Quick Review
The Mission Lane Visa® is an unsecured credit card for people who want to improve their credit or establish a borrowing history. The issuer’s vague and confusing website hides the card’s terms and benefits where they’re nearly impossible to find—but after a deeper look, it’s clear that this card is solidly average.
Ultimately, the Mission Lane Visa® isn’t the best card you can get with bad credit, but it’s not the worst, either. Here are the key points worth considering when comparing it with similar cards:
- Relatively low APRs: The Mission Lane Visa® has a broad purchase APR range of 19.99% – 29.99% (variable). APRs on the upper end of this range are fairly standard among unsecured cards for bad credit, but those on the lower end of the range are among the lowest you’ll find.
- Periodic reviews for credit line increases: You’ll get an initial credit limit of at least $300. While this isn’t a significant amount, the card issuer will review your account periodically and may offer you a credit limit increase after a few months of responsible account management.
- Credit-building potential: Your Mission Lane Visa® account will maximize your credit-building efforts by appearing on all three of your credit reports. You’ll also receive free access to your credit score, allowing you to monitor your credit-building progress.
Despite these advantages, the Mission Lane Visa® might not be worth getting if you need to pay an annual fee, and you may be better suited to a secured credit card or rewards card. It’s worth prequalifying to see what you’re eligible for, but be sure to explore all your options before officially applying for the Mission Lane Visa®.
Pros & Cons
Who Is the Mission Lane Visa® Best For?
The Mission Lane Visa® isn’t for everyone. Its features will be most appealing to the following groups of people:
- Applicants who want fast approval: The Mission Lane Visa® website claims you can get an instant decision when you apply for the card, so you won’t need to wait around to find out whether you qualify. This is convenient if you need to know if you’re approved ASAP.
- Frequent spenders: Most bad-credit unsecured cards come with hefty interest rates and transaction fees. Although the Mission Lane Visa® doesn’t compare to top-tier credit cards in terms of costs, its relatively low APRs and transaction fees make it a reasonable choice for people with poor credit who want an unsecured card for large purchases or cash advances.
What the Crowd Says
Credit card review websites describe the Mission Lane Visa® as a fairly basic card that lacks some of the benefits of a secured card and cost-effectiveness of a no-fee unsecured card. Actual cardholders express mixed feelings, with some making concerning accusations.
| Publication | Rating |
|---|---|
| Credit Karma (user ratings) | 4.6/5 |
| WalletHub | 2.9/5 |
| WalletHub (user ratings) | 3.8/5 |
| Trustpilot (user ratings) | 1.4/5 |
| Bankrate | 3.4/5 |
| Forbes Advisor | Negative |
| SuperMoney (user ratings) | 3/5 |
| CreditCards.com | 2.9/5 |
| The Ascent (Motley Fool) | 4/5 |
| Aggregate rating: 3.3 |
What Major Publications Say
Credit card reviewers are generally unimpressed with the Mission Lane Visa® since it doesn’t really offer any special benefits. All agree that most people looking to rebuild their credit would be better off with a secured credit card, but they concede that the Mission Lane Visa® is worth considering if you’re set on an unsecured credit card since it has lower fees than many of its competitors.
What Cardholders Say
Most people who have the Mission Lane Visa® leave positive reviews, saying that it was easy to get approved with bad credit and that the card issuer automatically gave them credit line increases every few months as a reward for on-time payments.
Some cardholders, however, express frustration about the card servicer’s unorthodox identity verification process, and others claim that the company has a poor response to fraud claims.
Identity Verification
Customer complaints indicate that the Mission Lane Visa® issuer requires more information than other issuers do when it comes to verifying your identity and income. After you’re approved for the card, they may ask you to send photos of your ID and of yourself and ask you for tax documents before you can begin using it.
Some cardholders report difficulty updating their address because of the sheer number of documents that the company requires for verification. You may want to get a different card if you don’t have any tax records or you plan to move shortly after opening the account.
Fraud Response
Some unhappy customers claim that the card issuer responds to fraud cases by closing down credit card accounts and claiming that the cardholder didn’t adequately protect themselves. This isn’t ideal for credit rebuilding since closing a credit card account causes a drop in your credit score.
Rates & Fees
Fees
- Annual fee: $0–$59
- Cash advance fee: $10 or 3% (whichever is greater)
- Foreign transaction fee: 3%
- Late/returned payment fee: Up to $35
Interest Rates
- Regular APR: 19.99% – 29.99% (variable)
- Cash advance APR: 19.99% – 29.99% (variable)
- Minimum interest charge: $0.50
Rewards
Rewards cards open to applicants with poor credit are pretty rare, but they do exist. If earning cash back on your purchases is important to you, consider looking for a secured credit card with rewards.
Credit Limit
Having a high credit limit is important for building up good credit because your credit score is influenced by how much of your overall credit limit you’re using at a given time. Getting access to a large credit line and only using it for small purchases is one way to quickly improve your credit score.
Credit Limit Increases
The Mission Lane Visa® comes with the opportunity to earn credit limit increases. The card issuer will review your payment history and account status at least once during the first 12 months after you open your account to determine your eligibility.
However, it’s important to note that there’s no guarantee that you’ll get a credit limit increase, even if you make all your payments on time.
Benefits
You won’t get any unique perks with the Mission Lane Visa®. Instead, you’ll get the bare minimum benefits below, which come with virtually any credit card.
| Benefit | What It Means |
|---|---|
| $0 fraud liability | You won’t be held responsible for paying for unauthorized credit card charges. |
| Mobile and online banking | You can review and manage your credit card account digitally by logging into your account on the Mission Lane Visa® website or mobile app, which you can download from Google Play or the Apple Store. |
| 24/7 customer support | Call customer service to speak to a representative on weekdays between 9 am and 8 pm ET or receive limited phone support outside those hours. |
| Free credit score | Get free access to your VantageScore 3.0 credit score from TransUnion. |
How to Get a Mission Lane Visa®
Credit Score Required
There’s no set minimum credit score requirement for the Mission Lane Visa®. It’s marketed as a credit card for poor to fair credit, which is generally considered to be a FICO score of 300–669.
How to Apply
You can apply for the Mission Lane Visa® online on the Mission Lane website. To do so, you’ll need to fill out an application for prequalification. You’ll then be shown what offers you’re eligible for (if any) and given the opportunity to submit a formal application.
Fortunately, prequalification only results in a soft credit check, which won’t hurt your credit score. Your credit score will only take a small dip if you decide to submit a formal application and the issuer runs a hard credit check.
Information Required
You’ll need to provide the following information to apply for the Mission Lane Visa®:
- Street address
- Social Security number
- Income information
- Active phone number where you can receive calls or texts (no toll-free numbers)
- Active email address
- Offer code
The issuer may also ask you to provide additional documents to verify your income, like W2s, 1099s, pay stubs, or benefits documents.
States Where You Can’t Get the Mission Lane Visa®
You currently can’t get the Mission Lane Visa® card if you live in any of the following states:
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- North Dakota
- West Virginia
Building Credit
Credit Reporting
Like the Mission Lane Visa®, many credit cards geared toward rebuilding credit offer full credit reporting to all of the major credit bureaus. This is essential since your credit report and credit score are based entirely on the information that your creditors provide.
Tips for Building Credit
Getting the Mission Lane Visa® can either help or hurt your credit score—it all depends on how well you manage your account. Follow the tips below to build up good credit and increase your score over time:
- Never miss your payment due date: Late payments cause major damage to your credit score and stay on your credit file for up to 7 years. The best way to ensure you’re establishing a good payment history is to set up autopay or monthly payment reminders.
- Pay your credit card bills in full: Many people make the mistake of only sending in the minimum payment on their card instead of paying off their full balance. If you do this, interest will accumulate and your debt will grow, which is bad for your credit score.
- Use less than 30% of your available credit: One of the main credit scoring factors is your credit utilization rate, which is how much you’re spending on your credit card compared to your total credit card limit. Using only a small fraction of your credit line will help you achieve a good credit score.
FAQs
What bank issues the Mission Lane Visa® credit card?
Two different financial institutions issue the Mission Lane Visa®. Your card issuer may either be Transportation Alliance Bank, Inc. (TAB Bank) or WebBank.
What’s the grace period on the Mission Lane Visa®?
You’ll have a grace period of 23 days on the Mission Lane Visa®. You can avoid paying any interest on the purchases you make with your credit card as long as you repay the balance before the grace period ends.
Can you get a cash advance with the Mission Lane Visa®?
You can get a cash advance using the Mission Lane Visa®, but each advance will be subject to a cash advance fee of either $10 or 3% of the transaction amount (whichever is greater). Additionally, cash advances don’t have a grace period, meaning that interest will begin accumulating starting from the day that you made the purchase.
Cash advance transactions include ATM withdrawals and cash-equivalent purchases, like lottery tickets and cryptocurrency.
Does the Mission Lane Visa® allow balance transfers?
Currently, the Mission Lane Visa® doesn’t allow balance transfers. This means it’s not a suitable card to use for consolidating credit card debt.
How do you contact Mission Lane Visa® customer service?
If you have questions about the Mission Lane Visa® credit card or need help with your application, you can contact customer service by email at [email protected].
Alternatively, you can send them a letter using the address below:
Mission Lane LLC
PO Box 105286
Atlanta, GA 30348-5286
If you’re a current cardholder, you can call the number on the back of your card to speak to a customer service agent Monday through Friday from 9 am to 8 pm ET.
