What Is the Total Visa Unsecured Credit Card?
The Total Visa is an unsecured credit card marketed to people with bad credit or no credit history. The main pitch: you can get a real Visa credit card without putting down a security deposit. For people who can't afford a deposit, that's appealing.
But before you apply, you need to understand what you're actually signing up for. This card comes with one of the most complicated fee structures in the subprime credit card space.
The Fee Structure: Read This First
The Total Visa has multiple layers of fees that can significantly reduce the value of your initial credit limit:
- One-time program fee: $95 charged when your account is opened
- Annual fee: $75 for the first year, then $48 per year
- Monthly servicing fee: $6.25/month ($75/year) — waived in the first year
- Initial credit limit: Typically $300
Here's what that means in practice: after the program fee and annual fee are charged to your account in year one, you may have only $130 of available credit on your $300 limit — before you even make a purchase.
In year two and beyond, the combined annual and monthly fees ($123/year) continue to eat into your available credit.
APR and Other Costs
The Total Visa charges a high APR — typically around 35% — which makes carrying a balance very expensive. This card is not meant for borrowing money; it's meant for making small purchases and paying them off immediately.
Does the Total Visa Build Credit?
Yes, the Total Visa does report to all three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. On-time payments will be reflected in your credit report. That's the main functional benefit of the card.
However, because your available credit is reduced by fees, your utilization ratio can look artificially high — which can hurt your score. You'll need to manage this carefully.
Who Might Consider the Total Visa?
This card targets people who:
- Have been denied by other unsecured cards
- Cannot or will not pay a security deposit
- Need a card that reports to all three bureaus
Even in those situations, there are usually better alternatives.
Better Alternatives to the Total Visa
Before applying for the Total Visa, consider these options:
Secured credit cards — even a $200 deposit gets you a card with fewer fees, a cleaner fee structure, and often better APR. The Capital One Platinum Secured and Discover it Secured are popular picks.
Credit builder loans — from companies like Self or Credit Strong, these help you build credit without needing upfront spending. You save money while building your credit file.
Store credit cards — retail cards from places like Fingerhut or Secured Mastercard options often have lower barriers to entry with fewer fees.
The Bottom Line
The Total Visa Unsecured card is technically functional — it does what it promises. But the fee structure is one of the heaviest you'll find in this category, and there are better options for almost everyone who might consider it.
If you truly cannot put down a deposit, the Total Visa is a last resort, not a first choice. We recommend exploring secured cards and credit builder tools first. See our guide on what to look for in a credit builder account before deciding.
