Updated September 29, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Current Build Card vs Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Current Build Card
Higher score in this comparison
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Current Build Card vs Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: the differences
| Compare | Current Build CardReviewVisitVisit | Varo Believe Secured Credit CardReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 3% | 0%Lower |
| Rewards type | Points | Cashback |
| Rewards rate | 1x points per $1 on eligible purchases, redeemable as cash back | Offer-based, varies by merchant offer; up to $750 per calendar month |
| Perks | 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 | Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app, No credit check to apply, No minimum security deposit; cardholder sets own spending limit, Cashback offers at select merchants with the card, Free out of network free Allpoint ATM access |
| Card kind | Charge | Credit |
Same on both: Annual fee ($0), APR (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 Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: 0% vs 3%.
- 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.
- Perks: only Varo Believe Secured Credit Card offers Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app, No credit check to apply.
- Support channels: only Varo Believe Secured Credit Card offers Phone.
Our verdict on each
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.
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card suits anyone with poor credit who wants a credit card and a bank account without annual or interest charges. Its annual fee is $0 and its APR is 0%, so nothing is owed for keeping it open, and the spending limit stays under the cardholder's control.
Score breakdown
| Area | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 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. | 9.6HigherAnnual fee $0, APR 0% and currency conversion fee 0% on a secured card aimed at poor credit. |
| Offer | 9.7Higher | 9.6 |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.3 |
The bill, worked out
A year with 1,000 spent abroad
Current Build Card
$30
1 × $0 + 3% of 1,000
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
$0
1 × $0 + 0% of 1,000
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card costs $30 less.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Availability and regulation
| Country | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| United States | NMLS (Finco Advance LLC) 2670557 NMLS (FinCo Licensing LLC) 2533115 Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner EWA.0000025 State of Missouri Division of Finance EWA-25-9579 Utah Division of Consumer Protection 14246805-EWAS | FDIC FDIC cert 59190 |
Available in 1 country for both.
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 14 of 1020 | 172 of 1020 |
| Bad credit and credit builder cards | 1 of 23 | 14 of 23 |
| Secured credit cards | 1 of 27 | 13 of 27 |
Where these facts come from
Current Build Card
- current.com: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
- varomoney.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- banks.data.fdic.gov: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- support.varomoney.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards, Secured | Rewards, Secured |
| Legal entity | Finco Services, Inc. | Varo Bank, National Association |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2015 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Debit cards
| Fact | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Card type | Not confirmed | Debit |
| Card network | Not confirmed | Visa |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
| APR | 0%lowest quarter | 0%lowest quarter | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 3%highest quarter | 0%below the median | 1% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
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
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Pros
- The annual fee is $0 and the APR is 0%, so a card built for poor credit carries no holding or interest cost.
- There is no credit check to apply, and there is no minimum security deposit because the cardholder sets the spending limit.
- The card reports to all credit bureaus, with free credit score tracking in the Varo app.
Cons
- The cashback rate is offer-based and moves with the merchant offer, so the return cannot be planned as a flat rate.
- The 0% and $0 figures are for the secured credit card, while the debit card and the bank account carry their own terms.
Who each suits
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
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Who it suits
- Anyone with poor credit who wants a credit card without a deposit or a credit check.
- People who want free out-of-network Allpoint ATM access and a visa card from the same bank.
- Customers who want their card payments reported to all credit bureaus with score tracking in the app.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for anyone who mainly wants an everyday card rather than a credit-building one; its annual fee is £0.
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, for a plain debit card with an annual fee of £0 and no secured credit record to build.
- AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito, for readers who prefer a combined debit and credit card; its annual fee is €0.
Country by country
| Country | Current Build Card | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
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.
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
What does the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card cost to hold?+
The secured credit card carries an annual fee of $0 and an APR of 0%, which means no interest on a balance that is repaid in full. The bank account in the same setup has a monthly fee of $0. No deposit is tied up either, since the cardholder sets the spending limit, so opening the account costs nothing in fees.
Is there a currency conversion fee on the Varo card?+
The currency conversion fee listed for the secured credit card is 0%, so a purchase in another currency does not add a conversion charge on the card. DebitCue places it at 1 of 181 brands on that measure, putting it in the cheapest group among the cards compared.
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Current Build Card
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card