5 Things to Know About the Blaze Mastercard

The Blaze Mastercard offers a chance to work on your credit score without having to pay excessive fees.

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Updated Feb 17, 2026 10:24 a.m. PST · 2 min read Written by Senior Writer & Content Strategist + more + more Edited by Assigning Editor + more + more SOME CARD INFO MAY BE OUTDATED

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The Blaze Mastercard offers those with less-than-ideal credit a chance to work on their credit score without excessive fees. The cost-effective card doesn’t require a security deposit to qualify and won’t charge you activation fees, monthly maintenance fees or other expensive fees. It's issued by First Savings Bank and serviced by Capital Services in South Dakota. If you can’t come up with a security deposit for a secured credit card, the Blaze Mastercard is a better choice compared with fee-heavy unsecured card options. Here’s what you need to know. » MORE: NerdWallet’s best credit cards for bad credit » MORE:

1. It charges an annual fee

The Blaze Mastercard has a $75 annual fee — but you may not have to be stuck with it forever. As of Jan. 2021, you could contact customer service to ask about qualifying for a lower fee, after establishing a record of on-time payments and managing your account responsibly, according to Alfred Furth, portfolio chief and senior vice president at Capital Services.

NerdWallet rating Read Review The fee is on the lower end compared with other unsecured credit cards, but it's worth noting that it's money that you won’t get back. With a secured credit card, the security deposit may be more expensive upfront — in some cases, several hundreds of dollars — but you’ll at least get that money back with a good payment history and responsible credit usage. The $0-annual-fee Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, for example, may offer a bit more flexibility with a lower deposit requirement of $49 or $99 if you can qualify. Otherwise, there’s a $200 minimum security deposit requirement. $0 Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card » MORE: Explore credit cards that don't run a credit check » MORE:

2. You could eventually qualify for a credit limit increase

If you have bad credit, you could start out with a fairly low credit limit, like $350. A low credit limit isn't necessarily a deal breaker, though, especially not with this card. You can potentially qualify for a higher credit limit in as little as six months if your account is in good standing and you meet debt-to-income requirements. » MORE: What is a secured credit card? How is it different from an unsecured card? » MORE:

3. Late payments won’t hike up your APR

With the Blaze Mastercard, your credit scores may suffer if you miss a payment, but you won’t get punished with a penalty APR — an interest rate higher than your card's purchase APR that may be applied to your account balance over several months, increasing your bill. There's a late fee if you miss a payment, though. Avoid paying late to stay on track with your credit goals. The Blaze Mastercard reports payments to all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax and Experian). Paying on time can help you establish a strong payment history, which makes up a good portion of your credit score. » MORE: Find out how a late payment affects your credit » MORE:

4. It has reasonable fees

Aside from late fees, the Blaze Mastercard may charge a returned payment fee of up to $25 and a cash advance fee of 2% per transaction. Beyond those potential charges, though, the Blaze Mastercard is a reasonable and affordable option because you won’t have to worry about monthly fees, activation fees or other pricey fees. As a Mastercard with broad merchant acceptance and no foreign transaction fees, it’s also well-equipped to travel internationally. ? Nerdy Tip The Blaze Mastercard charges a fee and a high APR for cash advances, but that’s typical of most credit cards. A cash advance is best reserved as a last resort after you’ve exhausted all other options. » MORE: Learn why cash advances are rarely a good idea » MORE:

5. You can get a PREMIUM Club membership to access discounts

Cardholders have the option of choosing the PREMIUM Club membership, which offers discounts on prescriptions, hotels, dining, car rentals and entertainment. The membership costs $4.95 per month (about $60 annually) and is included on your billing statement. The program is worth it only if you can use the discounts enough to offset the cost of the membership fee. Considering that this card already charges a $75 annual fee, that would mean paying about $135 per year to hold this card. That’s treading close to the cost of a security deposit on a secured card, so it’s worth considering one if this amount aligns with your budget.

NerdWallet rating Apply now Apply now Read Review If incentives matter to you, the $0-annual-fee Discover it® Secured Credit Card offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. All other purchases earn 1%. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card requires a minimum of $200 as a security deposit, but you can defray some of the cost with its welcome offer. Plus, it's worth the investment since the card has a possible path to upgrade to an unsecured Discover card. After you've had the card for seven months, the issuer conducts automatic monthly reviews to determine if you’re ready to move to an unsecured card. If you are, you can get your security deposit back. $0 Discover it® Secured Credit Card Discover it® Secured Credit Card This and other secured options can be found on NerdWallet's list of best credit cards. Article sources NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines. About the author Melissa Lambarena Melissa is a credit cards writer at NerdWallet. Her work has been featured by The Associated Press, New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today. See full bio. Helpful resources Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Travel Credit Cards Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards

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