The two strongest secured credit-builder cards in the market on paper. Both $0 AF, both report to all three bureaus, both pay cashback — unusual at the secured tier. But Discover paused new applications for its card as of 2026-06-02 pending a relaunch under new owner Capital One, and as of 2026-08-15 still hasn't reopened them (WalletHub, updated 2026-05-28; MoneyAtlas, updated 2026-08-04), so today this is less a rate-structure choice and more a default to Quicksilver.
Scored against our published methodology · Updated August 15, 2026
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Capital One
Credit-builders who want a secured card that reports to all three bureaus AND earns 1.5% cashback — the only mainstream secured card that does both at $0 AF. Graduates to unsecured with on-time payments.
Find your match
Discover
Credit-builders who want a $0 AF secured card that reports to all three bureaus, earns rotating-category cashback, AND gets Discover's year-one Cashback Match — the only secured card that does all four.
Find your matchBest for — by the numbers
Per-spec leads are computed from each issuer's published facts and our scored methodology — there is no single overall winner. Reviewed August 15, 2026. ClearValue Cards earns compensation through our CardRatings partnership, paid when a reader clicks out to CardRatings from our match tool, and through separately labeled, paid partner placements (marked "Advertiser Disclosure · Sponsored") that sit outside our card rankings. Neither compensation source influences editorial scoring or ordering.
| Spec | Capital One Quicksilver Secured | Discover it Secured |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| 0% intro APR period | None | 6 months |
| Ongoing APR (from) | 28.99% | 26.49% |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards score | 15/20 | 16/20 |
| Fee-structure score | 20/20 | 20/20 |
| ClearValue score | 89/100 | 90/100 |
| Balance transfer fee | 3% | 3% (intro), then 5% |
| Late fee | Up to $40 | Up to $41 (first late fee waived) |
A check marks the card that leads that spec on published figures. Rows with no marker are either tied or judgment calls (fee wording, late-fee terms) where a single "winner" would misrepresent the data.
Tap the spec you care about — we'll show which card leads on it.
For 0% intro APR period, the Discover it Secured leads (6 months).
Credit-builders who want simple, predictable 1.5% with no rotating-category tracking — and anyone applying today, since it's the only one of the two currently open
Flat 1.5% on every purchase. Capital One reviews accounts at ~6 months and refunds the deposit upon graduation — fastest graduation path in the secured tier.
See your matchesNot currently applyable — Discover is not accepting new secured-card applications while it relaunches under Capital One
If and when it reopens: year-1 effective rate via Cashback Match (2% flat AND 10% rotating-category, reverting to 1%/5% after year 1) is genuinely strong. Discover has also signaled it's dropping the automatic 7-month graduation review that made its timeline predictable (NerdWallet, 2026), so check the reopened terms before assuming the numbers below still apply.
See your matchesReaders who already have a 670+ FICO. Look at unsecured cards instead — secured cards are graduation tools, not destinations.
Weighing the numbers yourself? Run our free minimum payment trap calculator.
Answer a few questions about how you spend and we'll point you to the cards that actually fit — no guesswork.
Take the 60-second quizAccepting new applications
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: Yes
Discover it Secured: No — paused 2026-06-02 pending Capital One relaunch
Annual fee
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: $0
Discover it Secured: $0
Reports to all 3 bureaus
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: Yes
Discover it Secured: Yes
Rewards rate
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: 1.5% flat on everything
Discover it Secured: 5% rotating quarterly (capped $1,500/qtr), 1% else; year-1 doubled via Cashback Match
Minimum deposit
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: $200
Discover it Secured: $200
Graduation timeline
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: ~6 months
Discover it Secured: 8-12 months
International acceptance
Capital One Quicksilver Secured: Visa — broad
Discover it Secured: Discover — limited abroad
Neither is universally better — it depends on how you spend. On our published 100-point methodology the Capital One Quicksilver Secured scores 89/100 (Solid pick) and the Discover it Secured scores 90/100 (Canon). Credit-builders who want simple, predictable 1.5% with no rotating-category tracking — and anyone applying today, since it's the only one of the two currently open should lean Capital One Quicksilver Secured; not currently applyable — Discover is not accepting new secured-card applications while it relaunches under Capital One should lean Discover it Secured. Take the 60-second quiz to see which fits your profile.
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured carries $0 (no annual fee), sourced from the issuer's published Schumer Box as of July 15, 2026. The Discover it Secured carries $0 (no annual fee), as of August 15, 2026. Fees change — confirm the current number at the issuer before you decide.
The Discover it Secured is the one with a 0% intro offer: 10.99% on balance transfers for 6 months. Capital One Quicksilver Secured has no 0% intro period. Intro terms are variable — verify the current window at the issuer.
We score every card across five dimensions — effective rewards, fee structure, audience fit, transparency, and the weakness named — 0–20 each for a 100-point total. The Capital One Quicksilver Secured earned 89/100 and the Discover it Secured earned 90/100. Scoring follows our published methodology and is never influenced by compensation.
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Cards is not a card issuer, a bank, or a lender. ClearValue Cards earns compensation through our CardRatings partnership, paid when a reader clicks out to CardRatings from our match tool, and through separately labeled, paid partner placements (marked "Advertiser Disclosure · Sponsored") that sit outside our card rankings. Neither compensation source influences editorial scoring or ordering. Card facts are sourced from each issuer's published Schumer Box and terms — confirm current numbers at the issuer. See disclosure.
