Getting Started
What is the Frank Card?
A deposit-backed business credit card built for trades and service businesses. You put down a refundable deposit, and Frank gives you a credit line worth 150% of it on day one. No credit check, no personal guarantee.
Who can apply?
US-registered businesses with an EIN in the trades and services. If you have a business bank account and three months of statements, you can apply. New businesses are welcome, we underwrite on where your business is going, not just where it's been.
How do I apply?
It takes about 4 minutes. Connect your business bank account, upload your ID, choose your deposit amount, answer a few questions. You'll get a decision fast.
Will you check my credit score?
No. We never pull your personal credit, and there's no FICO requirement. Your score is not how Frank says yes.
Can I be declined?
Almost never. The only hard no is a failed identity or fraud check. If your numbers aren't strong enough for the 150% line yet, we'll still say yes with a fully secured card at 100% of your deposit, and you can requalify for more as you build history with us.
Deposits and limits
Why a deposit?
The deposit is what replaces the credit check and the personal guarantee. Your money sets your starting limit, so your credit score never gets in the way and your house is never on the line.
Is my deposit safe? Do I get it back?
Yes. It's held in an FBO account at our partner bank, and it's yours. It comes back to you when you close your account in good standing. As your Trust Score grows, we can even start releasing it while you keep the card.
How is my limit set?
Day one, your limit is 150% of your deposit. A $2,000 deposit means a $3,000 line, immediately.
How does my limit grow?
Your limit follows your Trust Score. Pay on time and keep working and it steps up: to 175% of your deposit around three months in, 200% around six months, and beyond that the line grows with your actual revenue, with deposit release on the table at nine months. No reapplying, it happens automatically.
Can my limit go down?
If the business hits trouble, missed payments, bounced settlements, the line steps back toward fully secured rather than being cut off. We'd rather shrink the line than close your account.
Trust score
What is the Frank Trust Score?
One number, 0 to 100, that tells us how your business is really doing. It's built from your actual cash flow, your booked jobs and pipeline, your reputation (reviews, licenses, certifications), and public records. It's how we can say yes when a bank looking only at FICO says no.
How do I improve it?
Run your business and pay on time. On-time payments, healthy weekly cash flow, time with Frank, growing revenue and referring other businesses that activate all push it up. It falls if you miss payments, bounce payments, or take on a merchant cash advance.
Why does a merchant cash advance hurt my score?
Because MCAs pull money out of your account daily and sit ahead of everything else you owe. They're one of the biggest predictors of a small business going under, and part of why Frank exists.
Can I see my score?
Yes. Your Trust Score and what's moving it live in your Frank account, so you always know where you stand and what unlocks your next limit increase.
Repayment
How does repayment work?
Monthly. You get a statement each month, and payment is collected by autopay ACH from your connected business account on the due date. Pay in full and you pay zero interest.
Can I carry a balance?
Yes. Pay at least 25% of your balance and carry the rest. Carried balances accrue interest at one clear variable rate, 26.00% APR (Prime + 19.25%). Never a factor rate, never a daily-debiting advance.
Does the card keep working while I owe a balance?
Yes. Your card only pauses if a payment is missed or you go over your limit, not just because you're carrying. That's the point: the card bridges the gap between paying for the job and getting paid for it.
What if a payment fails or I'm late?
A returned payment costs $25. A late payment is $29, and we waive the first one, stuff happens. Your Trust Score takes a hit but recovers with clean months.
Costs
What does the card cost?
$25 a month, and your first 3 months are free. That's the membership. No annual fee, no origination fee, no application fee, no reservation fee, no hidden anything.
What's the full price list?
$25/month membership (first 3 free). Refundable security deposit. 26.00% variable APR only on carried balances. $29 late (first waived). $25 returned payment. That's the whole table.
BUILDING CREDIT
Does the Frank Card build business credit?
Yes, that's half the point. Every repayment reports to all three commercial credit bureaus under your EIN, your business's name, not yours. Your personal credit is never touched.
Why does business credit matter?
Because the day you want the $250K equipment loan or the truck financing, the lender needs to see a track record in your business's name. Most owners run everything on personal cards and have nothing to show. Frank fixes that from the first swipe, and when you're ready, Frank helps you find that loan too.
The fine print, plainly
Who issues the card?
The Frank Card is issued in partnership with a third-party FDIC-insured sponsor bank, which also holds your deposit in an FBO account.
What do you do with my bank data?
We use it to underwrite you and grow your limit, that's it. Connecting your account is what lets us say yes without a credit check.
Is there a personal guarantee?
No. Your deposit secures the card. Your personal assets are never part of the deal.
What if I want to close my account?
Settle your balance, tell us, and your deposit comes back. No exit fee, no hoops.