Finding the Perfect Secured Credit Card for CIBIL Building and Rewards! (OneCard is Out, Let's Discuss!)

[VibhavBilgoji]

Hey everyone! I'm on the mission to build a solid CIBIL score and figured a secured credit card could be my key. I was initially eyeing the OneCard, but the lack of conversion to unsecured later down the line made me reconsider.​

After browsing through the forum, I learned add-on cards don't contribute to CIBIL, which was insightful! However, my main question remains unanswered: What secured credit card offers a sweet balance of CIBIL building potential and decent reward rates?
Here's what I'm looking for:

• Strong CIBIL reporting: I want a card that consistently reports my responsible credit behavior to CIBIL.
• Decent reward rate: Earning some rewards while building credit would be a bonus! Cashback, points, travel miles - anything works!
• Reasonable fees: I understand secured cards come with fees, but I'd prefer them to be manageable.
• Conversion to unsecured (optional): If possible, having the option to convert the card to unsecured in the future would be ideal.

I've read about various options like IDFC First WOW, Gild and Fi Simplifi, but I'd love to hear your real-world experiences and recommendations!
What secured credit card do you think ticks all the boxes? Bonus points if you have experience with one that eventually converted to unsecured!
Thanks in advance for sharing your wisdom!
P.S. If I missed any crucial details, please let me know! The more informed I am, the better I can choose the right card.
P.P.S. Anyone else here skipped OneCard for the same reason? Let's discuss!

 

[NShah]

Go

Good point regarding Kotak. However, ICICI DOES NOT issue Apay card based on a secured card. You need an unsecured core card first.

Icici giving Amazon cc against icici fd cc🙂

Someone already confirmed secured fd card to apay !

Why u saying u need unsecured card first

Not guaranteed

Waise doc sahab aap ek experiment karke dekhe sakte
Icici bank ko twitter pe dm karke koi dusra icici ka cc mang sakte except Amazon cc
Abhi unsecured cc holder ko de rahe hai tum secure cc ke sath try karke batao dete hai ki nahi 😂
Waise nahi denge but try kar ke dekh sakte aur Hume bhi bata sakte ho

 

[Vasuki]

Icici bank ko twitter pe dm karke koi dusra icici ka cc mang sakte except Amazon cc
Abhi unsecured cc holder ko de rahe hai tum secure cc ke sath try karke batao dete hai ki nahi 😂
Waise nahi denge but try kar ke dekh sakte aur Hume bhi bata sakte ho

Like right away or after months

 

[NShah]

Like right away or after months

After a month 😄

 

[Vasuki]

After a month 😄

Oki will ask for coral rupay 😅

 

[Lobogris]

Someone already confirmed secured fd card to apay !

Why u saying u need unsecured card first

I tried it a few years back and it didn't work. So saying it based on actual experience.

 

[techt]

Oki will ask for coral rupay 😅

Could have asked Coal RuPay for your trains 🚂

 

[Vasuki]

I tried it a few years back and it didn't work. So saying it based on actual experience.

I was maintaining that money to get cc pre approved in icici.
By icici fd card - if they don't give apay after 98 days 😅 i will close icici account 😂

Meanwhile i m hoping 1-2lakh + limit from hdfc in pre approved offer .
Or my axis limit increase from 90k
For icici c2c apply

After that not trying icici card 🥸 i will rather have toxic relationship with idfc than sweet poison of icici

 

[Vasuki]

Could have asked Coal RuPay for your trains 🚂

Thats the actual plan 🧠

 

[techt]

I was maintaining that money to get cc pre approved in icici.
By icici fd card - if they don't give apay after 98 days 😅 i will close icici account 😂

Meanwhile i m hoping 1-2lakh + limit from hdfc in pre approved offer .
Or my axis limit increase from 90k
For icici c2c apply

After that not trying icici card 🥸 i will rather have toxic relationship with idfc than sweet poison of icici

Payasam and poison in the same sentence 🫢
why IDFC is toxic?

 

[sidp]

Thats the actual plan 🧠

Currently icici is pushing for ltf coral rupay mostly around 1st bill generation of 1st card. Many people including me have got the offer. They sending so many msg and mail. I have asked to give me ltf hpcl super saver instead.

 

[Vasuki]

Currently icici is pushing for ltf coral rupay mostly around 1st bill generation of 1st card. Many people including me have got the offer. They sending so many msg and mail. I have asked to give me ltf hpcl super saver instead.

You giving me hope 🙂

 

[NShah]

You giving me hope 🙂

It's true but only for unsecured cc holders right now

 

[techt]

It's true but only for unsecured cc holders right now

You killed his hope. 😢

 

[D₹V]

FORGET ABOUT HIM ,I DID THE FD THIS .. NOW WILL SIT DOWN FOR 2-3 MONTH FOR amazon pay ( icici seems very random in giving pre approved offer) .
I have 98 days exact to reapply for apay seems reasonable

Great... Big heart 🤭 & risk taker.

 

[D₹V]

cc : @D₹V

Ignore him.

Above trick I shared have worked for users.

 

[VibhavBilgoji]

Tell us your age & we can narrow whats the best -
& What @D₹V said is all true now it depends on your budget of fd to get into conclusions

hmm sorry i didnt reply for a long time
i don't think i will be able to convince my dad for a FD
i am still a student so no stable income

but i read somewhere that AmEx supplimentary cards report to the CIBIL aswell.
So can i make my dad apply for a AmEx credit card, add a supplimentary card for me, and then make him use that regularly?

 

[sidp]

So can i make my dad apply for a AmEx credit card, add a supplimentary card for me, and then make him use that regularly?

All spend on add ons are reported in primary account. So it won't help in building credit history.

 

[VibhavBilgoji]

All spend on add ons are reported in primary account. So it won't help in building credit history.

Are you sure though?
I have read on many places that AmEx supplimentary cards report to credit bureaus

 

[varun__goel_]

All spend on add ons are reported in primary account. So it won't help in building credit history.

It sure does help build cibil.

Have got one for my mother. It was constantly declining because of no credit from past 10 years and it went below 700.

Now after issuance of the card. It has increased by 10 points in 2 months, though it is reported as authorised user

 

[VibhavBilgoji]

It sure does help build cibil.

Have got one for my mother. It was constantly declining because of no credit from past 10 years and it went below 700.

Now after issuance of the card. It has increased by 10 points in 2 months, though it is reported as authorised user

do you use a AmEx card? how is the acceptance at petrol pumps? should i use it there? because it is the only place where other credit cards don't give rewards