Laura is a personal finance expert who primarily focuses on credit, credit cards, loans, and other consumer-facing topics. Her insights have been featured in U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, Yahoo Finance, The New York Post, USA Today, and many other financial publications. She also earned her MBA and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology during her previous career in human resources.
Editor: Jon McDonald
Jon McDonald
With more than 15 years of journalism expertise, Jon stays apprised of finance trends, influential companies, and financial literacy resources for subprime consumers. He is most knowledgeable in the areas of budgeting, loans, and responsible credit use, and his articles have appeared in publications produced by The New York Times.
Ashley has managed content strategy for BadCredit since 2015, partnering with major banks, financial institutions, and media outlets to deliver authoritative personal finance content. Her expert credit card commentary has appeared in top national publications, including CNBC, MarketWatch, Investopedia, Yahoo Finance, and Reader's Digest, establishing her as a trusted voice in the industry.
Choose your own credit line based on how much money you want to put down as a security deposit.
Initial deposits can be from $200 to $3,000. You can increase your credit line at any time by adding additional money to your security deposit, up to $3,000.
After 9 months, we review your account for a credit line increase. No additional deposit required!
Secured Credit Cards are great for people looking to build or rebuild credit and are available to people with all kinds of credit backgrounds.
Unlike a debit card or a pre-paid card, it helps build your credit history. We report your payment history to all three major credit-reporting agencies.
Get your FICO® Credit Score for free each month.
Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen. Access your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get help staying on track with available Auto Pay and account alerts.
Card issued by Merrick Bank, Member FDIC.
Our Rating
Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card
4.0/5.0
About this rating
BadCredit.org’s ratings for credit cards available after bankruptcy are based on our experts’ evaluation of factors including APRs, fees, and issuer reputation. We also consider post-bankruptcy eligibility, credit-building features, and cardholder support. Our ratings are unbiased and regularly updated.
Disclosure: When you apply through links on our site, we often earn referral fees from partners. For more info, see our ad disclosure and review policy.
Advertiser Disclosure
BadCredit.org is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free for users, we receive advertising compensation from the financial products listed on this page. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear on the page (including, for example, the order in which they appear). BadCredit.org does not include listings for all financial products.
Our Editorial Review Policy
Our site is committed to publishing independent, accurate content guided by strict editorial guidelines. Before articles and reviews are published on our site, they undergo a thorough review process performed by a team of independent editors and subject-matter experts to ensure the content’s accuracy, timeliness, and impartiality. Our editorial team is separate and independent of our site’s advertisers, and the opinions they express on our site are their own. To read more about our team members and their editorial backgrounds, please visit our site’s About page.
As you can see, there's a lot to like about Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card, especially if you have a bad credit history. But as with any offer or service, be sure to read all the details on the official Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card website before committing.
Other Bankruptcy OK Ratings
Not sure if Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card is for you? Be sure to check out our review of similar offers below. These offers were selected and rated by our team of finance experts as the best available for those with bad credit. If you decide Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card isn't for you, one of the following could be a great alternative.
The secured Self Visa® Credit Card* requires no credit check or minimum score.
Reports to all 3 major credit bureaus to establish and build credit, with free access to your credit score.
Secure your credit line with a refundable security deposit as low as $100.**
Deposits are returned upon account closure after settling outstanding balances.
*The secured Self Visa® Credit Card is issued by Lead Bank, Sunrise Banks, N.A., or First Century Bank, N.A., each Member FDIC.
**Qualification for the secured Self Visa® Credit Card is based on meeting eligibility requirements, including income and expense requirements and establishment of security interest. Criteria subject to change.
Our Rating
Secured Self Visa® Credit Card
4.7/5.0
About this rating
BadCredit.org’s ratings for credit cards available after bankruptcy are based on our experts’ evaluation of factors including APRs, fees, and issuer reputation. We also consider post-bankruptcy eligibility, credit-building features, and cardholder support. Our ratings are unbiased and regularly updated.
No credit check required – 89% approval rate with zero credit risk to apply!
Boost your credit score fast—2 out of 3 opensky® cardholders see an average increase of 47 points after 6 months
Track your progress with free access to your FICO® score in our mobile app
Build your credit history with reporting to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
Seamless payments—add your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay
Start with just $200—secure your credit line with a refundable deposit
Fast and easy application—apply in minutes with our mobile-first experience
Flexible payment options—pick a due date that works for you
More time to fund—spread your security deposit over 60 days with layaway
Join 2 million+ cardholders who have used opensky® to build better credit!
Our Rating
opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card
4.6/5.0
About this rating
BadCredit.org’s ratings for credit cards available after bankruptcy are based on our experts’ evaluation of factors including APRs, fees, and issuer reputation. We also consider post-bankruptcy eligibility, credit-building features, and cardholder support. Our ratings are unbiased and regularly updated.
PREMIER Bankcard credit cards are for building credit.
Start building credit by keeping your balances low and paying all your bills on time each month.
When you need assistance our award-winning US-based Customer Service agents are there to help.
Credit Limit Increase Eligible after 12 months of consistent responsible account management.
We report monthly to the Consumer Reporting Agencies to help you build your credit.
Our Rating
PREMIER Bankcard® Mastercard® Credit Card
4.0/5.0
About this rating
BadCredit.org’s ratings for credit cards available after bankruptcy are based on our experts’ evaluation of factors including APRs, fees, and issuer reputation. We also consider post-bankruptcy eligibility, credit-building features, and cardholder support. Our ratings are unbiased and regularly updated.
Laura is a personal finance expert who primarily focuses on credit, credit cards, loans, and other consumer-facing topics. Her insights have been featured in U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, Yahoo Finance, The New York Post, USA Today, and many other financial publications. She also earned her MBA and a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology during her previous career in human resources.
Information Warranty & Disclosure: Great efforts are made to maintain reliable data on all offers presented. However, users should check each provider’s official website for updated terms, details and conditions for each offer before applying or signing up. Our site maintains strict terms of service and may accept compensation for paid ads or sponsored placements in accordance with these terms. Users must be at least 18 years of age to be eligible for financial offers as per the terms presented on provider websites.
* FICO scores/credit scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
