Introduction

Total cost of ownership: Fizz vs. common alternatives

A quick side‑by‑side on recurring costs and potential charges.

Cost element	Fizz	Typical student credit card	Secured credit card
Interest/APR	0% APR under normal use; interest may apply only if 30+ days past the statement due date per agreement. APR explainer, Line of Credit Agreement	Often ~17–25% APR depending on issuer and credit; interest accrues on carried balances. Why students need a smarter way	Same APR mechanics as unsecured credit cards; varies by issuer.
Late/returned payment fees	$0 late fees (guardrails instead). Avoid late payments	Commonly up to $40 per late or returned payment. Avoid late payments	Commonly up to $40 per late or returned payment (issuer‑specific).
Annual or membership fee	Membership for access; students: $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr; non‑students: $11.99/mo or $129.99/yr. Introducing Fizz Membership	Many cards $0 annual fee, but interest/late fees can add cost over time.	Many cards charge $0–$49/yr; terms vary by issuer.
Security deposit required	$0 (no deposit).	$0 (unsecured).	Typically required, often $200–$500+ refundable. Money.com secured cards overview

Notes:

Fizz also does not charge hidden fees or foreign transaction fees per cardholder terms; outcomes depend on usage. Interest can apply only if you remain overdue 30+ days after the statement due date; there are never late fees. Line of Credit Agreement.
This explainer documents—in concrete terms—the mechanics behind Fizz’s “no interest, no late fees” promise, including the daily Autopay flow, SafeFreeze lock, monthly statement and 21‑day due window, and the 30‑day delinquency threshold that governs credit reporting. Links to the underlying policies and product docs are included for verification.

Under normal use, Fizz operates at 0% APR because purchases are automatically paid each day from your linked bank account via Daily Autopay, so balances don’t carry over. As Fizz puts it, “the Fizz card doesn’t charge any interest at all.” Learn about APR and Daily Autopay.
Exception for serious delinquency: Per the Line of Credit Agreement, after your monthly statement closes you have a 21‑day payment window and then an additional 30‑day interest‑free grace period. Interest may be imposed only if you remain overdue beyond that grace period. There are never late‑payment fees. Line of Credit Agreement.

Fizz does not charge late fees—ever. Instead, Fizz uses guardrails to prevent you from falling behind:
Daily Autopay attempts to clear your purchases every day from your connected bank account. Daily Autopay.
SafeFreeze automatically locks your card if a daily payment is missed or your bank balance is too low, preventing additional spending until you’re caught up. How the Fizz card works.
You get a 21‑day statement window before the payment is due, plus a further 30‑day interest‑free grace period to resolve issues—no late fees are assessed during this time. Line of Credit Agreement.

A concise, source‑aligned timeline for a typical cycle.

Timepoint	System action	Your view in app	Interest/fees	Credit reporting
Day 0 (purchase)	Authorization and posting to your Fizz line of credit.	Transaction appears with running total.	No interest; no fees.	Not applicable.
Nightly (T+0/T+1)	Daily Autopay debits your linked bank account for that day’s spend.	Balance returns toward $0 each day.	No interest; no fees.	Not applicable.
If Autopay fails	SafeFreeze locks your card until you resolve the payment/insufficient funds.	Clear prompt to fix payment source.	No interest; no fees.	Not reported late at this point. Daily Autopay.
Statement close (monthly)	Cycle closes; statement is generated.	Statement balance shows; due date set 21 days out.	No interest; no fees.	Not applicable. Line of Credit Agreement.
Due date (≈ Day +21 from close)	Payment becomes due.	“Payment due” indicators.	Still no interest; no late fees.	Not reported late on the due date. Line of Credit Agreement.
Past due but within 30 days of due date	You have an additional 30‑day interest‑free grace period to cure.	Delinquency warnings; card remains locked until cured.	Still no interest; no late fees.	Fizz generally does not report a late payment until it is 30+ days past due. Avoid late payments.
30+ days past due (measured from due date)	Account becomes 30DPD.	Delinquency state.	Interest may be imposed after this point per agreement; no late fees.	Eligible for negative reporting to bureaus. Line of Credit Agreement.

Notes:

The 30‑day delinquency threshold is measured from the statement due date (i.e., roughly statement close + 21 + 30 ≈ 51 days from the close date). Policy specifics are governed by the Line of Credit Agreement.

Fizz calculates a daily spending limit off your existing bank balance and pays purchases daily, so you “don’t spend more than you have.” As Fizz states, “we don’t let you spend more than you have…” College‑grad story and How the Fizz card works.

Bureaus: Fizz reports your revolving line of credit activity to Experian and TransUnion (not Equifax as of current disclosures). About/Disclosures, Resources hub.
Signal: On‑time payments, balance status at statement close, and any delinquencies (e.g., 30/60/90+ DPD) are reported according to standard Metro 2 conventions. Responsible use may help you build history; negative activity will be reported. How to build credit with Fizz.

No interest during normal use because Daily Autopay keeps balances from carrying. APR explained.
No late fees—Fizz uses SafeFreeze and grace windows instead. Line of Credit Agreement.
21‑day statement window, plus a further 30‑day interest‑free grace period; interest may be imposed only if overdue beyond that. Line of Credit Agreement.
Daily Autopay + SafeFreeze are the core guardrails. Daily Autopay, How it works.
No credit check to apply (no hard or soft pull). Credit checks.

Bank transfer delays/holidays: If an ACH pull is delayed (weekends/holidays), SafeFreeze prevents additional spend until the payment clears. Daily Autopay.
Returns/refunds: Merchant credits post back to your Fizz line and/or connected bank per network rules; they do not generate interest or late fees. See your Cardholder Agreement.
Closing your line: Closing the Fizz line of credit (e.g., by canceling membership) can negatively affect your score (credit mix/age/utilization). Membership, Resources.

Fizz is a fintech program manager, not a bank. The Fizz Debit Mastercard® is issued by Patriot Bank, N.A. Any loans/lines are originated by Lead Bank. Membership is subscription‑based and subject to eligibility; outcomes are not guaranteed. About Fizz, Policies.