Our experts answer readers’ credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here’s how we assess credit cards). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners; however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
How to get a credit card
You can get a credit card with average credit, bad credit, or no credit at all. If your credit score isn’t great or you barely have any credit history, you’ll have a hard time qualifying for many of the best credit cards. Fortunately, there are beginner credit cards specifically made for credit newcomers, and anyone can apply.
Self Visa® Credit Card
Details
Recommended Credit
No credit and limited credit
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
28.24% (Variable)
Here are some of the best starter credit cards to consider if you’re a credit beginner — including several that earn rewards.
The Best Starter Credit Cards
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Intro offer
$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening
Rewards
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Intro offer
$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening
Rewards
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Details
Rewards
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Intro offer
$50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening
Recommended Credit
Average, Fair, Limited
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.74% – 29.74% Variable
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Details
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Recommended Credit
Fair/New to Credit
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
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Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
17.74% – 26.74% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
0% intro APR for six months on purchases
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
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Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Details
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Recommended Credit
New/Rebuilding
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
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Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
27.74% Variable
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
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Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchase
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Rewards
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchase
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Details
Rewards
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchase
Recommended Credit
Average, Fair and Limited
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
29.99% Variable
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Intro offer
40,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Intro offer
40,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Details
Rewards
Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase.
Intro offer
40,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.74% – 29.74% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 18 months)
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Details
Recommended Credit
Average, Fair and Limited
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
29.99% Variable
Discover it® Student chrome
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Discover it® Student chrome
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Discover it® Student chrome
Details
Rewards
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases
Intro offer
Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year
Recommended Credit
Fair/New to Credit
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
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Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
17.74% – 26.74% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
0% intro APR for six months on purchases
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
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Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
Earn up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away. Earn 2% – 10% cash back at select merchants.
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
Earn up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away. Earn 2% – 10% cash back at select merchants.
Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card
Details
Rewards
Earn up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments. Earn 1% cash back on eligible purchases right away. Earn 2% – 10% cash back at select merchants.
The Petal 2 Visa Credit Card is issued by WebBank.
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Recommended Credit
No credit and limited credit to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
17.49% – 31.49% Variable
Capital One®️ Spark®️ Classic for Business
Rewards
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase with no minimums or expiration date.
Capital One®️ Spark®️ Classic for Business
Rewards
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase with no minimums or expiration date.
On Capital One®️’s website
Capital One®️ Spark®️ Classic for Business
Details
Rewards
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase with no minimums or expiration date.
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
26.99%
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
26.99%
Methodology
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Insider chose the best starter credit cards by first considering credit cards that don’t require an excellent credit score to be approved. From there, we focused on cards that appeal to those just starting out with credit, including student credit cards and secured credit cards.
We then narrowed down the list by evaluating the card’s features, including rewards earning, annual and other fees, simplicity, and benefits. Here’s our methodology for rating credit cards.
The Best Starter Credit Cards Frequently Asked Questions
When you’re ready to start building credit for the first time, it’s smart to have a basic understanding of how credit cards can help.
Read our step-by-step guide that shows you how to apply for a credit card and find out more about how to improve your chances of approval if you’ve never opened a card before. You can check your credit score online for free. From there, you can figure out which credit card can help you build credit that lasts.
The following questions and answers provide some basic guidelines to follow.
It really depends on your credit score and where you’re at in your credit journey. If you’ve never had a credit card before, it’s likely you’ll have to get started with a secured credit card that requires a cash deposit to shore up a small line of credit.
If your FICO credit score is at least “fair,” or above 580, on the other hand, you may qualify for a card geared to consumers with average credit.
When you’re first starting out, secured credit cards are the easiest to get approved for. This type of credit card requires an initial cash deposit to secure a line of credit that is typically for the same amount. For example, you may put down a cash deposit of $500 in order to secure a $500 line of credit.
With the requirement for collateral in place, almost anyone can get approved for a secured credit card regardless of their credit score. Also note that, once you use your secured credit card to establish a reasonable amount of credit history, you can cancel or upgrade your card provided your account is in good standing. At that point, your initial security deposit would be refunded to you.
Building credit with a credit card isn’t overly difficult, but you may have a better initial experience if you start the process off slowly. Use your credit card for regular purchases you can afford to pay off each month. When your bill comes due, make sure to pay at least the minimum payment and hopefully your entire credit card balance.
As you make payments each month, those payments will be reported to the three credit bureaus. Over time, you’ll build a history of responsible credit use that can help boost your credit score.
You can have one credit card or several. It’s totally up to you. When you’re first building credit, however, it makes sense to limit yourself to a single card. This way, you can spend time building responsible credit habits before you add more cards and complicate your finances.
How quickly you’ll raise your credit score depends on a whole host of factors including whether you have any credit history at all, whether you have negative marks on your credit report, and the way you handle credit in the short term.
Your best bet is signing up for a credit card that can aid you in building credit, then using it for regular purchases that you pay in full each month. This will help you build a history of on-time payments while keeping your credit utilization low.
The Best Starter Credit Cards
Best for Students Who Spend on Dining, Groceries, and Entertainment
If you’re a college student who likes to go out, the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is hard to beat. Cardholders earn 3% cash back on dining, groceries, entertainment, and eligible streaming services with no limits, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. In addition, until November 14, 2024, cardholders earn 10% back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases, and can enroll for a complimentary Uber One membership.
This card is extra appealing because it currently comes with a welcome bonus offer of a $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening. It’s possible to qualify with limited credit, so if you’re new to credit cards it’s a solid choice.
You’ll also receive surprisingly good benefits for a no-annual-fee student card, including:
- Price protection***
- Extended warranty***
- Car rental coverage***
- Roadside dispatch***
- Travel accident insurance***
- Complimentary concierge services***
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card Review
Best Student Card for Maximizing Rewards
Students who like to maximize rewards should consider the Discover it® Student Cash Back, which is typically available to consumers who don’t have an extensive credit history.
Once you’re approved, you can enroll to earn 5% cash back up to a quarterly maximum limit spent on purchases in categories that rotate each quarter, plus 1% back on everything else (from April 1 to June 30, 2023, you can earn 5% cash back at Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%). Like other cash-back credit cards from Discover, this card will also match all the rewards you earn at the end of the first account year.
This card also lets you see your credit score for free each month, and you’ll get Social Security Number monitoring, zero fraud liability, and no late fee on your first late payment. Consider signing up if you want to earn rewards and build credit at the same time without an annual fee.
Discover it Student Cash Back Card Review
Best Secured Credit Card
If you have poor credit or no credit history at all, you may need to get started with a secured credit card. Unlike unsecured credit cards that extend a line of credit without collateral, secured cards require a small cash deposit upfront in order to secure an equally small line of credit.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is widely considered to be one of the best secured credit cards because, unlike other cards in this niche, it doesn’t charge an annual fee or any hidden fees. You’ll also earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1%), as well as 1% back on all other purchases. Discover will also match all the rewards you earn at the end of your first account year.
Other top benefits include a free look at your FICO score each month, zero liability for fraudulent purchases, and no late fee on your first late payment. With this card, automatic reviews start at seven months to see if Discover can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
Discover it Secured Credit Card Review
Best for Cash Back
The Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card is available to consumers with “average” credit according to Capital One, which brings it into reach for individuals with limited credit or anyone who has made credit mistakes in the past.
This card does charge a $39 annual fee, but you’ll be able to earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and a flat 1.5% cash back for each dollar you spend on other purchases. That’s not bad for a rewards credit card, and it’s especially good for cards available to consumers with average credit.
Capital One also promises to reconsider your credit limit and potentially boost it after you’ve made six on-time payments on your credit card. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees and several benefits, which is a lot more than many credit cards for average credit offer.
Capital One QuicksilverOne Card Review
Best for Travel Rewards
The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is typically only available to consumers with good credit or better, but it’s important to note that a good FICO score typically starts in the 670+ range. If you can qualify, this card can serve as a starter travel rewards credit card that can help you get accustomed to earning this type of rewards.
Once you sign up, you’ll earn a flat 1.25 miles for each dollar you spend. You can also earn 40,000 miles after spending $1,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. On the redemption side of the equation, you can redeem Capital One miles for any type of travel at a rate of 1 cent apiece, or for transfers to airline and hotel partners. This card also comes with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card Review
Best Basic Starter Card
If you have average credit and want to learn good credit habits without worrying about rewards, consider the Capital One Platinum Credit Card.
This card will likely start you out with a low credit limit, but Capital One says it will consider boosting your limit after you make six on-time payments on your card. This card also comes with no annual fee.
Capital One Platinum Card Review
Best for Introductory APR
If you want to save money with low interest for a limited time, look into the Discover it® Student chrome. This card starts you off with a 0% intro APR for six months on purchases, then a 17.74% – 26.74% Variable APR.
You’ll also earn 2% cash back on your first $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (then 1%) at gas stations and restaurants, plus 1% back on everything else you buy. Discover will also match all the rewards you earn after the first year.
Discover it Student Chrome Card Review
Best for Building Credit
The Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card (card issued by WebBank) could be ideal for anyone who wants to build good credit that lasts. This card comes with a minimum credit limit of $500, although there’s no annual fee and no fees on late payments. You’ll earn a flat 1% back on all your eligible purchases for the first year, but you have the opportunity to graduate to 1.5% back after you’ve made 12 on-time payments on your credit card.
This card also reports to all three credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion like the other cards on our list, so it can help you build credit as your purchases and payments are reported. You’ll also get access to the powerful Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card Card app, which can help you manage your money better, track your spending, and stay on top of all your bills.
Petal 2 Visa Credit Card Review
Best for Small Businesses
There aren’t many small-business credit cards geared to folks with average credit, but the Capital One®️ Spark®️ Classic for Business could be a good starting point. This no-annual-fee card offers 1% cash back on all purchases, and it doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, either.
Employee cards are free, so you’ll earn rewards and qualify for protection on employee purchases. Other benefits include travel and emergency assistance services, secondary car rental insurance, purchase protection against damage or theft, and an extended warranty on eligible items.
Disclosures
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards.
Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they’re subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.
**Enrollment required.
***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply
For rates and fees of Discover it® Student Cash Back, please click here.
For rates and fees of Discover it® Secured Credit Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of Discover it® Student chrome, please click here.
