The Indigo® Mastercard® is a good alternative to secured credit cards usually offered to people with bad credit. You don’t have to put down a cash deposit as collateral. The Indigo® Mastercard® has a pre-approval process that even checks your eligibility without affecting your credit score. Since it reports your usage to all three credit bureaus, this card can have a positive impact on your scores as long as you pay off your monthly balances. However, it has a very low credit limit, high APR rate and no rewards program.
MoneyGeek’s Take
Indigo® Mastercard® Review
Updated: June 10, 2024
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Indigo® Mastercard®
APR
24.90% variableAnnual Fee
$0-$99Recommended Credit
300 – 670 Bad to Fair 
WHY TRUST OUR REVIEWS
MoneyGeek follows a streamlined methodology when ranking different credit cards. We refer to information from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s database, estimated average spend profiles, long-term value and more. We also analyze and rerank cards regularly to ensure our data is up-to-date.
Indigo® Mastercard® Overview
Quick Take
- Apply with no, limited or poor creditworthiness
- Pay $0 to $99 as annual fees
- Does not require security deposit
- Reports payment history to TransUnion, Equifax and Experian
- 1% foreign transaction fee
- Zero liability protection
- Mastercard ID theft protection
Important Card Details
Knowing the associated fees should be one of the first things you evaluate before applying for a certain credit card.
Annual Percentage Rate
The APR is the interest you pay on your credit card every year. People with bad credit usually are offered high APRs. The Indigo® Mastercard® has a 24.9% APR, which is higher than average. The more you can improve your credit scores, the higher your odds are that you can qualify for a lower APR.
Annual Fee
The Indigo® Mastercard® charges a $0 to $75 fee for the first year, then $99 for subsequent years. This is on the higher side of annual fees.
Late Fees
If you are late making a payment, you’ll be charged $40.
Cash Advance Fee/APR
When you take a cash advance from your Indigo® Mastercard®, you’ll pay $5 or 5% of the transaction cost, whichever is greater. You’ll also pay a 29.9% APR.
Foreign Transaction Fee
When you use your Indigo® Mastercard®, you’ll pay a 1% transaction fee.
Additional Benefits
The Indigo® Mastercard® offers some unique features that might appeal to potential applicants.
- Unique card designs: You can choose between a variety of colorful and modern-looking card designs.
- Online account access: Customers can check their account through their customer online portal.
- Reports to all credit bureaus: Many insurers report to credit bureaus, but not to all of them do. The Indigo® Mastercard® does report to the credit bureaus, helping you to build your credit.
- "Soft Check" Prequalification Process: Each time you apply for a credit card, you are making a “hard” inquiry on a card which could affect your score. With the pre-qualification process that the Indigo unsecured Mastercard offers, the issuer takes a look at your eligibility first using a “soft” inquiry.
How the Indigo® Mastercard® Compares To Other Cards
The Indigo® Mastercard® does not seem to offer much value other than encouraging you to make timely payments using your card. It might be advisable to compare other cards that benefit customers with bad credit or no credit history.
How the Indigo® Mastercard® Compares
Indigo® Mastercard®
- Annual Fee: $0 to $99
- Regular APR: 24.9%
- Cash Advance Fee: $5 or 5%, whichever is higher
- Cash Advance APR: 29.9%
- Credit Limit Increase: N/A
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 1%
- Best For: People rebuilding their credit
Capital One Platinum
- Annual Fee: None
- Regular APR: 29.94% variable
- Cash Advance Fee: $10 or 3%, whichever is higher
- Cash Advance APR: 30.49% variable
- Credit Limit Increase: Automatically increases every 6 months
- Foreign Transaction Fee: $0
- Best For: People looking to set up automatic payments on their card
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average credit score needed to get approved for an Indigo® Mastercard®?
People with “less than perfect credit” can qualify for this card. It encourages making regular on-time monthly payments to repair your damaged credit score.
Does the Indigo® Mastercard® report to all three credit bureaus?
The Indigo® Mastercard® reports your account activity to all major credit bureaus, which is a benefit for people with bad credit as long as they pay their card in full and on time each month.
Is the Indigo® Mastercard® application process lengthy? Can you prequalify?
Indigo has a pre-qualification form you can fill out. This makes a soft inquiry that checks whether you are qualified to apply for a credit card without affecting your credit scores.
What information is needed to apply for an Indigo® Mastercard®?
You need to provide your personal details, including your contact info and social security number.
Does the Indigo® Mastercard® have good customer service or helpful information online?
Since Celtic Bank is a small company based in Utah, there aren't any reviews on Indigo’s Unsecured Mastercard customer service. However, they have customer support reachable through 1-866-946-9545.
Does the Indigo® Mastercard® have a mobile app or the option to pay or manage your account online?
The Indigo® Mastercard® allows you to manage your account and pay your bills via the online app accessible 24/7.
Does the Indigo® Mastercard® raise credit limits automatically or charge for limit increases?
The Indigo® Mastercard® credit limit is capped at $300. They do not allow any credit limit increase.
Does the Indigo® Mastercard® offer the option to freeze your credit/account or have other security features?
There is no option to freeze your Indigo Credit Card. If your card gets lost or stolen, you can reach out to customer service to cancel your card and request a new one.
Does Celtic offer other credit cards besides the Indigo® Mastercard®?
Celtic Bank also offers the Indigo® Platinum Mastercard®, which offers more deals. Celtic Bank’s Surge Mastercard® Credit Card is also another option for people with bad credit.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- Indigo Website. "Frequently Asked Questions." Accessed December 18, 2021.
*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.
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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.