FIT Credit Card Review: An Honest Look at FIT Mastercard®

The FIT card works like a typical credit card created for those with bad credit or limited credit history. No security deposit goes hand in hand with relatively high fees, and the entry barriers are rather low (300-600 credit scores).

So, if you’re running out of options, but are eager to build or reestablish your credit, the FIT card seems like a viable option.

The question remains—is it a good fit for you? 

Let’s find out—

How Does the FIT Credit Card Work?

The FIT Mastercard® is an unsecured credit card issued by the Bank of Missouri. 

It doesn’t require a security deposit, and is a credit-building option for those with bad to fair credit (300–600) and limited credit history. 

It has a very high APR and annual fee. On top of that, you need to pay an upfront fee of $89 and a yearly maintenance fee of $75 (starting year two).

To get the Continental FIT card you’ll need an existing checking account or a debit card (at any bank). You also must have your bank account linked for the duration of your agreement with the issuer.

Fit Credit Card: Overall Card Review

APR	29.99%
Annual fee	$99, plus one-time initial $89 fee.
Intro offer	$0
Rewards	0.00%
Overall rating	2.8/5

Learn more

Fees

What is a FIT Mastercard® processing fee?

There’s a one-time processing fee of $89.

The FIT credit card is also known for its hefty annual and maintenance fees:

Key FIT Mastercard® credit card fees

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly—Our Honest FIT Credit Card Review

Pros detail—what we like about it

Low credit score requirement

Here’s the good news—even those with low credit scores (300–499) and no credit history can apply for the FIT platinum credit card.

If your goal is to build a better credit score (and you don’t plan to carry a balance on your credit) the FIT Mastercard® may be a viable option.

That, of course, if the hefty fees won’t kill your budget.

No security deposit

As it’s an unsecured credit card, there’s no need to pay a security deposit.

Access to Mastercard® Zero Liability protection

Fit Mastercard® credit card also gives you Zero Liability protection in case of any fraudulent transactions—which means you won’t have to pay for them.

Seeing that in 2022 around 44% of Americans reportedi two or more fraudulent charges on their credit cards (up from 35% in 2021), the Mastercard® bonus can come in really handy.

Free monthly credit scores

It’s yet another advantage—typically, you can access your free credit score only once a year. 

If you’d like to do that now, go to the official FICO website.

24/7 account access

You might be thinking, “isn’t that a given these days”? Not to disappoint you, but only major issuers guarantee 24/7 account access. Lucky for you, Mastercard® is one of them.

AutoPay

Another benefit that could turn out to be a game changer for you. Building good credit requires making monthly payments on time—and what better way to do that than using AutoPay?

Cons detail—things to think over

Hefty fees

Yes, we’ve already covered the fees, but—

Forbes found out that 47% of US cardholders don’t know (or are unsure of) their APYi. You don’t want to be one of them, do you?

Take a look at your budget and see if paying a $99 annual fee, $89 processing fee, and $75 maintenance fee makes sense for your situation (keeping in mind that the issuer deducts a $99 fee from your credit limit on day one).

High interest rate

Fit Mastercard® has an APR of 29.99%, which is very high. A good APR for those with poor credit scores typically falls between 19% and 28%. 

Look at the table below for examples of how long it would take to pay off $10,000:

If you want to know exactly how much and for how long you’d need to pay off your credit card, download our free Credit Card Payoff Calculator.

Low credit limit

While a $400 credit limit is more than the average $300 offered to people with low credit scores, it’s also true that, considering the annual fee, you’re left with $301.

And that’s not so much.

But that might not be an issue for you if you plan to use your Mastercard® FIT card only to build credit.

Play it nicely by staying under the credit limit, and you’ll see better results on your credit reports in no time.

Lack of a reward program

As you’re building or reestablishing your credit score, you might not care about rewards just yet—but take note of the point we make below.

No good exit option

It’s perhaps the biggest downside of them all— 

There’s no easy way to upgrade your card once your credit score is better (at that point, you can usually access cheaper cards with much smaller interest charges).

And to stop using the FIT credit card you’ll have to get rid of it—which will affect your credit history.

As Dmytro Kondratiev, a Legal Board Advisor and Tax Expert at LLC.Services says,

He adds,

Thankfully, once you have an average to good credit score, you can get credit cards with better conditions. A good example is the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit. It has no annual fee, and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase.

A hard pull on the credit report

There are more things that can damage your credit score—doing a hard pull on your reports is one of them. 

Some cards, like the Destiny™ Mastercard®, offer similar conditions without the hard inquiry. Learn more from our Destiny™ Mastercard® review.

Fit Credit Card—Your Questions Answered

Can my FIT card help me build a good credit score?

Yes, the card was designed to do just that. If you make your minimum monthly payments on time, and stay under your credit limit, you can build or reestablish your credit.

The issuer sends monthly reports to all three credit bureaus—and if you sign up for e-statements, you can access your monthly report about the current credit score. It’s an easy way to stay on top of your credit-building efforts.

If you want to learn more about building your credit, check out our article on tips to develop a good credit score.

What is a FIT MasterCard® credit limit?

Fit Mastercard® has a credit limit of $400—more than the average of $300. 

Keep in mind, though, that the annual fee of $99 is deducted from your balance immediately, which means you’re left with $301.

Tim Doman, an investment analyst and CEO of TopMobileBanks, says,

FIT card credit increase—is it possible?

Fit Mastercard® lets you double your credit limit six months after you open your account. All you need to do is make your minimum monthly payments on time.

Later, the FIT card credit increase is only possible periodically if you qualify—and the maximum credit limit for this card is $2,000. Kind of like going from skinny jeans to sweatpants after Thanksgiving dinner.

Can you use the FIT card to get a cash advance?

Yes, the FIT credit card allows you to get cash advances— but it’ll cost you either $10 or 3% of the cash advance amount.

You can avoid interest charges on purchases by paying your balance in full each month. 

No such luck with the cash advances, though. The charges start from day one and continue until you pay your balance in full (however long that may take).

Does it offer free FICO credit scores?

If you apply for online statements, you can access a free monthly Vantage 3.0 score from Experian.

Where can I use my FIT credit card?

The Continental card is a fully functional Mastercard®, which means you can use it anywhere Mastercard® is accepted. 

According to their website, they have over 80 million merchant locations worldwide.

How Does the FIT Credit Card Compare to Other Cards for Those With Bad to Fair Credit?

FIT Mastercard® 2.8	Surge® Mastercard 2.5	Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® 2.5
Annual fee $99	Annual fee $75–$99	Annual fee $75–$99
APR 29.99%	APR 24.99%–29.99%	APR 24.99%–29.99%
Starting limit $400	Starting limit $300–$1,000	Starting limit $300–$1,000
Learn more	Learn more	Learn more

Is FIT Credit Card Good for Me?

The FIT Mastercard® credit card is an option for you if you are—

• Only here to find a credit card that will help you build your credit score.
• Not really planning to carry a balance on the card.
• Certain that you won’t max the credit out, while paying your debts off (and on time).

Do your research on different credit card options, though—you can find a cheaper card that will offer you similar benefits.

Fit Mastercard®—Useful Links

Learn more about owning a credit card, your rights, and more at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website

Get your free FICO score

Apply for the FIT card on the issuer’s website

Apply for the Continental FIT card through the Continental Finance company

Download the FIT credit card mobile app for iOS or Android

Download our free credit card payoff calculator