Petal review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Petal suits US adults with poor credit who want a rewards credit card, charging an annual fee of $0 and a currency conversion fee of 0%. It carries an APR of 28.24% to 33.24%, so it suits people who clear balances each month and want spending to build a credit record.
Key facts
- Best for
- Rebuilding a US credit record with a rewards card that charges no annual fee.
- Annual fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- APR
- 28.24% to 33.24% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards type
- Cashback (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Rewards rate
- 1% - 10% cash back at select national merchants, personalised offers (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Credit needed
- Poor (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Perks
- No foreign transaction fees, Cash back at select national merchants, Leap program path to a credit line increase, In-app credit score tracking, Card freeze and fraud detection, Reports to the major credit bureaus, Contactless payment and mobile wallet support (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card kind
- Credit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Tilt Card, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- No annual fee
- Features
- Rewards
- Official website
- petalcard.com
Debit cards
- Monthly fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Cashback rate
- 1% to 1.5% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card network
- Visa (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Tilt Card, Inc. (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Rewards
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
- Elsewhere
- Xmedium.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- No annual fee at $0 and no monthly fee at $0, first on annual fee among 301 brands compared
- A currency conversion fee of 0%, ranked first among 181 brands compared
- Cash back of 1% to 1.5% at select national merchants, a rewards type of cashback that suits building credit
- Reports to the major credit bureaus and tracks your credit score in the app, with a Leap program path to a higher credit line
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre
Cons
- An APR of 28.24% to 33.24% sits above the site median of 20.97% and above 34.9% in the bad credit ranking
- The card is a credit card, not a debit card, so the cash back and the poor credit focus leave everyday banking to a separate account
- Cash back sits at select national merchants, with personalised offers setting the rate rather than a flat 1% to 1.5% on all spending
Who it suits
- Adults with poor credit who want a card that reports to the major credit bureaus while rewarding spending
- People who travel often and want a card with a 0% currency conversion fee
- Anyone avoiding an annual fee, since $0 is the same as the site median of €0 but ranks first among 301 brands
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who plans to carry a balance, since Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges 0% on its card
- Readers who need a debit card for daily spending, where Starling Personal Account Debit Card at £0 a year fits the job
Where it sits among rivals
Cost is where Petal separates itself. The annual fee is $0 and the monthly fee is $0, which puts the card first on annual fee out of 301 brands compared. The currency conversion fee is 0%, and Petal ranks first on that measure among 181 brands compared. The site median annual fee is €0 and the median conversion fee is 1%, so both sit at the free end. The offset is borrowing: the APR runs at 28.24% to 33.24%, above the site median of 20.97%, so the card only stays cheap if balances are cleared each month.
Rewards and perks
Rewards are cash back rather than points or miles, listed under cashback. The headline rate is 1% to 1.5% at select national merchants, alongside personalised offers. The wider perk list includes no foreign transaction fees, cash back at select national merchants, a Leap program path to a credit line increase, in-app credit score tracking, card freeze and fraud detection, reporting to the major credit bureaus, and contactless payment with mobile wallet support. Cash back is the draw for anyone building credit who still spends on the card, since the reporting and the Leap path turn ordinary use into a credit history.
Who runs it
Petal is run by Tilt Card, Inc., headquartered in the US. The only licence listed is the NMLS Consumer Access registry entry, 2295169, which places the issuer in the US market rather than the UK. Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so phone, email and a help centre are all listed channels. For readers comparing UK cards, the licensing is the first thing to check: this is a US issuer and the fees above are set on that basis.
How Petal compares
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.7
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.0
9.3 vs 8.9
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 9.6
Petal vs Current Build Card9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.4
9.3 vs 9.2
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 9.1
9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.8- 9.3 vs 8.8
- 9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.8- 9.3 vs 8.8
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 8.5
9.3 vs 8.3
9.3 vs 8.2
9.3 vs 8.0
9.3 vs 8.0
Where Petal is available
- Available
- United States
- Licence in United States
- NMLS Consumer Access (NMLS registry) (2295169), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does Petal cost to hold?+
The annual fee is $0 and the monthly fee is $0, so holding the card costs nothing on either charge. That puts Petal first on annual fee among 301 brands compared. The credit side is what costs, with an APR of 28.24% to 33.24% if you carry a balance.
How much does spending abroad cost on Petal?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, so purchases abroad are not charged an extra conversion cost. Petal ranks first on that measure among 181 brands compared. The site median conversion fee is 1%, so the gap to many rivals is clear.
What interest rate does Petal charge?+
Purchases and cash advances carry an APR of 28.24% to 33.24%. That is above the site median of 20.97% and above the 34.9% upper quartile in the bad credit ranking. The card is meant to be used with the balance paid in full each month.
Who runs Petal?+
The card is issued by Tilt Card, Inc., which is based in the US. It appears on the NMLS Consumer Access registry under licence 2295169. Support runs on email, phone and help centre.
What credit history does Petal ask for?+
Petal is aimed at applicants with poor credit, listed under poor. That places it in a group a minority of the credit ranking share, 77.3%. Use it to build a record rather than to chase a premium rate.
How does Petal pay cash back?+
Rewards are paid as cash back, with 1% to 1.5% back at select national merchants and personalised offers on top. The rewards type is cashback. Cash back sits on purchases, so paying a balance down keeps the reward shrinking.
Can Petal raise my credit limit?+
The card includes a Leap program path to a credit line increase, alongside in-app credit score tracking and reporting to the major credit bureaus. Those features mean use on the card feeds into your file, which matters if you are rebuilding from poor credit.
How do I pay with Petal?+
The card runs on the visa network and supports contactless payment and mobile wallet use. Card freeze and fraud detection are built in, so a lost card can be stopped from the app. Support also runs on email, phone and help centre if you need help.
Sources
- petalcard.com/contact checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Support channels
“Other documents may be mailed to: Tilt Card, Inc. 9169 W State St., PMB 499 Garden City, ID 83714”
- petalcard.com/legals/cardholder-agreements checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card kind, Card network
“The Petal 1 Visa Credit Card Cardholder Agreement”
- petalcard.com/petal-1 checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Annual fee, APR, Credit needed, Features, Currency conversion fee, Pricing model, Perks, Rewards rate, Rewards type
“Petal 1 Annual membership fee $0”
- petalcard.com/petal-2 checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Cashback rate, Monthly fee
“1% - 1.5% Cash back on everyday purchases”
- petalcard.com/the-company checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“Petal is now a Tilt company ... Tilt Card, Inc. NMLS #2295169”
- nmlsconsumeraccess.org checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Licences
Compiled from 6 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Petal
Rebuilding a US credit record with a rewards card that charges no annual fee.