The $0-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is one of the best secured credit cards, with high earning rates in extremely common spending categories and a $15 annual statement credit to reimburse streaming purchases.
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29.24% Variable
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The $0-annual-fee U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is an above-average secured credit card, with high earning rates in extremely common spending categories and a $15 annual statement credit to reimburse streaming purchases.
Altitude Go Secured CardU.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Credit Card Overview
Fostering a respectable credit score is one of the most impactful things you can do to set yourself up for success later in life. It can help you get a mortgage or an auto loan, and even facilitate fun bucket-list vacations for pennies on the dollar by qualifying you for the best travel credit cards.
But what if you haven't even begun your credit journey? Or what if you've got a poor credit score because of previous mistakes?
That's where the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card comes in. Secured credit cards like this are designed to give you the opportunity to prove that you can maintain a streak of good credit habits. With a few simple practices, you can build (or rebuild) your credit health with this card.
As far as secured credit cards go, this is near the top of the list. It's got good return rates for everyday spending and notable ongoing benefits. However, if your credit score isn't in the basement and you've got what could be considered fair credit (the high 500s), you may want to consider a card like the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card instead. This card earns 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One travel and 1.5% cash back on all other eligible purchases. It's a great card to use for everyday spending because it earns 50% more rewards than the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card for non-bonus categories.
To get the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card, you'll have to deposit between $300 and $5,000 in cash to U.S. Bank. Your money will be held in a secured savings account. You'll then get a credit line equal to the amount of your cash deposit. When you decide to cancel your card — or if U.S. bank gives you the opportunity to "upgrade" to a regular credit card — you'll get this money back. But if for some reason you're unable to pay your card, U.S. Bank will simply use the cash you've deposited to pay it for you.
U.S. Bank will keep an eye on how you're doing with paying your bill on time and spending within your means. It reports your activity to the three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian). If U.S. Bank decides you've made sufficient progress, it may give you the opportunity to "graduate" to the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Visa Signature® Card — a non-secured credit card with improved perks such as Visa Signature benefits. Once your card is upgraded, you'll get your security deposit back.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Card Rewards
How to earn rewards
Secured credit cards aren't known for for being the best credit cards and offering things like large welcome bonuses or impressive earning rates.
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card doesn't offer a welcome bonus. But it does accrue points remarkably fast — especially compared to competing secured credit cards. Here's what you'll get:
- 4 points per dollar on dining, takeout, and restaurant delivery
- 2 points per dollar at grocery stores (including grocery delivery), gas stations and EV charging, and on eligible streaming services*
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases
These are all very common purchases, meaning the lion's share of your monthly spending should earn bonus points.
*Eligible streaming services include Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Video, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Audible, DirecTV Stream, Discovery+, Disney+, ESPN+, Fubo TV, HBO Max, Hulu, iHeart, LiveOne, Luminary, MLB TV, NBA League Pass, Netflix, NHL Live, Pandora, Paramount+, Peacock, Showtime, SiriusXM, Slacker Radio, Sling TV, Spotify, Starz, Stitcher, Tidal, Vudu, YouTube Music, YouTube Premium and YouTube TV.
How to use rewards
You can redeem your rewards for cash back after earning at least 2,500 points. You can also use them for travel, gift cards, or merchandise via U.S. Bank's rewards portal after earning at least 1,000 points.
No matter how you use your points, they'll only be worth 1 cent each. That means the card's earning rate is effectively between 1% and 4%.
The best strategy for your points is to cash them out. Even if you want a gift card or a plane ticket, it's better to simply make your purchase and then offset it with points. That's because you'll earn points for your spending.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Benefits and Features
$15 annual streaming credit
Streaming services have become a universal monthly expense. The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card comes with a $15 statement credit for each 12-month period in which 11 consecutive calendar months of eligible streaming service purchases have occurred. You'll receive this credit for the same merchants that earn a 2x bonus with the card.
This is a great benefit for a $0-annual-fee card — let alone a secured credit card, famous for lackluster ongoing benefits.
Choose your payment due date
This card is focused on helping you to improve your credit. To that end, you're able to choose which day of the month you want as your due date. You can coordinate your pay date to be immediately after you get paid to ensure you'll always have the funds to pay your bill.
Autopay
Autopay is not unique among credit cards, but it's one of the best low-key benefits in which you can enroll.
Paying your bill on time is the lifeblood of your credit score. It's not the only thing that matters — but nothing else is as important. It accounts for 35% of your score! This card allows you to sign-up for autopay, ensuring that you'll never be late for a payment. Even if you manually pay your balance in full each month, you should still choose to autopay the minimum amount. It'll only kick in if you forget to make a payment.
Zero fraud liability
You are not responsible for fraudulent transactions if your card is lost or stolen. However, you must let U.S. Bank know immediately when you notice the card is missing.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Card Annual Fee and Other Costs
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is a $0-annual-fee card. It also does not charge foreign transaction fees, so it's a good card to bring along during international trips. However, you'll be charged for things like balance transfers, late fees, and cash advances.
This card also has a crippling 29.24% Variable APR. You should never carry a balance month-to-month, as interest rates can add up quickly — and that's especially true for this card.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Credit Card Comparison
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Secured Card vs. U.S. Bank Secured Visa Card
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is a more appealing secured credit card overall because it offers rewards, while the U.S. Bank Secured Visa® Card is extremely straightforward, with no rewards, but if it's your only option it could be worth it to boost your credit score — you can worry about credit card points or cash back later. Both cards have a minimum security deposit of $300.
Read our U.S. Bank Secured Visa card review.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Visa Secured Card vs. Discover it Secured Card
Both the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card and the Discover it® Secured Credit Card offer rewards on your spending, but the Discover it® Secured Credit Card earns cash back. You'll get 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1% back) and 1% cash back on all other purchases. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card has a lower minimum security deposit of $200. Automatic reviews start at 7 months to see if Discover can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
Read our Discover it Secured Card review.
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured card worth it?
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is worth it for those with a less-than-perfect credit history trying to rebuild their credit score. It doesn't incur an annual fee, and it offers high return rates for everyday spending. It even comes with a $15 statement credit each year you pay for streaming services for 11 consecutive months.
What credit limit does the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured card come with?
Your credit limit will equal the deposit you give to U.S. Bank upon opening this card. You must deposit between $300 and $5,000. Therefore, your highest possible credit limit is $5,000.
Does the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured card do a credit check?
Your credit will receive a hard inquiry when applying for this card. Many banks allow you to check if you're preapproved, though, which will increase the odds that you won't be denied for the card and waste a credit pull. Check out our guide to the best preapproved credit cards.
What credit score do I need to be approved for the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured card?
The U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card is designed for those with bad credit. The point of a secured credit card is that it serves as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. Even with a poor credit score, you are still eligible to apply for this card.
Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Card
For the U.S. Bank Altitude® Go Secured Visa® Card and every other credit card we review, we use our credit card rating methodology to come up with a numeric score out of 5. Our methodology evaluates a credit card across several categories including annual fee, ease of use, rewards, and benefits. In each category, we compare a card to other similar cards — we wouldn't expect a secured credit card to have similar features to a premium rewards card with a high annual fee.
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
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