HUE Credit Card Review: Fees, APR, and Whether It Is Worth It

June 30, 2026

If you have bad credit and a card offer landed in your mailbox or inbox for the HUE Card, you are probably wondering whether it is a real path forward or just another expensive trap. It is a fair question, because cards aimed at poor credit often hide their costs.

The HUE credit card, formerly called the First Savings Credit Card, is an unsecured card built for people with limited or damaged credit. Here is an honest review with the real numbers as of June 2026, so you can decide if it fits.

Key Facts at a Glance

FeatureDetail (as of June 2026)
IssuerFirst Savings Bank
NetworkMastercard (usable anywhere Mastercard is accepted)
Annual fee$49 to $75, based on creditworthiness
Authorized user fee$20
Purchase APR29.9%
Cash advance fee2%, plus 29.9% APR from the transaction date
Security depositNone (unsecured)
Reports to bureausYes, all three (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax)

Who Issues the HUE Credit Card

The HUE credit card is issued by First Savings Bank, an FDIC-insured bank founded in 1913 and based in Beresford, South Dakota. It is a Mastercard, so it works anywhere Mastercard is accepted, unlike a store card limited to one retailer.

The card is marketed to applicants with fair to poor credit, including people rebuilding after past trouble. It is essentially a subprime credit card, which means it is easier to qualify for but comes with higher costs. Because it is unsecured, you do not have to put down a refundable security deposit to open it.

The Fees Are the Headline, So Read Them Carefully

This is where the HUE card earns its caution label. It charges an annual fee of $49 to $75, set based on your individual creditworthiness. There is also a $20 fee to add an authorized user, which is unusual.

The purchase APR is 29.9%, which is high even by subprime-card standards. A cash advance is especially costly: a 2% cash advance fee applies, and the 29.9% APR starts accruing from the moment of the transaction with no grace period.

For a card with no rewards, those costs add up to an expensive way to borrow. The card makes the most sense only if you pay your balance in full each month and use it purely as a credit-building and spending tool, not as a way to carry debt.

It Does Report to All Three Bureaus

The one clear strength of the HUE card is that it reports to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. That matters because a card that does not report cannot help you build credit at all.

Used responsibly, with on-time payments and a low balance relative to your limit, the card can help you establish a positive payment history. First Savings Bank also offers automatic credit-line reviews, and your limit may be reviewed for an increase in as little as six months through a soft pull that does not hurt your score.

That said, you can get the same bureau reporting from cards and credit-builder products that cost far less. A high annual fee plus a 29.9% APR is a steep price to pay just to have an account reporting on your behalf.

If approval with bad credit is your main concern, an unsecured starter card with lower costs may serve you better. The Arro Card is unsecured, requires no security deposit, and lets you check your offer without a hard credit pull. Its limit can grow over time, and it earns cash back on everyday categories, which the HUE card does not.

Best for: people who can't qualify for an unsecured card and don't want to put up a security deposit

Arro Card

Arro Card
4Firstcard rating

No deposit. No hard credit check. Start with up to $300 and grow your credit line to $2,500 by completing in-app tasks. Earn 1% cash back on gas and groceries — including Walmart and Target.

Standout feature

Unsecured — no deposit required

Fees

up to $60/ year

Pros

1% cash back on gas & groceries

Cons

Starting credit limit: $50–$300

What Users Commonly Report

Looking across consumer review sources, a few themes show up repeatedly. Many users appreciate that the card is easy to get approved for with poor credit and that it reports to all three bureaus. A very common complaint is the annual fee combined with the high APR, which some feel makes the card expensive for the small starting limit they receive. Reviewers also frequently mention low initial credit limits, which can make it hard to keep your credit utilization down.

Lower-Cost Alternatives to Compare

Before accepting a card with a $49 to $75 annual fee and a 29.9% APR, it is worth comparing cheaper ways to build credit. It also helps to see how HUE stacks up against the broader field of credit cards for bad credit, since several charge no annual fee at all. The Aspire Cash Back Rewards Mastercard is an unsecured option that earns cash back on spending, something HUE does not offer, while still being accessible to those rebuilding credit.

Best for: People who want an unsecured card

Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard

Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard
4.2Firstcard rating

Aspire® Cash Back Rewards Mastercard. Prequalify* For Up To $1000 Credit Limit. No security deposit. Packed with great benefits, it’s designed to give you more flexibility—and purchasing power—along with up to 3% cash back rewards!** Good anywhere Mastercard is accepted, it’s the go-to card for any lifestyle.

Standout feature

Up to 3% cashback rewards

Fees

$49 to $175; after that $0 to $49 annually; - $60 to $159 annually billed at $5 to $12.50 per month after the first year.

Pros

No Deposit Required. Prequalify for up to $1000 credit limit

Cons

High APR. 25.74% to 36%, based on your creditworthiness.

Another route is a credit-builder product that avoids the high-fee model entirely. Perpay lets you pay for purchases over time through payroll deductions and reports those payments to the credit bureaus, helping you build history without a steep annual fee or a 29.9% interest rate hanging over you.

Best for: Everyday credit building

Perpay Credit Card

Perpay Credit Card
5Firstcard rating

Meet the only card powered by your paycheck. With automatic transfers from your paycheck, you can manage payments stress-free and build credit with ease.

Fee

$9/month plus $9 account opening fee

APR

Marketplace: 0% / Credit Card: 27.74% to 29.99% depending on your creditworthiness.

Minimum Deposit Amount

$0

Credit Check

No

Cashback

2% reward on purchases made in Perpay Marketplace

Benefit

2% rewards, no security deposit

The Bottom Line

The HUE credit card is an unsecured Mastercard that real people with bad credit can often get approved for, and it does report to all three bureaus. Those are genuine pluses. The drawbacks are serious, though: a $49 to $75 annual fee, a $20 authorized user fee, and a 29.9% APR with costly cash advances.

If you can get approved for a lower-cost card or a credit-builder product, you will likely build credit more cheaply. If HUE is your only realistic option, use it carefully, pay in full each month, and revisit your choices once your score improves. Terms and conditions apply, and APRs vary by creditworthiness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who issues the HUE credit card?

The HUE credit card is issued by First Savings Bank, an FDIC-insured bank based in Beresford, South Dakota. It was previously known as the First Savings Credit Card. It is a Mastercard, so it works anywhere Mastercard is accepted.

How much does the HUE credit card cost?

The HUE card charges an annual fee of $49 to $75, set based on your creditworthiness, plus a $20 fee to add an authorized user. The purchase APR is 29.9%, and cash advances carry a 2% fee with interest from the transaction date.

Does the HUE credit card build credit?

Yes. The card reports to all three major credit bureaus, so on-time payments and low balances can help you build a positive history. Keep in mind that you can get the same bureau reporting from lower-cost products.

What credit score do I need for the HUE credit card?

First Savings Bank does not publish a strict minimum score. The card is generally marketed to people with fair to poor credit, roughly in the 300 to 660 range, including those with limited or damaged credit history.


Firstcard Educational Content Team

Firstcard Educational Content Team - June 30, 2026

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