Kudos has partnered with CardRatings and Red Ventures for our coverage of credit card products. Kudos, CardRatings, and Red Ventures may receive a commission from card issuers. Kudos may receive commission from card issuers. Some of the card offers that appear on Kudos are from advertisers and may impact how and where card products appear on the site. Kudos tries to include as many card companies and offers as we are aware of, including offers from issuers that don't pay us, but we may not cover all card companies or all available card offers. You don't have to use our links, but we're grateful when you do!
358 Credit score: What You Need to Know in 2025
July 1, 2025
TL;DR
A 358 credit score offers a clear starting point for building a stronger financial profile. This score is categorized in the "Poor" range, which means there is significant opportunity for growth toward a healthier credit standing.
What Does a 358 Credit Score Mean?
A credit score of 358 places you in the "poor" credit range, which is the lowest tier on the common FICO and VantageScore models that run from 300 to 850. This score suggests to lenders that you represent a very high risk, likely due to a history of serious credit challenges such as delinquencies, defaults, or collections accounts. It's a clear signal of significant financial difficulties in the past.
With a score this low, your financial options are severely limited. You will likely be denied for most mainstream loans and credit cards. Any credit you might be approved for will almost certainly come with steep interest rates and restrictive terms. While this can feel discouraging, a credit score is not a permanent label; it's a snapshot in time that can be improved with consistent effort moving forward.
Who Has a 358 Credit Score?
While age is not a direct factor in credit score calculations, there is a strong correlation between the two, with scores generally improving over time. According to a 2023 analysis of Experian data, here are the average FICO scores broken down by generation:
- Generation Z (ages 18-26): 680
- Millennials (ages 27-42): 690
- Generation X (ages 43-58): 709
- Baby Boomers (ages 59-77): 745
- Silent Generation (ages 78+): 760
Credit Cards With a 358 Credit Score
A credit score of 358 is considered very poor, placing you in a high-risk category for lenders. This makes qualifying for most traditional credit cards extremely challenging, as issuers are likely to reject your application due to the perceived risk of default. Your options will be severely limited, and any potential approvals would likely be for secured cards or products with very high fees and interest rates.
Kudos can help you find the right card by using its AI-powered tools to analyze your spending habits and financial goals, delivering personalized recommendations from a database of nearly 3,000 cards. The platform also provides credit score insights, helping you understand how a new card could impact your credit and whether annual fees are justified based on your spending.
Auto Loans and a 358 Credit Score
A 358 credit score places you in the deep subprime category, which makes securing an auto loan very challenging. While approval may still be possible, you can expect to face significantly higher interest rates and less favorable loan terms.
According to a 2025 analysis of auto loans, average interest rates are broken down by credit score as follows:
- Super-prime (781-850): 5.25% for new cars and 7.13% for used cars.
- Prime (661-780): 6.87% for new cars and 9.36% for used cars.
- Non-prime (601-660): 9.83% for new cars and 13.92% for used cars.
- Subprime (501-600): 13.18% for new cars and 18.86% for used cars.
- Deep subprime (300-500): 15.77% for new cars and 21.55% for used cars.
Mortgages at a 358 Credit Score
A 358 credit score is considered very poor and falls significantly below the minimum threshold for most mortgage products. Government-backed FHA loans, often the go-to for borrowers with lower credit, generally require a minimum score of 500. According to mortgage requirements, conventional, VA, and USDA loans have even higher minimums, making approval highly unlikely. Your options would be extremely limited, likely confined to specialty non-prime lenders who handle high-risk loans, but these are rare.
If you were to find a lender willing to offer a mortgage, the terms would be costly. Expect to face much higher interest rates, which dramatically increase your monthly payment and the total cost of the loan. Lenders would also mandate a large down payment—at least 10%—and may cap the total amount you can borrow. Your finances would undergo a strict manual underwriting process to compensate for the risk associated with a very low score.
What's in a Credit Score?
Figuring out what goes into your credit score can feel like trying to solve a complex puzzle, but it generally boils down to a handful of key elements. The most common factors include:
- Your payment history, which tracks whether you pay your bills on time, is the most significant factor.
- Credit utilization, or the amount of credit you're using compared to your total available credit, also plays a major role.
- The length of your credit history demonstrates your experience with managing credit over time.
- Having a healthy mix of different types of credit, such as credit cards and installment loans, can positively impact your score.
- Finally, recent credit inquiries, which occur when you apply for new credit, are also taken into account.
How to Improve Your 358 Credit Score
Having a 358 credit score can feel discouraging, but it’s entirely possible to rebuild your credit with a few key actions. By following proven methods, you can see significant improvement in just a few months.
- Monitor your credit reports. Obtain your free reports and check them for any errors or fraudulent activity that could be hurting your score. Correcting inaccuracies is one of the quickest ways to see a potential score increase, which is critical when starting from a very low number.
- Establish automatic bill payments. Your payment history is the most significant factor in your credit score, so setting up automatic payments ensures you never miss a due date. Consistently paying on time is a foundational step to demonstrate reliability and begin rebuilding your credit history.
- Reduce your credit utilization. Aim to use less than 30% of your available credit, as high balances can severely impact a low score. Paying down your debt shows lenders you can manage credit responsibly and is a powerful way to boost your score.
- Become an authorized user. Ask a trusted friend or family member with excellent credit to add you to one of their credit card accounts. This allows their positive payment history and low credit utilization to appear on your report, which can provide a much-needed lift to your score.
Using a financial companion like Kudos can help you manage your cards and monitor your score as you work to improve it.
Supercharge Your Credit Cards
Experience smarter spending with Kudos and unlock more from your credit cards. Earn $20.00 when you sign up for Kudos with "GET20" and make an eligible Kudos Boost purchase.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are those of Kudos alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
.webp)
