What Is the Best Credit Card to Start With
Top starter credit cards of 2022
Picking up 1 of the best beginning credit cards can make a ton of sense if you need a fashion to build credit from scratch. Not merely are the best credit cards for beginners easy to qualify for, but the fact they report to the three credit bureaus gives you a chance to prove y'all're responsible. Some starter cards fifty-fifty offer rewards on your spending, and many offer a handful of cardholder perks or benefits besides, ranging from a free FICO credit score to travel protections.
Every bit you lot look for a credit card that tin can aid you lot become started, you'll probably notice that some are secured credit cards, meaning they require a cash deposit as collateral to go started. Other commencement credit cards are educatee credit cards or bones unsecured cards that are geared to consumers with off-white or limited credit. To avoid submitting multiple applications and somewhen pain your credit score, find a credit card that matches your needs the best and falls within your credit score range.
Best start credit carte du jour for a secured credit carte du jour
Secured credit card
Our thoughts
Secured credit cards require a refundable security deposit every bit collateral, even so these cards are the easiest to authorize for if you take no credit history or you have fabricated credit mistakes in the by. Either manner, the Detect it® Secured Credit Card is 1 of the best secured credit cards by far, mostly due to the fact that you can earn rewards. The Find it® Secured Credit Carte du jour gives out 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on upwardly to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, one% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. Notice volition even match all rewards earned at the terminate of the starting time twelvemonth for new cardholders.
Your credit limit will be equal to the deposit yous put down with this card, then you'll only showtime off with $200 in available credit if you put down a $200 cash deposit. However, your monthly payments will be reported to the credit bureaus, so you tin can build credit over time. Cardholders also go a free FICO credit score every calendar month.
- Secured credit cards are some of the easiest to authorize for
- Earn rewards on all your spending, then see your rewards matched at the terminate of 12 months
- Reports to the 3 credit bureaus
- Discover will automatically review your account starting at seven months to see if you're eligible to upgrade to an unsecured credit card
- Greenbacks deposit required to get started
- Credit limit is equal to your security deposit
Runner-upward for best outset credit card for a secured credit carte
Secured credit carte du jour
Our thoughts
The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Menu does not offer rewards for spending, which is part of the reason it'southward the runner-up in this category. With that said, this secured credit bill of fare does let consumers get started with a security deposit as low equally $49, and an initial line of credit of at to the lowest degree $200. In that location's no almanac fee either, and you can be considered for a higher credit limit in as petty as half dozen months.
The Capital Ane Platinum Secured Credit Card also comes with no foreign transaction fees, and y'all can get prequalified online without a hard inquiry on your credit report.
- Get started with a refundable security deposit of $49, $99 or $200
- Reports to the three credit bureaus
- $0 almanac fee
- Get prequalified online
- No rewards for your spending
- High APR of 27.24% (Variable) on purchases
Best first credit menu for students
Our thoughts
The Discover it® Educatee Cash Back Credit Card is easily one of the top credit cards for students due to its generous rewards plan. This card lets you earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. ane% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. Observe will fifty-fifty lucifer all the rewards you lot earn at the end of the first year.
This menu features an Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Detect. Find volition automatically lucifer all the cash dorsum you've earned at the finish of your first year! So you could plough $50 greenbacks back into $100. Or plough $100 into $200. At that place's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Only a dollar-for-dollar lucifer.
- Generous greenbacks match offer in the first year for new cardholders
- Bonus 5% rewards categories are capped at $1,500 in spending each quarter
- Y'all take to enroll in the five% categories each quarter to earn the bonus
- You only earn 1% cash back on other purchases
Runner-upward for all-time first credit card for students
Our thoughts
The Journeying Pupil Rewards from Capital 1 lets you earn ane% Cash Back on all purchases; 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time (which yous should exist doing already). At that place'south a $0 annual fee, and you can fifty-fifty qualify for up to $60 per twelvemonth in credits for streaming services, which are doled out as monthly credits of $5.
This carte is ideal for building credit since it'south marketed to people with a "average-off-white-limited" credit score, and Majuscule One reports to all 3 credit bureaus. You tin also be eligible for a credit line increase in as picayune as six months.
- Earn more than cash back when you pay your nib on fourth dimension
- Qualify for upwards to $lx in credits for streaming purchases each year
- Qualify for a higher line of credit in as little as half dozen months
- $0 annual fee
- Loftier APR of 27.24% (Variable)
Best first credit card for international students
Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
International students
Sign Up Bonus
Upwards to $59 in argument credits for Amazon Prime number Student when you spend $500 within the first three statements
Our thoughts
The Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students is great for individuals who merely have an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) and no Social Security number. The card has $0 annual fee and offers a suite of benefits for students, including an Amazon Prime Educatee membership for one twelvemonth, cell telephone protection up to $600 and a collision damage waiver. You tin also use this card abroad as in that location are None strange transaction fees.
This menu earns rewards in the form of 1% unlimited cash back on ALL purchases. With a relatively low eighteen.74% Variable APR, this could exist an splendid card for international students looking to build their credit.
- Don't need a Social Security number to sign up
- Rewards are pupil-centric, such equally free Amazon Prime number Student membership for one year
- Only eligible for current students
Best first credit card for higher graduates
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Sign Up Bonus
Savour a i-fourth dimension bonus of 60,000 miles in one case you spend $three,000 on purchases inside 3 months from account opening, equal to $600 in travel
April
16.24% - 24.24% (Variable)
Our thoughts
In one case y'all take graduated college and congenital up a history of responsible credit use, yous tin can movement up to more traditional credit cards with better rewards and terms. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Carte du jour is a popular get-go credit carte du jour afterward college due to its generous rewards and overall flexibility. Once you sign upward, you lot tin Earn unlimited ii Miles per dollar on every buy, every 24-hour interval; 5 Miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital 1 Travel. The menu too offers a fantastic sign-upwards bonus: Savour a one-time bonus of sixty,000 miles once you lot spend $iii,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $600 in travel
A $95 annual fee applies to this carte du jour, but y'all exercise get a credit toward Global Entry or TSA Precheck membership. When it comes to redeeming your rewards, y'all can use them for whatever travel purchases charged to your account, or for transfers to Capital Ane airline or hotel partners. You can also redeem your rewards for purchases fabricated through Amazon.com or PayPal.
- Earn the aforementioned rate on every purchase and a generous sign-up bonus
- Flexible options when it comes to redeeming your rewards
- Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA Precheck
- $95 almanac fee applies
- Must have excellent credit to qualify
Best first credit bill of fare for Hunt
Our thoughts
Chase offers a educatee credit card that can be incredibly valuable for those who want to build credit and earn some rewards in the procedure. The Chase Freedom® Student credit card starts new cardholders off with a $50 Bonus afterward first purchase made within the first 3 months from account opening. Cardholders can likewise Earn one% cash dorsum on all purchases plus $20 Good Standing Rewards subsequently each account anniversary for upward to v years, and there is no annual fee.
Also, cardholders may exist able to qualify for a credit line increase later you lot brand at least five on-time payments within 10 months of account opening. A free credit score is also offered as a cardholder perk.
- Earn rewards for spending and adept grades
- Reports to the 3 credit bureaus
- Tin authorize for a higher line of credit in as little as 10 months
- Lower rewards rate than some competing cards for beginners
Best start credit bill of fare for travel
Our thoughts
Students who want to build up a stash of rewards for travel should consider the Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students. This card offers an unlimited 1.five points for every $1 you spend on all purchases, which tin can exist redeemed for statement credits to cover travel purchases like flights, hotels, vacation packages, rental cars, cruises or baggage fees. On acme of that, new cardholders can earn 25,000 online bonus points if yous make at least $1,000 in purchases in the commencement 90 days of your business relationship opening.
New customers tin as well qualify for an introductory Apr of 0% for get-go 15 months on purchases, followed by an April of 13.99%-23.99% variable. There are 0% foreign transaction fees or almanac fees either.
- No annual fee, strange fees or hidden fees
- Earn rewards on spending
- Redeem rewards for travel purchases without worry over blackout dates or capacity controls
- Intro Apr offering lets you salvage interest on new purchases for 12 months
- Loftier variable interest rate on purchases (afterwards intro offering) and balance transfers
Best starting time credit card for airlines
Secured credit bill of fare
Our thoughts
While the vast majority of airline credit cards are unsecured, the Korean Air SKYPASS Visa® Secured Bill of fare is 1 exception that could be easy to attain. Although this carte du jour is specific to Korean Air, y'all tin can redeem the SKYPASS miles you earn for flights on SkyTeam alliance partners like Delta Air Lines and Air France.
This card comes with a sign-up bonus of 5,000 miles later on your first purchase. Upon card renewal, earn an boosted 1,000 miles each yr. While this isn't necessarily a large sign-up bonus, it could assist you redeem your fashion to your next flying. Additionally, SKYPASS miles are some of the about challenging airline miles to earn and have many valuable redemption possibilities. The bill of fare'south rewards rate is standard, as yous'll earn 1X miles for every $1 you spend.
To determine your credit limit, you'll demand to brand a security eolith ranging from $300 to $5,000. While in that location is an annual fee of $50 with the SKYPASS Visa® Secured Carte, you'll enjoy travel benefits such as car rental insurance, as well as the ability to work towards elite status through Korean Air's Morning Guild.
- One of the only airline cards that's a secured credit menu
- Offers bonus miles, which can exist redeemed on Korean Air and SkyTeam partners
- Almanac fee of $50
- Express to sure airlines
All-time first credit card for small business
Our thoughts
The Uppercase 1® Spark® Classic for Business is a starter credit bill of fare for modest business organisation owners who have fair credit. That makes this card easier to authorize for than many other business credit cards from Capital One, notwithstanding yous can still earn a flat one% Greenbacks Back on every purchase.
While in that location aren't a ton of cardholder perks to look forward to, the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Concern does offering gratis employee cards and no foreign transaction fees.
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn one% Cash Back on every buy
- Low rewards rate compared with other business credit cards and some other starter credit cards
- Loftier Apr of 26.99% (Variable) for purchases
Compare the best starter credit cards of 2022
| Welcome Offer | Credit Score Needed | Annual Fee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secured carte du jour: Discover information technology® Secured Credit Card | Unlimited Cashback Match – just from Observe. Discover will automatically match all the greenbacks back you've earned at the end of your first year! At that place'due south no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Simply a dollar-for-dollar lucifer. | 300-659 | $0 | Not available on ValuePenguin |
| Runner-up secured card: Uppercase One Platinum Secured Credit Card | No bonus | 300-599 | $0 | Not bachelor on ValuePenguin |
| Students: Notice it® Pupil Cash Back | Unlimited Cashback Match – merely from Find. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the terminate of your starting time yr! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There'southward no minimum spending or maximum rewards. But a dollar-for-dollar match. | 600-850 | $0 | Not available on ValuePenguin |
Prove All Rows
How to choose your get-go credit card
The best first credit card isn't the same for everyone, which is why you demand to call up over your state of affairs before yous apply. Consider these specifics as you lot search for a beginner credit card.
It tin help to cheque your credit score earlier you use for a starter credit card. Y'all may exist able to qualify for an unsecured card if your credit score is "fair" or ameliorate, which means your FICO Score is inside the 580 to 669 range or higher. If yous have a credit score that is lower than that, or you lot don't have whatever credit history to speak of, y'all'll probable need to become started with a secured credit card.
Nearly starter credit cards come with loftier APRs, although some offer introductory rates on purchases or remainder transfers. Brand sure you know and understand the variable April you'll be charged on your purchases, keeping in mind that you'll be improve off if you pay your bill in full and avoid conveying a balance.
Picket out for credit bill of fare fees you may be charged, such as annual fees, late fees or foreign transaction fees. Fortunately, some of the best credit cards for beginners come up with minimal fees or no fees at all.
If you want to earn rewards on your spending, there are plenty of unsecured cards and secured credit cards to cull from. Make sure to compare rewards rates and consider how they might align with your spending.
Some of the best credit cards for beginners offer a free credit score on your monthly statement, nonetheless others offer the risk for a higher credit limit after six to 8 months. Make sure to check for features that can help you lot improve your credit score even more than over the long term.
Other cardholder benefits to watch out for include purchase protection, extended warranties and travel insurance benefits.
Credit score ranges
Based on the FICO model, here's what your credit score means:
- Under 580: Poor credit
- 580-669: Off-white credit
- 670-739: Good credit
- 740-799: Very good credit
- 800 and above: Excellent credit
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Easy credit cards to get
- Student credit cards: Start your credit journey early on with a student credit carte du jour to brand mail service graduation tasks like renting an apartment easier. Consider the all-time travel credit cards for students if studying away or saving for jump suspension.
- Secured credit cards: A secured credit carte du jour differs from a traditional credit card considering it requires the cardholder to first put down a security deposit to open the business relationship. For those who have poor credit — or perhaps no credit at all — this security deposit acts as a safety net if you can't pay off your balance. Meanwhile, unsecured credit cards don't require any deposit earlier applying, only they can be harder to qualify for if yous lack credit history - terms may as well be poor for users with low credit scores, including expensive monthly maintenance fees and annual fees. In most cases, your security eolith will be the equivalent of your credit line.
For example, by putting a $500 eolith downwards, you'll be awarded a $500 line of credit. And then, you lot can utilize your new carte du jour like any standard credit carte du jour, borrowing up to your credit limit and paying at to the lowest degree the minimum due each month. Upon closing your account, the lender returns your unabridged security deposit if you don't owe any remaining balances. Some cards will fifty-fifty return the security deposit for those who brand 100% on-time payments for a certain fourth dimension catamenia, frequently between viii and 12 months.
If you have no credit at all, and so it'due south likely y'all'll have to commencement your journey toward good credit with a secured credit carte. While secured credit cards do crave collateral, you can sometimes put downwardly as little as $49 to go started.
How to employ a credit bill of fare
In one case you have been canonical for the all-time beginning credit card you could observe, you'll desire to exist extremely mindful of how you use it. After all, a starter credit bill of fare tin can assistance you improve your credit score, but making the wrong moves tin leave you with worse credit than when you started.
Credit-building tips
- Pay your bill early or on time. The most important cistron that makes upwardly your FICO Score is your payment history. This means that paying your credit card bill early or on time can have a major positive bear upon on your score, simply that late payments can crusade unnecessary damage.
- Don't max out your card. Considering your starter credit card may come with a low limit, this tip is important. Make small purchases you can afford to pay off and never utilize up more than 30% of your credit limit from one month to the adjacent.
- Go along your account open. Choosing a card with no annual fee makes it easy to go on your business relationship open even if you lot're non using it. This tip is important since the boilerplate length of your credit history makes up 15% of your FICO Score, and closing accounts can affect your credit in this category.
- Exist patient. The more on-fourth dimension payments y'all make on your credit cards, the more than depth you add to your credit reports. Improving your credit score tin can take time, but the effort will exist worth it and you lot tin can then upgrade your bill of fare or apply for a different 1 with better perks.
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How to use for a credit card
While choosing the best beginner credit bill of fare to isn't always easy, applying for a credit bill of fare is a breeze. All yous have to do is find the bill of fare you want and follow these steps:
- Step 1: Detect the card you want and click "use now."
- Pace ii: Provide personal information such as your proper noun, your address, your Social Security number and your employment details.
- Pace 3: Share your financial data, including your income, your rent or mortgage amount and the blazon of fiscal accounts you have.
- Step 4: Wait to come across if you're canonical, which could happen online in a thing of minutes. You may also detect out about your blessing status via regular mail.
Note: If you're applying for a secured credit card, you may besides be asked to share your cyberbanking data for the carte du jour issuer to collect your security deposit.
How to become approved for a credit carte du jour
Whether this is your first credit card or your fifth, the post-obit tips can help boost your odds of approval.
Employ for a secured credit bill of fare
Every bit mentioned above, a secured credit card is a safer bet for those who aren't confident most qualifying for an unsecured card. Providing a security deposit will show lenders that y'all're liable for whatever potential missed payments, and at that place's minimal risk fastened. To learn more, visit our guide for peak secured credit cards.
Be wary of instant approval credit cards
When searching for the easiest credit cards to get, you lot may come across instant approval and guaranteed approval credit cards. Here are two things yous should know about these types of cards:
- Instant approving is a scrap of a misnomer. Instant approving credit cards don't mean y'all will be instantly approved for them — they will simply give users a quick response about whether or not they are qualified (ordinarily within 60 seconds). This, yet, does not guarantee approval. These cards aren't always easy to get, either: Some cards marketed as "instant approval" only accept consumers with excellent FICO scores.
- "Guaranteed approval" cards are ofttimes the domain of predatory lenders. Individuals seeking like shooting fish in a barrel-approval credit cards are typically credit-challenged, pregnant they have low or nonexistent credit scores or don't have admission to established banking institutions. In recent years, predatory lenders take targeted this segment of the population, as they tend to exist the most vulnerable and desperate for credit. These kinds of companies will typically charge loftier interest rates and fees that are well higher up market average. If you lot are shopping for a credit card in this space, you should be enlightened of your bones rights and protections.
Take advantage of preapproval tools
If the credit card you're interested in offers a preapproval tool, be certain to have advantage of information technology. In a thing of a few minutes, you'll know whether or non you're likely to authorize for a particular card — all without affecting your credit score in the process. Proceed in listen, though, that a preapproval does not necessarily guarantee blessing for your card application.
Should yous become a credit card?
Opening a credit card is an heady and crucial part of your journeying toward fiscal health. By establishing skillful financial habits and paying your credit menu bills on time, you'll be on the route toward loan approvals and low interest rates. But offset, you need to decide which blazon of credit card best fits your current needs.
For most people, we propose a unproblematic cashback card that earns i% to ii% on every purchase.
In that location are a few cases where you should expect to apply for a credit card:
- If you don't have a stable income stream, for case, you may desire to hold off on applying for credit until you can reliably pay off your purchases
- Alternatively, if you have a history of being belatedly with your bills or overdrawing your checking account, y'all may want to practice responsible financial direction with your debit menu and checking account first
Ane of the key components of having a high credit score is the average age of your accounts, so information technology's of import to selection a credit card that you'll exist happy to have in your wallet for a long time. This is why information technology'due south best that your first credit carte is something with no annual fee: If you want to put your expenses on a different card in the futurity, you tin terminate using your beginning credit bill of fare without having to cancel information technology (canceling an older card can decrease your credit score).
Credit card pros and cons
Pros
Cons
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FAQs most credit cards for beginners
You tin utilise for a credit carte du jour on your own at the age of xviii, and you may get approved provided y'all take proof of private income. If you're between 18 and 21 years old and you don't have an income, on the other hand, you'll need a parent or guardian to cosign your credit bill of fare application.
About consumers have a credit score fifty-fifty if they don't take a credit card. This is considering all types of loan products are factored into your score, including pupil loans and machine loans. In improver, some calculations of your FICO Score have into account phone and electrical bill payments for consumers who don't take large credit files. You can check your credit score past using a free service like Credit Karma, Mint or LendingTree, our parent company.
Information technology'south definitely possible to get a credit card if you lot don't have previous credit history. Your best bet is to use for a secured carte du jour, which requires yous to put down a security eolith that serves equally your credit limit. If you lot're a student, we'd suggest opening a student card like the Discover it® Pupil Greenbacks Back. Once you've established credit history with a secured or student carte du jour, you can motion on to a cashback, rewards or travel credit card.
If you can responsibly manage a line of credit, we propose that your beginning credit card is a card that earns rewards, like the Find it® Cash Back, Hunt Freedom® or Chase Liberty Unlimited®. If your credit is damaged and you need to rebuild it past opening a new line of credit, the best motion is to apply for a secured card such equally the Discover information technology® Secured Credit Card or Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Bill of fare.
Several banks offer popular credit cards for beginners, including Chase, Capital One and Citi. We suggest comparing the all-time get-go credit cards based on the benefits and perks they offer, as well as credit and income requirements you'll demand to come across to be approved.
To go a credit card for the first time, y'all'll need to take the steps to apply. Before you exercise though, it can help to bank check your credit score and know where you stand alee of fourth dimension. You tin also expect for starter credit cards that let you become prequalified first without a hard inquiry on your credit report.
You lot can utilise for a credit menu with no income, simply you will have a hard time getting canonical. With that in mind, you should know that you can use household income on your credit card application. If you're a stay-at-home spouse and your partner has a job, for example, the full income the household brings in would count.
If you have no credit history at all, or you have bad credit, the easiest carte du jour to be approved for will ever be a secured credit menu. Make certain to compare all the best secured credit card options to find the right fit.
The majority of credit cards will fix a credit limit based on your income and other factors. On the other hand, charge cards often come with no credit limit, however they likewise require you to pay your balance in total each month.
Recap of the best starter credit cards of 2022
- Best secured: Observe it® Secured Credit Carte
- Best runner-upward secured: Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
- Best for students: Discover information technology® Educatee Greenbacks Back Credit Carte du jour
- All-time runner-up for students: Journey Student Rewards from Uppercase One
- All-time for international students: Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students
- Best for college graduates: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Best for Chase: Chase Liberty® Student credit card
- Best for travel: Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students
- Best for airlines: SKYPASS Visa® Secured Card
- Best for pocket-size business: Capital One® Spark® Archetype for Business concern
Methodology
To make choosing the right bill of fare easier, we've looked at credit cards reviewed on ValuePenguin every bit well as cards on major issuer sites to compile a listing of the best rewards credit cards available right at present. Our recommendations are based on the additional value you can earn with the cards — including the rewards value, cost of buying and value of benefits such as travel and purchase protections, lounge membership and airline companion passes. Our choices are not influenced by our advertisers. Learn more on how we calculate rewards.
The information related to Discover it® Student Greenbacks Back, Discover information technology® Secured Credit Carte, Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Carte, Chase Freedom® Pupil credit bill of fare, Journeying Student Rewards from Capital One, Depository financial institution of America® Travel Rewards Credit Carte for Students and Upper-case letter 1® Spark® Archetype for Business has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has non been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
The information related to Notice it® Secured Credit Card, Journey Student Rewards from Capital letter 1, Deserve® EDU Mastercard for Students, SKYPASS Visa® Secured Card and Capital 1® Spark® Archetype for Business has been independently collected by ValuePenguin and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this bill of fare prior to publication.
Source: https://www.valuepenguin.com/what-are-best-starter-credit-cards