Indigo Mastercard: an unsecured card for building credit
What you get and what you pay with an unsecured card for less-than-perfect credit
The Indigo® Mastercard® is an unsecured credit card for people with less-than-perfect credit. It’s issued by Celtic Bank and serviced by Concora Credit. You don’t need a security deposit, and your payments are reported to all three major credit bureaus, which can help you build a payment history.
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The trade-off is cost. The card has an annual fee that varies by applicant, a high APR and a low starting credit limit. Below, we explain how the card works, what it costs and when it makes sense to consider it.
How the Indigo® Mastercard® works
The Indigo Mastercard works like a regular credit card. You can use it wherever Mastercard is accepted in the U.S., and each month you pay at least the minimum due. Because it’s unsecured, you don’t have to put down money upfront as you would with a secured card.
Its main use is building credit. Indigo reports your account to all three major credit bureaus, so on-time payments can help you build a positive payment record over time. Late payments get reported too, so they can hurt your credit.
The terms, including the annual fee, are based on your credit profile and shown to you during the application. If your application isn’t approved, no hard inquiry appears on your credit report.
Pros and cons of the Indigo® Mastercard®
Pros
- No security deposit required
- Reports to all three major credit bureaus
- No hard inquiry on your credit report if you’re not approved
- Mastercard ID Theft Protection and Zero Liability protection for unauthorized charges
Cons
- Annual fee that varies by applicant and can be high
- High purchase APR
- Low starting credit limit
- No rewards and no balance transfers
Indigo® Mastercard® rates and fees
- Annual fee: varies based on your credit profile. Some offers also add a monthly fee after the first year.
- Purchase APR: 35.9% variable in recent offers. Your terms may differ.
- Starting credit limit: typically $300
- Security deposit: none
- Balance transfers: not available
- Cash advances: available, subject to credit approval
- Rewards: none
If the annual fee is billed to the card, it uses part of your credit limit from the start. On a low limit, that leaves less room to spend and can raise your credit utilization, which affects your score.
Terms checked in September 2026. Indigo doesn’t publish its fees and APR on its public website, so review the full terms shown during the application before you accept the card.
About Celtic Bank and Concora Credit
The Indigo Mastercard is issued by Celtic Bank, based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Concora Credit, based in Beaverton, Oregon, services the account, which means it handles customer service, payments and account management.
Managing your account
Once you’re approved and receive the card, you can create a login on Indigo’s online account portal to manage your account and pay your bill. If you plan to use the card outside the U.S., call customer service first to set a travel alert. Otherwise, foreign transactions may be declined for security reasons.
Our take on the Indigo® Mastercard®
The Indigo Mastercard can be an option if you have damaged or limited credit, have been turned down for other cards and can’t put down a security deposit. It reports to all three bureaus, which is what you need to build a payment history.
It’s an expensive way to build credit, though. Secured cards often have no annual fee, and you get the deposit back when you close the account in good standing or upgrade. If you can afford a deposit, compare those options first.
If you do get the Indigo card, keep your balance low, pay in full and on time every month, and review your credit after a year to see whether you qualify for a card with lower costs. Approval isn’t guaranteed. Indigo reviews your income, debts and identity before making a decision.
In the next article, we walk through how to apply for the Indigo® Mastercard®.
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