Chime Card
Chime · Visa
Chime Credit Builder is a completely free card, with no credit check, no interest and no utilization reporting, plus access to over 47,000 free ATMs. It requires a Chime Checking account with a direct deposit of at least $200.
The clause
That 5% on the banner isn't what you pocket.
After FX markup, fees and withdrawals, on an average profile of €1,000/mo (20% abroad).
Data & conditions
§ Amounts in USD/GBP are shown in the service's native currency.
| Network | Visa |
|---|---|
| Card type | Credit card |
| APR | 0% |
| Issuance fee | Free |
| Annual fee | Free |
| Free ATM limit | 47.000+ ATM gratuiti (Allpoint) |
| ATM withdrawal | Free |
| FX markup | 0% |
| Cashback | 5% in USD · Nessuno |
| On-chain settlement | No |
| Contactless | Yes |
| Virtual card | Yes |
| KYC | Full |
| Privacy | 4/10 |
| Supported countries | US · 1+ countries |
| Estimated net annual cost | €0/year |
| Regulator | FDIC / OCC |
| OAM Italy registration | No |
| Segment | B2C |
| Past incidents | 2021: a wave of sudden user-account closures with thousands of complaints (ProPublica investigation); Chime later revised its procedures. · May 2024: a ~$4.55M CFPB settlement (customer redress plus a penalty) for delays in refunding balances after account closure. |
| MiCA / License status | Partner bank charter |
Plans & pricing
Strengths
- Completely free; no credit check; no interest; no utilization reporting; 47K+ free ATMs.
- No notable sovereignty advantage documented.
Weaknesses
- Requires Chime Checking with direct deposit $200+.
- Traditional credit card: not self-custody — the account requires full KYC, a credit check, and can be closed or reported to credit bureaus by the issuer.
- Full KYC required: verified identity, zero pseudonymity.
Verdict
It tops the category because it strips out the costs that sink rivals: no fee, no credit check, no interest and no utilization reporting, with 47,000+ free ATMs and dual FDIC/OCC backing. The only friction weighing on the score is the entry requirement, a Chime Checking account with a $200+ direct deposit, but otherwise it is the cleanest cost-risk profile in the group.
Here the verdict flips: however free and well-built, it remains a custodial, full-KYC card, FDIC/OCC-regulated and tied to a US bank account, with no self-custody or on-chain settlement. Being free does not move the needle on this lens, because privacy and independence from the intermediary remain absent.
Promp's editorial rating based on real fees and net annual cost. Promp reviews third-party products independently.
"Sovereignty" rating: score computed on privacy/anonymity (30%), fund control (20%), censorship resistance (20%), trustless/auditability (20%) and costs (10%). Same data, different weights.
Reputation
What happened to people who used Chime Card, and what users say. External signals: they do not feed the promp.it rating.
Incidents & regulatory actions
History not verifiedWe have not yet completed the incident search for this service: no entries here does not mean no events.
Public reviews
-
App Store ↗
4.8/5
1,529,057 reviews
Ratings for the “Chime — Mobile Banking” app as a whole (account, debit card, early direct deposit), not for the Credit Builder card alone. Exact figure from the iTunes Lookup API, US store.
-
Google Play ↗
4.7/5
1,079,964 reviews
Ratings for the Chime app as a whole, not for the Credit Builder card alone. Exact count (1,079,964) and score (4.7283) read from the structured data on the Google Play page; the visible label shows a rounded value.
Weighted average across 2 public review platforms (2,609,021 reviews in total), weighted by volume. This is not our rating: it is those platforms’ average.
FAQ
Is Chime Card a safe card?
Chime Card is a custodial card on the Visa network. As a payment card, loaded funds are e-money and are not covered by a bank deposit-guarantee scheme. Fund custody is custodial.
How much does Chime Card cost?
The card has no annual fee. Issuance is free. The FX markup is 0% (no surcharge). See the tier table for full conditions.
Does Chime Card offer cashback?
Yes: up to 5% on select categories (credited in USD). It is a US credit-builder card, not crypto.
Is Chime Card available in Italy?
No, Chime Card is not currently available in Italy.
Is Chime Card custodial or self-custody?
Chime Card uses a custodial model. Funds are held by the issuer: you do not have direct control of the private keys.
Sources
- Official service page Plans & pricing · Regulatory framework · Variante credit builder.apr pct min · Variante credit builder.apr pct max Data verified on Jun 14, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org Founders · Legal name · Company type · Stock ticker · +6 Data verified on Jul 10, 2026
- bankrate.com Variante credit builder.credit limit eur max Data verified on Jun 14, 2026
- nerdwallet.com Cashback Data verified on Jun 14, 2026
Show 2 more sources
- trustpilot.com Trustpilot reviews Data verified on Jun 14, 2026
- techcrunch.com Founders · Annual cost · Variante credit builder.collaterale crypto · Variante credit builder.apr pct min Data verified on Jun 13, 2026