Current Build Card
Current Build Card
$0 annual fee. No minimum deposit required. No credit check required. 1 point per dollar on eligible categories. Reports to Experian, TransUnion, Equifax.
Fee
$0
APR
0%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Credit Check
No
Cashback
1 point/dollar on eligible categories (with qualifying payroll deposit)
Benefit
No credit check, no deposit minimum
What the Current Build Card Actually Is
The Current Build Card¹ is a Visa secured charge card issued by Cross River Bank (per Current's official disclosure as of April 2026). Instead of borrowing money, you use funds from your Current account spending balance to cover purchases on the card. Current then reports your activity to the major credit bureaus as a tradeline.²
Because it's backed by your own funds, Current doesn't run a credit check to approve you. There's no separate minimum security deposit, which sets it apart from traditional secured cards.
How It Works Day to Day
Here's the flow per Current's support documentation:
- You open a Current account and fund your spending balance.
- You use the Build Card for purchases like groceries, gas, or subscriptions.
- Current sets aside the spent amount as Reserved Funds so you can't overspend.
- Twice a month, Current's AutoPay pays your outstanding Build Card balance from your Reserved Funds. (You can pay manually, but you have to do it on time.)
- Current reports the activity to TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.
Who It's Best For
The Build Card shines for people who:
- Have no credit or bad credit and can't qualify for a traditional card.
- Want to avoid interest charges entirely.
- Can't put up a lump-sum deposit for a secured card.
- Already use Current or want a fully mobile bank.
It's less useful if you already have a strong credit profile or want to earn meaningful rewards.
If you can put aside a refundable deposit instead, the Self Visa® Credit Card is the classic deposit-secured alternative. It's backed by your own savings, runs no hard pull at signup, and reports to all three bureaus, which makes it a clean way to add a revolving tradeline to a thin file.
Fees and Costs
As of April 2026, the Build Card has no annual fee. However, Current's Build Card Rates & Fees disclosure does list other fees that can apply³, including late payment fees, out-of-network ATM fees, and foreign transaction fees. Check Current's current fee schedule before signing up. Higher Boost savings⁴ bonuses are tied to Eligible Payroll Deposit (a payroll deposit of $200+ unlocks the higher Boost bonus), not a paid account tier.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- No credit check.
- No separate security deposit.
- Reports to all three credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax) per Current's official documentation.
- Eligible to earn 1 point per $1⁵ on eligible categories when you set up a qualifying payroll direct deposit ($200+ to your Current account); base earning is 1 point per $1 at participating partner merchants.
- AutoPay twice a month means you can't accidentally miss a due date if your Reserved Funds cover the balance.
- All-digital, mobile-first experience.
Cons:
- You have to keep money in your Current account for the card to work.
- Limited rewards compared to traditional cards (and the elevated boost bonus requires direct deposit).
- No branch location/No brick and mortar.
- Late payment fees and out-of-network ATM fees can apply — see the Build Card Rates & Fees PDF on current.com for the current schedule.
- Relatively new product (launched 2023 with Cross River Bank) with less track record than Discover or Capital One.
How It Compares to Chime Credit Builder and Self
The Current Build Card is most similar to the Chime Credit Builder Card. Both use your own money, and both report to the bureaus. The difference usually comes down to which banking app you prefer and which features you care about.
Self is a bit different — it combines a credit builder loan with a secured card, so you end up saving money while you build. If you want a classic secured card experience, Discover it Secured or Capital One Platinum Secured are more traditional options.
Another modern alternative worth comparing is the Kikoff Secured Credit Card, which works like a debit-credit hybrid with 0% interest and no credit check at signup. The $5 monthly subscription also bundles rent reporting and a credit-builder line, so you can stack tradelines without keeping a balance inside a separate banking app like Current.
Kikoff Secured Credit Card
Kikoff Secured Credit Card
Kikoff Secured Credit Card works like a debit card & checking account and performs like a credit builder. Build credit with your everyday purchases.
APR
0%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Credit Check
No
Cashback
Yes
Benefit
0% interest. No credit check.
Because Current and Chime both run as neobanks rather than traditional brick-and-mortar institutions, the bigger question for many applicants is whether they want a digital-first banking experience at all. And if Chime is the alternate account you're considering, our breakdown of when Chime direct deposits actually hit can help you time the $200 payroll deposit Current needs to unlock the higher Boost rate.
Whichever builder card you pick, you'll want to confirm the tradeline is actually posting. Creditship is a free AI credit monitor that pulls all three bureaus and shows exactly how your Current Build Card activity is moving your score month over month.
Creditship
Creditship
Get free credit monitoring and concrete advice how to improve your credit from Creditship AI.
Standout feature
AI Credit Coach. AI analyzes your credit report in depth and gives you tailored, actionable steps to raise your score.
Fees
Free
Pros
Free credit report access plus monitoring and alerts
Cons
No credit repair feature
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to bank with Current to use the Build Card? Yes. The Build Card is only available to Current account holders. If you don't have a Current account, you'll need to open one first.
How much do I need to deposit to get started? There's no minimum deposit. You just need to fund your Current account spending balance with enough to cover purchases. The amount available in Reserved Funds effectively becomes your spending limit.
How long does it take to graduate from the Build Card? The Build Card isn't a traditional secured card that graduates. It stays a credit-builder product as long as you use it. If you want to move to a traditional unsecured card, you'll apply separately once your credit score improves.
Can I use the Build Card internationally? It's a Visa-network secured charge card (issued by Cross River Bank), so it's accepted everywhere Visa is accepted. Foreign transaction fees may apply depending on your account terms — check Current's Build Card Rates & Fees disclosure before relying on it overseas.
The Bottom Line
The Current Build Card is a solid, no-deposit credit builder tool, especially if you already bank with Current. The big caveats: the elevated rewards rate is conditional on direct deposit, and the rates-and-fees PDF lists additional fees (late payment, out-of-network ATM, foreign transaction) you should review. For someone starting from scratch on credit and already living inside the Current app, it's a legitimate way to build credit history.
– Disclosure: ¹Current is a financial technology company, not an FDIC-insured bank. FDIC insurance up to $250,000 only covers the failure of an FDIC-insured bank. Certain conditions must be satisfied for pass-through deposit insurance coverage to apply. Banking services provided by Choice Financial Group, Member FDIC, and/or Cross River Bank, Member FDIC. The Current Visa® Debit Card, which may be issued by Choice Financial Group and/or Cross River Bank, and the Current Visa® secured charge card, which is issued by Cross River Bank, are all issued pursuant to licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted. A Current deposit account is required to apply for the Current Visa® secured charge card. Independent approval required. ²Individual results may vary. Using your credit card responsibly may allow you to improve your credit score. Credit building depends on various factors, including your payment history, credit utilization, length of credit history, and other financial activities. ³Some fees may apply, including out-of-network ATM fees of $2.50 per transaction, foreign transaction fees of 3% of the full transaction amount (minimum $0.50), card reorder fees per card of $5 for regular delivery and $30 for expedited delivery, cash deposit fees of $3.50 per deposit, and third party processing fees. ⁴Boost Bonuses are credited to your Savings Pods within 48 hours of enabling the Boost feature and on a daily basis thereafter, provided that the Savings Pod has accrued a Boost Bonus of at least $0.01. No minimum balance required. The Boost rate on Savings Pods is variable and may change at any time. The disclosed rate is effective as of August 1, 2023. Must have $0.01 in Savings Pods to earn a Boost rate of either 0.25% or 4.00% annually on the portion of balances up to $2000 per Savings Pod, up to $6000 total. The remaining balance earns 0.00%. To earn a Boost rate of 4.00%, you must receive at least one Eligible Payroll Deposit equalling a minimum of $200 over a 35-day period. For more information, please refer to Current Boost Terms and Conditions.
⁵To earn Points, you must receive at least one Eligible Payroll Deposit equalling a minimum of $200 over a 35-day period (unless you are a Current Max subscriber), make Build Card purchases at retailers whose merchant code is classified as Dining (e.g., restaurants) and Groceries (e.g., supermarkets), and complete other actions that Current may designate. After qualifying, allow 3-5 business days for Points to post to your Current account. Points expire 365 days after they settle. To learn more, read the Current Points Terms and Conditions.
Current Build Card
Current Build Card
$0 annual fee. No minimum deposit required. No credit check required. 1 point per dollar on eligible categories. Reports to Experian, TransUnion, Equifax.
Fee
$0
APR
0%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Credit Check
No
Cashback
1 point/dollar on eligible categories (with qualifying payroll deposit)
Benefit
No credit check, no deposit minimum
