While considering instant approval credit cards online, realize that all credit cards have stipulations. The "Instant Approval" feature is an effort to attract visitors with the thought of instantly available credit. Once you read the all of the card stipulations, you will learn that the instant approval applies only if you have at least good credit and most card issuers prefer excellent credit. Furthermore, regardless of the credit card applied for, fees are almost always attached.

Some of the fees might include annual fee membership, finance and interest rate charges, balance transfer charges, cash advance fees, and so forth. Some banks will include annual fees on these credit cards; however, the fees are often waived up to six months or longer. One of the cards that offers a 0% APR is Blue from American Express. This instant approval card has a limited time offer and will waive the annual fee and balance transfer for up to 15 months.

Another card that employs instant approval status is the Citi® Dividend Platinum Select card, which offers 5% cash back on purchases made at supermarkets, gas stations, or drugs stores, and any other purchases earn 1% cash back. The ongoing rate of interest on this card might be considered a bit steep, but is comparable to other cards in this category.

Instant approval credit card marketing campaigns are geared toward those with excellent or good credit. If your credit is proof worthy, you will receive an approval in a short time, usually minutes, or even in seconds. If you have pending credit issues, the credit issuer will most likely need to investigate your credit-worthiness further, which means you should expect a delay in the approval process.

If you already know your credit standing, you shouldn't have any problems. But if you know credit issues exist, try to clean up your credit before applying. You should wait six months before applying for a credit card after clearing up your reports. Otherwise, you can search the Internet for credit cards for bad credit or "less than perfect" credit.

Different Types of Card Offers

Some of the banks offering instant approval cards include Chase, Citi, American Express, Visa, and MasterCard. The cards can differ slightly, or dramatically, so thoroughly researching the various offers is highly recommended when considering instant approval credit cards.

Contrast and Compare

It is important to compare and contrast all details while considering any credit card. For instance, the Citi® Diamond Preferred® Rewards Card is one of the instant approval cards to consider offering 0% annual fees up to one year including balance transfers. The cardholder, once accepted will receive 5,000 bonus points on the initial purchase and a gift card worth $50. Rewards include 5 points per dollar spent on any purchases made at supermarkets, drug stores or gas stations for a limited time.

Also consider the Blue Cash® from American Express instant approval card, offering 5% cash back rebates, no annual fees up to six months, and an extremely competitive ongoing APR. You pay a bit more in interest for the Citi Diamond Preferred card, but you'll receive additional benefits compare to the Blue Cash card.

As you can see, taking the time to thoroughly compare and contrast will help you to see the pros and cons of each instant approval credit card and assist you in making the right card choice. As with any credit card offer, however, you will always need to read the terms & conditions, being mindful of credit stipulations and hidden fees.