What is the accepted credit score range for most cards?

Celtic Bank cards are available for people with bad to excellent credit. You can select from a variety of their cards that are serviced by different card issuers.

How many cards can you own?

Celtic Bank has not defined how many cards a customer can have at the same time. However, all their credit cards are serviced by other issuers, so the number of cards you can own will depend on the other credit card companies.

How many times can you apply?

Since most Celtic Bank credit cards are designed to help you improve your credit score, it's better if you apply for one at a time to avoid further damage to your credit score. Keep in mind that if you have many applications open at the same moment, your credit score will suffer even more.

How many times can you get approved?

At Celtic Bank, there is no limit to how many approvals you may receive. If you've been rejected from receiving a credit card, it is best to wait three to six months before applying for another. When credit card companies run a comprehensive credit check on you, it impacts your score briefly. Waiting a while reduces the impact and gives it more time to recover.

How many times can you claim a welcome bonus?

Every credit card that offers a sign-up bonus will only do so once. Celtic Bank, on the other hand, does not provide cards with a welcome bonus. They do provide cards that waive the annual fee or foreign transaction fee for the first year.

Celtic Bank Credit Card Reviews, Rules & Opinions

Celtic Bank offers a variety of credit cards perfect for those with little or no credit. MoneyGeek evaluated how to apply for the different Celtic Bank cards and assessed their suitability for different potential cardholders.

Advertising & Editorial DisclosureLast Updated: 1/26/2023

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The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.

Celtic Bank is a new entrant in the credit card market. It currently offers cards serviced by other companies, most of which are Deserve. Their cards are diverse and include various student credit cards, such as the Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students that is designed for university students. They also offer the popular Indigo® Platinum Mastercard® designed for those with little or no credit. The company even offers co-branded cards like the Deserve Grand Reserve.

ON THIS PAGE:

Different Card Offerings from Celtic Bank
Rules for Applying, Acceptance & Welcome Bonuses
Other Considerations for Celtic Bank
Overall Opinion of Celtic Bank & Card Offerings

Featured Credit Cards Offered by Celtic Bank

Regardless of an applicant's credit score, Celtic Bank offers 18 credit cards for personal and business use. They also have several student cards.

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Other Cards Issued by Celtic Bank

Beyond the featured cards listed above, Celtic Bank also offers other credit cards. Many of these are designed for college students:

Deserve Pro: Best for those with good to excellent credit scores who want to earn rewards for travel and restaurant purchases.
Deserve Digital First: Designed for those who want a digital-only card that connects to mobile wallets.
Deserve Grand Reserve: Best for wine lovers who don't mind a high annual fee.
Deserve LendingPoint: Ideal for those who want a no annual fee card with travel and dining rewards.
Deserve Honor Society EDU: Ideal for students members of the Honor Society who want a no annual fee card to build credit and earn rewards at the same time.
Deserve Honor Society Pro: Best for alumni looking for an Honor Society card with no annual fee and cash back rewards.
Deserve NJIT EDU: Best for NJIT students looking for a no annual fee credit card with steady cash back.
Deserve NJIT Pro: Designed for NJIT alumni who want to improve their credit scores and earn cash back rewards.
Deserve NSLS EDU: Made for National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) student members who want a cash back credit card with no annual fee.
Deserve NSLS PRO: Best for NSLS alumni looking to enhance their credit scores.
Deserve Earnest: Ideal for students who have current loans or debts and want to earn cash back to use toward loan repayments.
Deserve The New School EDU: For the students of The New School who want to build a credit history.
Deserve The New School PRO: For the alumni of The New School who want a simple rewards card.
Deserve Notre Dame EDU: For students who want to build credit and support the University of Notre Dame’s student scholarship funds.
Deserve Notre Dame PRO: For the alumni and fans of the University of Notre Dame’s Athletics Department who wish to earn cash back rewards and enjoy other benefits.

The Best Celtic Bank Credit Cards in 2023

Below is MoneyGeek’s latest list of best Celtic Bank credit cards ranked based on rewards and other features. This can help you find the card that's right for you.

Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
Best student cash back card for limited credit history
- None–PoorRecommended Credit
- $0Annual Fee
- 1% Cash BackRewards Rate
- 1xRewards Rate on Online Shopping
- 1xRewards Rate on Groceries
This card has no annual fee, provides cell phone protection and offers a solid cash back rate: 1% back on all purchases. Students also receive one year free of Amazon Prime Student after spending $500 in the first three billing cycles — a spending requirement many students will likely find easy to meet if they open this account at the start of a new semester.
Finally, this card doesn’t charge any foreign transaction fees, making it ideal for anyone looking to study abroad.
Pros
Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases
There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee
You will have complimentary Amazon Prime Student for a year
Complimentary cell phone protection when you use your card to pay your cell phone bill
Do not need a Social Security Number (SSN) to apply
Access to Mastercard Platinum benefits

Cons
High APR on purchases
Students earn 1% cash back on all purchases.
There’s no annual fee, nor are there foreign transaction fees.
Cardholders receive Amazon Prime Student for one year.
Cell phone protection (up to $600) is included when you pay your phone bill with your card.
Mastercard Platinum benefits, such as rental car insurance, are included.
Easy-to-use app helps you manage your account and pause access to your card if you misplace it — all on the go.
Disclaimer: Card offers are always changing, and in some cases, the offer listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply

More: Read Our Full Review of Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students

Indigo® Platinum Mastercard®
A great card with global access to rebuild your credit
- Fair–GoodRecommended Credit
- $0–$99*Annual Fee
- 3# of Reporting Bureaus
- 29.90%APR
We found this card to be great for people who have less-than-perfect creditworthiness and wish to build positive payment histories.
All three major credit bureaus receive information about your payments to this card.
Plus, you might qualify even if you have filed for bankruptcy in the past.
Pros
Apply with less-than-perfect credit
Possibility of no annual fee
Choose your card's design at no extra cost
No cash advance fees in the first year
No need to provide security deposit
Quick online pre-qualification
Fraud protection

Cons
No rewards or cash back
High APR for cash advances
Penalty APR applies if you make a late payment
Foreign transaction fees
Reports payments to three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), giving you easy means to build or rebuild your credit.
Applying for this unsecured credit card requires no collateral.
Annual fee may vary from $0 to $99.
Disclaimer: Credit card offers are constantly changing. We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but the offers listed on our site may no longer be available.
Terms, rates and fees apply

Surge Mastercard® Credit Card
- Poor–GoodRecommended Credit
- $75– $99Annual Fee
- 3# of Reporting Bureaus
- 24.99%–29.99%APR

Rules for Applying, Acceptance & Welcome Bonuses

Understanding the application process and rules is critical to getting a Celtic Bank credit card. MoneyGeek answers some frequently asked questions that arise while applying for Celtic Bank credit cards.

Other Considerations About Celtic Bank

When comparing Celtic Bank cards, don’t forget to consider factors like customer service, security and additional perks.

Feature
Description
Customer Service & Satisfaction
During normal business hours Monday through Saturday, customers can contact Celtic Bank's customer care department via phone. The bank offers several different assistance lines for different purposes.
J.D. Power did not rate this company in its customer satisfaction in its J.D. Power 2021 U.S Credit Card Satisfaction Survey.
Mobile Apps & Online Services
Although Celtic Bank has a mobile app for managing loan accounts and other services, you cannot use it to handle credit cards issued by them.
Security & Credit Monitoring Services
The bank reports to all the three major credit bureaus. Since Celtic Bank cards belong to the Mastercard network, your card will have the security features associated with Mastercard. You can contact the bank to find out more.
Loyalty Programs & Other Issuer Perks
Although Celtic Bank does not have a reward program, Mastercard advantages are available to cardholders because the bank's cards are issued by Mastercard.
If you want to know which Mastercard network benefits you'll receive with your new credit card, you'll need to contact Celtic Bank.
Authorized Users
Not all Celtic Bank credit cards can have additional users. However, some cards like the Reflex Mastercard allow adding authorized users for a $30 one-time fee.
Purchase Protection
One of the security features of Mastercard credit cards is purchase protection. Since Celtic Bank does not provide purchase protection, you may be able to obtain it through its Mastercard network. More information can be obtained from the bank.
Co-Branding & Partnerships
Celtic Bank cards are all issued by a different finance company. It has partnerships with Deserve, Continental Financial Company and Genesis FS Card Services.
Other Products Offered
Besides credit cards, Celtic Bank offers commercial and residential construction loans, Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, asset-based credit, conventional equipment finance and lines of credit to business owners.

Overall Opinion of Celtic Bank & Their Credit Card Offerings

Celtic Bank's credit cards offer easy rewards that might help you save money on regular purchases. Other companies service all of their credit cards. You can easily find a card from what they have to offer regardless of your credit score. Their selection of student credit cards is outstanding. It should be noted that they do not provide a welcome bonus. You may, however, be able to find cards that do not charge an annual or foreign transaction fee for the first year.

Celtic Bank's cards may be appropriate for the following individuals based on their selection of cards and card offerings:

Those trying to improve credit
The majority of Celtic Bank's credit cards are available to those with bad to excellent credit. By paying responsibly, they can improve their credit scores.
Students trying to build credit history
The bank offers a range of student cards for those looking for student discounts and cash back benefits on certain categories.

EXPERT OPINION

"Celtic Bank is a good place to start your credit journey or to repair your credit from previous mistakes. With responsible use of your Celtic Bank credit card, your credit score will grow so that you can qualify for cards that offer valuable rewards and benefits from other issuers."

- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com

Still Not Sure About This Issuer? Consider These Options.

For students or people with bad credit, Celtic Bank isn't the only alternative. If you're still undecided, look into different credit cards for those with bad credit, like a secured card.

Learn More About Credit Cards in General

sources

BestCards. "Celtic Bank Credit Cards." Accessed January 12, 2022.
Celtic Bank. "Cardholder Agreements." Accessed January 12, 2022.
MarketProSecure. "Celtic Bank." Accessed January 12, 2022.

*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Advertiser Disclosure: MoneyGeek has partnered with CardRatings.com and CreditCards.com for our coverage of credit card products. MoneyGeek, CardRatings and CreditCards.com may receive a commission from card issuers. To ensure thorough comparisons and reviews, MoneyGeek features products from both paid partners and unaffiliated card issuers that are not paid partners.