Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Chime vs Current Build Card
Current Build Card
Higher score in this comparison
Chime
Chime vs Current Build Card: the differences
| Compare | ChimeReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Current Build CardReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0%Lower | 3% |
| Rewards type | Cashback | Points |
| Rewards rate | 5% cash back on selected category (Chime Prime with $3,000+ monthly direct deposits) or 2% (Chime Plus) | 1x points per $1 on eligible purchases, redeemable as cash back |
| 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 | Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit, Fee free overdraft, 40,000 fee free in network ATMs, Savings Pods with annual boosts up to 4.00%, Buy and sell crypto with no trading fees, Cash deposits at 60,000 retail locations, Credit reporting to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, Teen and custodial accounts |
| Card kind | Credit | Charge |
| APR | Not confirmed | 0% |
Same on both: Annual fee ($0), Credit needed (Poor).
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Key differences
- Current Build Card scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.1.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Chime: 0% vs 3%.
- Perks: only Chime offers Visa Zero Liability fraud protection, Autopay feature, SpotMe overdraft protection.
- Perks: only Current Build Card offers Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit, Fee free overdraft.
- Support channels: only Current Build Card offers Email.
Our verdict on each
Chime
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.
Current Build Card
The Current Build Card suits US adults with poor credit who want a secured charge card with an annual fee of $0 and an APR of 0%. Foreign spend is the trade-off, since a currency conversion fee of 3% applies where the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges 0%. Overall 5.9.
Score breakdown
| Area | Chime | Current Build Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherMonthly fee of $0, annual fee of $0 and currency conversion fee of 0% leave nothing to pay, matching €0. | 9.2Annual fee of $0 and APR of 0% sit at the value end, while a currency conversion fee of 3% lifts the cost abroad. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.7Higher |
| Trust | 8.8 | Not confirmed |
Choosing between them
Pick Chime if currency conversion fee matter most.
Pick Current Build Card if offer matter most.
What we checked
Chime
- chime.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.chime.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Current Build Card
- current.com: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Chime | Current Build Card |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 157 of 1020 | 14 of 1020 |
| Bad credit and credit builder cards | 12 of 23 | 1 of 23 |
| Secured credit cards | 10 of 27 | 1 of 27 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Chime | Current Build Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards, Secured | Rewards, Secured |
| Legal entity | Chime Financial, Inc. | Finco Services, Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | 2012 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Chime | Current Build Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
| APR | Not confirmed | 0%lowest quarter | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 3%highest quarter | 1% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Chime
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.
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.
Current Build Card
Pros
- Annual fee of $0 and APR of 0%, which places the card at 1 on annual fee out of 301 and at 1 on APR out of 133
- Opened for poor credit, poor, with a secured structure alongside rewards in rewards and secured
- Fee-free overdraft, a wide in-network ATM allowance and cash deposits at retail locations sit in Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit and Fee free overdraft
Cons
- A currency conversion fee of 3% applies abroad, against 0% on the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card and 0% on the Chime Card
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, which leaves no phone line for an urgent dispute
- Rewards are points redeemable as cash back, so a reader after a richer scheme gets less from spending here
Who each suits
Chime
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.
Current Build Card
Who it suits
- Adults in the US with poor credit who are turned down elsewhere, since the card is aimed at poor credit
- US residents paid by direct deposit who can use the early paycheck and savings features in Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit and Fee free overdraft
- Households wanting a single account covering a card, a savings pot and a teen account under the same provider
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone spending heavily abroad, because the 3% conversion charge applies where the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges 0%
- Card users who want to talk to someone on the phone, since help runs on email, chat and help centre only
- People who want miles or a transferable points scheme, as this card pays points redeemable as cash back
Country by country
| Country | Chime | Current Build Card |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Chime
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.
Current Build Card
Is there an annual fee on the Current Build Card?+
The annual fee is $0, so the card costs nothing to keep open. That puts it at 1 on this measure out of 301 brands, and at the €0 site median. A reader who worries only about holding a card open finds nothing to pay here.
Will I pay interest on a balance?+
The APR is 0%, so a balance carried does not grow through interest on this card. It ranks at 1 on APR out of 133 brands, and the site median APR is 20.97%. The card is listed as a charge card in charge terms, so payment terms still matter even without interest.
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Current Build Card
Chime