Chime Credit Builder Visa® Review

Overview

The Chime Credit Builder Visa® is a category rewards card from Chime, running on the Visa network. The Chime Credit Builder Visa® earns up to 2x on dining, groceries, and gas, so it pays you the most exactly where you already spend. There is no annual fee, which means every dollar of rewards is pure profit.

It earns its keep without an annual fee, which is rare for a card with real bonus categories. That combination makes it a strong everyday keeper that you never have to justify paying for.

Our 3.5 out of 5 rating

Each score weighs the rewards rate, value after the annual fee, welcome offer, points flexibility, and perks, with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. This is our editorial assessment to help you compare cards, not a guarantee of approval or of the value you will get.

Rewards: how it earns

Where the Chime Credit Builder Visa® earns its rewards is its bonus categories: 2x on dining (about $60 a year on the $3,000 a typical household spends there), 2x on groceries (about $120 a year on the $6,000 a typical household spends there), and 2x on gas (about $43 a year on the $2,160 a typical household spends there). Across a full year of average household spending, the card returns roughly $421 in rewards before any welcome bonus, so the more your spending overlaps those categories, the better it does.

The fine print on rates: The cash back comes with real strings: you earn on just one category you choose each month, and only with a qualifying direct deposit. A $200+ direct deposit (Chime Plus) earns 2% in your chosen category; $3,000+ in direct deposits over 34 days (Chime Prime) raises it to 5%. Rewards are capped at $1,500 of purchases per month and there is nothing earned without the direct deposit. The card still has no annual fee, no interest, and no minimum security deposit.

Every point and mile above is valued at a flat 1 cent, the same honest standard we use for every card. Run your own spending through the calculator to see what this card would actually return for you.

Pros and cons

The welcome bonus

This card does not run a traditional welcome bonus, so its value comes entirely from ongoing rewards and perks.

Is it worth the annual fee?

The Chime Credit Builder Visa® has no annual fee, so there is no break-even math to worry about. Every dollar of rewards is profit, and you can keep it open for free, which also helps the average age of your credit over time.

First-year value vs ongoing value

There is no lump-sum welcome bonus, so first-year and ongoing value are about the same, roughly $421 a year on typical spending after the fee. What you see is what you get from day one.

*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent, on average spending.

Benefits and protections

Beyond the rewards, the perks and protections worth knowing about include:

• Earn 2% cash back on one category you choose each month with a qualifying $200+ direct deposit (Chime Plus)
• Reach 5% on your chosen category with $3,000 or more in direct deposits over 34 days (Chime Prime)
• Pick from categories such as groceries, gas, restaurants, utilities, and travel; rewards capped at $1,500 in purchases per month
• No minimum security deposit — the money you move into Credit Builder becomes your spending limit
• No credit check to apply, and it reports to all three credit bureaus
• Requires a qualifying Chime Checking Account to open Credit Builder

Statement credits

This card does not come with recurring statement credits. Its value is in the rewards rate and welcome offer.

Who should get it, and who should skip it

It is best for people building or rebuilding their credit who want a no-fuss card that reports to all three bureaus and can grow with them over time.

Skip it if your spending does not line up with its bonus categories, or if you would rather not think about where you swipe at all.

Frequently asked questions

Best-card guides featuring this card