ] [ Premium ]
Cathay World Elite® Mastercard®
Est. 1st Yr Value: $450
Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 30,000 Asia Miles
Highlights: Airport Lounge Access Travel Medical Insurance Bad Credit & Rebuilding Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance +4 more
View Offer
ELIGIBILITY
Personal Inc: $80,000
Household Inc: $150,000
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Annual Fee $180
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income $80,000
Household Income $150,000
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Annual Fee $89
Purchase 19.99%
Cash Adv. 22.99%
Neo Financial Neo Financial
Best For [ Travel Rewards ] [ Secured Cards ] [ Premium ]
United® MileagePlus® Neo World Elite® Mastercard®
Est. 1st Yr Value: $448
Welcome Bonus: Earn up to 25,000 MileagePlus miles
Highlights: Travel Medical Insurance Free Checked bag Bad Credit & Rebuilding Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver +4 more
View Offer
ELIGIBILITY
Personal Inc: $80,000
Household Inc: $150,000
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Annual Fee $89
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income $80,000
Household Income $150,000
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Annual Fee $125
Purchase 19.99%
Cash Adv. 22.99%
Neo Financial Neo Financial
Best For [ Cash Back ] [ Travel Rewards ] [ Secured Cards ]
Neo World Elite Mastercard
Est. 1st Yr Value: $334
Cash Back
Highlights: Airport Lounge Access Travel Medical Insurance Bad Credit & Rebuilding Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver +5 more
View Offer
ELIGIBILITY
Personal Inc: $80,000
Household Inc: $150,000
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Annual Fee $125
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income $80,000
Household Income $150,000
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Add. Card Fee $49.00
Annual Fee $0
Purchase 19.99%
Cash Adv. 22.99%
Neo Financial Neo Financial
Best For [ Cash Back ] [ No Annual Fee ] [ Secured Cards ]
Neo World Mastercard
Est. 1st Yr Value: $212
Cash Back
Highlights: No Annual Fee Airport Lounge Access Bad Credit & Rebuilding Purchase Security Insurance +1 more
View Offer
ELIGIBILITY
Personal Inc: $50,000
Household Inc: $80,000
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Annual Fee $0
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income $50,000
Household Income $80,000
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Add. Card Fee $10.00
Annual Fee $9
Purchase 0.00%
Cash Adv. 0.00%
BMO Bank of Montreal BMO Bank of Montreal
Best For [ Student ] [ Secured Cards ] [ Newcomer ]
BMO Prepaid Mastercard
Est. 1st Yr Value: $170
Welcome Bonus: Enjoy a reloadable and secure card for your day-to-day transactions.
Highlights: Bad Credit & Rebuilding Extended Warranty Insurance Purchase Security Insurance
Purchase APR 0.00%
Cash Advance APR 0.00%
Annual Fee $9
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income N/A
Household Income N/A
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Annual Fee $20
Purchase 19.99%
Cash Adv. 22.99%
CIBC CIBC
Best For [ Business ]
CIBC Corporate Classic Plus Visa Card
Est. 1st Yr Value: $160
Metal
Welcome Bonus: Effectively manage your business expenses.
Highlights: Bad Credit & Rebuilding
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Annual Fee $20
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income N/A
Household Income N/A
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Add. Card Fee $20.00
Annual Fee $177
Purchase 0.00%
Cash Adv. 0.00%
KOHO Financial Inc KOHO Financial Inc
Best For [ Cash Back ] [ Secured Cards ] [ Premium ]
KOHO Everything Prepaid Mastercard
Est. 1st Yr Value: $75
Metal
Cash Back
Highlights: No Foreign Transaction Fees Bad Credit & Rebuilding
Purchase APR 0.00%
Cash Advance APR 0.00%
Annual Fee $177
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income N/A
Household Income N/A
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Annual Fee $0
Purchase 19.99%
Cash Adv. 22.99%
Neo Financial Neo Financial
Best For [ Cash Back ] [ No Annual Fee ] [ Student ]
Neo Mastercard
Est. 1st Yr Value: $72
Cash Back
Highlights: No Annual Fee Bad Credit & Rebuilding Employee Cards
Purchase APR 19.99%
Cash Advance APR 22.99%
Annual Fee $0
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income N/A
Household Income N/A
Credit Score Good/Excellent
Add. Card Fee $10.00
Annual Fee $0
Purchase 29.90%
Cash Adv. 29.90%
CAPITAL ONE CANADA CAPITAL ONE CANADA
Best For [ No Annual Fee ] [ Secured Cards ]
Guaranteed Secured Mastercard®
4.30 (RB)
Highlights: No Annual Fee Bad Credit & Rebuilding Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Extended Warranty Insurance +3 more
View Offer
ELIGIBILITY
Rec. Score: 300 - 574
Purchase APR 29.90%
Cash Advance APR 29.90%
Annual Fee $0
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income N/A
Household Income N/A
Credit Score Poor
Add. Card Fee $0.00
Annual Fee $0
Purchase 29.90%
Cash Adv. 29.90%
CAPITAL ONE CANADA CAPITAL ONE CANADA
Best For [ No Annual Fee ] [ Secured Cards ]
Guaranteed Mastercard®
4.10 (RB)
Highlights: No Annual Fee Bad Credit & Rebuilding Car Rental Collision/Loss Damage Waiver Extended Warranty Insurance +3 more
View Offer
ELIGIBILITY
Rec. Score: 300 - 574
Purchase APR 29.90%
Cash Advance APR 29.90%
Annual Fee $0
Foreign Tx Fee 2.5%
Personal Income N/A
Household Income N/A
Credit Score Poor
Add. Card Fee $0.00
Showing 10 of 13 cards
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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Compare Credit Building Cards Cards and financial strategy.

Disclaimer: Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or legal advice. Terms subject to change by issuers.

Credit Utilization is the percentage of your available credit that you are currently using. For example, a $500 balance on a $1,000 limit is 50% utilization. Many financial experts suggest keeping this ratio below 30% to maintain a healthy credit score, as high utilization can be viewed as a risk factor by lenders.

Yes, provided the issuer reports to credit bureaus (Equifax/TransUnion). Secured cards require a security deposit but function like regular credit cards. Making on-time payments and keeping balances low helps build a positive payment history, which is the most significant factor in credit scoring.

Using comparison tools or checking your own credit report is typically considered a 'Soft Inquiry,' which does not affect your score. However, submitting a formal application to a bank results in a 'Hard Inquiry,' which may cause a temporary, minor decrease in your credit score.

Many student cards have more flexible income requirements compared to premium cards, sometimes requiring no specific annual income. However, applicants must typically be the age of majority in their province and provide proof of enrollment in a post-secondary institution.

It depends. If the issuer pre-approves you for an increase, it may not require a hard check. However, if you request an increase yourself, the issuer will often perform a hard inquiry to verify your current financial situation. You can ask the representative which type of check will be performed before proceeding.