Our verdict: The OpenSky Secured Visa approves applicants without a credit check, which makes it a practical option for people denied elsewhere: after bankruptcy, with recent collections, or with no credit file at all. The cost is a $35 annual fee. Anyone who can qualify for a no-annual-fee secured card has little reason to pay it.
| Annual fee | $35 |
|---|---|
| Purchase APR | 23.89% variable (issuer disclosure dated 01/14/2026) |
| Security deposit | $200 minimum – $3,000 maximum (refundable) |
| Credit check | None to apply — no hard inquiry |
| Reports to | Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax — monthly, not flagged as secured |
| Monthly fees | None |
| Issuer | Capital Bank, N.A. (Member FDIC) |
Terms verified August 25, 2026 against OpenSky’s own card page and pricing disclosure.
Why “no credit check” matters more than the fee
Most card applications begin with a credit check. OpenSky does not run one. Their own FAQ states there is no credit pull, and that approval is possible “whether you have poor credit or no credit.” A 480 score, a discharge date six months back, or a completely empty credit file does not change the application. You secure the line with your own deposit ($200 minimum), so the bank’s exposure is limited.
One fine-print note from the actual disclosure document: residents of Vermont, Rhode Island, and New York get boilerplate saying a credit report “may be requested” with the application. It is standard language, but it appears in the primary document, so we note it here.
What it costs
The $35 annual fee is the price of skipping the credit check. In exchange you get a below-average APR for this category: 23.89% variable, lower than most subprime cards. The APR should not matter in practice, because a credit-building card works by paying the statement in full. Other fees are standard: 3% foreign transaction, cash advance $6 or 5%, late payment up to $41. There is no monthly maintenance fee, which puts OpenSky ahead of many cards aimed at the same audience that do charge monthly fees.
The graduation path
OpenSky reports to all three bureaus monthly, without flagging the account as secured, and says you may be eligible for its unsecured OpenSky Gold card in as little as six months. Per their own FAQ, the Gold upgrade does involve a hard credit check at that point. Your deposit comes back in full once the balance is paid and the secured account closes (within eight weeks, per the disclosure).
Who should get this card
- You’ve been denied for other cards, or you expect a hard inquiry would end in denial
- You’re rebuilding after bankruptcy or recent collections
- You have no U.S. credit file and need a first tradeline
Who shouldn’t
- If your score is around 580+, the Capital One Platinum Secured review shows a $0-annual-fee card whose deposit can be as low as $49
- If you can fund a $300 deposit and want no annual fee from the same no-credit-check issuer, see the OpenSky Plus review; you trade a higher APR for the $35 savings
How to actually build credit with it
The card is only the instrument. Keep the reported balance under about 30% of the limit (under 10% is better), pay in full monthly, and give it six months of clean history before expecting movement. The full playbook is in our guide to how to use a secured card to build credit, and our utilization calculator shows where your reported balance lands.
Check the current offer at OpenSky
OpenSky’s CFPB complaint record
We searched the CFPB’s complaint database (August 25, 2026) and could not locate a company-level complaint listing for OpenSky’s issuer, Capital Bank, N.A. Complaints that mention OpenSky in their narratives are mostly filed against the three credit bureaus, over how the account is reported — smaller banks’ complaints often route through other regulators, so read this as an absence of findable data, not proof of zero complaints. The practical takeaway matches the pattern across every card we track: reporting disputes are the recurring theme, so monitor your reports while building and keep our dispute letter templates handy.
Methodology: CFPB Consumer Complaint Database, searched August 25, 2026 by company name and narrative mentions.
Frequently asked questions
Does OpenSky really not check your credit?
Correct for this secured card. OpenSky’s own FAQ states there is no credit pull for the application, and none for credit line increases either. The unsecured Gold card you may later upgrade to does involve a hard check.
Does the OpenSky Secured Visa show up as secured on my credit report?
No. OpenSky states the account is reported to all three bureaus without being flagged as a secured card. Lenders reading your report see a regular Visa tradeline.
When do I get my deposit back?
When the account is paid in full and closed (or you graduate), the deposit is refunded; OpenSky’s disclosure says within eight weeks of closing the deposit account.