Visa Classic (Providian Bank)

Pros: Great for Rebuilding Credit
Cons: High APR, and annual fee (due to troubled credit)

We have a somewhat troubled credit history, but applied for a Providian Bank Visa Card after seeing the commercials on TV. Much to our surprise, the commercials were true. We received a $400.00 credit limit, in about 2 minutes, I was actually stunned,...

Pros: Providian is an excellent company if you are trying to rebuild credit
Cons: High interest rates and annual fees

After having a horrible time with my credit, I got an offer for a Providian Visa Gold card, along with one for a Capital One Visa Classic. I applied for both, and within a few weeks received them both. I had to deposit $50 into a savings account for...

Pros: Customer Service; Good Terms for secured card
Cons: none

After a horrendous experience with Capital One's secured card, Providian has been a pleasant surprise. I've had a Providian account for 3 years. My card started at 100% secured, and is now, for the last year or so, about 40% secured. In the beginning,...

Pros: Helps to re-establish your credit. Nice credit limit.
Cons: High finance charge

Providian Visa (Classic)! This card is really great to help you re-establish your credit if you've had some minor mistakes in the past. This card offers a great credit limit, deferred payments if you are injured or out of work.

There is a...

Pros: Access account information by automated 24 hour 800 number service, better credit line than most "secured" Visas
Cons: it is still credit, and you still have to pay the bills, at the end of the motnh

Like a lot of other people, my first credit experiences had plenty to teach me. Unfortunately, sometimes those lessons don't come when income stays stable. Through several job changes, and moves around the country, and not having proper advice about how...

Pros: I think they're great. Never had a problem.
Cons: You got to check extra charges for late fees, extras, etc. But they fix it.

Had a Providian card since it was introduced to me a few years back at 7.9%. It has never gone up! I still pay a low 7.9%! My payments are timely and I make more than the minimum. Unlike Fleet, where they up your apr to a ridiculous rate. I cannot think...

Pros: Good starting limits, credit limit increase within 6 months
Cons: Processing and Annual Fees

My experience is with the Providian Visa Classic card ... I'm not really sure why they have a logo for the WebCard on here, but anyway ... I applied for the card about 6 months ago after seeing a commercial on television ... I already had good credit,...

Pros: Anyone can get credit, credit increases
Cons: High interest rate to start

About two years ago, I received one of those letters in the mail saying that I had been approved for a Providian Classic Visa. I thought it was a joke. No one would give me credit because I had no credit history at all. When my husband and I...

Pros: Will give most anyone credit, excellent customer service!
Cons: Rates are a bit high and fees can be costly!

Since there is so much talk lately about the credit cards that Providian offers, I thought that it was time to give you my take on this card. I deal with Providian on a regular basis because I've been a member for over two years now so I feel that I'm...

Pros: Great customer service, no irate calls.
Cons: high interest rate.

This covers both the Visa Classic, and the Visa Gold card offered by Providian. As far as I can tell, the only real difference between the two (in our case) is the credit line.

Four years ago, we had to file for bankruptcy, which totally wiped...

Pros: Providian gives you good credit line increases and they do it fast!!!!
Cons: no grace period, high APR, high annual fee

I applied online in July of 2000 and got instantly approved with a $1000 credit line. My APR is 23.9 % but I really don't care as I don't plan on carrying a balance too long. If you read the disclosure of this visa offer it will tell you that your...

Pros: quality customer service, responsive csr's
Cons: 1 very confused csr 1 time

I do not remember when I received my gold card, but I really did not think that I would get one due to an ex-wife
who totally destroyed my credit and sent me into bankruptcy.
I sent in the application and in a short time I received a gold card...

Pros: Bad Credit History OK
Cons: High Interest

I am one of those statistics, had a job, got some credit, got married, got some more credit, ran into problems (husband injured on the job).....oops bad credit.

We were doing fine and then it happened, are income to debt ratio changed...

Pros: practically anyone can get a VISA, their website has real time account info
Cons: High interest rate, costly annual fee

Providian has been doing a great job at giving credit to those whom have no credit or bad credit. Unfortunately, my credit is wrecked, but I qualify for their card under their loose guidelines and got the credit I needed WITHOUT SUPPLYING A SECURITY...

Pros: Allows credit rebuild (unsecured), no annual fee, online account access
Cons: high interest rate

After my bankruptcy a few years ago, I've been unable to get a credit card. Somehow, I'd been able to hang on to my American Express, but that isn't accepted everywhere, so I was looking for a Mastercard or Visa to fill in the gap.

Now that 3...