Best starter credit cards

If you’re looking for the best starter credit card to begin your credit journey, you’ll want to choose a card that helps you build your credit quickly while ideally adding features like rewards and purchase protections. Since you likely won’t have access to some of the top credit cards, you’ll want to focus on what you can successfully apply for.

Regardless of your credit history, you should start by checking your credit score. Once you understand your score, you can narrow your search and determine which card best suits your needs.

Top starter credit cards

Best unsecured card with rewards

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Bankrate score

4.0

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Bankrate review

Bankrate review

No Credit History

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Apply now

on Capital One's secure site

See Rates & Fees

Intro offer

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N/A

Rewards Rate

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1.5% – 5%

Annual fee

$39

Regular APR

28.99% (Variable)

Reward Details

• 5%Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 1.5%Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day

Bankrate’s view

The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a sound starter card if you have a limited or less-than-ideal credit history. You can earn solid flat-rate rewards while building credit since the card reports your activity to all three credit bureaus. While the card has a $39 annual fee, it offers surprisingly good benefits, including no foreign transaction fees, automatic account reviews, travel assistance services and free credit monitoring. (See Rates & Fees)

Pros

• The straightforward earning rate on this card is reasonable compared to other cards for fair credit.
• The card balances earning rewards and building credit to help you learn the ropes of responsible credit use.

Cons

• You must spend at least $2,600 annually to earn enough cash back to offset the annual fee.
• There’s no welcome offer or intro APR to provide extra initial value.

Card Details

• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day

• No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn’t expire for the life of the account. It’s that simple

• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months

• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges

• Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use

• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free for everyone

• Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you’re all set

• Top rated mobile app

Best for building credit

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Bankrate score

4.2

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Bankrate review

Bankrate review

No Credit History

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Apply now

on Capital One's secure site

See Rates & Fees

Intro offer

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N/A

Rewards Rate

N/A

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

28.99% (Variable)

Bankrate’s view

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is an unsecured card that helps you build credit with responsible use, and it’s fairly easy to qualify for. Since you won’t earn rewards, your goal should be to learn positive credit habits, like maintaining your credit utilization ratio and making on-time payments. You’ll have access to free credit monitoring, and you can be considered automatically for a credit limit increase in as quickly as six months, which is one of the fastest review timeframes available.

Pros

• You won’t need to put down a security deposit with this card.
• Credit limit increases with the card can help you maintain your credit utilization ratio.

Cons

• Other credit-building cards offer rewards on purchases.
• The card has a potentially high APR, which makes carrying a balance very expensive.

Card Details

• No annual or hidden fees. See if you’re approved in seconds

• Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months

• Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this

• Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges

• Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free for everyone

• Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One’s mobile app

• Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you’re all set

• Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee – and pick the monthly due date that works best for you

• Top rated mobile app

Best for no credit check

opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card

Bankrate score

3.1

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Bankrate review

Bankrate review

No Credit History

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Apply now

on opensky's secure site

See Rates & Fees

Intro offer

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N/A

Rewards Rate

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Up to 10%

Annual fee

$35

Regular APR

23.89% (variable)

Reward Details

• Up to 10%Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases

Bankrate’s view

The opensky® Secured Visa® Credit Card is a secured credit card that doesn’t require a credit check to apply, making it a good starter card option for someone with no credit or a recent bankruptcy. While it does have a $35 annual fee, the card reports your payments to the three credit bureaus, which can help you build credit regardless of your credit situation.

Pros

• You can access this card without a credit history.
• Its security deposit limit is up to $3,000, which can help with maintaining credit utilization ratios.

Cons

• You can only earn rewards through card-linked merchant offers.
• This card charges an annual fee, which might be difficult to manage if you have a low starting credit limit.

Card Details

• Earn up to 10% cash back on everyday purchases

• No credit check required – 89% approval rate with zero credit risk to apply!

• Boost your credit score fast—2 out of 3 opensky® cardholders see an average increase of 47 points after 6 months

• Track your progress with free access to your FICO® score in our mobile app

• Build your credit history with reporting to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion

• Seamless payments—add your card to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay

• Start with just $200—secure your credit line with a refundable deposit

• Fast and easy application—apply in minutes with our mobile-first experience

• Flexible payment options—pick a due date that works for you

• More time to fund—spread your security deposit over 60 days with layaway

• Join 1.6 million+ cardholders who have used opensky® to build better credit!

Best for students

Chase Freedom Rise®

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Bankrate score

4.2

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Bankrate review

Bankrate review

No Credit History

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Intro offer

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$25 statement credit

Rewards Rate

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1.5%

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

25.24%

Reward Details

• 1.5%With Chase Freedom Rise®, you can start establishing credit while earning 1.5% cash back on all purchases. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open and there is no minimum to redeem for cash back.

Bankrate’s view

The Chase Freedom Rise® is an ideal starter card for students, providing many benefits from the full-fledged Chase Freedom Unlimited® card. The main drawback is that you can only apply in person at a Chase branch. Chase also recommends having a checking or savings account with at least $250 to improve your approval odds. You’ll also earn a statement credit for setting up automatic payments, which can help you graduate to the Freedom Unlimited card after 12 months.

Pros

• You’ll get many features of the Freedom Unlimited, one of the top no-annual-fee rewards cards.
• You’ll get Chase’s excellent travel protection with this card.

Cons

• You can only apply for this card in a Chase branch.
• It has a high APR that can make carrying a balance expensive for students.

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Comparing the best starter credit cards

Our choices for the best starter credit cards cover many stages of credit history, offering something for everyone.

How to choose the best starter credit cards

Your ideal starter credit card should match your spending habits and financial goals. Here are some steps to consider as you begin your search.

Check your credit score

Before you apply for a starter credit card, it’s helpful to know where you stand regarding your credit by checking your credit score online. If your credit score is below the fair range, you may need to apply for a secured credit card. You may also find your credit score is better than you thought, but you’ll never know unless you check.

Consider credit-building features

If your credit isn’t as good as you’d like, you may need to focus on starter cards that can help you build your credit. However, credit-building cards aren’t likely to offer many rewards, if any. Examine your credit to find the right balance between rewards and credit building, using our advice for building credit as a guide.

Consider earning rewards

If you’re interested in starter credit cards that offer rewards and have the credit to qualify, compare rewards programs and the redemption options available. Some starter credit cards with rewards only let you redeem for a statement credit, but many of the best rewards credit cards also let you redeem points for gift cards, travel and more.

Compare benefits

Many starter cards also offer perks like travel insurance, purchase protection or credit-building tools that can be useful in different ways, depending on your circumstances. If you’re focusing on credit building, the ability to monitor your progress can be a valuable teaching tool. If you’re planning upcoming travel, travel insurance and protections can save you significant money when issues arise.

Examine the rates and fees

As you compare starter credit cards, you should closely examine the rates and fees associated with maintaining your account. If the card charges an annual fee, see if there are any added features to justify that cost. If you need to carry a balance, pay close attention to the APR to determine how much interest you’ll face. If you can budget to pay your monthly balance in full or at least keep a lower balance and stay under your credit limit, you’ll avoid costly interest charges, late fees and over-the-limit fees.

Building credit with your starter credit card

Once you’ve got your starter credit card, you can start building up credit by using it responsibly. Here are some pointers on how to get the most out of your starter credit card.

• Pay your bill on time. Whether you pay in full or not, be sure to make your payments by the due date. If you miss a payment, not only will you be charged late fees, but those late payments can negatively affect your credit score.

• Maintain good credit utilization. If possible, you don’t want to use more than 30 percent of your available credit. The lower your balance is compared to your credit limit, the better your credit utilization ratio will be.

• Check for mistakes and monitor your progress. Check your statement for any mistakes. If your card gives you access to credit monitoring features, check your score regularly. You’re also entitled by law to receive a free copy of your credit report each year from the three credit bureaus, which you can get from AnnualCreditReport.com. Be sure to address any errors promptly to avoid long-term issues.

• Don’t apply for too many cards. Applying for credit impacts your credit score. Credit card issuers usually do a “hard pull” of your credit, also known as a hard inquiry, which remains on your report for up to two years. While the impact is minimal if you use your card responsibly, applying for too many credit cards can drop your score significantly.

• Know when it’s time to move on. Starter cards should not be a long-term solution. Ideally, once you’ve built your credit to a better place, you’ll want to switch your card to a better version (if available) or open a new card that provides more benefits. If you have a secured card, see if unsecured options are available. Either way, don’t hesitate to move forward once your starter card has outlived its usefulness.

What’s next?

Check out these Bankrate tools to confidently choose your next credit card.

The bottom line

Figuring out the best starter credit card depends on your credit history, spending needs and future financial goals. Once you have a good sense of where you are and where you are trying to go, you can use Bankrate’s CardMatch tool for more personalized recommendations. Once you find the right credit card, you’ll be on your way to better credit by using your new card responsibly.

*The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is no longer available. The Discover it® Secured Credit Card content in this post was last updated May 28th, 2026 and reflects card details offered at that time.

Frequently asked questions

• How old do you have to be to get a credit card?

  You need to be at least 18 years old to apply for a credit card. If you are younger than 21, you’ll need proof of income or a co-signer (like a parent), according to the Credit CARD Act of 2009.

• Can I build credit without a credit card?

  Yes, you can build credit without a credit card. Your parents can help from a young age by adding you as an authorized user to their card. If you have any existing loans, such as student or auto loans, paying those down will also help. You might also consider taking out a credit-builder loan to establish your credit.

• Why do I need to build credit?

  Whether you’re buying or renting a car or home, taking out loans for education, or even finding employment, having a good credit score is how lenders determine whether you can be trusted to pay back your debts. The better your score, the more favorable terms you’re likely to get.