USAA Secured American Express® Credit Card

USAA Secured American Express® Credit Review

The USAA Secured American Express® Credit Card is a robust no annual fee credit card that can help USAA members build or rebuild their credit responsibly. The card is exactly the same card as the USAA Secured Visa Platinum Credit Card – with the only difference being the payment network of the card (Visa vs. American Express).

Build Credit with No Annual Fee

The biggest headline with the card is its annual fee – namely, the lack of one. Getting access to the purchasing power of the Amex network and using it to build credit without an annual fee is a great feature not found in many secured cards. Most secured credit cards feature a yearly charge of between $25 and $99.

Refundable Deposit Requirements

Like other secured cards, you’ll need a deposit to open a USAA-secured account. That deposit ranges from $250 at the lower end to $5,000 maximum. That range is very healthy and on par with what you’ll find elsewhere. Generally, secured cards have a minimum deposit of at least $200, so this requirement is standard.

Secured Card Comparison

	USAA secured credit card	OpenSky® Plus	OpenSky® Visa®
Bank	USAA	Capital Bank	Capital Bank
Annual fee	None	None	$35
Min. deposit	$250	$200	$200
Credit check	Yes	No	No

How to Use the USAA Amex Secured Card

The USSAA secured card is an Amex credit card. This means you can use it anywhere American Express is accepted – currently, nearly 99% of merchants in the US! With no fees on foreign transactions, you can use your card worldwide with no surcharges – another way USAA rewards its members. And, even better, the card enjoys the same no foreign transaction fees benefit of other USAA credit cards.

And it’s by making purchases that the USAA Secured Amex unveils its true power – that of a credit-building tool. You build credit by using your USAA Amex secured card to make purchases. After you begin paying back those purchases, USAA reports your payments to the three main credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. By managing your credit wisely, you could build a healthier credit history and move to a card with a higher credit limit in the future.

But paying on time is only one part of the equation. You also want to keep your credit use low. Your credit use – or credit utilization – is the amount of available credit you actually use, with less than 30% usage ideal. Your credit use accounts for 30% of your FICO credit score (with payment history at 35%), making it a critical factor to consider.

Online Account Management Tools

Suppose payments are a critical factor in your credit score. In that case, you’ll want a credit card that makes paying your bills and account management easier. Cardholders enjoy access to the USAA mobile app, providing USAA customer service 24/7 online, digital wallet compatibility for fast mobile payments or checkouts, and a selection of security and protection features.

Cardholders also enjoy access to the American Express payment network. This network provides a v variety of protections itself, including the following:

USAA Member Discounts

USAA members also enjoy access to exclusive discounts. These deals are only available to USAA members and fall under the “USAA Perks” banner. Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the things you’ll find:

• Vehicle purchases: USAA members receive exclusive discounts when purchasing new or used cars via the USAA Car Buying Service.
• Car rentals: Up to 25% savings with partners like Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz.
• Travel: Members receive price matching on cruises, hotels, resorts, and vacation packages booked with USAA.
• Shopping: Exclusive shopping discounts with hundreds of retailers, including savings on shipping, storage, and moving services.

USAA Ratings

Here is a selection of ratings for USAA and its secured credit cards:

Should You Apply for the USAA Secured American Express® Card?

The USAA Secured American Express® Credit Card is an exciting secured card for eligible USAA members. The card doesn’t offer rewards or the chance to “double your line” like the Merrick Bank Double Your Line® Secured Credit Card, but it does feature no foreign transactions or annual fees. Suppose you want rewards or the opportunity o upgrade. In that case, you won’t find that here – but if you want a steady platform to establish a positive credit history without fees, this is a decent option to consider.