Zolve Credit Card

Zolve Credit Card Review

The Zolve Credit Card is a no annual fee credit builder credit card from fintech Zolve and issuing partner, Community Federal Savings Bank. The card, however, can’t be applied for directly, relying instead on the customer having an existing Zolve Azpire Card account.

Continue Your Credit Journey with Basic Rewards

Reaching the opportunity to apply for the Zolve Classic Card is an amazing achievement in your credit journey. That’s because Zolve is specially designed to help those who are traditionally underbanked in building credit with every purchase.

The card earns an unlimited 1% cash back rate on all purchases, with rewards redemption applicable towards gift cards from as little as 1,000 points ($10 cash back). New accounts also enjoy a $15 welcome points gift – a small yet appreciated feature for a credit-builder card.

Upgrade to the Zolve Card of Your Choice

Zolve offers three different unsecured credit card options. These cards vary in monthly and annual fees, travel benefits, rewards, and even how many free international money transfers you can make. After at least four months of positive payments on the Azpire Card (Zolve will inform you when you can upgrade), you can opt to move up to one of three unsecured card variants.

Here’s how the three unsecured Zolve credit cards compare:

	Zolve Classic	Zolve Signature	Zolve Black
Annual fee	None	$99 if billed annually ($9.99/month)	$299 if billed annually ($29.99/month)
Unlimited cash back	1%	1%	1.5%
Bonus cash back	N/A	3% on “Everyday” purchases	5% on purchases at select merchants
Welcome offer	$15	$25	$50
Credits	$100	$230 (Lyft, DoorDash, etc.)	$260 (Lyft, DoorDash, etc.)

Why Opt for the Zolve Signature?

The Zolve Signature Card is the middle-tier option and features a $9.99 monthly fee, although that charge is reduced to $99 if paid annually. Cardholders enjoy an enhanced level of perks for that service fee, with an estimated value of $1,000 in annual benefits, according to the issuer itself.

So, what do those $1,000 in benefits look like?

For starters, there’s a $25 welcome bonus for new accounts, plus $230 in credits for services like DoorDash and Lyft. Additionally, cardholders can take advantage of up to $50,000 in car rental coverage through Mastercard’s Auto Collision Damage Waiver.

Then there are the rewards. Like the Classic Card and the Azpire Credit Builder Card, the Zolve Signature Mastercard earns an unlimited 1% cash back rate on nearly all eligible purchases – and even more cash back on select categories. Cardholders earn 3% back on “Everyday” purchases and an impressive up-to-10% back at 10,000+ outlets.

Here’s how the Zolve Signature compares against similar cash back credit cards:

	Zolve Signature Credit Card	Upgrade Triple Cash Rewards Visa®	Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®
Membership fees	$9.99/month	$0	$0
Rewards	3% back on Everyday purchases and 1% on everything else	3% on Home, Auto, and Health categories and 1% on everything else after you make payments on your purchases	1.5% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
Welcome offer	$25	$200	$200
Credits	up to $230/year	N/A	N/A
Foreign transaction fees	N/A	N/A	N/A
Network	Mastercard	Visa	Visa

Why Opt for Zolve Black?

Zolve Black is the premium tier of the Zolve credit card program, reaching an eye-watering $29.99 monthly fee or $299 when you choose to pay annually. For that cost, cardholders can reap an estimated $2,000 in annual benefits.

New accounts with the Black variant receive a 16-gram laser-engraved metal credit card – always an impressive feature when you want to make a scene when swiping or tapping. Additionally, accountholders receive $50 worth of welcome points – double that of the Zolve Signature tier. There are additional credits for DoorDash and Lyft, with Black cardholders receiving $260 in annual credits versus $230 with the lower tier.

On the rewards side of things, the Zolve Black earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on nearly all eligible purchases – and, like the Signature, even more cash back on specific shopping. What’s more, cardholders earn 5% back on five brands of their choosing (achieved by logging in to the Zolve app and selecting the preferred options from the list of eligible retailers).

Here’s a comparison with another premium card that offers favorable approval odds:

	Zolve Black	American Express® Gold Card
Annual fee	$299 if billed annually ($29.99/month)	$250
Rewards	5% on purchases at select merchants, 1.5% on all else	4X points per $1 on U.S. dining and supermarkets (up to $25K in annual spending, then 1X), 3X on flights booked directly or with Amex Travel, 1X on all else
Credits	$260 (Lyft, DoorDash, etc.)	$340 (Uber, hotels, DoorDash, etc.)

Other Competition

The biggest direct competitor to the Zolve Classic is likely the Petal 1® Visa Credit Card. That product also allows an entryway into the world of unsecured credit cards with, credit limits of up to $5,000. Both cards charge no annual or foreign transaction fees, and they offer rewards on purchases from select retailers – like Zolve.

Other Card Features

Other notable features of the Zolve Classic credit card include:

• Freeze/unfreeze your card with a tap
• EMV chip technology for contactless payments
• Mobile wallet access via Google Pay Store of the App Store
• Zolve offers

Cardholders also enjoy Mastercard Platinum benefits and protections, including the following:

Zolve Ratings

Here is how Zolve and Community Federal Savings Bank rate based on expert and public opinions:

Should You Apply for the Zolve Classic Credit Card?

Zolve is an interesting new contender in the “new to credit” space. The platform provides a cradle-to-grave approach to building credit and maintaining a good score throughout your personal finance journey. The rewards with the entry-level option, the Zolve Classic, are fair but unlikely to wow many. Cardholders earn a basic 1% cash back, which is comparable with many subprime credit cards in the market. Ultimately, the Zolve Classic credit card is a great entry into the world of unsecured credit cards, but there are more lucrative cards out there, including the two options from Petal and Deserve.

For those wishing to shell out big bucks on an annual fee, consider sticking with the Classic version of the card and applying for another rewards card from a bank that accepts ITINs, like Citi, Wells Fargo, or Bank of America.