In-depth Analysis

Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Review 2024

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Written By
Julija A.
Updated
November 15, 2023
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If you are on a hunt for a credit card that doesn’t require a perfect credit score, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® might be an excellent choice for you. Not only will you be able to qualify for this credit card even if you have a poor credit score, but you’ll also get a chance to rebuild your credit if you pay your balance on time each month.

Moreover, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is an unsecured credit card, meaning that you don’t need to put any deposit to obtain it. 

However, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is not the most affordable credit card to rebuild your credit score, as it comes with steep fees. Nevertheless, many Surge® Platinum Mastercard®reviews praise this credit card for its ability to help customers boost their credit score in a very short period, as well as for its high credit limit.

Regular APR:
29.99% (variable)

Initial credit limit: $300-$1,000 (subject to available credit)

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Fortunly Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

REGULAR APR:
29.99% (variable)
INTRO APR:
N/A
ANNUAL FEE:
$75 - $125, AFTER THAT $99 - $125 ANNUALLY
MONTHLY MAINTENANCE FEE:
$0 (the first year); $0-$10 per month or up to $120 annually afterward
LATE PAYMENT FEE:
Up to $41
CREDIT LIMIT:
$300-$1,000 (initial)
RETURN CHECK FEE:
Up to $41
FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE:
3%
RECOMMENDED CREDIT SCORE:
Poor to fair
pros thumb up Strengths
  • Up to $1,000 credit limit doubles up to $2,000 (Simply make your first 6 monthly minimum payments on time)
  • All credit types welcome to apply
  • Monthly Credit Score – Sign up for electronic statements, and get your Vantage 3.0 Score Credit Score From Experian
  • Initial Credit Limit of $300 – $1,000 (subject to available credit)
  • Monthly reporting to the three major credit bureaus
  • See if you’re Pre-Qualified without impacting your credit score
  • Fast and easy application process; results in seconds
  • Online account access 24/7
pros thumb up Weaknesses
  • High fees
  • The bank might require a security deposit
  • No bonuses or rewards
  • Checking account required

Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Overview 

The Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is an unsecured credit card for consumers with poor to fair credit scores. The credit card is issued by Celtic Bank, a financial institution under Continental Finance. Continental Finance was founded in 2005, and it’s one of the US leaders for providing credit cards for consumers with poor or no credit scores.

It has issued over 2.6 million credit cards aimed at helping consumers rebuild their credit scores. The company boasts an A+ rating on BBB, and it’s praised for its consumer-oriented financial services. 

You can apply for a Surge® Platinum Mastercard® without placing any deposit, which is one of the main benefits that this credit card offers. Another essential advantage that this Mastercard by Surge provides is a high credit limit.

Regardless of your credit score, you can qualify for a credit limit between $300 and $1,000, with a potential credit limit increase after six months or regular payments. Both zero-deposit limits and above-average credit limits make this card an attractive solution for consumers with a less-than-perfect credit score. 

The Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is rated with an impressive 4.9  score on Trustpilot and has many positive reviews. Nevertheless, this credit card comes with above-the-average high annual and monthly maintenance fees, which makes it a less desirable option for many consumers. 

Before we make our final verdict on the Surge credit card, we’ll explore its features in detail and see where this credit card stands out and where it falls short. In addition, we’ve checked how to apply for this credit card and what you can expect from customer support.

How Does the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Compare to Other Similar Credit Cards?

Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Logo
Surge® Platinum Mastercard®
Regular APR:

29.99% (variable)

Annual fee:

$75 - $125, after that $99 - $125 annually

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First Access Visa® Card Logo
First Access Visa® Card
Regular APR:

See Terms

Annual fee:

See Terms

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Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured Logo
Platinum Prestige Mastercard® Secured
Regular APR:

14.99% (variable)

Annual fee:

$49

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How To Apply for the Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

Like most other credit card providers, Continental Finance enables people to apply for its products online. You need to visit the Surge Mastercard website, go to the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® sign-in page, and apply for the card. 

Eligibility Requirements

The Surge credit card requirements are minimal, but you’ll still need to meet specific criteria in order to get your card. First of all, you need to be an American citizen and have a Social Security number.

Secondly, you’ll need to provide information about your monthly income, including your earnings and other types of income (alimony, child support, etc.). Of course, you’ll need to give basic information, such as your name, date of birth, address, ZIP code, email, and phone number. 

Additional Surge® Platinum Mastercard® credit card requirements include information about your checking account or debit card (if you have any), as well as whether you plan to use the credit card for cash advances or not. You can also apply for multiple Surge credit cards. 

Pre-Approval 

Like many other similar financial products, the Surge credit card offers pre-approval, during which the bank will check your application and credit history, but without any negative impact on your credit score.

You can follow the progress of your application through the website. Additionally, you can check your Surge Mastercard application status by contacting customer support. 

Additional Requirements  

The Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is an unsecured credit card for consumers with bad credit. However, in some cases, the bank might require a security deposit in the amount of the credit limit you’ve been approved for.

This is not unusual since many banks require some type of collateral to reduce the risks associated with consumers’ accounts.  

Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Fees and APR 

The Surge® Platinum Mastercard® seems like a perfect option for consumers with bad credit, but its pricing list might deter some customers from applying for this credit card. Although there is no Surge® Platinum Mastercard® credit score requirement, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® does come with steep annual and monthly fees. 

The annual fee is $75 - $125 for the first year, after that it's $99 - $125. There is also a monthly maintenance fee that ranges between $0 and $10. That means your credit card cost could accumulate to over $200 per year without interest charges.

With a 29.99% APR, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® APR is above the national average, so you should really pay your balances on time every month if you don’t want to end up with high monthly interests. 

Surge® Platinum Mastercard® Credit Limit 

One of the main reasons consumers opt for this credit card is the high credit limit. Every applicant can qualify for an initial Surge Mastercard credit limit that ranges from $300 to $1,000.

After six months of paying minimum balances on time, you can qualify for a credit limit increase. If your credit limit was $1,000, you could double it to $2,000. 

However, a credit limit increase shouldn’t be the only reason to apply for this credit card, especially because you’ll need to place an additional security deposit for it, and the credit card fees will remain the same.

Instead, you can qualify for a secured credit card that comes with more affordable fees and also offers a high credit limit.  

Online and Mobile Banking 

Once you get your Surge® Platinum Mastercard®, you’ll be able to use Celtic Bank’s credit tools and resources, including its online management system and mobile banking. The Surge® Platinum Mastercard® app is available for Android and iOS devices. 

Using those online and mobile banking tools, you can check your account anytime you want, review your monthly statements, and stay up to date with all upcoming payments. 

Customer Support

Should you have any doubts regarding the Surge® Platinum Mastercard®, customer support is there to answer all your questions. The support is available via phone during business days from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (E.T.) and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (E.T).

Unfortunately, there’s no live chat support or email support, but you can still find a lot of useful information on the bank’s site. 

Customer Satisfaction

For the purpose of this Surge® Platinum Mastercard® credit card review, we’ve also checked what existing Surge cardholders say about this product. The reviews on Trustpilot are predominantly positive. Clients praise its customer care agents for their efficiency, politeness, and availability.

Most clients say that they chose this card because it allows them access to high credit limits, even though they don’t have good credit scores. Also, many clients mention they’ve succeeded in rebuilding their credit scores in a very short time.  

Why Should You Apply for the Surge® Platinum Mastercard®? 

There are several reasons you should apply for the Surge® Platinum Mastercard®: 

  • Reports to all three credit bureaus

One of the most important things to have in mind when choosing a credit card to rebuild your credit score is whether the issuer reports payments to the three major credit bureaus - TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. It’s an important feature because those companies use this information to calculate your credit score.

With Surge, every credit card payment will be reported on time and to all three credit agencies, so you may rest assured that this bank works in your best interest when it comes to credit score rebuilding. 

  • Credit score report every month 

Another great thing about the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is that clients get a monthly credit score report. Once you activate your account with Surge, you’ll be able to check your credit score online and track its improvement on a monthly basis. You can also track how your monthly payments impact and change your credit score. 

  • Credit limit increases after six months 

As we’ve already mentioned, you can increase the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® credit limit within just six months. The credit limit can be doubled, but only if you pay your balance on time. With a higher credit limit on a credit card, you can improve your credit score even faster. 

  • Zero fraud liability 

Much like any other Mastercard, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® comes with zero fraud liability. If your credit card gets stolen, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized transactions. However, you need to report the theft or loss to your bank in the shortest possible time.  

Downsides of the Surge® Platinum Mastercard®

There’s no doubt that Surge® Platinum Mastercard® benefits are a good reason to apply for this credit card, but there are also reasons for considering other options.

First of all, the card comes with relatively high annual and monthly fees. Add to this an above-average APR, and there are already many reasons to skip the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® and look elsewhere. 

Besides, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® doesn’t offer a sign-up bonus or rewards program, so you won’t collect any points or earn money on your purchases. 

Final Thoughts

To sum up our Surge® Platinum Mastercard® review, we’ll say that in our opinion, this card is a good option for consumers with very poor or fair credit scores and those who don’t have any credit history yet.

Due to the high fees and other costs it imposes, this card is a decent choice only as a temporary solution for rebuilding your credit. That means using it for a limited period to improve your credit score and then replacing it with some other, more affordable credit card is the best way to use it to your advantage.

FAQ

Is Surge a good credit card?

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It depends on what you aim to achieve with a credit card. If your credit score isn’t exactly stellar and you want to improve it, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® might be a good option for you. However, you need to be careful about this credit card as it comes with high fees and an above-average APR.

How much is the Surge credit limit?

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The Surge credit limit ranges from $300 to $1,000. It’s more than you can get with many other credit cards for bad credit, which is one of the main benefits of using the Surge® Platinum Mastercard®. If you make your payments on time, there’s also an option to double your credit limit within six months. 

Does the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® report to credit bureaus?

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Yes, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® reports to all three major credit bureaus - Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

Is the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® legit?

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Yes, the Surge® Platinum Mastercard® is a legitimate credit card issued by Celtic Bank. This bank is an FDIC member, meaning that all clients’ accounts are secured in case anything happens to the bank.