CardBenefitsFinder

US credit card benefits, checked against the issuers

Try a card (“Sapphire Preferred”), a bank (“Citi”) or a benefit (“cell phone protection”).

Menu navigation

Credit cards with automatic credit line reviews

A credit line review is the issuer's own scheduled look at an account to decide whether to raise the credit limit, upgrade the card or return a security deposit; none of the issuers promises the result ⁠1⁠2⁠3⁠4. Eight of the 45 cards we cover list it, mostly secured and credit-building cards from Capital One, Chase, Citi and U.S. Bank ⁠5⁠6⁠7⁠8⁠3⁠9.

Compiled from official sources 17 cards from 6 issuers Last reviewed How we research
Contents6 sections

What the issuers commit to

The wording is about being considered, not about getting an increase. Capital One says Platinum, QuicksilverOne and SavorOne cardholders are automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months ⁠1⁠5⁠6. Chase says Slate cardholders are automatically considered, and Slate Edge cardholders automatically checked, for a credit line increase every 6 months or sooner ⁠2⁠8. Chase evaluates Freedom Rise cardmembers for a credit line increase in as soon as 6 months ⁠7.

Upgrade reviews come with conditions. Chase evaluates Freedom Rise accounts each year for an upgrade to a first Freedom Unlimited card when the Rise account is open with a purchase in the past 12 months, all payments to all lenders have been on time for 12 months, and no Chase account is suspended ⁠7. Citi reviews Citi Secured accounts for graduation to the Citi Diamond Preferred starting at 9 months and then every 12 months, and an account that does not graduate stays secured for another 12 months ⁠3.

Secured cards and the deposit

On a secured card, a review can also release the deposit. U.S. Bank's terms for the Secured Visa say the funds in the secured savings account may be released based on its periodic review of overall credit history, including other cards and loans, and the terms give no timeline ⁠4. U.S. Bank says it reports the card's status to the three major credit bureaus ⁠9.

Several secured versions appear on their main card's page rather than in the table below. Bank of America's terms for its secured cards say the bank periodically reviews overall credit history to decide whether to return the deposit, that not all customers qualify, and that the account may be considered for an automatic upgrade at the bank's discretion ⁠10⁠11⁠12⁠13. Discover says a positive track record earns the deposit back with an upgrade to the Discover it Cash Back ⁠14. U.S. Bank says Cash+ Secured and Altitude Go Secured cardholders may graduate automatically to the unsecured card, with the deposit returned ⁠15⁠16. Capital One says Platinum Secured cardholders are considered for a credit line increase in as little as six months ⁠17.

What a review does not mean

None of these sources guarantees an increase, an upgrade or a deposit refund by a set date. Bank of America states that not all customers qualify for a deposit return, Citi ties graduation to its credit graduation criteria, and U.S. Bank describes deposit release as something a cardholder may qualify for ⁠10⁠3⁠4. Chase's Freedom Rise upgrade depends on on-time payments to all lenders, not only to Chase ⁠7. Bank of America also states that paying the balance in full and closing the account returns the deposit, which can take up to two billing cycles plus ten days ⁠10.

How the eight cards differ

Among the eight, the Slate and Slate Edge pages state a repeating schedule for credit line checks, every 6 months or sooner ⁠2⁠8. The Capital One pages and the Freedom Rise page give 6 months as the earliest point for a higher limit without saying how often reviews repeat ⁠1⁠5⁠6⁠7. Citi states a first graduation review at 9 months and then every 12 months, while U.S. Bank's Secured Visa terms give no timeline ⁠3⁠4. The QuicksilverOne and SavorOne carry a $39 annual fee, and the other six cards list none ⁠18⁠19⁠20⁠21⁠22⁠23⁠3⁠4.

Cards with credit line reviews

17 of the 45 cards we cover list credit line reviews, 15 of them with no annual fee. Select a heading to sort the table. Each card’s page has the full terms.

Credit cards with automatic credit line reviews, by annual fee
Terms
Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Secured credit cardBank of America $0 The bank periodically reviews overall credit history to decide whether to return the security deposit while you keep using the card (not all customers qualify), and the account may periodically be considered for automatic upgrade at the bank's discretion. Paying in full and closing the account also returns the deposit, which can take up to two billing cycles plus ten days.⁠11
Bank of America Travel Rewards Visa secured credit cardBank of America $0 The bank periodically reviews overall credit history to decide whether to return the security deposit while you keep using the card (not all customers qualify), and the account may periodically be considered for automatic upgrade at the bank's discretion. Paying in full and closing the account also returns the deposit, which can take up to two billing cycles plus ten days.⁠12
Bank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards Secured credit cardBank of America $0 The bank periodically reviews overall credit history to decide whether to return the security deposit while you keep using the card (not all customers qualify), and the account may periodically be considered for automatic upgrade at the bank's discretion. Paying in full and closing the account also returns the deposit, which can take up to two billing cycles plus ten days.⁠10
BankAmericard Secured credit cardBank of America $0 The bank periodically reviews overall credit history to decide whether to return the security deposit while you keep using the card (not all customers qualify), and the account may periodically be considered for automatic upgrade at the bank's discretion. Paying in full and closing the account also returns the deposit, which can take up to two billing cycles plus ten days.⁠13
Capital One Platinum Credit CardCapital One $0 Automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months.⁠1
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit CardCapital One $0 Considered for a credit line increase in as little as six months with on-time payments; with responsible use you could get your deposit back and upgrade to an unsecured Platinum card.⁠17
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One $0 With responsible use you could get your deposit back and be upgraded to an unsecured Quicksilver card; depositing more than the $200 minimum before activation raises the initial credit line (the maximum credit limit ranges between $1,000 and $3,000 based on creditworthiness).⁠24⁠25
Chase Freedom Rise Credit CardChase $0 Line increase review in as soon as 6 months; yearly upgrade review to Freedom Unlimited.⁠7
Citi Secured MastercardCiti $0 Graduation reviews from 9 months, then every 12 months; must meet Citi's graduation criteria.⁠3
Discover it Secured Cash Back Credit CardDiscover $0 With a positive track record, the deposit is returned as a statement credit and the account is unsecured (the product page calls this an upgrade to Discover it Cash Back; its footnote says all other card terms and features stay the same); credit line increases may also be earned with no additional deposit.⁠14
Slate Credit CardChase $0 Automatically considered for a credit line increase every 6 months or sooner.⁠2
Slate Edge Credit CardChase $0 Automatically checked for a credit line increase every 6 months or sooner.⁠8
U.S. Bank Altitude Go Secured Visa CardU.S. Bank $0 Card activity is reported to the three major credit bureaus; cardholders may be able to automatically graduate to the unsecured Altitude Go Visa Signature Card, with the security deposit returned on graduation (based on U.S. Bank's periodic review of credit history).⁠16⁠26
U.S. Bank Cash+ Secured Visa CardU.S. Bank $0 Card activity is reported to the three major credit bureaus; cardholders may be able to automatically graduate to the unsecured Cash+ Visa Signature Card, with the security deposit returned on graduation (based on U.S. Bank's periodic review of credit history).⁠15⁠27
U.S. Bank Secured Visa CardU.S. Bank $0 Periodic credit review may release the deposit and unsecure the account; no timeline stated.⁠4⁠9
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One $39 Automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months.⁠5
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit CardCapital One $39 Automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months.⁠6

Sources

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27

Has a card changed its terms? Report an error