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Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® Review: A Credit Building Option

The Reflex card is provided by Continental Finance with initial credit limits from $300 to $1,000.

Kimberly Studdard - Finance Writer
Written by
Finance Writer
Derek Sall - Personal Finance Expert
Reviewed by
Personal Finance Expert
8 min
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Table of contents:

If you’re looking for a credit card that doesn’t impact your credit score (and offers a low credit limit to start with financial responsibility), you have many options to start with. 

Why Trust Us
Advertiser Disclosure

The Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® is for those with less-than-perfect credit who want to establish their credit history.

This full-service credit card can be used both at home and abroad wherever Mastercard is accepted.

Continental Finance offers customer service for registrations and questions—while Celtic Bank issues the cards. Check out the reasons why you might (or might not) wish to obtain the Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®.

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How Does the Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® Work? 

The Reflex Mastercard® is one of several credit cards for people with bad credit or no credit at all. It features a variable interest rate and a smaller credit limit than typical—but with good credit management, the limit can increase by 50% in just six months.

It’s ideal for users who want to establish a solid credit history but have bad credit or no credit—or who don't want to pay a security deposit or get a secured card.

Unfortunately—the Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® has a lot of fees, high interest rates, and small credit limits.

True, it can aid in credit repair or rebuilding. But there are other options out there if you’re looking to do that—specifically secure credit cards or unsecured cards with better benefits. 

Reflex Card Review: Overall Card Rating

Category Features Rating
Credit Boost Can get pre-qualified without taking a hit to your credit score. You also receive a free credit score report each month with the card.  4/5
Unsecured Credit Card Initial credit limit of $300 to $1,000—with a potential to increase after six months of on-time credit payments 3/5
Rewards Programs No rewards program—but offers free access to your credit score and fraud liability coverage.  2/5
Credit Card Rates & Fees 29.99% variable APR. 1/5
Customer Service Available via their customer service helpline.  2/5
Overall Credit Card Rating   2.4/5

Is the Reflex Credit Card Legit?

The Reflex card is easy to get, and is an okay way to build credit—so yes, the card could be considered legit.

But it has high fees and a low credit limit—so it’s one of the less attractive unsecured cards on the market. 

What Credit Score is Needed for a Reflex Credit Card?

Low approval standards for the Reflex card means that people with bad to fair credit may be eligible. If you have a score of at least 500, you’ll most likely qualify for this card. 

Read more:

Where Can I Use My Reflex Credit Card? 

Your Reflex Credit Card is accepted practically anywhere in the United States and abroad by merchants who accept Mastercard®. 

How to Apply for a Reflex Credit Card

You’ll need a credit inquiry for card applications, which can lower your credit score.

You can check your pre-qualification without it having an adverse effect on your credit score, saving you an unnecessary credit inquiry. Once you’re pre-approved, you can move forward with the application process.

You can submit an application by filling out Continental Finance’s online form, and you can get the results in just a few seconds (but it can take up to 30 days).

You can also apply by phone at 866-513-4598 or by mailing back an acceptance certificate you received in the mail.

You’ll need to include your name, address, phone number, email, Social Security number, birthdate, income, and employment information to qualify for your Reflex card. 

If you get approved, your card and welcome packet will be mailed to you within three to five business days.

You’ll need to call the Reflex customer service to activate the card over the phone within 30 days of receiving it.

Read more:

3 Pros Of Using the Reflex Credit Card

  1. No hard inquiry 

    When you apply for a new credit card, your credit report will be hard pulled—momentarily lowering your credit score. 
    This means that if you’re building your credit, you should carefully assess the cards you apply for.
    If you apply for the Reflex Mastercard online, and pass the prequalification check, it won't affect your credit score.
  2. Free monthly credit score 

    If you sign up for e-billing, you’ll get a free monthly credit score to monitor your progress.
    You can view this by logging in to your online account and getting your VantageScore 3.0 credit score. 
  3. Does not require security deposit

    The Reflex Mastercard is an unsecured card, so you won’t need a security deposit to open your account. They’ll approve you with a credit limit (with a minimum of $300) instead. 

5 Potential Cons Of Using the Reflex Credit Card

  1. High APR 

    The Reflex Mastercard has an extremely high variable APR of 29.99%—comparable to many retail credit cards (which are notorious for their exorbitant interest rates).

    You shouldn’t use this card if you have any doubts about your ability to pay it off in full each month. 
  2. Low initial credit limit 

    The card has a starting limit that ranges from $300 to $1,000*—which is a fairly low start. You might get a credit limit increase after six months of good account management (like making on-time payments and having less than 30% credit utilization).

    Then your credit limit can reach upwards of the maximum of $2,000. 
  3. No rewards program 

    Some card users love the idea of cash back and other incentives. Unfortunately, there are no rewards available with the Reflex card. Given the card's exorbitant fees, this is especially frustrating, because the card has a high cost for ownership.

    It does have a few practical benefits, though. They give you free access to your Vantage 3.0 score, and there is no fraud liability for illegal charges for you. While these benefits are appreciated, they are by no means outstanding—these are the bare minimum required for many cards. 
  4. Multiple fees 

    In addition to a high APR, this card also carries multiple fees (including a $75–$99 annual fee, $10 a month maintenance fee after the first year of use, and foreign transaction fees).

    As a result, your credit limit will be much lower when you first use the card—because you were charged a fee before you ever received the card in the mail.
  5. Need a checking account for approval

    You must have a bank account to apply for the Reflex® Platinum Mastercard®—just like some other cards for those with poor credit. 

If you don’t want to open a new checking account, this is not the card for you. 

Important Reflex Card Fees

Rates & Fees Percentage
Annual Fee $75–$99
Purchase APR 29.99% (Variable)
Cash Advance APR 29%–37%
Cash Advance Fee 5% (min $5)
Balance Transfer Fee N/A
Foreign Transaction Fee* 3%
Late Payment Fee Up to $41.00
Returned Payment Fee Up to $41.00

3 Key FAQs on the Reflex® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Card

  1. What is the Reflex Credit Card Phone Number?

    For assistance with your account, you can call the customer service at 866-449-4514
  2. How Long Does it Take to Get Your Reflex Card?

    A physical card is typically mailed out three to five working days after approval.
  3. Is Reflex a Good Credit Card?

    The Reflex credit card is an adequate start if you have a low credit score—but the high fees (and lack of benefits and rewards) make it a basic option.

If you can get a better card, we highly recommend doing so. 

Read more: 

Surge vs Reflex Credit Card: Which is Better?

Continental Finance also offers the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® to users with low credit scores.

How does it compare with the Reflex credit card—and which is the better option? 

Surge Platinum Mastercard® Reflex Mastercard®  
Annual Fee  $75–$99 $75–$99
APR 24.99%–29.99% (Variable) 29.99% (Variable)
Starting Credit Limit  $1,000  $300–$1,000*
Maintenance Fees  $10/month after 1st year $10/month after 1st year
Benefits  Monthly credit score, fraud protection Monthly credit score, fraud protection 

Neither of these cards is the best choice in our opinion.  Surge may be a better option than Reflex for those who need a higher credit limit.

Is the Reflex Credit Card Good? 

We don’t think so. There are much better options—even for people with bad credit. This card is a basic one—and you could get more rewards and a higher limit without the hefty costs.

*Subject to credit approval.

Editorial team

Meet the team
Kimberly Studdard - Finance Writer

Finance Writer

Kim Studdard is a project manager for online entrepreneurs and small businesses. When she isn't spending time with her daughter and husband, or reading her growing pile of horror books, you'll find her working on her HR degree and working towards FIRE.

Kacper Kozicki - Editor

Editor

Editor, copywriter, and multilingual translator with expertise in producing tailored content for global online brands. When not editing articles for LifeAndMyFinances.com, he enjoys rummaging through paper dictionaries, walking in nature, and making travel plans.

Derek Sall - Personal Finance Expert

Personal Finance Expert

Derek has a Bachelor's degree in Finance and a Master's in Business. As a finance manager in the corporate world, he regularly identified and solved problems at the C-suite level. Today, Derek isn't interested in helping big companies. Instead, he's helping individuals win financially—one email, one article, one person at a time.

Lauren Bedford - Finance Writer

Finance Writer

Lauren is a published content writer who is passionate about helping and informing others through her content. In the last 5 years, Lauren has written about a range of subjects, including business, technology and finance.

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