Chime review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Chime is a good fit for US readers who want a fee free card that builds credit without a credit check. The monthly fee is $0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%, so everyday spending costs nothing, though the rewards only pay properly with a paid plan.
Key facts
- Best for
- A no fee debit card that reports to credit bureaus without a credit check.
- Monthly fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card type
- Debit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card network
- Visa (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Chime Financial, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2012 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Rewards, Secured
- Official website
- chime.com
Credit cards
- Annual fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards type
- Cashback (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards rate
- 5% cash back on selected category (Chime Prime with $3,000+ monthly direct deposits) or 2% (Chime Plus) (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Credit needed
- Poor (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Perks
- Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature, SpotMe overdraft protection, No credit check, Reports to 3 major credit bureaus, Access to 47,000+ fee-free ATMs (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card kind
- Credit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Chime Financial, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2012 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Chat, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- No annual fee
- Features
- Rewards, Secured
Pros and cons
Pros
- No monthly charge: the monthly fee is $0 and the annual fee is $0, with the no annual fee model shared across the range.
- Converting currency costs 0%, against a site median of 1%, so spending abroad does not add a fee line.
- No credit check, yet it reports to the major credit bureaus, which suits readers with poor credit.
- Visa Zero Liability fraud protection shifts the cost of a stolen card back to the issuer.
- Autopay and SpotMe overdraft protection sit alongside the cashback rewards, so the account handles bills and shortfalls as well as spending.
Cons
- Support runs on chat and help centre only, so a lost card or a blocked payment is sorted through chat or a help centre rather than a phone line.
- The higher cash back rate needs Chime Prime with a qualifying monthly direct deposit, so the headline rewards rate is not the everyday one.
- The card runs on visa, which is the network used by 58.6% of the cards on the site, narrowing acceptance compared with the widest networks.
- Access to Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature and SpotMe overdraft protection fee free ATMs is generous, though the card sits in the debit category where the site median for a free withdrawal allowance is €0.
Who it suits
- US readers rebuilding credit who need no credit check and bureau reporting to keep the account on file.
- Anyone who wants a debit card with a $0 monthly fee and a 0% currency conversion fee.
- Readers who want rewards paid in cash back rather than points, and who can reach the top rate through a paid plan with a qualifying direct deposit.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, if the priority is holding several currencies at once rather than 0% conversion costs on a US card.
- Bitpanda, if a crypto element to the card matters more than credit building.
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, if chat only support through chat and help centre will not work and a bank branch style service is needed.
Fees and FX
The monthly fee is $0 and the annual fee is $0, which places Chime among the cheapest cards on the site: the monthly fee ranking puts it at 1 of 419 brands, and the site median is €0. The no annual fee model is the same throughout, so there is no tiered pricing to unlock. The currency conversion fee is 0%, compared with a site median of 1% and a range that runs 0% to 10.5%. The cash back is the one charge that shapes value, and the top rate comes with Chime Prime and a qualifying monthly direct deposit rather than sitting on the free plan. Overall cost sits at 6 on 6 for the brand as a whole.
Using it abroad
The card runs on visa, so it is accepted wherever that network is taken and behaves like an ordinary card rather than a prepaid one. Currency conversion is the point for travel: the conversion fee is 0%, at the floor of the 0% to 10.5% spread seen across the site and well under the 1% typical of debit cards. Visa Zero Liability fraud protection applies to the card, so a card that is lost or stolen abroad does not leave the cardholder carrying the loss. The account is a debit card rather than a multi currency account, so foreign balances are not the design; the advantage is only the conversion rate when spending abroad.
The company behind it
Chime is run by Chime Financial, Inc., headquartered in the United States and founded in 2012. Support runs on chat and help centre, meaning chat and a help centre rather than email or phone, which is the main practical constraint for anyone who prefers to talk a disputed payment through with a person. For scale, the site tracks 670 brands in total, with 273 of them licensed. There is no regulator or licence listed for this brand, so there is no named protection scheme to point to here; the safety of the money rests on the Visa Zero Liability fraud protection and SpotMe overdraft protection the card carries.
How Chime compares
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.2Its monthly fee is €0, and it is worth a look if crypto alongside the card matters more than bureau reporting without a credit check.
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.6
Chime vs Current Build Card9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8- 9.1 vs 8.8
- 9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.8- 9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.3
9.1 vs 8.2
9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 8.0
Where Chime is available
- Available
- United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does a Chime card cost to keep?+
There is no monthly charge: the monthly fee is $0 and the annual fee is $0. That puts Chime in the cheapest group on the site, where the monthly fee median is €0. The one cost to watch is the paid plan needed for the top cash back rate.
Does Chime charge for spending in another currency?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, which sits at the bottom of the 0% to 10.5% range across the site. The site median conversion fee is 1%, so a card like this removes a charge most cards still apply. It is conversion, not multi currency holding, that makes it useful abroad.
What protection do I have if my card is stolen?+
The card carries Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, so a card lost or stolen does not leave you carrying the loss. The card runs on visa. No regulator or licence is listed for the brand, so this issuer level fraud cover is the protection the facts name.
Does using it help my credit if I have a poor credit history?+
The card asks for poor credit and still applies no credit check, while reporting to the major credit bureaus. On time card use and direct deposits become the record that the bureaus see. That combination is the main reason to consider it after credit problems.
How do I get cash out without paying?+
Access to a large network of fee free ATMs is included with the account, one of the Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature and SpotMe overdraft protection listed. The card is a debit card, and the site median free withdrawal allowance across cards is €0, so the ATM network here is a real saving for anyone who takes cash out often.
What rewards does the card pay?+
Rewards are paid as cashback. The top rate comes with Chime Prime and a qualifying monthly direct deposit, while Chime Plus pays a lower rate. So the rewards are real but tiered, and the free tier does not deliver the headline rate.
How do I contact someone if a payment is blocked?+
Support runs on chat and help centre, so you reach the company by chat or through its help centre. There is no phone or email route listed. If you prefer to speak with someone about a disputed transaction, that is worth checking before you open the account.
What happens if I go over my balance?+
SpotMe overdraft protection is included among the Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature and SpotMe overdraft protection of the account, alongside the Autopay feature that helps bills go out on time. The Autopay element is the one to set up first, since a missed payment is what most often lands on a credit file.
Sources
- help.chime.com/does-chime-charge-fees-6393d58b checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Chat with us in the Chime app”
- chime.com/about-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters, Legal entity
“Founded in 2012”
- chime.com/credit/chime-card checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Annual fee, Card kind, Credit needed, Features, Currency conversion fee, Pricing model, Perks, Rewards rate, Rewards type
“We do not charge recurring fees; no annual fees, maintenance fees, international fees, and no interest.”
- chime.com/join/campaigns/debit-credit checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Monthly fee, Card network
“Use your Chime debit card to withdraw cash at over 47K fee-free ATMs”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Chime
A no fee debit card that reports to credit bureaus without a credit check.