Best Secured Credit Cards for Newcomers in Austria

Finding the best secured credit cards for newcomers in Austria is difficult because deposit-backed credit cards are not a standard product among Austrian retail banks.

A secured credit card normally requires the applicant to deposit money as collateral, often matching the card’s credit limit. In Austria, banks generally offer standard credit cards subject to income and eligibility checks, debit cards connected to bank accounts, or prepaid cards funded in advance.

Based on the current card ranges published by Erste Bank, Sparkasse, Raiffeisen, bank99 and PayLife, there is no widely available secured credit card specifically designed for newcomers or applicants without Austrian credit history. This is an inference from the providers’ published products and may change if a bank introduces a new card.

Last updated: July 23, 2026

Are Secured Credit Cards Available in Austria?

Austria currently has very few products resembling a traditional secured credit card.

Newcomers will generally find:

• Standard credit cards requiring approval.
• Debit cards using money in a current account.
• Prepaid cards funded before use.
• Credit cards whose available balance can be increased by transferring personal funds.

A prepaid card is not technically a credit card because the customer is spending previously deposited money rather than borrowing from the issuer.

Similarly, transferring money to increase the available balance on an existing Erste Bank or Sparkasse card does not guarantee initial credit-card approval. It is a funding feature available after the customer already has an eligible card.

Best Alternatives to Secured Credit Cards in Austria

1. Erste Bank and Sparkasse Smartcard Visa

The Smartcard Visa is a standard credit card rather than a secured card, but it may be worth considering after a newcomer establishes Austrian residence and income.

For a new online application, Erste Bank and Sparkasse currently list:

• An official photo identity document.
• A mobile number from Austria, Germany or Italy.
• Income documents from the previous three months when requested.
• Approval following the provider’s application checks.

The card also supports instalment repayment through the bank’s Split Now feature. Students and newcomers should use instalments cautiously because carrying a balance can increase the total cost.

Best for: New residents who have begun earning regular income and want a conventional Austrian credit card.

Main limitation: Depositing collateral does not guarantee approval.

2. Raiffeisen Classic Credit Card

Raiffeisen offers standard Visa and Mastercard credit cards through its regional banks.

Raiffeisen Stadtbank Wien currently states that applicants need:

• A primary residence in Austria.
• A minimum age of 18.
• Regular income.
• A successful application through the bank.

Raiffeisen replaced many older card complete cards after ending that cooperation on December 31, 2025. Customers should therefore verify that they are reading the current regional Raiffeisen card terms rather than outdated card complete conditions.

Best for: Newcomers with Austrian residence, employment income and an existing Raiffeisen account.

Main limitation: It is an unsecured credit card and normally requires regular income.

3. bank99 Credit Card

bank99 provides credit cards alongside several Austrian current-account packages.

Its current promotional offer provides one year without a credit-card fee to qualifying new account customers and certain existing customers opening an eligible account. The credit card remains a separate product and is not guaranteed merely because the current account is approved.

The bank’s account packages may suit newcomers who need:

• An Austrian current account.
• A debit card.
• Online banking.
• A possible credit-card application later.

Best for: New residents who want to establish their main Austrian banking relationship before applying for credit.

Main limitation: The first-year fee waiver is promotional and does not turn the card into a secured or guaranteed-approval product.

4. Raiffeisen Visa PRELOAD

Raiffeisen’s PRELOAD card is a prepaid Visa product rather than a credit card.

The published features include:

• No bank account required.
• A one-time load between €20 and €150.
• Acceptance at participating Visa merchants with online terminals.
• Online-shopping capability.
• Spending limited to the loaded amount.

This product can help with small purchases or controlled travel spending, but its low maximum balance makes it unsuitable as a full replacement for an everyday credit card.

Best for: Small online purchases, gifts and limited spending.

Main limitation: It is loaded only once and holds no more than €150.

5. Austrian Debit Card With a Basic Account

For most newcomers, a debit card is the strongest alternative to a secured credit card.

Erste Bank and Sparkasse debit cards can be used:

• At Mastercard merchants worldwide.
• For online purchases.
• Through mobile wallets.
• With money available in the linked account.

Austria’s Consumer Payment Account Act provides eligible consumers with access to a basic payment account offering essential payment functions. A basic account does not include an automatic right to a credit card, loan or overdraft.

bank99’s basic account, for example, includes a debit card, deposits, withdrawals and payment transactions within the European Economic Area.

Best for: Newly arrived students, workers and family members without Austrian income history.

PayLife Mastercard RED Is No Longer Available to New Customers

Older Austrian guides may recommend PayLife Mastercard RED as a reloadable prepaid card.

However, PayLife stopped selling new Mastercard RED cards on May 31, 2026. Existing cards may remain usable under their terms, but newcomers can no longer apply for one.

This makes it important to avoid articles that continue listing Mastercard RED as a currently available option.

Can a Prepaid Card Build Austrian Credit History?

A prepaid or debit card does not create a borrowing relationship because transactions use the customer’s own money.

However, newcomers do not need to borrow unnecessarily merely to build a US-style credit score. A future Austrian credit-card application is more likely to depend on:

• Austrian residence.
• Stable employment or recurring income.
• Account activity.
• Existing debts.
• Payment history.
• The issuer’s affordability and risk assessment.

Paying rent, telephone bills and other invoices on time helps prevent negative financial records, but debit-card spending does not guarantee future credit approval.

Documents Newcomers Should Prepare

A bank or card issuer may request:

1. Passport or official identity card.
2. Austrian residence-registration document.
3. Residence permit, when applicable.
4. Austrian address.
5. Employment contract.
6. Salary statements from recent months.
7. Austrian current-account details.
8. Information about existing financial obligations.
9. Proof showing the source of incoming funds.

Requirements vary between providers and customer circumstances.

How to Improve Your Approval Chances

Before applying for a standard Austrian credit card:

• Open an Austrian current account.
• Receive salary through that account.
• Build several months of regular income.
• Maintain an Austrian primary residence.
• Pay every invoice before its deadline.
• Apply through your main bank first.
• Request a modest spending limit.
• Avoid submitting several applications simultaneously.
• Use a debit card while establishing your finances.

Do not pay an unfamiliar website for “guaranteed Austrian credit-card approval.” Verify that the issuer is an authorised bank or card provider before submitting identity documents or transferring a security deposit.

Final Verdict

There are currently no widely advertised secured credit cards for newcomers in Austria comparable to the deposit-backed cards available in North America.

The most practical options are:

• Erste Bank or Sparkasse Smartcard Visa after establishing income.
• Raiffeisen Classic after meeting residence and income conditions.
• A bank99 account followed by a standard credit-card application.
• Raiffeisen PRELOAD for very limited prepaid spending.
• A debit card connected to an Austrian current or basic account.

For most newcomers, the safest route is to begin with a debit card, establish Austrian residence and regular income, and apply for a conventional credit card later.

Official Sources

• Erste Bank and Sparkasse – Credit Cards
• Erste Bank and Sparkasse – Smartcard Visa
• Erste Bank and Sparkasse – Debit Mastercard
• Raiffeisen – Credit Cards
• Raiffeisen – PRELOAD Prepaid Card
• bank99 – Credit Cards
• bank99 – Basic Payment Account
• Austrian Financial Market Authority – Right to a Basic Account
• PayLife – Mastercard RED Availability
• Arbeiterkammer – Austrian Bank Account Comparison