Merit Platinum Card Review 2024: Your Answer To Bad Credit?

The Merit Platinum Card offers a 0% APR—which you’ll know is pretty impressive if you’ve been shopping around.

But what does a 0% APR mean exactly?

It can help you avoid paying the dreaded interest on your balance that usually comes as part of the package of owning the card. You can also save on large purchases or pay off an existing balance.

Find out more about what counts as a good APR.

The term “try before you buy” doesn’t usually apply to cards—but the Merit Platinum Card makes an exception and offers a seven-day free trial.

This means that you can try out the card for a week before you’re charged any fees.

But use this time wisely—check to see if the card is the right fit for your needs before you decide the seal the deal.

And make it your top priority to check out the Horizon Outlet, as this is where you’ll be doing all your spending. After all, there’s no point exclusively shopping in one place if they don’t stock your go-to socks.

If you’re the type who enjoys a good splurge, you’ll be happy to know that the Merit Platinum Card comes with a $750 credit line.

Sure, you can only spend it at the Horizon Outlet—but you’ll have no shortage of choices, including clothes, fragrances, recreational items, and plenty of pet products for your pampered pooch.

For those with low or bad credit, you might be familiar with the sinking feeling after getting rejected from a credit card or loan.

You can rest easy with Merit Platinum, as they don’t check your credit scores. So wave goodbye to hard inquiries and rejections for having a sub-par credit score.

There’s also no employment check, so you can get approved for the card even if you’re out of work.

Just go easy on the spending if you’ve got no paycheck coming through—you don’t want to have any debt on your hands.

Looking for employment? Check out the best jobs with no college degree.

With a high annual membership fee, you’d expect some nice perks to come with it—and you’d be right.

Your membership comes with these handy benefits:

• Roadside Protection

• Legal Assistance

• Prescription Discount Plan

• Credit Report Monitoring

• Identity Theft Insurance

But are these benefits worth the drawbacks?

Sign-up bonuses or rewards are usually there to draw in customers and keep them happy—but Merit Platinum seems to have dropped the ball on that.

Unlike other cards, you won’t find any cash back, points, or miles when you start using your Merit Platinum card. If you’re looking for a card that rewards you for your spending, you may want to look elsewhere.

Got your eye on a pair of Nike trainers or the latest Apple product? Unless you’re looking for an apple peeler, you’re out of luck.

That’s right, you can only use your card at the Horizon Outlet store. While there are lots of choices with good prices, you won’t be able to use your card at any other merchants or online retailers.

So if you don’t like your spending to be restricted, the Merit Platinum Card probably isn’t the one for you.

No card is completely free from fees—and while this one comes with a 0% APR, it also charges a $177.24 annual membership fee ($14.77 per month).

This is a steep annual fee compared to other cards. Combined with all the other downsides, it may not be worth the high charges.

Sure, the Merit Platinum will accept those with low credit but don’t rely on the card to help increase your score.

Typically, you can build credit when the issuer reports on-time payments and good credit behavior to all three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) that determine your score.

But as Merit Platinum doesn’t report to the bureaus, you won’t be able to boost your score with this card.

If you’re keen to boost your credit, here are some ways you can improve your score without a card.

The Merit Platinum Card is exclusively accepted at the Horizon Outlet store, an online retailer that offers a variety of discounted merchandise. We’re talking about everything from dog treats to Batman socks.

And to help you purchase those conversation-starting feet warmers, Merit Platinum comes with a $750 credit line, so you’re free to splurge on all the socks you want. Many of the prices are in line with other popular retailers, or in some cases, even cheaper.

Sure, the limited acceptance of the Merit Platinum Card may not be ideal for some shoppers—but it’s still a great option for those with low credit scores who still want to get their hands on a card.

The Merit Platinum Card is 100% legit and has been offered by Horizon Card Services since 2006.

They’ve also got an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which determines their scores based on:

• Business complaint history with BBB.

• Type and time of business.

• Transparent Business Practices.

• Failure to honor commitments to BBB.

• Licensing and government actions known to BBB.

• Advertising issues known to BBB.

However, they’ve also received some negative reviews, with some customers saying they were charged before the free trial ended or without their consent.

To avoid getting caught up in any unwanted charges, always make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully before applying.

If you want to track down reviews of the Merit Platinum Card, there are several resources available online.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a nonprofit organization that provides reviews and ratings of businesses, including credit card companies. They’ve given Horizon Card Services an A* with access to customer reviews.

You can also find resolved and unresolved issues on the Complaints Board, a platform for customers to voice their concerns. Their website says, “The Horizon Card Services is a recommended company with a good reputation for trustworthiness and reliability, but their 23% Resolve Complaints rating is a cause for concern. We recommend approaching their services with caution and reading complaints and reviews before making a decision.”

Got a complaint or fancy a good chat? The Merit Platinum Card doesn’t have its own customer service number, but you can get in touch with their team via Horizon Card Services.

Here are their contact details:

So, what are the customers saying?

On the BBB site for Horizon Card Services, customers have complained that they’ve been charged incorrectly and that they had trouble getting in touch with customer service to help them.

But in their defense, almost every complaint made has a detailed response from Horizon Card Services, which outlines the customer’s specific problem and attempts to resolve the issue.

Remember—everyone’s experience can vary, and some have reported positive experiences with Merit Platinum Card’s reps. We’re talking helpful, knowledgeable, and quick to resolve any issues.

Overall, if you’ve got questions or concerns about your Merit Platinum Card, don’t hesitate to give customer service a shout.

Both the Merit Platinum Card and Credit One Platinum Card have their own unique features and benefits, so the best option will depend on what you want from a card.

Let’s break down the differences so you can make the smartest choice:

To sum it up, the best card for you depends on your specific needs and financial mojo. If your credit score is below average or non-existent, the Merit Platinum Card may be the one for you.

But, if you’re looking to earn rewards and have some fair credit or better, the Credit One Platinum Card could be more up your alley.

We’ve given you a good summary, but it never hurts to read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up. You don’t want any surprise fees or limitations sneaking up on you.

Getting a credit card with bad credit is tricky, but not impossible.

Here are some steps you can take to boost your chances of getting approved:

1. Check your credit score: Before applying for a credit card, make sure you know your credit score inside out. You can check your credit score for free on websites like Credit Karma.

2. Look for bad credit credit cards: Some credit cards, like the Merit Platinum Card or the Group One Freedom Platinum, are designed specifically for people with bad credit or no credit history.

3. Consider a secured credit card: A secured credit card lets you put down a security deposit as collateral, instead of checking your score. This reduces the risk to the lender and is a good option for those with poor credit.

4. Apply for a credit card with a co-signer: If you can’t get approved for a credit card on your own, you could apply with a co-signer who has good credit. Just stay out of debt, as the co-signer will be landed with it if you can’t pay up.

5. Improve your credit score: In the long run, the best way to get approved for a credit card with better terms and benefits is to improve your credit score. You can do this by making payments on time, paying off debt, and keeping your credit utilization low.

Bottom line? You’ve got options. So don’t let bad credit bring you down—explore different tactics, keep searching, and you’ll find that perfect card in no time.

Check out more cards for bad credit:

• FIT Credit Card

• Indigo Mastercard

• Destiny Credit Card

• Chime Credit Builder Visa Credit Card