Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard vs Secured Neo Mastercard
Two cards, one Standard Score rubric. The Secured Neo Mastercard scores higher overall at 4.0/10, but the right pick depends on which components match your spending.
The verdict
PassPublished approval conditions against a shot at rewards. Capital One states that its secured-card approval follows fixed rules rather than a credit judgement call, but the card pays no rewards and charges 29.9% if you carry a balance; Neo's Secured Mastercard is the only major secured card that earns cash back and starts from a $50 deposit, but gates real value behind a $9.99/month Build membership that can cost more than the rewards it pays back. Rebuilders who qualify for Neo's fee waiver get the segment's best card; anyone who wants published approval rules with no monthly fee to track takes Capital One.
See offer · current Secured Neo Mastercard offer, direct from the issuer
Rewards math assumes you pay your balance in full every month — interest charges quickly exceed any rewards value.
| Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard | Secured Neo Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Score | 3.4/10 · Pass | 4.0/10 · Pass |
| Annual fee | None | None |
| Welcome bonus | None: secured cards compete on approval odds and reporting, not bonuses | None: secured cards compete on approval odds and reporting, not bonuses |
| Est. bonus value | ≈ $0 | ≈ $0 |
| First-year net value | ≈ $0 | ≈ $0 |
| Earn rates |
|
|
| Points currency | None (no rewards) | Cash back |
| No FX fees | No | No |
| Lounge access | No | No |
Where the Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard wins
- Low friction: scores 9.0/10 on this component
Where the Secured Neo Mastercard wins
- Ongoing value: scores 3.5/10 on this component
- Flexibility: scores 5.0/10 on this component
- Perk usability: scores 3.0/10 on this component
Read the full reviews: Capital One Guaranteed Secured Mastercard and Secured Neo Mastercard, or see how both rank in Best Secured Credit Cards in Canada.